It all happened in a blur. The pack was settling down for the night when they heard rustling nearby. Junction Butte pack. Figures came rushing at them. Sunflower pack wasn't scared. They were more numerous than their rivals. Soleil noticed a female. Black matted fur and a brown nose. Her yellow teeth betrayed her age. She was one of the leaders. He never intended to kill. Only to scare them away. Soleil targeted her, grabbed her neck only to sink his fangs into a tough odd texture. She nipped back. Someone bit his tail. Another pulled at his paw. Too focused on trying to fend his ennemies off, Soleil's blood only froze once he heard the loud yelp rise above the cacophony.

The harsh terrain of Amethyst Mountain makes it confusing and harsh for the pack to hunt, wich confines itself to the South East of the territory. Once the pups of the year became sturdy enough to learn to hunt on their own, Soleil and Aconite make the most of the pack's growing strenght to move up North in hopes to find greener pastures. As the family reaches the outskirts of the valley, they are "greeted" by two Junction Butte scouts who quickly retreat. Surely this is nothing to worry about. Sunflower pack happily settles in the middle of the valley around the McBridge Lake. Onward to prosperity !

Art inspired by this screenshot :>

A challenge. Someone wishes to take a piece of his territory. But not anybody. The wind comes from the south. That’s where the Junction Butte pack is. Aconite presses her head on top of Soleil’s back and lets out a soft whine. We’re all tired. They’re not even good hunting grounds. We’ll get it back next winter. Soleil knows better than to give in to the rage. There are so many mouths to feed, everyone’s energy should stay focused on that. He settles back in the dog pile that is keeping them warm as the drizzle starts to fall. The howls won’t stop. Soleil rolls on his side, then stretches to ease the ache in his bones. He tosses and turns and despite the cold rain, his fur suffocates him. A lightning tears the pitch black sky, then a thunder crashes close by, resonating in the whole valley. Aconite jumps awake. It’s just thunder. As she lays back down, shifting around hoping to find the comforting warmth of her mate, she finds nothing but cold damp dirt. Soleil is gone.