Starry Moon could feel the wind ruffle through her dark brown fur and whistle past her ears, causing them to twitch some. Her dark golden eyes scanned the trees around her family's den before coming to glance below at her paws. She could hear it in the wind. She had turned two years old that past spring, and the wind was calling to her... no, not just the wind, the whole of nature. She had initially planned to stay with her parents and their latest brood to help guard, raise, and train the pups, but she could hear it now. It was time for her to leave. With a deep breath, she raised herself up onto all four paws and making her way into the den where her mother was resting with the pups. Just a couple more weeks and they would've headed out for grassy fields to start training the pups how to hunt. They had gotten so big, Starry Moon could barely believe they had begun so small just a matter of weeks ago. What was even harder for her to believe was that she had once been smaller than her siblings are now. "Mother, I can hear it. I'm sorry. I know I told you that I would stay to help you train this brood before I considered leaving, but I can hear it. The voices of the Great Spirits in the wind, the trees, the grass, and in the earth beneath our paws. They're calling to me. It's time. It's time for me to leave and I fear waiting means that I could risk an early death or a lifetime of loneliness." Her mother lifted her head and almost blood red eyes met Starry Moon's gaze. "I understand, Starry Moon. I am grateful you stayed this long and you did well training your siblings that were born last year. I'm sure that they'll pass your teachings on with this current brood and any future broods they stay for. Safe travels, my child." With a brief cheek-to-cheek nuzzle, Starry Moon said her goodbyes to her mother and then nosed each pup goodbye. Her father was out hunting and probably wouldn't be back for a while yet. As much as Starry Moon wanted to wait for him to return before leaving, she knew she couldn't ignore the pull much longer. Looking back to see one last glimpse of the den that had been her home for the past two years before it faded out of sight, Starry Moon let out a soft howl of goodbye before finally taking off into the trees, the scent of the place she once called home fading and blending into the scents of the forest until she couldn't smell it at all anymore. This was it. It was Starry Moon's time to find her mate and claim her own home, but she was going to make some changes. Leaving her family was breaking her heart but she knew that ignoring the words of the Great Spirits was something that could hurt her even more. So, unless they willed it, her pack would be different. All she needed was a mate who agreed with her that it needed to be different.