Today it was the promise of a good meal that had lured him into the gnarled woods at the base of the mountains. Without a pack to aid in hunting, the dark mans diet had been restricted to smaller prey, and the effects were starting to show. He did not starve, with spring blowing across the land there was a steadily growing supply of food, and with little else to do, he could spend most of his days hunting. But he longed for the taste of fresh, red meat, and for the unique thrill it was to hunt, surrounded by other wolves he trusted. For the moment, at least one of those was out of his reach, but he hoped that within the tight confines of this ghostly forest, the other might not be. What the deer were hoping to find among the brambles of the underbrush, he had no clue, but the trail had been clear enough and the air was thick with their scent. He knew it was folly, attempting to hunt large game alone, it was still some time before the fawns would come and anything larger would be too much, forest or no forest. But the smell was so alluring, the hope that maybe, just maybe, one of them would trip or get tangled in the creeping vines, giving him an opportunity to strike.

So he stalked through the misty woods, salted black fur blending with the shadows. The scent was heavy in his nose, so much that he almost didn't notice when another perfume drifted into the scent-scape. When he did though, he froze, head lifting, scouting for the stranger. Had he wandered onto someone else's hunting grounds? He shook his head lightly, he'd been to these woods frequently, Much more than I'd like honestly, and he'd never encountered any markings to claim it. Perhaps then, this other wolf was simply passing through, same as himself, maybe even tracking the same prey. Spotting movement among the trees, a smirk curled the dark mans lips and he continued forwards, wanting to get close before addressing the stranger; Now there might actually be a chance of catching a deer, if they didn't scare it off with loud calls. Instead Drestig waited till he was only a few lengths away before greeting the stranger with a low chuff.

The stranger replied in similar fashion, turning his head to meet Drestig's gaze briefly. He appeared young, his fur a mottle of light crème and gray shades, with a matching pair of pale blue eyes. The elder man bobbed his head in greeting, tail swaying about his hocks in a sign of friendly intentions. Then a fresh breeze passed through the trees, turning both their heads as the muted scent of deer was mixed with the unmistakable odor of fresh blood. Drestig couldn't hold back a grin, ears waving at their luck. The pale lad turned to him, his words more of a statement than a question, though the ebony male grumbled his agreement all the same. If the stranger was intend on sharing then Drestig had no qualms, if it was a whole deer there would be plenty for both of them; And Jessie too. He reminded himself to bring her a chunk, he was sure she missed big game as much as him.

The pale male's second comment evoked a fresh smile. "Sounds good to me." The dark man huffed, his nose already turned towards the alluring scent. Keeping a polite distance between them, Drestig took up pace next to the stranger, keeping his ears perked, nose actively searching for any other smell's mixed in with the deer's; That thing didn't die on its own..! There was a good chance they would have to fight something for the rights to the kill, all the better that they were two about it. Once they drew close, the elder wolf paused, emitting a low growl to warn his companion to do the same. The sharp tang of blood was still, by far, the strongest scent on the light breeze, but he was beginning to notice something else too. Whatever had ended the life of the unfortunate deer, it was still hanging around, blissfully unaware of the nearby rivals. Drestig peeked through the trees, trying to get a proper look of the scene in the dimness. The carcass lay with its back towards them, hiding most of its killer, who was busy feasting on its prize. "It's a lynx, I think." The older wolf breathed, as quietly as he could. The cats could be vicious, but faced with two wolves he hoped it would admit defeat quickly and leave with its life, giving up the spoils instead; In any case, We've got this! Glancing over at his companion, the silver-tipped chap grinned wickedly; "After you."

Whether it was the circumstances, or simply his nature, the grey wolf spoke little and the two moves mostly silently through the underbrush. There was little more than a grunt in response to the invitation, and then the boy was off, stalking quickly towards their rival. Drestig watched him for only a second, then followed suit, sneaking low between the ferns and gnarly roots. As his companion went one way, the black wolf took the opposite, curving around the kill until he had a clear view of the lynx, seemingly still unaware of the challengers moving in on its kill.

Then a mighty snarl rung through the clearing, announcing the attacker as he flew forwards. Startled, the spotted cat leapt into the air, issuing an angry scream as it turned on the wolf. Then Drestig joined the fight. Quickly springing from his cover, the elder man gave a snarl of his own, snapping his jaws at the beasts scruffy tuft of tail. He didn't catch hold, neither had he truly hoped to, as the nimble creature spun from his attack, hissing its frustration. The point was that the smaller predator was now split between attacks from opposite sides. Was it wise, it would recognize its loss, outnumbered as it was, and leave the spoils for the hungry wolves.