Wanderer stretched her legs and muscled as she woke with the sun, which was just barely above the horizon. She padded out of her den, carefully placing her paws on teh ground so she didn't wake anyone.

Sartaq - M - Alpha - Mention(s): Nightingale (ind: Wander)

~

(You do not need to match my wordcount. I definitely wrote too much and got carried away. I'll try not to get carried away next time XD)

Sartaq stretched out his paws as sleep finally left him, emitting a slight growl. It was already morning, and the breeze brought strange scents.

Strange scents like where they had settled down for the night. From where he was, Sartaq could barely see what was outside - but he could see the infinitely stretching land, full of tussock and sandy dirt.

Barren wasteland. What used to be far more verdant with prey were now barren.

It had started off small. One year, the prey pile had simply been smaller. But since then... it had dwindled. Further, further, and further, until food was ultimately the most scarce thing in the valley.

Sartaq really, really hated that.

Then came the whispers. Across the mountains... was there really such a place? Sartaq was more reserved about the issue. What kind of land would have such prey?

Then again... what if it was true? That were was such a place?

Sartaq wanted to believe the rumors. But the realist side of him thought it impossible.

That didn't mean he couldn't believe it. That maybe there was such a thing.

Ah, the joys of dreaming.

There was one other reason why Sartaq wanted to believe it, despite the realistic side of him saying it was likely not true.

He didn't know if his mate or any of the other females in the pack were expecting or not.

That troubled him immensely. Prey had already been extremely scarce in the valley recently - if anyone in the pack had pups... what then? There simply wasn't enough food left in the valley. Nothing to sustain any more pups on. And Sartaq didn't want anyone starving to death, pups or wolves.

But what if they were wrong? Sartaq would have lead them under false promises to a land of glory that may or may not exist.

Sartaq didn't want to think about it. But he knew it would eventually come to a head. If any of the females - his mate included - turned out to be pregnant...

Sartaq forced it out of his mind. It was too early to be mulling on such things.

Except, it had influenced him at every turn. He thought about it while eating his meager food. He thought about it when he looked at his mate, or when he saw any of the other happy couples.

Inclusive of his mate, which was quietly snoozing away beside him. Sartaq studied her for a moment. (Reply cut)

(I'm going to cut some of my reply out from here. It's too long already.)

Sartaq looked at her for a moment longer, then quietly licked her shoulder as a "good-morning".

She could figure things out. Sartaq had complete confidence in his mate that she could.

(Sorry. I got carried away. Damnit.)

(Some time before the previous post)

I wondered around the sleeping pack. This is boring. I hadn't slept much, and mostly circled my pack. I peeked inside my sister's den to check if she was awake so he could bug her, but she was fast asleep. I eventually went back to my den and lay next to Wander, in a restless sleep.

(Present time)

I feel something warm next to me, and I smell something tasty. My senses take over and I wake up. I see Wanderer next to me, she had food. "good morning, Wander!" I say, jumping up, I love calling her Wander. I always had energy in the morning, especially when I didn't sleep well. "I'm gonna go wake up Nighttigale! Be right back!" I say to her and run over to her den. I noticed her with her mate. Hmm. I pounce on her and tackle her. "wake up sleepy head! It's morning! Let's hunt something!" I say enthusiastically. "Let's go! Come on!!!"

Sartaq - M - Alpha - Mention(s) - Caspian, Nightingale (ind. Wander)
~
On good days, Sartaq liked Caspian. His ineffable energy through doing things. Sometimes he needed to take a step back, though.
"Caspian... mind going away?" Sartaq good-naturedly grumbled. He usually had a high tolerance for these things, but they - well, more correctly, mainly his mate - was attempting to sleep.
Okay, maybe not anymore. But was. And this was their den.
Gah. It was still too early to be doing this. Sartaq gently nudged Caspain off Nightingale with his muzzle, and wordlessly began licking her coat. He always did this in the morning - grooming his mate's fur while getting them both ready for the new day. New decisions.
And Caspian did have a point, Sartaq thought. They probably should get up soon.
But for now, it was going to be gentle snoozing and him calmly grooming his mate's fur.