The summer sun beat down upon my dark pelt, soaking into my core and lulling me into a practically catatonic state. For so many years I had looked up to my mother as she stood or sat or lay upon this rock that had become a metaphorical throne, and finally my time had come. So I had come here today to make myself available should any wolf of the pack seek to speak with me. There was plenty of space for Kalseru to join me if she so chose, though the beauty of their being two Bewilderbeasts of Spirane was that the leadership could literally be in two places at once. This place had been chosen by Daenerys as a tribute to my grandfather, Alcide, for together they had wiled away many afternoons basking in the sunlight just as I did now. It had not become a symbol of the leadership until Daenerys had removed the scourge that had killed her parents from Moladion, and called her first pack meeting in this very clearing. It was a story I had loved to hear as a pup, and learned much from in my adolescence.

Midday wore away into the warmest hours of the afternoon, and I snoozed on through them. Half conscious, my ears lazily flicked back and forth every so often. Sometimes to catch a nearby sound, other times to rid myself of an annoying fly. Whether any wolf came looking for me, or if someone came upon me by happenstance, I would surely wake and become aware of their presence with ease. The shade of the trees to the west would soon be upon me, offering respite from the direct sunlight. But for now it was easy to simply relax in the warmth of the afternoon sun - to move unnecessarily would only be a waste of energy.