Light the Night

Thanks for revining this thread so I could post with Val :'-)

FOR.
EV.
ERRRRRRR.

That's what this walk felt like. At first it had been fine and peachy... nothing out of the norm. Larus was a bit of a downer not long into their excursion but what else was new? Little Val marched alongside his parents and friends, happy to look up to Danica and see her golden face. But why where they walking to far and where were they going? Valtýr didn't know, or really care. He was easygoing, and was content to enjoy the sunshine and pleasant late-summer breeze. Every now and then he bothered his siblings with a pounce and even though they were not thrilled with his antics, they were able to tolerate it.

However, minutes became hours, and soon the afternoon sun dipped beyond the horizon to signal the closure of their first day. Valtýr began to have suspicions that this walk wasn't just another jaunt in the name of exploration. He looked to her parents... their faces were carved like stone. Serious and alert, even though his brother moaned melodramatically between his patient father's jaws. Valtýr's little mouth twisted in a frown. 'Moma, when we go home?' he would ask Tuwawi, to which she would reply, 'we are going home'. It didn't make much sense to the boy, but her soft voice silenced him long enough until he could find another distraction: a leaf, Maera's tail, or Jokull's ear...

Yet, like any other child Valtýr had his weak moments. Overtired, hungry, and cranky, little temper-tantrums effected even the most passive of the SVeijarn pups. He would sob and cry or sit down and refuse to move another inch. Why? He didn't really have a rhyme or reason. He just missed the comfort of their den and its soft deerskin carpet. Sore paws and soft baby muscle certainly didn't help.

After what seemed like forever, the caravan stopped, and Valtýr nearly crashed into his siblings as they had into the legs of adults. His big ears drooped until exhausted eyes caught the dance of colors in twilight's sky. Tuwawi announced their arrival, followed by Njal, and (seemingly) all at once the big wolves began to howl and sing grandiose melodies. It was beautiful. The little firstborn managed to put aside his fatigue to point his firebranded nose towards the sky and warble out his own puppy tune. His voice was a bit squeaky, but his message was the same: I live here now!

A few minutes passed and the exultation died to a quiet hush. Father's voice boomed over the rest and even though he was tired, his voice remained sincere. Jökull gave a rare gesture of affection, kissing Val's dusty brow, to which he gave a big sloppy kiss back. Then, as everyone else did, he fell into line and followed the group into the heart of their new kingdom: Duskfire Glacier.