The weather was getting warmer every day and Valiant's thoughts turned to what would become of their plan once the snows had melted. He was trying his best to keep Hawke on side but every time he was forced to leave her he pushed her that little bit further away and knew one of these days she wouldn't forgive him and no amount of his charm would allow him to weasel his way back into her good graces.

"Fuck!" he growled out loud as he paced back and forth, swatting at the quickly receding snow. Fuck Rhysis and his fucking slow moving plans. The large silvery wolf was not known for his patience. First he had to crawl back to the pale woman on his guts to beg her forgiveness before returning to the pack to be challenged by the previous alpha. This was why he was glad when his parents had asked him to leave. This was why he on the verge of snapping.

He needed to tear something apart, and perhaps for the first time in his life he was keen for a hunt. If only there was someone around to help him do it.

He shook his head a wry smile crossing his face. He had stumbled across someone else who had been in a similar fit to the one he was throwing now and he hadn't been nearly so nice. The male seemed to tense, similarly to how Rhysis tensed around females. He guessed there was a story there but he was not the prying type.

"Bit more than a week." he muttered under his breath as he stopped attacking what was not going to give a fight back. He knew the caches were always in need of refilling. It seemed as if there were more people eating than those willing to refill them and he would happily sink his teeth into some poor creatures hide without hesitation. He took in the males relaxed stance and mirrored it with one of his own. "Valiant." he introduced himself with a smile.

The season of cold that had swept over the land had brought so much change to his life. Where only months before he had been a lost soul braving the world on his own, takng each day as they came and went with little concern for his wellbeing or that of anyone else's, the black and silver man now had so much to look forward to. A new family, a new role to fulfill, a place to be, a place where he was needed to be...In the beginning he'd had his doubts, truthfully; doubts that he could have anything to offer a pack in such need (as when he'd first met Grizzly Hollow there were only three souls, plus the kids), doubts that he'd even fit in if they did come around to accepting him, doubts that Jaysyek wouldn't accept the loyalty and love he was willing to, and wanted to, give to her...He was no leader, nor was he her mate, but he belonged to her until the end of time now.

As the once-broken man moved fluidly through the forest he now knew like the back of his paw, respectively, he thought of all those things and other things he hoped for. With the Hollow pack now solid in its numbers and spring just around the corner, there were so many things he hoped the turning seasons would bring to his family.

Snout to the ground, Kade took note of yet another new scent, strewn through the landscape along with several others that were unknown but he believed to belong. Lifting a leg, he was quick to mark over the novel smell, ensuring there would be no confusion concerning his place here.

With the songs of the black birds playing in the background, the male's triangle ears turned backward at the not-so-distant sound of voices out of view. Valiant's voice was clear - one he'd not forget, as it was burned in his memory alongside the images of his...wandering eyes. The other was not familiar, and the words it spoke were inaudiable from his position. Nevertheless, there was no hesitation in the steps he took as the brute moved closer to them both, and in no time they were in view. He called to his packmate and the newcomer, indicating to them his approach and position, eager to greet them both on a day nearly as beautiful as the light of Jaysyek's mis-matched eyes.

Valiant's tail wagged at the strangers suggestion of a hunt and outright laughed at his offer to be used as a beating bag. It was an unusual offer but not one he was willing to take the stranger up on. He looked like he could hold his own in a fight and the silvery male was still carrying aches from his run in with Borden. "Women." he said by way of explanation with a roll of his eyes.

His tail lowered and ears flicked back in respect at the approach of Kade. He was unsure if Kade was aware of Borden's plans to ascend the ranks to his former position but he didn't feel it was the time to mention it now while Thanatos was just beginning to settle in. "A hunt sounds good. The caches can always use topping up at this time of year. Care to join us Kade?" he questioned the other dark male. The more the merrier.

Tension within the male's body ran high as he neared the pair - Valiant, and a large, mangled figure. Cold eyes would quickly size the black male up, a curling of disgust to his lips. It was an awkward situation - something he'd become used to in recent days. Not only was Grizzly Hollow now saturated with unknowns, but he was well aware that Borden would be coming for him - or his position, rather - and was spreading a disease of distrust in order to divide the ranks. The position of leadership posed more threat to his wellbeing and safety than any of the wolves around him. Should he fear the man he knew was slowly but surely closing in around him? Because, frankly, he didn't. In reality, the only thing standing between the former alpha and the position he so...desperately strived to regain was a simple conversation.

However, such matters were expressly pushed away as his instincts screamed. Avoidant, to say the least, the newcomer made little effort to do much other than remain still. It was not past Kade that there was a definite air of aggression to his body language, and a smirk emerged on his emotionless face.

So that was that, then? From a single glance, the newcomer had, he supposed, passed judgment upon him. So be it.

Letting the annoyance roll off his back as a raindrop would, the male gladly issued his attention to Valiant's invitation, not before locking a hard gaze onto the buff man's company. "Absolutely," he replied, without so much as batting an eye as he waited for some kind of response from the wolf who was trying so hard to keep his cool.

"Is something the matter? You look as though I've...stepped on your tail..." I dare you.

He fought his hackles rising at the sound of a female voice. A familiar female voice. He had to play nice and while he was in no mood for female company for once in his life he would endure it for the sake of the hunt. More wolves meant bigger kills. In this he was grateful that Kade was the higher ranked of the gathered and he didn't feel obligated to respond, choosing rather to study the tops of his paws in detail. His fur was beginning to shed away in tufts towards the tops of his legs and while the shed would be quite unbecoming, he knew he would retain his comically fluffy appearance through the summer, there was just no changing some things.

He turned his nose to the wind, attempting to catch scent of any lingering prey. While his nose was not the sharpest, he had the strength to pull most larger prey down provided he had assistance in wearing it out. "So whats on the menu?" he questioned with a lazy grin towards Silver. "From memory your nose was far sharper than mine..."