Blacktail Deer Plateau beware the storm that gathers here
Morningsong
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it was time to go.

the past two weeks had been rough. illness, which had nearly killed aditya and now looked to do the same to sunny. the war brewing to the south. and attacks on their own border, from wolf and wild fauna alike. everything bad had converged in mere days, and he found himself overwhelmed by it all.

it was clear the plateau was no longer a safe place to live. where was safe now lay in the paws of dawn and aditya. grayday had all but ordered him that they scout ahead to find a new home, and adi was more than happy to do so.

he tipped his muzzle back and called for @Dawn and @Grayday, as well as @Easy, whom they were taking on the journey. it would be good for the girl, growing so fast, to see more of the world. aditya wanted to take her to see the ocean, like he had promised her many days ago--before all hell had broken loose.

he sat on his haunches near their southern border, by the quiet rushing of whitefish river, waiting with just a little impatience. there was no time to spare. not with so much--their livelihoods, hell, their lives--at stake.
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Grayday arrived on the borders just behind Easy, who was to thank for getting him there so quickly. He'd found that by keeping a loose grip on his daughter's tail, he could navigate the dense forest at record speeds. Of course, this new trick would soon be lost, if only for a while.

"Get over them over the mountains as quickly as you can," the man said to Aditya under his breath, hoping that Dawn wouldn't hear him saying these things. "I want them both far away from this."

He turned and swept Easy into a firm embrace. Tears stung in his eyes as he prepared to send off one of his youngest brood. She was far past the age that Dawn had been when she had begun to wander, and somehow, that only made him more anxious. If she didn't have the knack for it, she could be in very real danger. "You be good for your brother and sister. Listen to them, and be strong and swift-footed. Alright?"

Aditya and Dawn would take care of her, he knew. It was just scary to send her off for the first time on her own, without Daddy there to make it all better.
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Easy was afraid. Underneath the nonchalant face she put on for her father and brother-in-law, she was sick with anxiety. She'd never been away from her father for very long. Even when he'd had to leave sometimes, she'd been able to go with him. This would be different. She'd be on her own, and while Dawn and Aditya were there and she knew they would protect her, Easy knew in a bone-deep way that no one would ever fight for her the way her father would.

But that was fine. They would stick together, and everyone would be safe.

"I will, Da," she said solemnly, enduring his hug with the sort of irrritable tolerance her age group was known for. She was sad that Burr had left them, and upset by all the illness and injuries that surrounded her on the plateau. Now Sunny and Lavender were sick as well, and she just couldn't take life on the plateau any longer. It was time to get out of town.
ooh-oo child, things are gonna get easier
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She perked when she heard Adi's howl, almost suppressing a coughing fit but letting it out when she realized she'd probably be suppressing more of the same for a while to come. Giving a stiff shake of her pelt, she blinked once as she surveyed the rendezvous once, feeling an odd sense of finality. Giving one last deep cough, she made her way towards the borders, lingering once at the catfish pond before hurrying the rest of the way there, doing her utmost to appear able-bodied and prepared. She didn't want to linger longer than they had to; the beauty of the plateau had been tarnished by all that had occurred here and in the valley. 

She bump her shoulder against Easy's in greeting, flashing her a grin that she directed Aditya's way as well. Moving to her father, she poked her muzzle to his cheek a moment before withdrawing, familiar excitement building in her paws at the prospect of another journey. "we'll see you soon, Da." She murmured, pausing a moment before withdrawing to stand near her younger sister, gaze flickering once to Aditya as she yearned to get moving, to set in motion the next (and hopefully safer) chapter of Morningside.
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he nodded to grayday, feeling a small kernel of trepidation root in his stomach. it had been different, the last scouting trip. but now grayday was entrusting him with the care of two of his three daughters, and to let the man down. . .  he swallowed. dawn was perfectly capable of fending for herself, and the two of them would watch over easy.

aditya returned dawn's smile, eyes raking for a brief instant over her face before looking over at easy. "ready to go?" he asked the girl, though rhetorically; it wasn't as if a 'no' from the girl would hold them back.

"we'll call for you," adi said to grayday with a solemn inclination of his head. "it shouldn't be too long."
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Exiting Grayday!
"I'm ready!" she agreed, her spirits rising as Dawn made her way onto the scene. Easy gave her father once last nuzzle before tearing away, giving him a change to cling to Dawn for a moment. Finally, he came to bump foreheads with Adi, and they were released from his overbearing presence.

Easy shivered with excitement. It was finally time to go.
ooh-oo child, things are gonna get easier
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Even the beginnings of another headache beginning behind her temples could not dissuade the excitement steadily building in her chest. She bade goodbye to her father as he left them behind, watching his somewhat faltering disappearance into the trees only a moment before shooting a grin towards Easy, tail wagging at her hocks as she stepped beyond the borders, with only, "let's go, then," and a glance at each of her companions. 

Still, this journey would be different; she knew not how long they'd be gone, nor just what they may encounter. What worried the girl more, however, was what just might occur at home in their absence. She'd never thought of herself as a worrier, and yet it seemed she was beginning to become one. Shaking the thought from her mind, she felt a sense of heavy duty alongside the excitement, now. With one more glance at the tarnished territory that lay behind them, they began to head towards the mountains.
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he watched grayday leave, the trepidation growing ever-so slightly, from a kernel into a small, paw-sized lump. it receded somewhat, though, when he looked at his mate and saw his entire world reflected in her amber eyes, and at easy, the spirited face of the future. they would be just fine.

aditya gave the plateau a long parting look. it was his first permanent home in many years, and it was a small heartbreak to have to leave it behind. even though he knew morningside was a nomadic pack, he had still fancied raising his children here--teaching them to fish in the catfish pond, or hunting turkeys on the plains. laying out beneath the stars, sharing songs and stories and love.

though there would be other places that would capture his heart, he would never forget this place. this beautiful, troubled place, which had given him new life in the face of death--not once, but twice, even. he hoped it would treat its next occupants better, but would give them the same joy it had given to him.

wordlessly, he nodded, both in farewell to blacktail deer plateau and in agreement to dawn's sentiment. he turned slowly and began to pad away beside her, the trio heading out into the bright sun of a new day.
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Easy followed behind her brother and sister, casting long glances over her shoulder as they went. It was always strange to see the plateau get smaller and smaller behind her, and this time seemed especially odd. They were going to find a new home, like they had when they left the cuesta. She hoped there'd be less snow, wherever they went. She wanted to be able to play with Lavender again one day.
ooh-oo child, things are gonna get easier
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