Redhawk Caldera Counting on high hopes

Whether it was because Ashton's interest in the pack had subsequently interested him or because he was unsure what else he would do with his time, Capricorn had stayed near the dead volcano. Not near enough to stir trouble or even be noticed by the wolves staking their claim there, but close enough to spot it from the heart of the prairie. It towered on the horizon, anomalously chopped off at the top and reminding him very much of the abnormality of home.

Montem Aquilonem had been a regular mountain, but it was home to nearly thirty short-legged valhund crosses like himself, so it had garnered more attention than your average mountain. Redhawk Caldera certainly garnered attention in a different way due to its abruptly shortened peak.

As morning broke over the prairie on his third day of camping out, Capricorn got to his feet and once more waddled closer to the pack. The wind was blowing southwest this time, so he had to get a little closer to smell the telltale signs of wolf territory, but he still wasn't close enough to cause discomfort. He began a very wide orbit of the mountain, his short legs hurrying him through the grass at an admirable pace for his size, but his head remained turned and his gaze was firm on the mountain.

He didn't really look like he was trying to attract attention, but then, Capricorn never openly did that sort of thing even if he was looking for attention. It wasn't classy and, besides, he still hadn't decided what he wanted to do regarding this volcano and its inhabitants. Circling noncommittally around it was certainly less suspicious to Capricorn than sitting and staring at it without announcing himself.