Grouse Thicket Of Pale Morning's Light...

The pups were growing fast, though they were still so young. Ulrich found himself at war with his emotions every single day because of them--he was overjoyed one moment and terrified the next. He had thought caring for Adylaide had been stressful; nothing could have prepared him for the constant plague of fears that followed him around as a father. What if the Isle flooded and the babes drowned? What if an animal got into the den and--and ate... He couldn't even finish that thought, his stomach twisting uncomfortably.

He found daily walks helped keep his mind a bit clearer and less likely to dwell on unrealistic paranoia, so he walked. By now, he knew the territories surrounding the Isle fairly well, and had his favorite walking trails, such as they were (usually old deer trails or other such things). This morning, as he walked, he caught the scent of wolf on the wind. Male. Loner.

Hello? he called, stopping and looking around. Then the wind shifted and the scent was lost to him.