In short, I had become uncharacteristically nervous about the entire idea of this blind date on the morning when I'd set out to meet with Dawnlust and the other females partaking in the event. The small gathering had let me find my feet and calm my nerves, regaining the level head that I more customarily greeted the world with. At the heart of it all I reminded myself of why I'd come - a desire to soothe the loneliness that had so consumed me of late. Iromar was a strong pack, Aithne a powerful and just leader, and though I'd established myself within the ranks early on I had yet to make any true friends in the pack. Of course I counted Aithne as a friend, but she was also my alpha. And I loved my brother dearly, but his life had taken on new meaning when he'd become Emperor. Not to mention the changes in him as he became a father. I was happy for him, excited to be an aunt, but I wanted to find some semblance of that happiness for myself. The term blind date suggested that romance was to come of today's meeting with the unknown male, but I would be pleased just to make a new friend. Connect with someone in a way I hadn't in far too long.

An area had been designated as a meeting point for my match and I, and I had arrived first, pacing a single circle around the small copse of trees that stood a short distance from the river's edge. Stopping in the middle of the trees I gazed up into their branches, ears twitching as I listened to the birds that hopped from branch to branch. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a robin flying back from the direction of the river, and I turned to watch as she soared up into the branches. Pale lavender eyes spotted the worm that hung from her beak, and I tracked her flight until she alighted upon the edge of a nest. The high pitched chirps of her waiting babies filled the air, and they proceeded to shove each other about as they demanded the meal that their mother had brought them. Sitting there with my nose pointed up towards the treetops I wondered if I would ever have rascally pups pushing at the edge of my lips, demanding a meal that I'd brought back for them in my stomach from a hunt.

Doing my best to push away the sullen feelings that so often came with such musings, I refocused my attention on a squirrel bustling about in the lower branches. After a short while I heard the sound of paw steps approaching from behind me, my ears swiveling backwards to catch the movement. Suddenly my stomach lurched with excitement, hoping that Dawnlust and Sorcha had chosen wisely for the gentleman that was to keep my company this day. I glanced over my shoulder, lavender eyes seeking their first look at the male who, for whatever reason, had elected to participate in this blind dating event. Perhaps I would discover why in the hours to come...if all went well.