It had been some time since the shadow had made his way north, back to the hot springs where he had encountered the ebony Cove wolf. As a leader he was supposed to be neighbourly and make nice with the nearby packs. Something to do about building relationships and keeping on good terms with the local wolves. They were the newest pack in the mountains; therefore, he did not doubt that the wolves who made their homes nearby were keeping an eye on them. Their numbers remained small, but Greer was not concerned. Summer was coming to an end and wolves would cease their travelling; next up was finding a home for the winter. With the mountain being a treacherous place, especially during the colder months, the Archer hoped some loners would come sniffing at their borders. Especially now that Revon was prone to wandering atop the mountain, exploring as much as she could without getting into heaps of trouble.

Greer was not the type of wolf to lurk around borders. He didn’t like pursuing others (aside from his scarlet mate, of course); not unless there was a reason behind it. Which he wasn’t sure he had a reason to visit the northern mountains. But he should still make an appearance… right?

He scaled the rock with ease, his long legs carrying him quickly as the morning sun settled into the sky. Part of him hoped one of the Cove wolves—possibly the ebony male he had encountered before—would find him. Conversation was not his forté, nor was making friends. He was just trying to be civil. 

It seemed his thoughts had been answered. The familiar scent of the ebony Cove wolf he had encountered before swept into his flared nostrils, causing his steps to slow and his pupils to widen as he searched for the origin. It did not take him long to locate the yellow-eyed male, his tail wagging in greeting as the older man approached. A visit, yes. Sort of. Just trying to be neighbourly. Cordial. Whatever. Alliances were important on the mountain, Greer knew that. There weren’t many of them that chose to make their home on the chunk of rock. Keeping on good terms with the locals was ideal, especially since the Aurora wolves were the new kids on the mountain.

He nodded after he decluttered the thoughts from his skull, offering the male a small smile in return. But he knew the gesture would not suffice. Most wolves did not care for nonverbal conversation, which pained the selective mute, causing his chest to tighten and the tip of his tail to twitch. “How Kajika?” That was good, right? Nice and friendly. Neighbourly. His insides were rolling and twisting into each other, but on the surface he remained calm; stoic. His mercury pools narrowed softly as he waited for a response, his toes curling against the soft stone. 

His toes twitched in discomfort but he did not let it show on his face. Small talk was, perhaps, one of Greer’s greatest foes. His stomach felt as though it was folding in on itself and not due to hunger. He had (surprisingly) enjoyed their last meeting so it was nothing personal against the dark-furred Cove wolf. The Archer would have just preferred to sit in silence, allowing physical cues to speak for them. But not all wolves welcomed silence like the shadow did. Most like to flood the air with a constant stream of words. Greer was an oddity, he knew that. It still did not deter him from feeling uncomfortable when he was forced to converse with others.

He offered a small nod in response, his mercury gaze narrowing as the yellow-eyed male redirected the conversation back to him. Shit. The corners of his mouth sagged; he did not answer immediately. As far as he was concerned their packs were on good terms—unless something had changed without his knowledge. However, if that was the case, he would not have received such a warm greeting from the wolf before him. “Greer good,” he answered after a pregnant pause, his maw canted to the side. “Aurora good also. Winter prep.” He fell silence once more in hopes that Kajika would carry the conversation further.

On the bright side, Kajika was not an overly chatty fellow. He spoke more than Greer did—perhaps even more than Kyna—but the shadow did not mind. While his voice came more frequently the Cove leader kept his words to a minimum, staying to the point. Answering what needed to be answered. Asking questions to keep the conversation going, but not by using useless, unnecessary questions. Good ones. Conversational questions.

This was what being neighbourly was all about, wasn’t it?

His tail gave a soft wag at Kajika’s statement before he mirrored the dark male’s smile with one of his own. Greer had nothing against the pack north of them and he, too, was glad to hear that they were doing well. The mountain range wasn’t for every wolf. The weather was harsher, more unpredictable, and the winters ruthless. He nodded at the male’s words, his brows narrowing slightly. Prepping for the winter was the most important thing the Aurora pack could do. Their numbers were few, which meant they had to do everything possible to ensure the caches were full, as once the snow arrived hunting would become even more difficult. “Yes,” he answered quickly, his lips curving downward. “Tundra before,” he added, motioning north, “Same, not same.” He shrugged. The monadnock’s winter had been relentless and the snow had carried on for months passed it’s expiration date.

He hoped this winter would be shorter. 

He could not help but worry about the upcoming winter, especially with little Revon running around. It could be a treacherous place, which meant Greer would have to warn her about the dangers of being atop an icy mountain. Hunting patrols would have to become more frequent… perhaps it was time the shadow take his scarlet daughter on a hunt. His toes twitched at the idea but he remained silent, his mercury gaze focused on the dark wolf before him.

The Archer gave a soft nod in response to Kajika’s words. “Mate from mountain,” he elaborated despite the reluctance that roared in his ears, “know winter. Greer still worry. Winter never same.” A shrug accompanied his words as his lips fell into a thin line. Every winter was different on the mountain, for the weather could change drastically in seconds. The Aurora wolves would have to be prepared. This winter would be a hard one for them but Greer had faith in the small pack. Surviving was the only option. “Tundra winter long,” he added with a snort of amusement, his tail swaying gently behind him. Too long. He did not doubt that the mountain winter would be similar. That the snow would outstay its welcome and linger longer than necessary. Gross.

“
Last winter first?” Oh, Kyna would be so proud of him. Keeping a conversation going. Throwing questions back at his companion. Hell, even Greer was proud of himself despite how uncomfortable he was.