I stretch in the sun and smell Pack (including Vicious and Not-Prey) playing. It’s probably time to get moving again, after floaters here yesterday. Pack was safely hidden within the den-structure, except for Not-Prey. Human structures were hardly designed with Not-Prey’s species in mind, few portals wide enough, ground surfaces she can’t easily stand on. I’m sure this indicates something about her previous relationship with humans but I’m not sure what. Shouty wasn’t happy with the floating intruder. She ran out barking at it and tried to grab it out of the air. It retreated, but it will be back and possibly with humans. Despite knowing we must leave next, the milder weather, earlier Rise and later Set is making us all feel frolicksome. I’ll chit them in a moment but I’m enjoying the game. There’s a beaten up human-made sphere that Shouty has perpetually tried to get us all to play with. It’s large enough Not-Prey can follow and interact with it. Pack is just throwing, flicking, kicking the lump about and then thundering after it. Shouty and Pointy have a close bond already and they’re in fierce competition to reach it first each time. I stretch and then pop into the structure to check what we need to gather.

I’ve done good Service, well so did Vicious when his sulk eventually finished and he re-entered Pack. The human roller-cache is loaded up and various cache-pouches, each prepared for different potential emergencies, hang from the useful attachment points. Human-made hides line the bottom level so Spotless can travel there (training him to get in and out even while it is moving was surprisingly easy). The upper level is full of new artefacts, carefully selected this time. Water containers, sharp-leaves, some shrivelled provision, artificial vines in various gauges, some very dried plants that smell vaguely like medicinal plants Vicious or I recognise, a selection of heavy-ended branches (I couldn’t bring myself to bring the same kind as made Vicious runt^), artificial hides of various consistencies, a stiff cache-pouch and a half-littersworth^ of items I just feel might prove useful without any idea of their original Service. The best bit is the strap. That was all Vicious. It’s just made of artificial vine, but he also fabricated a soft pad that can be slipped between the artificial vine and the dog pulling. It’s perfectly comfortable. We’ve dragged it round this area both on black paths and through undergrowth. It’s pleasantly efficient at traversing all. The biggest issue is tipping, which is much better with Spotless in the bottom. Maybe we’ll move some of the heavier items in there when he walks. Although it’s full of stuff, the motion on the rollers is good so it’s not much heavier than the cache pouches we’ve carried since we left Pack. Also, the strap works for me, Late First Eyes Runt, Vicious, Pointy and All-Spot so we can each rest for much longer than we must serve.

I duck my head into the strap and try to get the pad in comfortably. I pull the roller-cache out to the game. They’re all grooming. Late First Eyes Runt is even grooming Not-Prey’s enormous flank. I don’t need to ki to get their intention. Vicious tugs the pad into place properly for me while I hold the strap.

( Thank you. That’s much more comfortable. ) We have been gentle with one another recently and improved our pack-bond. ( Since you’ve scouted the first part of the route, want to take point? )

( Of course. It’ll be a few degrees^ of bumpy going before we get to a decent black-path but it’s the most northerly route on a black-path we’ve got. )

( I’ll cope. I can always swap with some-dog. ) He goes to the front of the group. I indicate we’re leaving. Shouty joins us. Not-Prey does not. ( I’m not leaving her if we’re taking Shouty. )

( We could not take Shouty. ) But he chucks and goes behind Not-Prey in the way that startles any ungulate. She begins to move forward. I fall in behind her. The rattling of the roller-cache seems to keep her moving as our new Pack takes the next steps on our journey away from what any of us know and towards…something.

We must’ve covered nearly a quarter-day^ today. It was rough going before we reached the black-path as promised. From that point though we rushed ahead. I feel pleasantly tired. Not-Prey was hard to keep moving at first. When Shouty realised she was meant to be coming with us, she dropped to First Eyes for Not-Prey and kept her moving. Not-Prey’s not fast but she does keep moving between grabbing plants and chewing. Pack might be pretty efficient now. We found a place to den with sparser growth for Not-Prey and denser growth to allow us to provide. The heartbeat we stopped moving Not-Prey started to graze on grass, shrubs and trees that she could reach.

The warmer weather means the prey of this world are active. It was not hard to provision. Shouty was a substantial asset. She’s not large, but she is tenacious and prepared to use her teeth. Bellies pleasantly full we are returning to Not-Prey. She is where we left her but inside an expanding circle of short grass and leafless branches. She raises her head, smells us and backs off. She smells terrified. Shouty runs over to her. She backs away, raising her feet high. Late First Eyes Runt rolls in the grass and rubs her muzzle against a shrub. What is she up to? She approaches submissively clearly in Not-Prey’s eyeline. She’s still fearful and backs up a little. Late First Eyes Runt gently leans against her leg. I sit to keep the others out of her way. But I am ready to intervene if I need to. Late First Eyes Runt grooms her strange pack-mate. Not-Prey is still uncomfortable, shifting her feet and whiffling.

( We smell not-Pack. ) She’s right. We smell of adrenaline^ and blood and fresh meat. We’ve not eaten fresh provision while we had Wilderness-caches to sustain us. Vicious and I roll and rub, encouraging the others. Pointy copies us. Bouncy copies her. All-Spot loves a roll and he’s soon snorting and wiggling. Spotless still smells of provision. Vicious gently pins him and rubs grass on him. We need them to be busy with something else for a bit. All-Spot will eat anything, doesn’t have to be provision. I find a chunky brittle stick and toss it towards him. Shouty and Spotless are on top of it barking and tearing it to tiny pieces. I find another and give it directly to All-Spot who lies down to chew it. Bouncy and Pointy are smelling expectant. I drag two more from below a bush and flick them as best I can in opposite directions. Bouncy runs after hers but Pointy is still attentive, staring at me. I ki. With a small yip, she bounds off to find it. They all relax as they chew. I smell the dissipation of blood and flesh.

This entire time, Late First Eyes Runt has been grooming Not-Prey, who’s relaxed but she’s not prepared to lie down yet. I approach calmly and join Late First Eyes Runt in the gentle soothing of this enormous creature. Vicious is close behind me (he doesn’t have a branch to chew). The sound of three tongues against taught hide is soothing to me at least. Shouty approaches. Not-Prey lowers herself awkwardly to the ground. Spotless catches up and curls up against Late First Eyes Runt. Bouncy has finished her stick and comes to join. Shouty brings the nub of stick she has and lies behind Not-Prey, a nose to Rise. Not-Prey’s surrounded by predators but she is safe. Shouty climbs onto her back and curls up there.

I check the sky. It’s clear. After the warmth of the day, tonight will be cold. I drag a few artificial hides from the roller-cache and throw them over Pack. In low light they’ll conceal us from above.

( Our first day travelling together could’ve been worse. ) Vicious and I have nightly debriefs to improve our pack-bond

( I agree. If we just need to encourage her to get going and groom before we den, then she hardly needs much accommodation. )

( Not as much as I need. ) He chucks

( No-dog’s needs are too great for Pack. )

( You’re the only not made-runt in-Pack, you have to address our needs. )

( All of us help with each other’s needs. We all contribute. )

( So when can we make this walking-meal contribute? )

( I don’t know what Not-Prey’s uses will be yet, but she will have some. )

( Some delicious uses? )

( NO ) Late First Eyes Runt did not catch the nuance of his tone. Although he did want to eat her at first, he’s joking now. He apologises to her and grooms her until she settles.

( Better get to sleep, make the most of the short night. ) He curls up. He’s apparently asleep immediately.

I check the sky one more time and go to sleep myself.