Her eyes followed Borden as he disappeared into the forest surrounding her slight home with a rather quiet chuckle. The she-wolf turned and padded into the small cave that served as their den, though she couldn't tell if any wolves would be returning to it.. should that happen.. she would leave. She moved in silence as she threaded her way into the den, checking that the pup was still alright and sleeping soundly. Reassured that he was perfectly fine, she shifted and walked in a slow circle a few times before dropping down to the stone floor.



After a few moments of curling up and resting, she shifted, placing herself closer to the mouth of the cave, leaving her head and shoulders visible as the rest of her rested in the small space. She had always started out like this, her attention wholly on the world around her while Raigo slept. She couldn't sleep while Borden was out and about, and in fact, it made her feel strange...almost content to know that for now... some of her needs were taken care of. It left her feeling vaguely embarrassed that she couldn't manage for herself, but if she could get her strength back...or even manage to be accepted into a pack..things would be different.



Without denial...her life would be easier...that was for sure. The female lifted her head and let her eyes roam the forests around this small clearing before laying her head back down on her paws. She couldn't hear anything but the normal sounds of the night..Scratching, the nocturnal creatures rooting around in the snow-covered underbrush. The soft whispers of owl's wings as they flew through the trees, the angry chatter of badgers and chipmunks at the owls. It was a lively place...and for that she was grateful...until it came time to hunt and everything either ran out of reach, or hid.. Bah. She couldn't help but wonder how Borden was doing - if he was from the Mountains.. then he was in the territory of whatever pack owned this land.. that... was unsettling to say the least.

[dohtml] src=http://lh6.ggpht.com/_SvwPAhUm8f8/TTNnNYS9VAI/AAAAAAAABbI/KRzfm3Lpygk/icon_001.png align=right hspace=5>Taking after the ermine, Borden dashed to and fro, his jaws snapping at its own short, black-tipped tail as he started gaining up on it. He snarled at the creature as it began to climb a tree; its white fur sharply contrasting against the dark bark allowed Borden to see it clearer. He crouched at the tree’s roots and before the weasel could climb too high, the wolf sprang, ensnaring it within his jaws. Dropping the token at his feet, he took a good look at its lifeless body. It was much larger meal than than the couple of squirrels he intended to provide her with before, but perhaps an additional ‘course’ would be enough for now.


Under the thick canopy of branches and dead vines, he trekked onwards, carrying Vlarindara’s ‘token’ as he went. Maybe a grouse or a couple of mice would do... He frowned; mice were probably something only he could live strictly on. For a wolf recovering as well as taking care of a pup, she would need more than mice. He was just about to give up when he spotted another burrow beside a log; the snow piling up everywhere around the opening made it more apparent than its owners wanted it to be.


Reaching out a large paw, and setting the ermine aside, he began to destroy the tunnel. The next weasel he unearthed was a much larger one and carrying both made him gloat. On his way back to the den, though hurrying as he went, Borden chose a random tree, and just like he had done in the Orchard a few days before, he etched his claws into its bark. Whoever dared to trace his path or venture anywhere near the sanctuary he was returning to, they ought to know that the area is being watched. Guarded by someone.


Nature, even this late in winter, had seemingly been too kind. If someone – out or up there - was looking out for him or for Vlar and Raigo, he couldn’t be more grateful. When he reemerged under the hedge he found her at the den’s entrance, quiet and watchful. He placed the two weasels before her, nudging them gently towards her with his nose. “I hope these will suffice,” he whispered, sitting down beside the mouth of the small cave. “And I hope I didn’t keep you waiting.”

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The sight of the two creatures made her mouth water, but she smiled up at him, leaning out and nudging her nose against his leg. "No... you didn't keep me waiting." She was extremely grateful for his actions and reached out to pull the smaller of the two weasels over to where she had it settled in her paws. She did feel embarrassed, of course, that she wouldn't be able to eat the larger one. Over the course of the months it seemed, she had been able to eat less and less - and had begun to wonder if she just hadn't the capacity for the meals, or she simply had gotten used to not eating as much.



"Thank you, Borden...I won't be able to eat it all in one sitting - you should take some for yourself as well." She lifted her head from where she had dug into the weasel between her paws, watching the male quietly. "Unless you'd like me to leave it for Raigo?" She had been telling the truth - eating not only the one but both of them was completely out of the question! The female smiled at him softly before dipping her head back to settle in to finish off the smaller of the two weasels - she'd never managed to catch a weasel - the little buggers were too fast.

An ear flicked in the young wolf's sleep, but he shifted his position and kept sleeping without interruption. Quite a sound sleeper, sometimes, even this much movement during sleep was irregular for Raigo. However, given the voices coming from right outside the den that Vlar had found for them in addition to the delightful scents that wafted into the small cave-like hole, it was not really all that surprising that the young wolf was beginning to wake from his sleep.



One of his brown eyes opened and glanced around the den, wondering if Vlarindara had brought him more food. No, the den was empty, except for himself. He then raised his head up and peered at the opening of the den. There, just barely visible, was Vlarindara's back. Well, at least she was not wandering around, this time. A huge yawn cracked his jaws open and his tongue slid out, curling up at the tip. Raigo pulled himself to his feet and crawled towards the entrance of the small, though quite comfortably warm den. About half-way out, though, he froze and sniffed carefully. Just then, he heard another wolf, it sounded like a male. The entire time that he had known her, Vlar had been trying to stay away from other wolves, and now one was standing right outside their den! Probably threatening her or something like that!



He charged out of the den as fast as he could, his paws sliding a little bit in his haste. Finally, he made it out of the den and jumped over Vlar's lying body to land on the other side of her, crouched and ready. However, his eyes met the male's body around his feet and then slowly traveled up his rather large frame. He gulped, but fixed his gaze on the male's face, determined not to let Vlarindara down. "It's alright, Vlar," he assured her, his voice somewhat tight from the sudden shock of seeing just how big this male actually was. "You run, I'll hold him off as long as I can." This male was not going to hurt Vlarindara, not if he had anything to say about it.

[dohtml] src=http://lh6.ggpht.com/_SvwPAhUm8f8/TTNnNYS9VAI/AAAAAAAABbI/KRzfm3Lpygk/icon_001.png align=right hspace=5>Beaming down at her as she showed him her gratitude, his tail began to wag. Again, as he had done for practically all her offerings, he politely refused. “Leave it for Raigo,” he said, his voice still a whisper. “Growing pups need any morsel they can get.” He returned her smile and winked as she ate; he turned his gaze to the sky and the darkness beyond their safe hold as not to bother her.


At dawn, Borden decided he would leave; though, he wasn’t sure if he would return to the mountain or simply scout out more of the area in case something threatening lurked nearby. Either way, if he left for a while, he was positive he would return to check up on them at least. For now though, he remained, ever vigilant of the sounds of night. One by one, the stars began to emerge though the thick veil of snow clouds kept them easily tucked away from sight. A cloud of moisture shot from his muzzle as he breathed into the cold air, unaware that she had finished off her small feast.


Leaning his head slightly to his left side, he scratched as his ear briefly, not taking his eyes off a bird he had spotted in the distance. For once, all was quiet, peaceful… Calm and collected. Everything was in order and nothing had gone amiss during the course of the day… save for the curious sound of scampering footsteps, of claws scratching the earth beneath them... In a matter of seconds after he set his left hind leg down to steady his hefty frame, Borden found himself face to face with a barking, fluffy brown-and-black ball.


Listening to the youth’s instructions to his guardian, Borden’s brows rose as he eyed the pup. A large triangular ear turned sideways to accompany the baffled expression on his face. Of course... Raigo… Charmed. The large male first glanced to Vlarindara as though searching for the proper words to say, but concluded with offering a simple smile to the youngster. He was not at all fazed by his defensive stance, but to respect Raigo’s admirable course of action, he stood up and took a step back, rather unsure of what to say.

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At first, the white female had been content to devour her meal and move to lift the other weasel from its new 'home' on the ground to take into Raigo. No sooner than she'd reached for it than she heard his claws sliding on the floor of the den. As his form leapt over her back, she turned to look at him, fixing him with a rather perplexed look - mingled with a gentle pride. Her feet gathered beneath her and she stood calmly, shaking herself off and then placing a single leg, very deliberately right in front of the pups nose, attempting to block his path to the other wolf. Had he pressed his 'attack' she would have moved and placed herself between them.



"While I admire your courage and selflessness...it's not warranted at this particular time." The soft chuckle that escaped her throat was a warm one, and she lowered her head to swipe a tongue over the fur around his neck. "This is a..." She looked to Borden, seeming to search for the word in her head before smiling and turning her attention back to the pup. "Friend of mine. You will have to remind me to tell you about the bear I ran into today. You should be thanking him.. rather than trying to scare him off... Without his help, I wouldn't have made it back this evening." Or ever...Though she kept her voice light and gentle, hoping to get him to understand.



"Of course.. if you were to attack him, I think you'd simply bounce off.. he is rather well built." She winked at the pup before settling herself back in the dirt, her haunches tucked up beneath her, though that deliberately placed leg was still in position. She had the same problem that Borden seemed to have before - the fact that wolves couldn't blush. But..perhaps that was a good thing, red might show rather well against her white pelt. She managed to hide her face by lowering it and grabbing the weasel and nosing it towards her charge. "He also caught us dinner. Here..I've already had mine." As if to back this up, her tongue swiped over her own chops, cleaning a few spots of rusted red off of her fur.

[dohtml] src=http://lh6.ggpht.com/_SvwPAhUm8f8/TTNnNYS9VAI/AAAAAAAABbI/KRzfm3Lpygk/icon_001.png align=right hspace=5>A simple nod and a quiet smile responded to Raigo’s polite ‘thank you;’ and as he helped himself to the ermine Borden couldn’t help but give a light chuckle. “He’s got a good bark,” he grinned, looking upon the duo as Raigo began to question her about the encounter they had earlier that afternoon. “Very good stance, too.” His haunches lowered into the snow and he took a moment to shake his head and shoulders just enough to rid his pelt of the gathering snowflakes. Slowly, he slid his forepaws forward and reclined into a more relaxed position.


Courageous. Cunning. Clever. To lollop in front of a loved one in order to face a wolf possibly twice his size was rather venerable in Borden’s eyes; and, perhaps, if Alexander would have them and Raigo followed his lessons, the kid just might become a superior guard one day. The mountain wolf’s eyes tore away from Vlarindara and Raigo, allowing the pup to eat as she looked on, and returned to the pitch black wilderness. While his ears were both held forward, he listened to them, their every move and sound. The smile on his features, which had curled into an impressed smirk when he complimented Raigo, softened as he returned to his vigil.


Taking into account that the two were suited for one another, much like how siblings relied on each other for support, he couldn’t help but to picture Midnight Plateau as a pack of four. Wishful thinking takes over again… His muzzle lowered slightly as he lost himself in thought, but he lifted his nose again in a matter of seconds. All he knew, and wanted to know, was that he had done a handful of good deeds for today - nothing more and nothing less for the time being. Vlarindara and Raigo, he knew by first impressions, could survive with or without him – she had him and he had her, nothing more to it. After all, they had already come this far in the middle of winter and that alone is a feat within itself. Borden, rushing into the picture for a few hours, had just made today easier than most…

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Her eyes crinkled just slightly as he relaxed and thanked the other wolf, her own face turning towards Borden. "Yes, I ran into a bear. No, I didn't provoke it..intentionally, but I hadn't noticed it coming up either. I think he just disliked having a wolf in his territory, that's all. And we didn't so much run him off.. as he ran us off." She shook her head, lowering it and bumping her nose against his hind end - the end not busy with the weasel. "Perhaps if I'd been a bit older, I would have been more of a help." She wasn't going to let Raigo in on the fact that it wasn't her age that was the problem, but her health. Knowing that he worried for her in the face of another wolf only lent her to further preventing worry over things she couldn't change.



When he relaxed, she chuckled softly, watching him dive into the meal with a gusto she was pleased to see. With luck, he wouldn't feel the pang of intense hunger often - and so far her luck had been slightly decent.. decent enough to provide for the little one at least. Knowing that he wasn't going to go charging off after her friend, she laughed at his comment about not being that big. "Well, if you wish to challenge that theory, be my guest, but I won't be jumping in to save you when he sends you tumbling."



Of course, she had chuckled and gotten up, moving over to were the male wolf had backed up to then lain down, sprawling out near his side, her head resting on her paws as she watched the pup downing his fill. Her head lifted and she glanced up to Borden, her ears sliding forwards, then laying backwards over her head where they generally sat when she was at ease. "My apologies for his... lack of tact.." She grinned at the younger wolf affectionately before returning her attention back to her companion. "He's quite the handful at times...but he doesn't lack courage... And of course, the bear will only grow with the telling..." Hmm..perhaps she could use the threat of the bear finding him..to keep him in the den and from running about. She shifted, stretching out along the snow and finding that her back was warm - oh..that's why..she was stretched out against Borden. Vlarindara found herself wondering...if he'd get up and move away..or if he'd stay still. She didn't move or stiffen - no need to show him she'd simply just noticed herself. Cough, Cough.