light a fire in your new shoes

Moving away from the familiarity of the den was strange. She wasn't so sure about it. What was out there? As it turned out, there was a whole lot out there. Today, the gangly youngling had wandered to a new place. There was a weird forest of rocks here, all different sizes. It smelled like there had been a lot of visitors to this place, all unfamiliar. This was a new sensation, that she had not known previously. Were there more wolves here than where she had been born?

It was early in the morning, the sun was about to rise. The girl had wanted to get a jump on the day, and see what was out there. Lately, the sun around here had been hard on her. She didn't understand why, and she was too scared to ask about it. What if they said she was sick? That she could never go outside? That would be the worst! No, she'd keep it to herself.

Clambering onto a small boulder, she peered out towards the west. The sky was still a bruised mesh of purples and blues. The stars had yet to close their eyes and sleep. Ursula was going to leave soon, her crown was descending below the horizon. Mama had told her that Ursula was kind of like her grandma, but very far away. Many.. gener.. ations.. away. Whatever that meant. To the north, she could still see the familiar mountains. Not the ones where she was born, but she knew them. It felt safe, to be under their watch.

Someone in the distance. Two pale forms. One of them, she knew instantly. "Mama!" she cried joyously, leaping carelessly from her perch. "Яя! Доми! Мама дома!" Oh, how exciting! She raced towards her mama, hoping her sisters had heard.