Nova Peak a man alone

I know I’m a thread hog, so this can be a cameo if anybody else joins! :)

Raider took a deep breath. Then another. And another.

Ever since the invasion, she’d felt terribly vulnerable. It reminded her of the time she and Riley had both been injured, making them painfully aware of the precariousness of their situation. Although they had backup now, Dragonspine was still small, small enough that the Alpha pair was forced to choose between defending the den and the territory at large.

The choice was obvious, she mused as she watched Ruckus trundle toward the den’s entrance. But it didn’t make it easy. As her child moved nearer to all the dangers the outside world presented, the fur along Raider’s spine prickled uneasily.

Part of her wished to slow down time, so she could savor these early days with her brood. Another part wished to speed up time, so the pups weren’t so small and vulnerable. Then they could join their parents to guard the borders, among other things.

She exhaled, gliding smoothly to block the doorway.