The plains, thirty-three days after leaving Deep Mountain.

[multi_facets]

There was something new on the wind. Something that stirred her senses

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[foxfire74]

Moss bolted upright from her bedroll, eyes slitted against the sun and head pounding from the sudden, powerful sending. Leaving-? Her hands were wiser than her sleep-muddled brain, and shot out in search of the knife and short spear she'd laid on the ground at sunrise. She smelled nothing but sunwarmed grass and a hint of dust - no troll-scent, thank the High Ones-

*Slaptail!* she sent, and scrabbled to get her packs together.

[multi_facets]

**Not far enough,** Heartstorm sent back, including everyone, and added a picture of the distance and what the beasties looked like.

"Fwweeeeew!" Lightstone whistled, impressed. "Earthshakers indeed."

Silent urgently sent for Wanderlust as he got to his feet. Where was the she-wolf when he needed her?

[sweet_kitsune]

Whistler came awake holding her head from Heartstorm's powerful sending. Her hand went to the small knife she kept in her boot, and she lept up, slinging on the shoulder bag that held what few belongings she had left.

She mounted Nipper quickly, letting her wolf friend give her usual finger nip, and placed herself near her younger, less experienced tribemates as they roused themselves.

[foxfire74]

Moonfall came awake quickly - he'd had far ruder interruptions during the wars - and Ashes trotted briskly to his side. *Hunting?* she sent hopefully.

*I don't think so.*

The wind told him nothing, and sight was worse than useless - the sun was harsh here, without trees or stone to shelter them from the light. But a moment later he saw Whistler scramble to her feet; he swung up to Ashes' back and rode to join her.

"Little huntress," he said in greeting, keeping a wary eye on the open plains. "What's Heartstorm got her tail in a twist about?"

[sweet_kitsune]

Whistler tilted her head at Moonfall, and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Beasts close by, coming this way" she answered."Too big for hunting."

She glanced at the rest of the tribe, getting up and gathering their posessions, mounting their wolves.

"We'll be moving from here, and soon."

[foxfire74]

"Beasts, hm?" Moonfall glanced toward where he'd scented Heartstorm. "Maybe if there's a straggler or two, we can at least move on with our bellies full." He'd yet to see anything too big to hunt, if the elves were canny and the wolves were fast enough. And it would beat trudging on under the open daylight sky.

[machinegirl]

Nightglow awoke with a soft groan, lifting her head from Snapper's side. She sat up for a moment and blinked her eyes rapidly. She still wasn't used to the sunlight, and doubted she'd ever be. The grey wolf scampered to his feet as Nightglow gathered her few packs. She had left so many hides back at Deep Mountain, but there wasn't time or room for her to carry them all.

**Hungry. Want to hunt.** Snapper set to Nightglow, bumping his head against hers.

A small smile slid across her lips as she got to her feet. **I know, I know. Soon, I hope.** She slung herself onto his back, patting his shoulder.

Her fingers found a curl and began to twirl it, the brightmetal band around her wrist flashing in the sunlight. She had been doing this much more often, since their departure, but she had much more to be nervous about. The gentle tanner turned her weary brown eyes to Alder, awaiting his command.

[pazku]

Dusk awoke with a sharp pain in her head. Groaning, she quickly mounted Coppertail, who was already standing guard over Dusk. Rubbing her eyes against the harsh light she cleared her head. Though she was not quite fully awake, she'd managed to catch snippits of conversations, but still wasn't sure of the reason they'd been woken.

Squinting, she looked around in the bright sun. She saw the tribe gathering their things. With a small, sad smile, Dusk scratched behind Coppertail's ear. Her Wolf-friend was all she had left. Quietly, Dusk and Coppertail moved to stand close enough to Whistler and Moonfall to speak aloud to them, but not be too close. "W-w-what's going o-o-on?" She asked

[foxfire74]

Moonfall gave her a nod and a smile, even as he unlimbered his bow to check its condition. Just in case. "From Heartstorm's sending, it's something big coming toward us. One would make good eating; a herd's likely to trample us like an elk in rut."