Swiftcurrent Creek the sun will settle on dust

The excitement and tension that had been building for weeks now broke this morning, when the Alpha pair gathered their two young, sleepy charges and led them to the far edge of the territory. By now, they had explained to the boys what was happening, of course. They were just old enough to understand for the most part, albeit with no capacity to comprehend the true scope of the situation. Relonikiv had mixed feelings about the move, which brought yet more upheaval to his young life, yet he was nothing if not obedient and easygoing. He would made no fuss, faithfully going wherever his foster parents told him to go.

While they waited for the rest of the pack to gather, Relonikiv nestled into the space between Scimitar's forepaws. "Father," he murmured quietly, bending upward to lick the Alpha's chin, a gesture of affection and respect. Unlike that day with Shadow, when Trajan had chosen to leave them (thereby walking out of their lives abruptly and entirely), the two-month-old knew exactly what a father was: Scimitar was it.