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Description
+3 Bones--+2 Pic/+1 Short Story

Havir Lands...
Swollen River...
Spring...(Some time after the Havir Plot)...

Time goes on, with or without us. Sage was keenly aware of this fact, and, sometimes, it soothed her, sometimes, it disturbed her. Had it not just been a season ago that she was just a Server? Her responsibilities had seemed like so many, but, now, she saw that, though few, they had been very important. Like this. Fish for the Elders. These fat salmon, plump from feeding out beyond Havir's horizon, returned every year to the river of their birth to continue their species. A few would never achieve that, whether it be because of a bear at the start of their journey, exhaustion in the middle of it, or by a wolf here close to the end. The rest would go on. Time would go on. New generations would be born, and they would return next season. The ones who didn't make it would help something else live.

Sage stabbed her muzzle into the water and felt her teeth sink into the strong body of the salmon. How much had she learned in just a season-! Stand still, keeping your muzzle just above the water so the fish don't spook. Strike fast without moving your legs. Your legs will move before your muzzle so force yourself to only bite. If you miss, don't move immediately. Spooked fish will flee but curious fish might think your nose food and come to investigate. Her younger self would have grown impatient within the first few rays of morning, but she had been in this river from the time the sun had begun to rise to its position halfway up the trees now. Several fish lay in a covered hole on the bank now, and this one would join them as she headed back to the Den. Their bodies would help keep the Elders strong; the Elders helped keep Havir strong with their knowledge.

The Beta moved without thinking, going to the bank with her latest catch in her jaws, uncovering the hole, and gathering up her previous fish. She was lost in thought, pondering life and death. Several times recently, she flirted with her own mortality, and, now, she realized just how much she took life for granted. Havir was a place where only the strong survived, and, before, she had considered herself just that, but, now, she realized her survival had been bought on the backs of others--her parents, previous Hunters, and the Elders. She was earning her place in the pack as a Beta, but, to truly prove herself, she would have to get stronger, learn to fight, and teach the Hunters under her command better than she did now.

If there were any under her. She was ashamed to admit that she didn't know the Servers. Arthur, yes, but who else? Were there any Deltas? She'd been woefully self-absorbed with her new position! But, that was the catch of time--you had so little of it, really, and to do anything you had to sacrifice some of it. Sage smiled inwardly, remembering her Mother's words.

"Not enough hours in the day."

How true. So, you chase time, buy time, and find time wherever and however you can. Along the way, you do your best, improve yourself, and, hopefully, one day, live long enough to have fish brought to you by someone who marvels at your longevity. And time goes on. The Beta wondered why she was so bothered by this thought now. Was this maturity? The moment you realize that, one day, you are going to grow old? Yes, as a child, you have a vague realization that you'll be a Grand-somebody, but it's so far away, right? She nodded to herself. Yes, this was true. She'd come into this life at the end of her parents' lives, and, though she missed them and had briefly mourned their absence, she had never mourned their age. She had been raised knowing that this was just life--growing old was what you aimed for. But, it had been something that happened to other people.

She paused outside the Elder's den and looked about at the other wolves. So many pups-! New couples, too. Life was happening around her, and she was just growing older. If this was maturity, she hated it. She hated this damp cloud of self-pity that gripped her soul. Spring was beautiful and she wanted to enjoy the beauty and bounty of Havir!

Sage set her jaw, thinking, "Well, then, I'm going to enjoy it!"

With that, she entered the Elder's Den and delivered the fish, smiling and greeting them as she did so. She took a little extra time with them, asking them for stories of the past and sharing with them the recent events of the pack. When they began to doze, instead of returning to her patrol, she took a casual walk through the woods, stopping to smell the new growth and listen to the sounds of new life.

That's the catch of the day: Although it might go on with or without you, you have to make what you want it to be.

Word Count: 848

DoTW by Quailmix
Sage by Uniskorne

Description
+3 Bones--+2 Pic/+1 Short Story

Havir Lands...
Swollen River...
Spring...(Some time after the Havir Plot)...

Time goes on, with or without us. Sage was keenly aware of this fact, and, sometimes, it soothed her, sometimes, it disturbed her. Had it not just been a season ago that she was just a Server? Her responsibilities had seemed like so many, but, now, she saw that, though few, they had been very important. Like this. Fish for the Elders. These fat salmon, plump from feeding out beyond Havir's horizon, returned every year to the river of their birth to continue their species. A few would never achieve that, whether it be because of a bear at the start of their journey, exhaustion in the middle of it, or by a wolf here close to the end. The rest would go on. Time would go on. New generations would be born, and they would return next season. The ones who didn't make it would help something else live.

Sage stabbed her muzzle into the water and felt her teeth sink into the strong body of the salmon. How much had she learned in just a season-! Stand still, keeping your muzzle just above the water so the fish don't spook. Strike fast without moving your legs. Your legs will move before your muzzle so force yourself to only bite. If you miss, don't move immediately. Spooked fish will flee but curious fish might think your nose food and come to investigate. Her younger self would have grown impatient within the first few rays of morning, but she had been in this river from the time the sun had begun to rise to its position halfway up the trees now. Several fish lay in a covered hole on the bank now, and this one would join them as she headed back to the Den. Their bodies would help keep the Elders strong; the Elders helped keep Havir strong with their knowledge.

The Beta moved without thinking, going to the bank with her latest catch in her jaws, uncovering the hole, and gathering up her previous fish. She was lost in thought, pondering life and death. Several times recently, she flirted with her own mortality, and, now, she realized just how much she took life for granted. Havir was a place where only the strong survived, and, before, she had considered herself just that, but, now, she realized her survival had been bought on the backs of others--her parents, previous Hunters, and the Elders. She was earning her place in the pack as a Beta, but, to truly prove herself, she would have to get stronger, learn to fight, and teach the Hunters under her command better than she did now.

If there were any under her. She was ashamed to admit that she didn't know the Servers. Arthur, yes, but who else? Were there any Deltas? She'd been woefully self-absorbed with her new position! But, that was the catch of time--you had so little of it, really, and to do anything you had to sacrifice some of it. Sage smiled inwardly, remembering her Mother's words.

"Not enough hours in the day."

How true. So, you chase time, buy time, and find time wherever and however you can. Along the way, you do your best, improve yourself, and, hopefully, one day, live long enough to have fish brought to you by someone who marvels at your longevity. And time goes on. The Beta wondered why she was so bothered by this thought now. Was this maturity? The moment you realize that, one day, you are going to grow old? Yes, as a child, you have a vague realization that you'll be a Grand-somebody, but it's so far away, right? She nodded to herself. Yes, this was true. She'd come into this life at the end of her parents' lives, and, though she missed them and had briefly mourned their absence, she had never mourned their age. She had been raised knowing that this was just life--growing old was what you aimed for. But, it had been something that happened to other people.

She paused outside the Elder's den and looked about at the other wolves. So many pups-! New couples, too. Life was happening around her, and she was just growing older. If this was maturity, she hated it. She hated this damp cloud of self-pity that gripped her soul. Spring was beautiful and she wanted to enjoy the beauty and bounty of Havir!

Sage set her jaw, thinking, "Well, then, I'm going to enjoy it!"

With that, she entered the Elder's Den and delivered the fish, smiling and greeting them as she did so. She took a little extra time with them, asking them for stories of the past and sharing with them the recent events of the pack. When they began to doze, instead of returning to her patrol, she took a casual walk through the woods, stopping to smell the new growth and listen to the sounds of new life.

That's the catch of the day: Although it might go on with or without you, you have to make what you want it to be.

Word Count: 848

DoTW by Quailmix
Sage by Uniskorne