So close yet so far

Áskell dug his paws deep into the earth and with a mighty swing he flung it backwards out of his den. Just a bit more… He scratched and shifted, trying to widen the inside without destabilizing the walls. He certainly didn't want to end up buried. Her was hard at work when a gentle howl caught his attention. He stood up suddenly, head smacking on the top of the ceiling. "Ow!" He scrambled back out of the den and shook the dirt from his coat. He recognized that voice, it was Azzurra! Áskell's heart leapt in his throat and he bounded toward the source of the call. His tail wagged as he spied the girl. "Azzurra, hey! Glad you could make it, I've missed your pretty face." He winked at her. "I haven't had a chance to ask Recluse yet but I'll give her a call." He tipped back his head and howled for the alphess, hoping she'd be ok with the idea. After all, Áskell was going to be escorting Azzurra so it wasn't like they were just letting some random pack wolf walk through as they pleased.