Damn they were fast! How on earth did that goat climb so fast? They didn’t look built for this terrain. Their spindly legs looked far too thin to perform the leaps and bounds the creature was making as it continued to get further and further from Rhysis. He was a long legged creature, skilled in balance and poise but even he was having trouble keeping up with the beast, let alone catching it and it wasn’t long before he gave up his efforts completely and watched as the male mountain goat bleated, flicked its tail at him and skipped off.

”Cocky.” he muttered as he caught his breath. He’d give up the chase when the creature had lept a good 6 foot across a large gorge, and there was no way he was risking the move. He was pretty sure he could have made it, but knowing that he still had to catch the creature on the other side made the jump less appealing. Grumbling, he turned upon his heels and began to trek back down the path he had taken.
During the chase, he hadn’t realised how he’d gotten quite so high. From here he saw the entire land of relic stretched before him, from his pack lands at Swift River to the lost lake which had been his initial destination, but he had detoured to the heights to check if there were any better options hidden within the heights. He’d been out hunting for suitable packlands and heard that the area was unoccupied by other packs. The lake had sounded the most promising, water would provide food for both his pack and prey so it seemed just right. It was a glorious sight and the weather this afternoon was just exquisite. He could really take time to sit and landscape watch, but something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Another mountain goat, but this one didn’t look quite so fit. It was female, slender, perhaps aged as her legs seemed to wobble slightly as she scaled the rock face that the other mountain goat had climbed without any trouble. Perfect.

Digging deep he found another burst of energy and tore after the female goat. She hadn’t seen him coming, his dark fur had allowed him some camouflage against the shadows of the rocks, startled like a rabbit in headlights, she simply stood there and met her end. Rhysis made it swift, clamping his jaws across her windpipe once he had knocked her to the floor. The position was a little awkward thanks to the jagged rocks and peaks but he found stable footing. It was only once the creature lay limb in his jaws that he had to work out how he was going to move it, if he could move it at all of course. With a snort, he began to tentatively drag himself and the creature in his jaws down to a flatter surface. It was difficult, but he supposed he was grateful that the creature wasn’t as healthy as the first, it didn’t weight quite so much which made the job easier and as soon as his paws found a suitable area, a flat area upon the heights which was bordered by dried weeds and thickets, he began to tuck into his much deserved meal.

As much as she loathed the open spaces, there was something about the mountain that was drawing her out of the dense forest where she felt most at home, and beckoning her to the peak. Picking her way back through the rocky landscape that mad cup Riddle Heights she was taken unawares by the bleating herd of goats that scrambled past her and up the rocky face that she would consider a cliff, and continued in their panicked escape. Her ears flicked back flat against her skull as she crouched low. That could only mean one thing. There was a predator nearby...

The skittish female tentatively scented the air but couldn't find a trace of wolf, cat or bear on the breeze, which could mean only one thing. She was upwind. Flinching at the realisation She inched forward cautiously, dropping to her back as a crow flew low and cawed at her, panting in panic. She really hated open spaces. After taking a moment to gather herself she rolled back onto her paws, keeping low and continuing forward. It would be just as easy to run the other way but it had been so long since she had seen another wolf. Then the scent smacked her full in the face. Nia?

He’d been tucking into the meal quite happily. The weather was warm and this high up the heights he felt as if the sun was literally wrapping him up within the heat. With his black fur absorbing the light he felt the last chill of winter leave his bones and was grateful for it. Patches of winter fur still remained and he supposed he’d need a good bath and a good rub to spruce himself up again. Maybe once he had slept off his meal he would take time for himself. He wasn’t vain, but he knew he was good looking. He also knew just how important first impressions were and the cleaner and better groomed he was, the more friendly he could appear.

Often one to think whilst he ate, he hadn’t noticed the scent of another wolf for the time being. With his face buried within the flesh of the goats belly and his thoughts on his vanity, it wasn’t until he heard the shuffling of paws upon the stony floor. With a flick of his ears, he raised his head from the meal and glanced from side to side. Upon the wind the strong scent of a female wolf, a loner, someone who he didn’t know, tickled his nose. ”Come out, come out, wherever you are.” he said out loud. He turned then, but didn’t leave his meal as he glanced from side to side, trying to spot the wolf. They were upwind, no mistaking it so he focused his grey gaze in that direction. Would they not come out, he would go hunting. He didn’t like the feeling that he was being watched, especially not when he was eating a meal he had caught by himself, so very contently.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are..." It wasn't a request. The girl flinched and slowly inched her head over the boulder she was crouched behind, observing the wolf that smelled so much like family. He had the same dark colouring of the majority of her family, he was a similar size to Chulyin without the bulk her brawny brother possessed. Perhaps it was the mingled scent that gave her the courage she had been lacking, or perhaps it was the spate of nice wolves she had been encountering. She was slowly building herself back up to a shadow of what she had once been, rather than the pathetic sniveling, shaking mess she had been the last time she visited this place.

As her head rounded the rock she was hiding behind, the mouthwatering scent of the goat smacked her full in the face. She was slim, when accompanied with her tiny frame, she looked like little more than a startled gangly yearling than the four years old she really was. While she had been getting by on rabbits and raccoons it wasn’t much substantial, but she wouldn’t dare come between a wolf so large and his kill. Curiosity finally getting the better of her, once she was in full sight she had to ask. ”Wh-why do you smell like Naira?”

As greyish ears peaked out from behind one of the larger boulders, Rhysis had the image of a large talking rabbit in his mind. It wasn’t until they were joined by a skinny, almost childish face and the body of a slender female that he could be certain the creature talking was canine. She was in poor condition, but something about her seemed almost familiar. It was only when his grey gaze landed on her honey coloured eyes that he saw the similarity between this female and Naira, even Kanosak carried those golden eyes but they were much larger then this little scrap of a creature. Still, she was small in height and from the scent of her she was here alone, winter had probably taken its toll on her. "She is a pack mate..." he responded cooly.

His interest doubled as she dropped Naira’s name into the conversation. Trying to put the pieces together and hoping that they might fit, he could only assume this female might be family. A cousin or something, he didn’t put her as a sibling due to her small size but stranger things had happened. ”How do you know Naira?” he asked with a quirked brow, very interested in her answer of course. Anything to do with Naira was important to him... though he still couldn’t figure out just why that was.

He took a step closer, testing her scent once more. Something familiar hung there, like a distant memory. Her scent was her own, nothing of a pack remained upon her which made sense give her poor condition. With a snort he stood aside the goat and jested his head in its direction. ”If you want it, have it. I’m full anyway.” he said truthfully. He didn’t really want to hunt, but he needed the energy to continue canvassing the mountains in search of a potential home for his pack which would hopefully one day, come into existence.

So her sister had found a pack. No surprise there. She was so freakin perfect, who wouldn't want her in their pack? Unlike skinny gawky Ani. Nobody would want a runt like her. Before she had left her home she had been treated no differently to her other siblings. She was confident, happy, cheeky. But once outside, things changed. "She's my sister." she answered the other wolf quietly. "She left me..." Her entire form shifted with those three little words. It was almost as if she were wilting.

She had grown to be a suspicious creature and the offering of food put her on edge. Why would he be so nice to a stranger? Maybe he was like her sister, perfect in every way? Always helping those poor unfortunates like herself just because they could. She started to inch backwards, making ready to run. She shouldn't have said anything, should have run away with the rest of the goats. She wasn't good enough to be in the company of other wolves.

Suddenly she realised how open the area was and she fought down a shudder of fear. She never should have left the trees...

He was surprised that this wolf claimed to be Naira’s sister. She’d never mentioned her before, though she did talk a lot. Maybe he had missed it? She knew of her brother, had met him in fact but couldn’t recall the mention of a sister. Those eyes though, they were so eerily familiar to the rest of the family he could only assume she was telling the truth. The way this wolf held herself, the way she spoke so timidly was so strange. Her siblings were confident wolves, they carried themselves with the air of realty that seemed to flow in their veins, but this wolf seemed to cower, almost afraid of her own shadow. As she wilted, her words seemed to effect her deeply, he could visibly see a shell forming around her. He didn’t think Naira was the type to hurt anyone, but it appeared this wolf believed otherwise.

”Why did she leave you?” he then asked, not ignoring the fact that she seemed to be slowly moving back towards the shadows. The panic on her face was evident, she didn’t want to be here all of a sudden. She was so timid, so nervous, but he wasn’t going to let her just slip away after a comment like that. He needed to know more, much more. He had to keep her here. So, trying to make her feel more at home he relaxed his body to sit, away from the meal he had been offering her. He lowered his head slightly, trying to look less dominating but with his tall height it wasn’t really making much difference. Still, the gesture was there and he hoped it was enough- he didn’t fancy chasing anything else across the heights.

Her rear bumped against the rock she had initially been taking refuge behind and she mentally kicked herself for forgetting it was there. He didn't seem too intent on chasing her though, and in the shadows of the rock, she calmed a little. "We wanted to go different ways. We argued about it..." The truth was, she had been the one to storm off. The smallest sister had always had a temper.

Naira was gone when she came back. She was a tracker by nature, and far quicker than her larger sister. It would have taken no time at all for her to catch up to her, but Ani's pride had gotten the better of her, and she had stubbornly set off on her own. That was when everything started to go wrong.

The goat still smelled delicious, but she was wary after months of abuse by strange wolves, being chased and attacked, lulled into a false sense of security then chased off again, and she would happily scamper off in a heartbeat. Her parents had raised her not to lie, and her reflection had suddenly bought a new light to the situation. Her voice growing smaller with each word, more of an admission to herself than for the benefit of the wolf offering a free meal "I left her..."

As the truth came out, that it had been her own fault ant not Naira’s he smirked to himself. He knew that Naira would never do such a thing. She was too bloody nice to do anything like that to anyone, no matter how much she disliked them. The female saw the good in everyone, including him it would seem. Still, siblings quarrelled. He and his own sister were a classic example and he supposed he should be glad that this wolf wasn’t putting a death sentence on Naira, else he might have to have taken more drastic action to protect her. Of course, he wasn’t sure why he would protect her, all he knew was that he would. Without question.

”Sibling love at its best.” he commented with a smirk, thinking of his own sister and the last time he had seen her as he ran, scared for her life. He hadn’t felt anything as she left. Maybe relief, but that was about it. She had been winding him up so much that he just snapped. As soon as she was out of his life he found himself much calmer, much more himself without having to worry about another wolf and their health. Of course, now it was coming back to bite him in the ass. It appeared she wanted him dead and her pack was going to ensure that would happen.

”Well if you like, I can pass on the message. Say that you’re in the area.” he replied with a casual shrug. Not really bothered if she wanted him to or not, he would be telling Naira he ad bumped into the little wolf.

He was offering to pass on a message. Her blood ran cold. Naira had given up it would seem. She still had to find Kano. She loved her brother dearly and he had always taken the best care of her of all her siblings. He was smaller than Naira and Chulyin too. He was the only one with half a clue of where she was coming from. A small shake crossed her head. "Don't worry about it. She's obviously settled and happy now. The only reason we even left was to find Kano. I have to find Kano..." the last had been little more than a whisper again. She was growing mousier by the second.

Something about this wolf reminded her of the strange girl she had met in the forest. What had her name been? She wracked her brain but nothing came. It had been scarily like looking in a lake, seeing her own reflection, or at least a form of what she had been in another life. All the time her parents had invested in teaching her to stand her ground had pretty well been wasted given her current deflated state, and since she and her sister parted ways she hadn't done a single drill. She was certain she would be torn limb from limb the moment someone decided she was not welcome. As her mind wandered, so did her eyes, falling on all the different plants that grew here and their uses. Everything here was so different to home, she never seemed to stop learning.