Motherhood was an entirely new type of responsibility. After nearly two years carrying the mantle of Alpha of the pack, with years working towards that goal as my mother's heir, I thought I had truly understood the weight of responsibility for another's life. But when that life was one that you, yourself, created? Oh, it was something completely different. My girls were precious and precocious, already adventuresome at only a season old. I couldn't very well be surprised by that, given their parentage. They were a handful to be certain, and I loved them with all my heart. But the duty of a mother weighed more heavily upon me than leadership ever had. I think Vortigern could see that, and so today he sent me off to get some semblance of a routine to my alphaship back. The girls were happy to have a day out with daddy. And me? It wasn't that I was happy to have a break from motherhood - there was no such thing, their wellbeing would be at the back of my mind for the rest of my life - but it was good to have some alone time, to check on the rest of the pack.

So I wandered, high and low within my territory. Checking on the known residences of my pack members, seeing if those who were working towards a rank required anything to complete their tasks. I tracked what little prey was roaming the mountains this summer - the populations seemed low, which concerned me, but I knew our hunters were strong and smart and the pack would not suffer. I stretched my legs, running further than I had since before my pregnancy. And it felt good.

As the sun began to set, I came to an outcropping of rock that looked out across the foothills of the mountains - the borders within sight. A sigh breathed between my lips, and I flopped down onto the cool stone. I had pushed myself to my limits today, covering as much ground as I could - and I was tired. I was ready to return home, to curl around my family and sleep more soundly than I had in months. But as I gazed out towards the horizon, I thought it wouldn't be such a bad thing to enjoy just a few more moments simply engrained in my pack and my home. And so, I lay there, listening to all that flourished around me - soaking it all in. Life was good.