Dawnlark Plains pocket full of posies

Shale was outside the territory when the call rang out, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the problem. His eyes lifted skyward to see the thick plume of smoke cascading over the plains, and then he was running, running, having left his hunt far behind. He leapt over logs and splashed through tiny creeks, finally bursting onto his pack's territory and heading immediately for the dens.

Luckily, there were plenty there helping out, but a couple of his pups were missing, much to his dismay. The most immediate scent was Padma's, and he followed it quickly, heart pounding against his ribcage. She was safe, but lost in her own little world, looking gleefully around and blissfully unaware of the danger that surrounded them.

"Padma, we've gotta go, kid," Shale called out to her as he approached. He ducked his head, intending to seize her scruff between his teeth if she didn't toddle voluntarily beside him--or quickly enough. He thought of the others that weren't present. . .Timberlake, for one. . .