The ghost did not stray far from the river most days. It was difficult not to smother the blue-eyed sparrow, for he knew fretting over her only frustrated the pregnant she-wolf, so he tried to keep his distance. He busied himself with patrols and lurking around the water’s edge to collect more sweet grass. There were three mothers to take care of this year and while he had an extra set of paws to help out this year, Lachesis still worried. The day that the pale leader stopped worrying was the day he stopped breathing. His constant overthinking was probably the reason why his fur remained so white. Naia’s death last year still haunted him; the thought of losing another mother gnawed at the back of his mind, for the river wolves expecting this year were all close to him.

He was not far from the loner when the call sounded, alerting the alabaster male of his presence. A soft smile tugged at his lips. Hearthwood’s luck seemed to be turning around despite the blanket of snow continuing to fall. It looked like the puppies this year were going to get their first look at snow a lot sooner…

It did not take long for the long-legged ghost to arrive at the border, his peridots narrowing as he studied the dark stranger although his expression remained neutral. He offered the loner a soft smile, his tail giving a short, friendly wag as it curled over his back in dominance. “Looking for something?” He asked curiously as he approached the white-cheeked loner, his paws stopping before he got too close. Just because the dark wolf howled at the edge of Kingswood did not mean that it was a social call.

It did not take long for Kisla to arrive, taking her place at his side with her swollen stomach. He flashed her a warm smile, bumping her shoulder in greeting. The ghost was pleased to see his co-lead stretching her legs despite her due date closing in. The Baranski was no novice to being a mother; she knew her boundaries and when not to push herself. Out of the three mothers this spring, she was the one he worried the least about (although he still fretted more than he would care to admit).

As he returned his attention to the white-cheeked male at their doorstop the stranger chirped a quick response, his body quickly adopting a submissive stance. He made haste in introducing himself, the words tumbling off his tongue and filling the air between them. Splashing Otter. His brows raised, curiosity bubbling up inside his chest, but he bit his tongue. The dark wolf had managed to capture Lachesis’ attention.

His gaze flitted over to Kisla, briefly, as the loner continued his spiel. He did not know what to make of the peculiar wolf before them, but he was intrigued nonetheless. However, while Otter had announced that he was here to seek a pack, he had not gone offered how he could benefit the river wolves. They were not looking to host wolves until something better came along. Hearthwood had just begun to replenish their ranks after barely surviving the winter and had already dealt with their fair share of wandering paws in the past. “Lachesis Stark,” he introduced cooly, brows furrowed as he analyzed the thin wolf, “and this is Hearthwood River.” He motioned to the redwoods behind him with a flick of his nose, a thin smile tugging at his lips. “What do you have to offer to us, Otter?” He asked, getting straight to the point as his chartreuse gaze narrowed. 

The ghost wasn’t really sure what to think of the peculiar wolf before them. He could not tell if Splashing Otter was being genuine or if this was all a façade, an elaborate attempt to capture the attention of the river wolves. Whatever it was, it certainly was working. Lachesis was utterly captivated by the strange wolf and his extravagant speeches. It appeared that Kisla was, too, for she remained quiet aside from her quick introduction and a second question. Lachesis also kept his lips drawn tight as the younger male spoke, only his ears twitching as he listened patiently to Otter’s response.

His brows arched as Otter mentioned he excelled in hunting birds, something that Lachesis had never been good at himself. Smaller prey, like rabbits or squirrels, he had no issues with. But fowl was a different story.

The loner’s skills would no doubt be useful in Hearthwood, but he was not sure he was sold just yet. He did not want this to be a temporary fit for the white-cheeked wolf. After a brief pause Otter began his response to Kisla’s question, announcing that he enjoyed staying busy and taking things one day at a time. He appreciated the loner’s honesty and could see him fitting in well with the rag-tag group. With three litters arriving in less than a month, Lachesis knew they could not afford to dismiss extra help when it came knocking on their door. He glanced over at his tawny co-lead, curious as to what her thoughts were on allowing Otter to join them. “Honesty and loyalty is important to Hearthwood. If you can provide that, along with hard work, then there may be a home for you here.”