kings of suburbia

It took me wayyy too long to realize I originally posted this with the wrong account >__>

Summer had no idea of the conflict between Sumayl and Jace, nor of the relationship between him and Vienna. In terms of the latest gossip, the Ostrega was woefully uninformed. His time was far too taken by performing his duties, spending time with Tytonidae and roaming the borders, ever watching to see if Magpie might happen upon his doorstep. Likely when Spring came, he would make the journey to the Caldera to check in on her - perhaps bringing Ty with him so that she could visit her father, or at least dropping in on him and urging him to return to see her.

But that was all in the future. At present, he was busying himself with another matter that often consumed his attention those days, and that was training. While his other trades had been obtained almost naturally, becoming a warrior was something he was more passionate about than any of his other skills. Every chance he got, he used to train his body by heightening his endurance, strengthening his muscles, or practicing his skills and techniques. He was definitely not the same wolf the crazed black bitch had made a fool of those months ago beside the river, but he also was not nearly the wolf he wanted to be either.

Today's training involved a heavy, ragged old hide from a doe carcass he'd found in an old cache upon the mountainside. With a growl, he dug his teeth into the fur, lifted it, and shook it as hard as he could. His neck muscles had begun to ache a while ago, which he knew to be a good sign that his efforts were not in vain. Furiously he pushed himself to continue, pausing at times just to take a few quick breaths and to pace around his "foe" before snatching it up and giving it another hard shake.

It was during one of those pauses that he spotted Sumayl - a golden blot upon the Spire's face. It had been rather a while since they'd had a good chat, and so Summer tilted his head back and gave a short howl, calling his packmate's attention.