Moss was named for her khaki and grey fur, and her wet-blanket personality. She was one of the Founding Wolves of the Lingering Howl, was the original and first Finisher of Puddle's Party, and was the mate to Rising Smoke.
Having joined the Lingering Howl when she was much younger, her personality made her good for working alone, and so she was the Finisher for the hunting party. While she still had to mingle with the other party-members, the solitude she found when she would split from them was worth it.
The greenish wolf had once bore three pups to the lead, Whippoorwill, and had been unsure how she had felt about the wiggling worms at her side. However, when Sunflower received a dream, one where her pups each strode into a dark stream, never to return, she was rushed with confidence in her feelings. Moss had done everything to protect her pups, even checking on them more often than other wolves when they were with Tortoise... but... Eventually, she lost all three of them.
They say time heals all wounds, but her heart never healed. She remained bitter, and cold, for many moons. Finally, she was to join the Elders' Cave. She would join her pups in the stars soon, she could feel it.... Even though it was not her time yet, the older wolf began to frequent the Elders' Cave, to get herself comfortable and used to her to-be sleeping area... And then...
She met Rising Smoke. The dark wolf had given her space at first. Then, they had begun talk, small talk, which turned into long conversations, which turned into curling up together in the cold nights, which turned into....
Nightingale and Stream. They were perfect. They were beautiful. They had been born out of a pair bond, they were strong pups, healthy pups, even if Nightingale was much bigger than her sister. Still, Whitetail came to them, to Whippoorwill, to report that he had dreamed both pups were to enter a cave and never return.
Sunflower had been the only true comfort. The retired herbalist understood, knew what it was like to lose pups. How could Rising Storm be so blind??? The dreams were true, but couldn't fate be changed? He didn't mourn over their daughters at night, he simply played with them, knowing that they would be gone, to another pack, or to the wilds.
She moved herself from the Elders' Cave to the Sleeping Den. She hadn't spoken to that dumb wolf in weeks...
Moss didn't regret not talking to Rising Smoke. In fact, it made it easier for them both. Despite being in a pair bond, it wouldn't feel like losing a mate. That was the last thing that the khaki wolf thought of before falling asleep the night of January 29th, 2020.
Some endings are just sudden.