When One Door Closes, Surely Another Will Open

He nodded slowly to himself at Acapella’s question about plans, and the upcoming winter, then blew out a sigh. “Even with this raid, there are wolves who have not, as a long run thing, been active enough to warrant keeping them. Mask has called multiple hunts, and gotten very little response from the rest of the pack, from what I’ve seen and heard. I’ll need to call a meeting, and I’m afraid there will be hard words as much as praise.”

He paused, thinking over his next words before speaking again.

“I hate to say it, but even with the swift response from the entire pack when Talis attacked, I am disappointed that it took a bloody raid to garner a reaction at all. And part of that is my own error. I’ve been too lax, and too forgiving. I, myself, should have been calling pack-wide fight training. And I have not. Perhaps, if I had been, Celestial’s injuries – especially your own – would not have been so severe.”

He shook his head, silent for a moment before continuing, “There will be some promotions for high ranks, however. Gwenevere was already a Legionary when the raid happened, and she will be due for a promotion in honor of her participation in the fight, for one. Mask has been bringing in kills—every time I look up, I see him carrying in something new.”

He sighed softly, falling silent and letting his chin settle between his paws, even as his thoughts continued in his head of who he needed to promote, and whom he needed to send off into the world, as painful as the decisions would be.