It was a new day. A new chance to have an adventure! Gin was ready to go, the world just outside th opening of his family’s den. And yet, he was trapped under the heavy paws of his mother. Wren licked the silver furred boy fondly, a smile on her face as he squirmed restlessly. ”Hold still,” she said, trying to hide a giggle. Gin growled playfully and batted at his mother’s broad snout. “Come on, Mom, I’m clean enough!” He ignored the fact that his entire underside was still caked in the dried mud from the previous days excursions. Rolling her speckled eyes, Wren sighed and finally lifted her paw. Gin didn’t even hesitate! With a yip of sheer joy, he bolted out of the den and into the swamp lands. Picking a random direction, he sprinted off alone, his mother’s warnings about being home before dusk going through one ear and out the other.

The spring thaw had made the pack wet and muddy, but that mattered little to the pup as he wandered aimlessly through the pack. He wished his brother, Zayn, would join him on his adventures, but the silent pup seemed content to stay at home with Mom and the others. In fact, he wished any puppy would play with him. This year had seen no new cubs born on Iromar soil and it made Gin feel a little lonely. He did his best with his own imagination, but he couldn’t hold back the longing of companionship. As he moved along the edge of a large pond, a subtle movement caught his dark, speckled eyes.

Pausing, he turned to see his reflection gazing back at him. The filthy water made it impossible to see what lay just beneath the surface, but he knew the dangers that lurked below. Mom had warned him without end about the huge water dragons that shared the territory. As long as he stayed well away from the water, he would be safe. While he had never seen these mythical beings, he was sure they were there. A single bubble popped on the surface, causing several ripples to spread across the water. Suddenly, Gin found himself barking savagely (or as savagely as a puppy could). He had to warn the rest of the pack! There was a dangerous beast hunting them and only he could protect the pack! With a wag of his tail, he barked and barked, convinced it was the only thing keeping the monster at bay.