Redhawk Caldera Get buck in here

It was a particularly lovely spring day today. Atreus ate some breakfast and then took advantage of some free time to explore westward across the steppes and into the adjacent forest. He knew it was right next door to the caldera, so he made a loose plan to catch something to eat and bring it to @Amalia later. In the meantime, he just wanted to walk among the trees, enjoying the sound of the wind in their branches and the birdsong sprinkled in there.

Finally, he turned his attention to tracking some small game. Atreus sniffed his way to a rabbits’ nest tucked in a shallow hole in the ground. He ate the small kits he found, then slunk into some brush nearby to ambush the mother when she returned to find her nest empty.

He almost fell asleep waiting, though he perked up when he heard some rustling in the grass. He watched the hare approach the nest, her eyes warily darting around the surrounding forest as she came closer. Atreus waited for the perfect moment to leap out of concealment. She darted, of course, and he gave chase.

She hightailed it down a small deer path, Atreus in hot pursuit. A tree had fallen over the narrow track. The rabbit easily slipped beneath it but the young wolf had no choice but to jump over it. He cleared the thick trunk easily enough but came down wrong on his ankle. It rolled. With a cry of pain, Atreus lost his balance and went careening into the underbrush.

He lay where he came to a stop, breathing hard. Wincing, Atreus rolled onto his belly and tried to sit up. His left foreleg couldn’t bear any weight. Balancing on three legs, he managed to climb to his feet. He tucked his hurt leg closer to his chest. His hip and shoulder on that side ached a bit from his hard landing.

Atreus faced north and slowly shuffled toward the caldera, instinctively seeking his dearest friend in his time of need.