With three more mouths to feed (and a weary mother to tend to) the shadow knew he would have to pick up extra hunting patrols. Their numbers had dwindled as former members disappeared, but the pack remained persistent. He couldn’t imagine living anywhere else—not amongst the willows or further west, along the lagoon with his older sister. Not even north, in the lowlands. The mountain had become his home; he had adapted. It was where his wife flourished. Where their pack—their family—would flourish. He wouldn’t give up. Not that easily.

He’d hiked down the edge of the mountain in the early glow of the morning sun, his willowy legs maneuvering easily down the incline. To think, he had once struggled when making the trek up to the heights (to visit a younger Kyna) … now the trips were becoming easier; like second nature. Greer knew he would have to keep his distance from his birth pack—especially if there was a litter or two within their borders—so he lingered along the base of the mountain. He remained wary, however, as he had noticed the increase of coyote stench around the Lore. He hoped they kept their distance from the heights, as the small pack didn’t have the numbers to fend off a large group of mongrels, but he would do whatever necessary to protect his kin.

He skirted along the base of the mountain, his movements slow and precise as he tracked the fresh scent of a lone doe. It would take some work to bring the creature back up the mountain but it was definitely worth it… just as long as he could find it…

The thought of bumping into a rogue coyote (or four) hung in the back of his mind as he meandered along the base of the mountain. He’d have to be quick in both tracking and hunting—even if it wasn’t the lone doe he stumbled upon. At this point, the shadow would settle for anything. He couldn’t be selective when he had children (and packmates) to feed. None of the mountain wolves could. They would have to bring back whatever they could, even if it was food they hadn’t caught themselves. Scavenging wasn’t his first choice, nor was it Kyna’s, but food was food when there were other predators lurking around.

A familiar but unfamiliar scent caught his attention, causing his brows to narrow as his steely gaze landed on a dark figure in the distance. For a fleeting moment he wondered if it was the leader of the Cove come down to hunt the lower parts of the mountain, but this wolf was darker in hue and slightly smaller. He did not hold the same regal posture as the leader; a scout, or a hunter, perhaps? His nostrils flared. Was he hunting the same doe that Greer had been … ? His ears twitched as the soft bark echoed over the rocks; a greeting. His tail flicked idly behind him. Perhaps the shadow could use the Cove subordinate as a hunting partner… if he caught the deer there was no way he’d be able to drag it up the mountain on his own… not unless he wanted it to take all day. So the leader swallowed his instinctive reaction to flee and woofed his own greeting in the direction of the stranger, his mercury gaze fixated on the male.

He was interested in sharing the doe but the shadow was no fool; he knew that having help would make it easier to bring the creature back up the mountain. Even if it meant having to split the doe in two, Greer was willing to do so if it would make his life a little easier. It would also be easier to shrug off coyotes if they got too close—two wolves were certainly more of a threat than one, even if the coyotes didn’t seem to be scared of their larger (smarter) cousins.

But his thoughts were interrupted as a sound ripped through the air. Immediately the fur on the back of his neck stood on end and the top of his snout wrinkled in frustration. It appeared nowhere was safe from the mangey creatures. The single word that slipped from the dark stranger’s mouth almost escaped Greer as well. Having a run in with a group of coyotes was the last thing he wanted.

Think they’ll go after the doe and leave us alone?

Greer hope so. While losing the doe to the coyotes would be a hard blow to both wolves, it was better than getting into a scrap with a whole group of sharp-toothed coyotes. His nose twitched once more as he tried to locate where the call was originating from. Unfortunately, for the duo, it sounded as though the howls had been coming from all around then; he did not know which direction to slip off to. Both the shadow and the golden-eyed stranger resided on the mountain; therefore, their best bet would be to scale the rock once more. Greer was still a little hesitant to leave the doe behind… but he didn’t know if it was worth it. There would be other prey to hunt on the mountain—maybe he could even convince the ashen male to accompany him… company was the last thing he wanted, but it was better than catching a few measly squirrels.