There was a specific log not far from the borders that offered shelter from the snow - and therefore a dry place to tuck away for a quiet moment to himself. Nash had sheltered from a blizzard here with Jethro the previous year. Now, he sheltered here from his duties. Not for long; just enough to take a breath and relax.

But duty calls, this time quite literally. It wasn't far from where he lay, so with a sigh Nash opened his eyes, stretched, and set off to greet this new wolf. "Hello," he said as he approached. "Welcome to Sanguine Cove. I'm Nash; how can I help you?"

The man who Nash met at the border was... an oddity, to say the least. Or perhaps that was rude; he was really just different. They tended to have more border calls during the winter, although why someone would randomly climb the mountain in the dead of winter would always be a mystery to the leader, especially if they didn't know a pack waited in the pass. He'd expected an explanation for the stranger's presence, or at least a name, but all the man did was chuff and bow respectfully before gesturing to the lake.

Nash tilted his head in curiosity. "...Are you wanting a drink at the lake?" he asked. There were parts of the lake that were not within the Cove's borders, although the man before him might not know that. But then there had been the gesture at Nash himself. "Or are you asking about the pack?"

It appeared water was not the source of the man's desire. Even though the drought had ended months ago Nash still felt a flash of surprise. Water had been so valuable and had led to unexpected visitors and threats and disaster for so long... it was strange that this new face wasn't after it. But it was winter, and water was all around them. Of course he wasn't here just for the lake.

The man nodded excitedly and pointed at Nash again. Okay, so the pack. But still he didn't speak, and the leader had to think about what it might be he wanted once again. "Are you here to join us?" he said. He'd been present for many a join call, but none as strange as this. "We're always happy to welcome new members, but have you ever lived up a mountain before? It can be hard, especially during the winter months."

He'd never felt the need to warn someone before, but there was just something strange here.

Nash smiled as the man nodded. He wondered for a moment what he was nodding to; perhaps he shouldn't have asked so many yes-or-no questions in a row without giving this man an opportunity to answer in that silent manner.

Even so, with the bow, Nash could confidently guess the stranger wanted to join the pack. "There's no need to bow," he said gently, if not a little uncomfortably. He stepped forward and brushed his flank against the other man's before stepping back and indicating for the man to join him. "Welcome to Sanguine Cove," he said again, this time with a different tone and much different meaning. He paused. "What's your name?" he asked.