Calm down

It hasn't always been that way. As if his words were a portent of things to come, Mount Volkan began to spew thick, dark smoke on the horizon. Theory turned towards it, her brow furrowed. Birdsong had all but stopped in the plains, and as the smoke continued to pour into the sky, all sorts of winged creatures took to the sky and flew away from the billowing black clouds. She shivered violently. There was something deeply distressing about the sight.

Nervously, she turned to Corvus. She shifted from paw to paw. "I just accepted being alpha..." She said shyly, one eye on the volcano. It felt strange to say out loud. "Alongside Shaye, of course," Theo added quickly, as if that made her yearling achievement less strange or important. It would be a while before she guided Abaven by herself (or so she desperately hoped). "But don't hold back because I told you th - !"

She felt more than heard the volcano erupt. An ear-splitting crack! resounded across the sky, and she couldn't help but let out a little shriek. It was decidedly not befitting of someone in a leadership position, and Theo tried to swallow it quickly. They were so close to the volcano - she had no idea that it was a dormant predator, waiting to strike. What did they do? What did she do? Was she supposed to lead? She fixed her wide, terrified eyes on Corvus, begging him without words to help her decide what to do. Fear froze her in place. This whole "alpha" thing was off to a terrible start.