Word Count 349:: Zalen's gonna be bad in this one...
The dark Alpha lay near the river this day, his back pressed gingerly against the trunk of a tree, eyes half-lidded. But despite his sleepy appearance, he was very alert, satellite ears darting about at the softest sound. Still, despite his not being sleepy, he was in a calm state, and his poet mind ever working.
It had recently come to him that Ichika no Ho-en was no more, and its members had scattered like leaves to the four winds. The male breathed in, lungs filling to the brim, before letting out a long, groaning sigh. Where was X’yrin? He worried for her deeply; and now Kiara too, who was surely still living in the birthing den, yet now not protected by the borders of a pack. Zalen was overcome by grief at the loss of New Dawn’s only true ally, and now, they were alone.
Olive eyes opened slowly, looking through the dappled shadows of the tree towards the river, which sparkled in the midday sun. It was warm, but not unpleasant in the least bit. Zalen’s mind drifted then away from sad thoughts to those of the newest members of New Dawn. Sky’s puppies were the greatest joy, and Zalen had already fallen in love with them. Sky, seemed to be fitting in as best he could tell, but she was used to the more humanized life, and kept to herself more. That was alright with Zalen, he understood that; she was not the only member with such a demeanor.
Suddenly, a flutter of browns and grays came into view, and his eyes opened fully to watch as his young Epsilon, Ciara, came bursting from the direction of the den and without hesitation splashed into the depths of the stream. Zalen pushed himself up on to his front paws and leaned forward, nose twitching, as he watched her reappear. And then the scent hit him; she was trying to hide it, but he was downwind, and it was not something easily missed. Zalen slowly stood to all fours, and took several tentative steps out into the sunlight.
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