There were always plenty of things to think about. Politics, Jackdaw, Jackdaw's stupidity, the weirdo from Iromar, his father, his mother, his siblings. Yup, there was a lot of important stuff to think about that would impact the future, his included.

But you know what was better than thinking about things that made you worry? Not thinking about them! He thought about spring instead. Spring was, like Samia, the better part of the world. It bloomed - white flowers, of course - and the grass was sweet and green - like Samia's eyes, of course. Spring was also full of puppies. Lots of puppies. Even the deer had...puppies of their own. And he wanted to know what that was all about! Why? Because Samia liked puppies. Hell, she had even made it part of her rank to look after them so...shouldn't he do the right thing and like them too? They were small and weird and often smelt quite unfortunate but he was sure he could learn to like them. He had been one once, after all.

So where to find them? Spirane, of course. They always had children! When he was born, there had been others too and not just his siblings either. Besides, maybe he would be able to find his father there, or one of his relatives just to...check in on things. And maybe a snack or two since he had grown quite hungry in the free lands again. In any case, that's where he had gone and he had passed the borders without much more than a loud choir of greeting barks as he loped up the mountainside with a waving tail and lolling tongue. Hell, he even remembered where the mothers tended to cluster! Far away from where his mother had been. That was easy to remember.

He sniffed along the paths until he found the smell of child -
weird, foreign, the kind of scent that'd lull the most fierce of wolves into a stupor. That was part of their magic, he understood. And so he followed it on long, bouncing strides until he found the dark child as she flew all across the grass like a rabbit; he was startled at first. She was so...fast. So persistent. He watched at a distance with furrowed brows as he examined her behavior.

"Okay, I get it now!" They liked rocks. He smiled, all teeth and confidence as he bounded over with almost prancing strides. "Child! It's me, uncle Israfel! You don't know me yet but I am a wolf of...a wolf born of Spirane. Like you!" He wasn't even sure if she was listening. But, it was a formality: he spoke loud enough that any adults nearby would be able to discern it. Totally not a risk. Then, he ducked low so that his belly skimmed the grass as he watched the rock tumble about. "Interesting." He would remain as such until he understood just what this rock was. A game? A way of practicing the kill? The child didn't seem to have her real teeth yet...was this how you got rid of them? He vaguely remembered rocks but he could not remember what he did with them.