Firefly Glen [BWH] I miss you more than anything

Verapaz arrived in the dark of the night. The trip had been without difficulty, and he could tell his pack was in high spirits. It was only as the glen filled with wolves came into view that Kemal felt the prickle of nerves.

He knew these other packs didn't trust them. Really, they had no reason to. The goal here was to improve the reputation of Verapaz first and foremost; they had to if they were really going to move forward. They were no longer trading green, but sooner or later the new garden, a mostly safe one, would be established. If they still thought Verapaz was trying to poison wolves, that defeated half of it's purpose.

More than that, they had a percieved enemy now. With enemies, you needed allies too.

Pushing out a breath, he could only stare ahead as his packmates settled in the glen. He wished his mother was in her right mind, then he wouldn't have to do any of the talking here.

Cameo!

Wolves of unknown origin moved about in the dark. Verapaz's fledgling gardener followed their silhouettes, straining to hear snippets of conversation from her spot in the camp. The pups someone said, great sky said another. The little wolf put her head on her outstretched legs and waited.

Killdeer walkin' into this convo like

The scent of Verapaz drew his attention, and Killdeer peeled off from the rest of the Caldera wolves to make pleasantries. He'd only ever met one of them, just once, but Gramma had told him that their leader was Bushtit's father—so that was yet another connection between their packs, if tenuous.

The man ahead was large and hulking, and he carried himself like a king. Could this be the mysterious Soto? Killdeer noted the golden gaze, cutting into the dark like twin searchlights.

What was he searching for?

Greetings, Killer told the man upon approach, shoulders and tail relaxed in the spirit of camaraderie. I don't believe we've met. Killdeer, from Redhawk Caldera. And you're from. . .Verapaz, right?

Ignorance truly was bliss.

It felt like some cruel twist of fate that the first wolf he came across was one of the caldera.

Don't glare don't glare don't glare -

There was some squint in his eyes, but Kemal managed to gather up the willpower to keep the rest of his face stiff.

Yes, I know your pack. He wouldn't mention Leandros, nor Soto's son. He doubted that he needed to. I am Kemal, Verapaz's new Águila. We are all excited to be here. Good god, he sounded like his father.

Have you been to one of these hunts before?

Of course, right, he replied quickly, smiling in what was hopefully an ingratiating manner. If Kemal was at all glaring, Killdeer didn't notice. He was more focused on the words, anyway—he didn't know what an Águila was, but from context, it seemed as if it were a leadership position.

From the bits he remembered from Towhee and her son, 'Kemal' wasn't Bushtit's dad's name. Had this man replaced him, or was he maybe a deputy. . .? He made a mental note to ask at some point during the hunt.

I have, yes, Killer said. The one last autumn was super fun. I'm glad the tradition lives on.

Well, in a way. What Killdeer had noticed was the lack of familiar faces. He knew some had died, and others moved on—but that didn't account for everyone. Perhaps they were simply late to the party.

He tilted his head, voice one of light query as he asked, So, how goes it with Verapaz and your green?

Ouch. Salt in the wound!

Kemal had no way of knowing whether or not Killdeer knew what had happened, but it still made his heart ache. Verapaz has turned a new leaf with new leadership. We no longer trade green, the plants have been destroyed. As far as he knew, anyways. Disa had enough hatred for the plant that he doubted she had saved them.

We moved inland recently, our territory looks over yours. Depending on where you stood, anyways. That makes us proper neighbours. Redhawk Caldera had been the pack closest to their own in the pass, but now the trip was less than a day.