Redhawk Caldera [aw] another dawn

The days grew slower and slower.

Over the last year, it was more and more unavoidable that Eljay was growing old. His limbs were stiffer, which he compensated by slowing down his step, so that his children and his mate did not notice. But he knew that they knew.

Each time he had to sit up, he lay down instead, to spare his sore limbs. Each time he had to get up after he had lay down, his limbs trembled, and he was yet slower for at least five minutes as he got into motion.

It seemed unfair to Eljay, that somebody like him should live as long as he already had, while wolves like Bronco passed away from fever in the night, no matter how much the Caretaker had tried to ease his pain and his fevers. How many bodies had he seen, back to the earth, back to nature, their souls gone forever?

Had Eljay been able, he would have given wolves like that some of his years — his good years — so that they may all live equally long. But he knew that life wasn't like that. Life was unfair, no matter how hard he had tried his whole life to make it fair. All he could do was to keep trying the latter.

Despite his aching limbs, these were not the bad years. These were the good years — the years spent with his loving mate @Maia, with his beautiful family, with @Teya, whose grief no amount of friendship could not quench.

The old boy walked by the lake in the misty morning, glancing out over it, while he wondered what this year would have in store for him and his family. He had spent so many of his years in Redhawk Caldera, and he knew that it would be his final home.

all welcome (can't see the icons in safe for work mode it seems)!