Naturalist

Mask paced along the border, not because he was patrolling - he would keep his eyes open, but there were others whose exclusive job involved border patrols so he didn't make it a priority - but because the stacked-stone wall was a great place to hunt small rodents. Regulus' focus might have been protection of his borders, but Mask noted to himself with some interest that even the smallest changes, let alone one so large as this one, had long-lasting effects on the ecosystem. He wondered what effects, other than the rodents, this wall of Regulus' would have on the plains and the moor beside it. Would fewer ungulates choose to migrate into Celestial's lands? They would have to go out of their way to find one of the big breaks in the wall, except for the muledeer whose vertical leap would allow them to easily clear it. Elk could too, if they felt like it, but it seemed less likely unless they were being chased. If bison and other prey animals had to go around, would they be less likely to make the effort? There were just as good of grazing on the other side of the wall, except for the deserts to the north, so would the number of ungulates in Celestial's lands slowly dwindle to nothing? An interesting thought, one he pondered while ambushing and swallowing down mice. They were too small to bring back to the pack, but he had no issue feeding himself on rodents to save more of his larger kills for the rest of the pack.