Great Bear Wilderness i walk this empty street

He had been gone only one night and back home for another. He spent the latter at the caldera's foot. It was very strange not to walk up to the den he shared with Fox, curl up around his mate and fall asleep beside her. As he scratched out a meager bed among the cold rocks, he couldn't help but wonder: how was she feeling right now? Was she confused? Angry? Sad? He couldn't even begin to guess and he wouldn't find out until he finally spoke with her. He wasn't quite ready for that yet, and so he slept alone. She probably did too, unless of course she was using her new best friend, Magpie, as a pillow pal.

Peregrine felt like an old man when he woke up the next morning. Yawning and stretching, his ears flicked in response to every snap, crackle and pop his Rice Krispies body made. "What the fuck..." he muttered under his breath. He wasn't even four yet, so what was this bullshit? After limbering himself, he trotted out from beneath the caldera's shadow and headed toward the borders, intending to cross them and go find himself some breakfast.