summer, year one
Birch found this one surrendered at the crossroads, very barely an adolescent. He took him in, concerned for his well being.
Before the moon changed shape, Horizon approached Birch to let him know that Finch had been discovered gnawing on raccoon kits without ending their misery, coated in the blood of their writhing mother. Horizon had to end the encounter and send Finch home.
The following conversation was a tense and hard one, Birch disconcerted while watching Finch sit pleasantly licking the last of the blood off of the fur on the back of his wrist, Horizon at his flank barely able to contain his whines.
Surely the pup would grow out of this misdirected boredom, Birch thought.
--
Days later, Birch was still on guard, and Horizon refused to have anything to do with the young wolf, stating that unless he was in dire need of medical attention, he was as good as invisible to the herbalist. Finch seemed to understand that he needed to be on his best behavior around the lead wolf.
As she spent most of her time laying in heather with puppies these days, Fern had gently slipped away from Birch's side, having given Horizon her blessing long ago. One morning, seeing Fern standing at the mouth of Adder's Draft with a pinched expression on her face had Birch immediately concerned, and he hated the deep, sinking feeling in his belly that he was about to have a conversation about Finch.
She confided that she was worried Finch (ah) may have had an influence on Swan's litter, and let him know that they had to place her runt on the far end of the cave for their own protection.
However, she admitted, that may be in part due to Swan's own arrogant nature. Once pupsitting duties were behind her, Swan had grumbled, she claimed she was going to train an entire hunting party on her own. Arrogant...
Finch, on the other paw, who had been in the heathers since his arrival (rolling with puppies and bitches, he thought with disdain, when he should be reveling in the carnage of the hunters' den), had taken to Swan like gnats to a carcass.
When they both busted out of this nursery, they'd rule the forest, her pretty white fur coated in viscera and his own paws and claws glistening with power.
He dreamed of being a member of Swan's hunting party, and her puppies weren't too bad themselves. He wondered whether he would live to see one of Swan's descendants ruling this pack, or die doing battle long before.
--
It finally happens.
The Cinnamon Cinders pack sends a very skilled chaser who sees potential in Finch's eagerness and excitement. He gets to train alongside Rosary every day until he ages up.
