Stone Circle round, round, round..

It had been two days now. Two days marking Malila as officially one year old. She was an adolescent. No longer a dependent youngster. But she still held on to many of the facets of her youth. Youth that she felt, had been taken from her too soon and was now trying to reclaim. She would always be sprite like, delicate and soft spoken. Mild mannered and as sweet as the honey made by bees. But there would always be a lingering quiet about her. She wondered...what would her lost brother Mohe, look like now? It made her heart ache.

However, there was a bright side. Rivenwood had recently welcomed new young bundles of joy into the world. Their arrival lit up a flame of curiosity within her. She found herself so desperately yearning to see them. To touch, smell and teach. Their mothers though, were still protective. The pups were too young yet to be introduced to the pack. Obeying her unspoken instinct, Malila wisely gave the dens a wide birth. 

She ventured out, away from home for a while. On a journey to collect herbs, flowers and roots for her and Speedy's stores. Those that she didn't use, she thought she would form into individual little bundles. Give them as warming gifts to the new mothers and the newborns as a sign of goodwill. She didn't notice the other wolf. But she did notice the perfectly round rock coming flying, landing at her paws. She jumped back, exclaiming out in mild surprise.