Riddle Heights there's no guarantee.

“For goodness’ sake, just—“ Kyna muttered under her breath, sunset eyes flicking upwards as the raven continued to squall overhead. She had no idea what it was actually saying, though it was no doubt displeased a wolf had come along to take its prize. If it hadn’t wanted to share, it shouldn’t have squawked so loudly in the first place. An elk, frozen in the recent cold snap. A yearling, perhaps – the alpha wasn’t sure why else it would be so foolishly alone. But mother nature took the fools and the foolish, and she was happy enough to reap the rewards for the wolves of the Heights. With all that was going on—

Well, nothing else would be accomplished if no one was fed.

She lifted her head, singing for a packmate to come and help her move the kill back inside pack territory.

The snow was deep in these parts...which was to say it was deep everywhere. Up high or down low, it came to his shins if he stood around for too long. That was one of the many problems his toes-or lack thereof- presented him with. His weight wasn't as well dispersed, he couldn't trot along with ease as his smaller counterparts seemed to. Elias just sort of...got stuck and had to push his way through like a big, blond snowplow.At least his bulk was good for something, aside from taking up all the space in the communal den.

His ears twitched as the Fire Queen's song reached them and being the loyal-not so- little bean that he was, he dropped everything to heed her call. Lifting his muzzle skywards, he let out a sharp howl as if to say 'coming!!' before he broke out into a thudding gallop that got him nowhere fast.

By the time he arrived it seemed as though Kyna had been waiting a while. Whoops.

"S-sorry, I came as quickly as I could. The uh-snow slows me down quite a bit." He panted, his tail swishing behind him regardless.

His nose twitched and oh- what a find! Wasn't she a jammy one? The cold must have gotten it, or maybe hunger? Both were deadly this time of year for predator and prey alike. It's loss was their win though! A big elk like this could keep their little gang fed forever and a day...Well more like a couple of weeks but the point still stood, if they could get this back home then everyone would have full bellies for a while.

"Good find, Ma'm."He cheered, bowing down a little to show just how impressed he was."We should be able to get it back together. I'm not much to look at but I'm pretty strong."

"No need to apologize."

There was hardly any urgency in her first call. It just wasn't a task that Kyna could take on all by herself. Even if the elk was already dead, she was hardly a superwoman. Her tail wagged a bit with the praise once Elias approached - she greeted the pale subordinate with a few licks when he was close enough, and then her attention was back on the task at hand. The elk.

"I appreciate it. The pack will need it…"

Give how little they'd been hunting, given how everyone had their eyes out for Revon since her disappearance… Yes. It was important to make sure the pack was provided for, no matter what. Finding Revon would be impossible if everyone went hungry and unhappy. "…do you think we can drag it back to the Heights?"

She'd never moved anything this big with just two wolves.

The Fire Queen might have thought there was no need, but Elias wasn't inclined to agree. He would've been a better subordinate if he was faster, stronger. It was all she deserved really, and more. The way he saw it, no matter how hard he tried he wouldn't ever be enough.
it was an awful, pessimistic way of thinking but in his eyes, it was the truth.

Winter was always tough, but this one seemed determined to be particularly so. Without other bodies to keep him warm at night Elias would have no doubt struggled to keep well and rested. But there were more hurdles than just the cold and risk of starvation, Revon was still missing with not even trace to suggest where her captors had taken her. He didn't even want to imagine what Kyna and Greer were feeling at that point, he struggled with his own emotions at the best of times, to pile theirs on top of his would be...a lot. Too much for him to deal with really.

"Together we could do anything....I think? Maybe. Sorry."His ears flattened to his head. How cheesy. Why didn't he think before he spoke?

Looking down to the frozen elk Elias shot his alpha yet another nervous look as his tail curled between his legs.

"I actually have something to say, Ma'am. About the other day, with Willow Ridge."His heart raced in his chest as he shuffled his weight from one paw to the next, stumbling as he did so. "I'm sorry if...I made you look bad. Or you pack...seems cowardly now. I just-I don't like confrontation. Feel like I should have done more, been better."He finished, dipping his head down, willing-almost eager- to accept any punishment she saw fit.

“Sorry? No. There’s nothing to be sorry for.”

The only ones who should be apologizing where the damn fools who’d started the entire confrontation in the first place – and the most of those wolves were Willow Ridge wolves. Actually, in Kyna’s (very unbiased) opinion, it wouldn’t have escalated at all if not for their loud mouths. Some of Greer’s family members truly grated on her nerves. Sven was particularly recalcitrant and if Ravenna didn’t do something with him soon…

The woman inhaled. With her exhale, she cast the thought and the pair of pale wolves from her mind. That was not her problem, and not her pack. They would have to decide how to run it.

Instead, she had Elias to focus on. “Not everyone fights. Not everyone yells. And frankly, I am glad for it. So there is no need to be sorry.”

The woman cast her eyes back to their task. “Though if you truly feel like you have something to make up, we can move this on the double.” Her eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. “Sound good?”

Kyna brushed his concerns away with such elegance, he couldn't help but be a little awestruck, really. He'd always feel bad about that encounter though, but the least he could do was look forward and try to ensure something like that never happened again. Elias wasn't an argumentative lad, especially when his alphas were concerned and so he simply nodded and let it all go. For now anyway, he'd no doubt think about it again, late at night when all he had for company were his worries.

"Yes Ma'm!" He cheered, his tail wagging behind him. It sounded better than good really, together they'd haul it up the mountain in no time.

Grabbing a hold of the tattered remains of the beast's leg, Elias bit down hard and shook his head a little to ensure his hold was firm. The last thing he wanted was to drop it off the side of the mountain, after all, with his bird feet he hardly wanted to run off after it. That would be plain foolish.

"Ooof goot a good grip."He muttered. With an ooof he unhunched his shoulders and lifted the carcass. It was...heavier than he looked, but it was manageable, together they'd get it home."Took dat end?"

Overhead, the raven continued to yammer away – well, if she was being honest, it had turned to screeching. It was clear the large, black bird was not pleased the pair of wolves hadn’t left its find, and as they continued to move and pick at it, it seemed to come to the understanding that they were about to make off with it. Fortunately, no back up seemed to be arriving for the bird.

Paying it little mind, Kyna side-stepped over to the ‘side’ opposing Elias – there wasn’t that much left of the carcass. Enough for two wolves to work together, but little more. She leaned down, picking up the remains in her mouth and holding as gently as she could. The movement was slow, at first – most wolves weren’t used to walking in tandem – but just when the fiery queen got the hang of the motion, something sharp grabbed her ear.

She startled, dropping her mouthful just in time to see a black blur turning upwards sharply. Her ears flattened. “Bastard,” she muttered under her breath, before looking over at Eli apologetically. “Sorry. He startled me.”

Kyna leaned down to pick her side back up, but this time, her hackles were up.

The going was slow, tedious, any other wolf would have grown frustrated. Might have tried to speed up the procedure, or at the very least huffed and puffed in obvious annoyance. Not Elias though, this would take as long as it needed to. In the end it would be worth the effort, so what was the point in kicking up a fuss? That's how he saw it at least, slow and steady wins the race and all that jazz.

They had made it a fair way when a flash of black darted down from the sky towards his alpha. He near leapt out of his skin at her sudden shout, but to his credit he didn't drop his side. His grip was as firm as ever, if his resolve was not a little shaken.

"Nuh nuh."He shook his head a little, she had nothing to apologise for.

Before Kyna could pick up her side, he gently lowered his to the ground and stared skywards, his icy blue eyes watching the raven circle around and around, as though it thought it would make them abandon the carrion if it made them dizzy enough.

"Shooo!" He yelled, trying to mimic that note of fierceness Kyna so often held in her voice. "This is ours now! Peck someone your own size or I'll- I'll bite you!" An empty threat, considering it was up in the sky and he was not, but still it was the thought that counted, right?

At first it had seemed kind of pointless…but maybe Elias’ idea wasn’t such a bad one. After a moment of his barking, the bird seemed to hesitate, its looping getting slower. The queen picked up on his idea quickly, ears falling back as she raised her voice, joining in a chorus of barks in an attempt to usher the scavenger off.

After a few more circles overhead, the raven finally seemed to have enough of the racket. Having determined its meal was well and lost, it looped one last time and ascended high into the sky, likely in search of something else to eat. Kyna’s tail gave a pleased wiggle and she leaned down to pick their find back up. “Excellent work, Eli,” she hummed happily, content to walk back with their prize in peace.