He paid mind of his step; he was wont to do so as a loner. He carried his head level with his shoulders, kept his nose twitching and investigating, listened constantly for the slightest changes in the atmospheric noises around him. The closer he came to the falls though, the less he could hear over the cacophony; he began to rely on sight. Sight, and scent. It was scent that first brought his attention to the fact he was not alone here. It was not a scent on a passing breeze. It was a cloud; someone had been here and, he judged by its strength, they were still here. Teketa froze, his nose close to the ground to learn all he could. His eyes though, remained up. They were bright and alert, more yellow today than green. They seemed to move constantly, those eyes. It wasn't the darting nervousness of a frightened wolf that glinted in them however; no, his eyes took in everything around him... they were keen and intelligent.

It was with renewed caution that Teketa moved forward again. His head remained lower than it had been moments before: he followed the strongest scent as closely as he could until he saw something white among the melting snow that was neither wet nor glistening. He stopped then, his head lifting higher and ears perking up. A she-wolf. He could see enough of her to know she was resting, but he could not see her face. What he could see he counted as strange: her tail was submerged in the waters of the stream. It must have been cold. Thick fur padded well enough, insulated enough, against wind. But against water? Water was piercing - like tooth or claw. Bitter, bitter cold.

Teketa offered no proper greeting, though his tail seemed to sway once - uneasily - behind him. She was bound to notice him. He would determine his move once she had made hers. On the other hand, the sound of the falls might've hidden the noise of his pawsteps, and her head was on the ground. Would she smell him - as he had her - before she saw him. These things he considered as he stood by austerely.

"Hello."

It wasn't exactly a mindblowing phrase or an exaggeratedly eloquent, well-wishing greeting. But it was a greeting, was it not? Only his luminescent eyes remained focused on her, his mouth scarcely moving even when he'd spoken moments before. He probably looked a little awkward, just standing there with his head lowered slightly and one ear cocked just the smallest bit. The thing about forests was, you never knew what - or who - you would find in them. You could come across all sorts of dangerous sorts. Or, he supposed, potential allies. Hmph. Yeah. As if. But he'd leave his judgments for later and at least act the part of a gentleman.

"Pardon me. I meant no intrusion," he said after an awkward pause. He didn't move. He wasn't really waiting for permission or anything, but he did seem unwilling to move right away for one reason or another. Perhaps he was still deciding whether the female would be a problem or not. Perhaps. Lifting his head a little higher, he seemed ready to speak for a moment but thought better of it, instead allowing his eyes to dart to the water for the briefest second. He was beginning to feel more awkward the longer he stood still so he finally broke his statuesque pose and shifted his weight toward the pool. Flicking an ear to indicate the water, his eyes remained on the female even as his head turned, "Do you mind?" He asked softly - to see if he might drink in her presence.

She spoke then, "Oh, no. It's fine. You've given me something to do."

Teketa resisted a small smirk as he watched her from the corner of his eye. He moved to the water and drank quickly, neatly, and then - still cleaning his chops of droplets - turned to face her once more. He regarded her perhaps a little too openly for a moment as he wondered: where was her mate? She was out here, undefended? No, surely she had a mate somewhere, waiting to return to her. Teketa felt a twinge of nervousness. Nevertheless, he masked it with the briefest of smiles - perhaps intending to reassure her - then spoke: "Thank you. I... did not expect to find anyone. But I am finding more wolves seem to live here than the land from whence I came," he explained, unexpectedly talkative for the moment. Perhaps it was because she had stated he'd given her something to do. She was a bored she-wolf then. On the other paw, was it his place to entertain? No. He should go... he shouldn't trouble her. But he lingered for a moment more, perhaps wondering where the man is who should be guarding her. Pregnant ladies should be guarded, yes?

Secretly annoyed at his own hesitation, Teketa made to step away, his head lowered again as it had been when she first spotted him. He was curious, but had no wish to get into trouble.

"Where was 'whence'?" she asked suddenly; a little caught off-guard by the question, Teketa paused a moment before answering at all. He hadn't expected to be interrogated at all. Not that he minded per se... he was merely unaccustomed to ongoing conversation. "South and east of here; I skirted the mountains to find this place."

A touch of bitterness edged his mind. Enough reminiscing, he decided then and there, an ear flicking in mild irritation. Perhaps that was what spurred him on to be a little less considerate, just for a moment, and he stumbled on to a new subject: "My lady, I see you are expecting. Forgive me if I am forward, but..." his ears pricked up and his voice became a touch more gentle than it had been. His irritation was either masked or gone entirely as he left unspoken "where is the father?" and instead asked, "...have you others watching over you now?" Maybe she had a pack. Maybe only her mate. At least it changed the subject.

"I see." It didn't seem fair to leave her with only that for a reply however, and the male fought with himself for a moment. No need to share more yet. "I am certain you are, Lady," he agreed after a moment, no trace of mockery in his voice; he was earnest in his response at least. He noted her laughter however; he thought it nervous, perhaps uncertain. He frowned. He had been too forward. But he couldn't take it back now, and she had responded.

"I asked because I-" he paused, considered his word-choice, moved on, "-I believe what you carry is infinitely precious," He stopped, clearly not meaning to go on though he easily could have. He remembered a time - a place... and he thought of things that could have been. He would have been reluctant to leave his wife alone- he had been. He continued on more carefully than before, his head tilting as he asked further questions of the woman: "You are forming a pack?"

He'd scented no borders - no indication of a pack's presence. But Teketa understood that taking care of pups meant establishing a territory and he knew it took a pack to raise children properly. That seemed to be the extent of his knowledge, or he chose to think no further. His ideals had never been shared by his pack... their beliefs in the theurgy of their spirits... he would not have continued their practices. Only she would have been his guide.