The boy had decided to make a little adventure outside of the territory, though not for too long. After all, being gone for too long from a pack you’d just joined was never a good first start and he felt it would probably definitely not bode well with Craw. A light snow had settled overhead and barely littered the ground below, though there was remnants enough from past falls to still create a crunch beneath his large paws. The winds had created small snow drifts from time to time and he pushed through them with ease, trotting along at a leisurely pace and taking a moment to give a sniff here and there. It also seemed they he was about halfway between the Monadnock and whatever pack laid southwest from there and he didn’t really want to go much farther. Meeting their neighbors would have to make for another time.

Pausing he squinted as light reflected off of something white in the distance. Silver head cocking sideways in curiosity he made his way toward it, tail swinging leisurely at his hocks and muscles rolling with ease. He was feeling rather care free at the moment and in a good mood. As he got nearer his brows rose in surprise, finding massive antlers sitting on the ground. Moving his way closer, he was even more shocked to find that they were set in a perfect circle. It was obvious that this was done by a wolf, probably in an attempt to freak someone out but Kino was no spiritually guided wolf so it meant little to him in that aspect. Rather, he was more intrigued at seeing them up close. He sniffed at the antlers and even went so far as to give one a little chew, pleased at how hard they were. He decided he certainly didn’t want to ever get on the wrong side of a pair of those.

The boy’s auds swiveled back to catch the sound of approaching foot steps, turning his head to find the form of a speckled girl who he suspected was about his age but he couldn’t quite tell. She was just so small, maybe about the same size of Hal but he suspected she might be even smaller which, quite frankly, shocked him. She was rather rough looking and there didn’t seem to be much meat on her bones, which that lone told him that she wasn’t affiliated with any other packs if her single scent hadn’t already done the job. And, it seemed she was peppy. Perhaps the only thing that currently discerned her from the little sunspot was her coloration. A small smirk curled onto his maw.

“I don’t know about that, in the winter there’s not much prey around. Especially out here it seems. It’s too…open for most of them probably,” he said, turning his attention back to the antlers. “However, if this is any proof there might definitely be better things to eat during the warmer times,” he mused. Obviously any animal that was big enough to produce these would make a fine meal. If they could bring it down without someone getting killed, that was.

“You’d break a tooth on this,” she commented and he chuckled, giving a good natured nod. She was certainly right on that. Just from the few nibbles he’d tried he could tell that they were harder than any bone he’d come across. Even he could break open a leg from a deer to get out the marrow inside, but these things seemed more…solid. Feeling her gaze on him, he turned his attention back down to the girl with a raised brow, preparing himself for what he already assumed would be a sassy retort and he certainly wasn’t disappointed. But, neither was he prepared for the last bit. His thoughts automatically went to Hal, digging up feelings he didn’t necessarily want to keep thinking about. Of course he loved spending time with the girl, but sometimes he wondered if that was for the best. The more time they were together the stronger his feelings grew, which only made it more painful knowing that she felt nothing in kin to how he did. But, those weren’t thoughts for now.

“Nah, I’ve got a lovely lady right here don’t I?” he said, shocking even himself. Where the hell had that come from? Kino wasn’t a flirty soul, but it seemed that this girl was able to bring out his playful side. How interesting.

If he hadn’t been expecting his response he certainly hadn’t been expecting hers. Hadn’t expected her to play along. In a second, his grin got bigger. “Terribly sorry Miss, I just call it as I see it,” he chuckled, his tail settling into a good natured wag. “But, what a coincidence, I’ve been known to cause quite a bit of trouble myself. Maybe we can create a bit of mischief together,” he quipped back, waggling his eyebrows in an obviously stupid and joking fashion. He couldn’t think back to a time when he’d joked around like this, felt so...carefree. Maybe it was because this girl knew nothing about him, because she was just an untied down as far as he knew as he felt sometimes. Whatever it was, he was actually...enjoying himself.

She spoke her name, Castel, but insisted that he call her Cas. Like it was some big secret, like it was some big opportunity and he took that opportunity readily. “Pleasure to meet you, Cas. My name is Alastor, but I suppose you can call me Al,” he replied. No last names he noted, nothing to keep them drawn to each other after they left but he was already finding he would be sad to see her go.

The silver yearling tried not to gawk as she called him handsome. No one had ever said that to him before, even in joking, until now that was. But he knew that it was just in joking, that they were just playing around and neither of them really meant what they said. But...maybe he could pretend for a moment, in his mind, that she did. He was having fun, why not take it a little further? He offered her a wink of his own when she chided about him not being able to handle her mischief, “Maybe, but that means we have to meet again after this. Think you’d be up for that, Miss. Troublemaker?” the boy goaded, only half joking. Also half hoping that she’d say yes, as she was a nice escape. He didn’t mistake what they were doing and what they were saying as things that he felt the same as with Hal. They were two completely separate entities, two different things entirely. There was no escaping that. It might be nice to have another friend though he supposed. But, he had to remind himself that there was no guarantee that Cas felt the same as him.