Whitehart

I - Red

Red trudged along the invisible path that meandered through the trees, her remaining packmates following single-filed behind her, the strongest in the front and back with the youngest and smallest in the middle. Luckily, they were all strong enough to hold their own, even if it had only been a moon since the fire.

Occasionally, Red would look over her shoulder and check on her companions every so often, just to make sure no one had spontaneously dropped dead and to avoid overlooking such a situation.

No one had talked yet this evening. Not since their mid day meal, which consisted of a plump rabbit and a fawn. A lucky catch. It was that time of day when the sunset had just ended, so the sky was dark purple with the small but vibrant streaks of orange, red, and pink that served as a reminder of the day. This was a special time for wolves. It was dark, but just light enough to go for a late hunt or drink of cool water before it was time to settle in for the night. It was an excellent time to think. And Andin knows we have plenty to reflect on, Red thought to herself. The wolves' hearts were still struck with grief from the events of the last moon. Red could still feel the thickness of the air as it filled with ashes and smoke, if she thought about it too long.

"I think we need to settle in for the night." Umbra slipped from behind Red to her side, their tails waving in unison as they walked. The black wolf had been a Beta in the pack, his large muscular frame served him well as he managed territory patrols, and keeping rival packs in line.

"Excellent idea," Red barked, as she signalled with her tail for the others to stop as she looked around, before ducking into the treeline.

They scouted out a clearing that was empty and close to a stream. It was small, but comfortable enough for one night. As the wolves settled in, they layed in a circle around each other, drifting off to sleep just as the last remaining strips of sunlight disappeared over the horizon. Red watched as her packmates soon entered the realms of their dreams, then she tilted her head upwards, more stars becoming visible in the sky, shining through the branches of the oaks and pines, before laying her head down and closing her eyes.