Autumnal Bounty [Valhalla Pack Hunt]

Regulus couldn’t stand it. Watching the woman that he loved wither and fade away from him with each passing day. So, when he heard the distant howl of his daughter, he pulled himself to his paws with a quiet groan, disgusted with how…. Old he felt now. He was still unwell, and he doubted he would ever truly recover to his full health—he was too aged now.

Paladin popped from his alcove and bustled around, coughing and hacking as he went. While Paladin worried that he was contagious, Regulus knew the healer wasn’t going to pass up being there if someone was hurt in the hunt. “Good day for a hunt, I hope. I wonder what she has planned.”

His own voice was a rumbling crackle, softer than it had once been, but still carrying and rich. Most of all, it was tired, tainted with an inescapable flavor of sadness and grief. Grief for what had once been. Grief for what would come. He knew illness. He knew his mate wouldn’t beat this sickness. It was a raw ache in his heart he would live with for the rest of his life.

But he wanted, so badly, to live long enough to see his only children find love. He wanted to see the faces of his grandchildren before he slept for eternity. He wanted to take the memory of their faces to share with Solveiga when they found each other again in the afterlife.

He’d stacked up the poles and hides the pack would need if their hunt was successful, and he turned to pad out of the cave, intending to find and fill one of the cleaned stomachs to take water along on the hunt, in case they needed it.

A young form nearly crashed into him as he rounded a turn and he jerked back in mild startlement, then smiled as he recognized Cairo. No doubt the boy had been sent to gather the equipment, and Regulus nodded toward it. As the two males chatted, regulus gathered the last of what he needed and went to offer his back to the supplies.

Minutes later, they were on their way. When they reached the group at last, he gave an apologetic smile to his daughter, eyes roving to survey the gathered wolves with interest. He was so out of the loop. He nodded easily to the rest of the Valhallans as his two companions settled at his sides after they greeted their son – Aelloshir – in typical cat fashion, head butting and rumbling affectionately before moving apart.

Calmly, he stated, “I am old, make no mistake, and I am not as able as I once was. However, I do know hunting and can provide my knowledge, and the help of my companions. And, should we need to heal anyone, I can stand guard, since we won’t be within our own borders.”