Dawnlark Plains toe the line

AW but tagging @Loir (sorry I've taken forever to get this up!)

it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. well. . .not so much the former.

morningside had definitely seen better days. their numbers were off-balance; lots of mouths to feed and not enough hunters to feed them. the loss of grayday had sent the pack reeling, and other small things, like sunny's absence (thank god he had returned) and his breakup with dawn did not help morale. enemies like the pale wolves loomed literally at their doorstep, and their allies at easthollow seemed farther away than ever before.

but there was, he supposed, some things to celebrate. they had a couple of new members, who seemed more than enthusiastic to be a part of the fold. the pups were growing big and strong, mostly due to the adults skipping meals to feed them, instead. catori's litter was already old enough to help out with simple tasks, and soon they would be hunters, too. all they needed to do was to get over this hump. aditya hoped that things would improve by first snow.

today, like all days, he walked the borders, hawkish gaze scanning the horizon. step by step he took--resisting the urge to count them--mind at once rooted in the present and far away, thinking of happier times. he was lonely, too, hoping that a familiar face could join him, so at least he'd have someone to talk to, for once. life at the top was a solitary existence, especially without dawn.