The leader's trot was steady, and with purpose as he followed the outline of his borders. He had come to terms that contiuning on was all he could do for now. Comfort was found, knowing at least he was here for Zera, Darrah, Serach, and Sceral despite their losses. With that momentum he found something to hold, and to drive himself forward.

When the world gave to white, and the winter's cold breath he was diligent in checking caches, and making sure they were undisturbed. Live prey was the next priority. Anything he could catch he did, and brought back for his pack or made new cache if it was lucky enough to be larger than a mouse. The dark man also checked for signs of deer, and elk, trying to keep tabs on when they may have passed by. Today he was thoroughly searching for the scent of loners in their woods. Thieves and trespassers would be severely punished. When he came upon old trail that seemed to veer away from the wolves of the Bend a rough smirk broke across his face, and he continued, satisfied for the time being.

That was until, a lone female's scent suddenly wafted in his nostrils. It meant she was still here, and near the stretches of their home. It seemed she had been for a little longer than he liked. A hefty sigh, he deliberately followed it, leading him to the stream. Sharply, orange-yellow eyes shot around the pale landscape, looking for her figure.

Further down stream he prowled, for now holding back any growls of annoyance. Once irritated, he easily moved onto agitated. Marking a loner's hide didn't sound like a bad idea, he rather not make an unnecessarily enemy.

Dark nostrils twitched at every step, pulling in the aromas around him. She had to be somewhere, unless... The Tainn stopped, brows sweeping together as he tried to see a wolf on the run. The only movement was the stream beside him, and the red hills would have been a more trickier escape route. Forehead creased by his uneasiness. The idea of a stranger hiding near their source of water was not something to pass by. The brute's muscles tensed beneath his skin, and long hairs upon his shoulders, and nape began to rise in wild rows.

"I know you're here," calmly, yet coldly the ink toned wolf proclaimed. "Loners don't hang around a pack borders for nothing." Again he halted, looking for what didn't belong. It was the odd pattern upon a rock that caught his eye. It was with a twisted half smile far from friendly, he stalked closer. "Do they," he rumbled. Eyes firmly stared into her pools of dark blue, daring her to disagree, and give him a reason to use his teeth for something more.