Owl

The bearberry stem snaps between the glaucous colored wolves teeth. He spins around and drops it in a pile consisting of many herbs and healing remedies he has collected while forging during this foggy winters morning. He is a tall and lean wolf, with muscles that show that he may not have always been a healer. As he carries his prizes back through the mouth of the den he is greeted by a pup he is training. He smiles as he drops the herbs at her feet, telling the young pup his plans how to store such herbs. He then goes along to hide the herbs in the cracks of the den walls with his apprentice, joking and talking to her about his past adventures before joining the Fallen valley pack at four years old and she listens intently with fascination.

- Wandered into the pack and was accepted as a herbalist. Keeps Rudeneja as his humble apprentice.

- Is like a older brother, or perhaps an uncle to the pups of the pack.

- Never turns down an opportunity to tell a story to the young ones and always keeps it riveting. Constantly finds himself at the bottom of a puppy pile.

- Enjoys playing games with pups and will often forgets the time and neglects his herbalist duties during an intense game of chase.

- Has a loud laugh and and big smile, both of which he will happily lend to a wolf in need.

- When it is necessary he will take a situation seriously, and will be quick to usher the pups away during the worrying discussion.

- Hates arguments and hostility and will often try to defuse a situation by cracking a joke or making a fool of himself.

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"It's so cold!" Rudeneja squealed around her jawfull of yarrow, her tail lashing.

"I told you you stood have stayed back at the den," Owl replied, letting out a small chuckle. He glanced over at the reddish colored pup who stood glaring at the sky as if it was the reason she was so cold. Owl followed her gaze; perhaps it was. He could smell snow crawling towards them on the air, and knew it would probably fall before they even got back to the den. He returned to digging and dug out the roots of a spoonwood plant.

"We better start heading home. Do you smell that on the air?"

Rudeneja glanced at her mentor, then returned her eyes to the sky. She gave a couple of sniffs and cocked her head in Owls direction. "Snow?"

Owl laughed at her expression. "Yes! Snow! Now," he grabbed the spoonwood in his jaws and turned his face towards home. "Lets get on home."

The snow from the previous sunset crunched under their feet. Rudeneja bounded forward to catch up and soon fell at a lopping pace beside him.

"Aren't we lucky to have found these? I thought the snow would've killed everything by now." Rudeneja spoke.

"We are, in a way. You see, it's only early winter that we are in. This past snow was the first one we've gotten so far, but the worst is still to come." He continued walking. Rudeneja turned to look left at when a rabbit snapped a twig, froze, and darted to the nearest cover upon seeing the two wolves.

"Does that mean we won't do well this winter? I mean, both Raven AND Hellebore are expecting puppies soon, who will hunt?" Rudeneja asked.

"Simple, Honey will; as well as Sparrow, when he has the time of from pupsitting you guys-" Here Owl nudged her playfully. She flopped onto her side for a moment with a surprised squeal, then laughed. Owl joined her, then focused back onto the trail. "Raven and Hellebore are strong wolves, they should be fit to hunt before you know it."

Rudeneja sighed. "It's bad enough they are being born in winter-time. Who knows if they'll make it."

"Well, yes... but there is always a couple pups that never make it to adulthood, but Raven and Hellebore will be good mothers, I know it."

They walked in silence the rest of the way until they were within a few tail-lengths from the den.

"Here it comes."

As quick as deer fleeing from the hunt, Owl was ran upon by two puppies. They both were only four and a half months old, but they were growing fast, and they took advantage of it. Brothers Hickory and Cinder filled the air with playful yips and whines; lopping behind then was the adolescents Spruce and Conifer, excitement filling their eyes though a lot more dignified.

"Act your age!" Spruce yelped as Cinder fell onto her feet.

"Yeah, act your age!" Hickory said, earning an eye roll from Rudeneja and a muffled "sorry" from Cinder, his own brother. Hickory bounded off Owl and turned to face him. 

"So, how was it? Catch anything?" He asked, eyes wide and tongue lolling to the side. 

"Not if you're interested in herbs," Rudeneja muttered, passing him and heading deeper into the corner of the den where the herbs were kept in crags in the rock.

"Hickory, we only hunt for herbs. You all know that." He swept his gaze around, tail wagging and a smile playing on his jaws as he glanced at the wide eyes pups and adolescents. They all frowned, but picked up their smiles once more as Hickory turned to the rest of them.

"Want to play a game?" 

He was greeted by excited yips and cries, soon they had darted to the other side of the den and were playing an odd game with rocks.

I hope they have fun, whatever they're doing. Owl thought.

He looked around the den. The two pregnant hunters lay on their sides, chatting about things that only mothers do. Glad to see that they're finally getting along. Owl thought with a smile. The pups were playing, of course, with the leaders, Honey and Sparrow chatting while they watched over their shenanigan's. Pine was no where in sight. He must be out scouting, Owl wondered.

He made his way to the herbalists corner, laying the spoonwood in it's space in the rock. Owl lied down, watching the pups play with the adolescents.

All was well.