life after loss

Veigar was slowly growing into himself - he was no longer a small pup, now tall and gangly and slowly reaching his adult height - and though he was less naive he was no less aimless. He had no parents in Habari and he clung to any adult who'd give him the time of day, overly eager to please. With his somewhat frantic need to impress those around him came a much more eager, energetic boy; sometimes it took being loud and boisterous and over-enthusiastic to stand out among the rest of the youth in Habari and he was willing to do whatever it took to be noticed, however it made his peers look at him.

It'd been a long while since he'd seen Deathbelle, and though he missed her he wouldn't worry too much over her absence. Everyone in life left, eventually - his father had gone before he was born and his mother was little more than a hazy, distant memory. He remembered her smell and her voice, though little else. Somewhere deep down he knew everyone else was temporary and would eventually leave him - though Deathbelle's scent suddenly drifting toward him seemed to jerk him abruptly from his somber thoughts. She was home! Without hesitating he scrambled up onto all fours and headed toward the redbud forest in search of her. Once she was close, he tipped his head back toward the setting sun and let loose a call to tell her he was coming - and no doubt alert everyone else in the process - but he was simply happy she was home. It wasn't long before he bounded into her, seemingly oblivious to her mood as he rushed to embrace her, silently thrilled that he was the first one to find her.