<b>First round ends June 30th.</b>
<i>Mid-morning, sunshine, light breeze.</i>
Gone Tomorrow
While the pack had spent a fair bit of time constructing the den to the exact specifications of their leaders, Corinna was growing increasingly claustrophobic in it. Though the largest occupant of the den by far, the three cubs that she had given birth to only a month ago had grown at a rapid rate. Though still small, the cubs sprawling around her were hardly the same size as the ones that had lived in her womb for months. She had been able to take her leave a few times, but her motherly instincts would not allow her to travel far. Cori had left the den, always under Indru's watchful eye, and gone to the River to drink, and come straight back. Her interactions with the rest of the pack had been miniscule, to say the least. And while her mind was focused almost solely on the care and protection of Aiyana, Torrel, and Rissa, her heart yearned to see her other children as well. She was now a mother twice over, but Cori was a stranger to the interactions of cubs of different litters. But all that was about to change.
Having snapped, growled, and pulled them back ever since they started crawling towards the wall of light, Corinna had made it clear to her young ones where their boundaries lay. They had seen her come and go, and seen their father's looming figure peer through. But they knew not what lay outside, the massive expanse of world that was theirs for exploring. Nudging Rissa's hindquarters, Corinna gently pushed her out of the way. Stretching her forelimbs, as much as she could in the space, the mother looked down at her youngest litter. They were beautiful, and her pride was on full display. "Are you ready, loves?" She lowered her head, licking the top of Torell's forehead to rouse him. "It's time to meet the rest of your family." Not only Rihael, Kisla, and Fenru, but Marsh, Ice, Triell, Cali, and everybody else. The pack that had kept them fed and protected the borders so they would be safe at night. Plus, a proper introduction to "Dad", the only other wolf they had come into contact with.
Head still low, the mother nosed each of her three cubs in turn, trying to rouse them awake. Once she was satisfied that they were aware, she stepped over them, preparing to lead them out into the sunlight and into the world. Breaking through and into fresh air, Corinna paused for a moment, just taking a deep breath. Her tail slowly began to wag, and as she emerged fully into the den area, a smile graced her lips. "Indru!" The excitement seeped into her voice, and her green eyes looked in earnest for her mate, knowing that he would not have strayed very far. But her attention was quick to return to the three inside the den, and she turned around, to watch their progress. "It's alright. I'm here." Cori offered comfort for them, encouragement that this time, she would not pull their young bodies away from the rest of the world.