After his meeting with Inkheart, the male had gone home a bit earlier than he normally would have retired – being greeted by his two eager children only stirred the largest of smiles to his features, and of course, being greeted by his beautiful mate only stirred a pang of passion within his chest. He told her of his plans – he would return as soon as possible, but it had become painfully obvious that their once secluded paradise was perhaps not as hidden nor private as they had hoped. With surrounding packs, Phineas needed to affirm hunting grounds.. and perhaps establish a relationship with their neighbors. Despite having traveled to this side of the mountain for privacy, it seemed with the disappearance of the rabid pack prior, others held the same thought in mind.

When he awoke that morning, the alabaster male stretched his figure, grooming the back of @Borlla’s neck and murmuring a weary farewell to her. A kiss was planted on both @Kyros and @Hypatia’s head before he slunk out to the grey morning, his eyes blinking as they adjusted to the dim, foggy light of morning.

Inkheart expected his call this morning, but Eponine did not. Still, he would summon the girl.. she was young, and he desired to test the diplomacy that might have been in the Yearling. As the sun rose, the male lifted his muzzle back, calling for the swarthy male and the silver yearling. He summoned them both, the urgency in his voice making note that he did not wish to wait long for their presence. The sooner they began their travels, the sooner they could return home, where they all belonged.

Inkheart was quick to arrive, as usual. The ivory Leader lifted his muzzle slightly in the presence of the second, and as the ebony wolf placed a lick to his chin, Phineas nudged his nose to the other’s cheek in quiet greeting, his tail giving a quick flick of content through the air. At his companion’s question, the pale male gave a light shake of his broad muzzle, his fiery eyes seeking out the foliage in search of the yearling.

The moment’s continued to pass, and with each one, his eyes would narrow all the more. Irritation became apparent on the wolf, and a low grunt finally escaped him, his eyes giving a roll as they pressed to the direction of Inkheart. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#ACBCCA;">“We leave without her,” he decided then, a growl seeping past his lips. When they returned, the girl would certainly get an ear full.

With that settled, the male gave a light nod, moving towards the direction of Magnolia Glen’s borders. He was eager to get going, anxious for the return to his mate and kids. They roamed in silence – neither wolf overly talkative, which suited the Argyris male just fine. He felt comfortable in the presence of Inkheart, and he only hoped the other felt the same.

They pressed past the borders, his paws digging in to some mud from the morning dew. It wasn’t until about an hour out that his steps faltered, his lips curling back to a silent snarl as his nose quivered. The scent of something upon the wind stirred another bout of anxiety within the male, and his eyes shifted to Inkheart. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#ACBCCA;">“Do you smell that?” He hoped he was wrong.. otherwise, it meant a cougar was dangerously close to their territory.

He contemplated this a moment, feeling the fur along his neck bristle in agitation that such a creature had claimed so close to the Glen. His eyes drifted from the second, scanning the area before him, as if the cougar would pop out from the brush, unannounced and almost unexpected. His paws shifted in thought, hi lips pursing together now as a frustrated snort escaped him, his paws carrying him closer to Inkheart now.

Of course, he need not voice his concern. The inky male beside him seemed to understand Phineas’ hesitations on their trip, and yet he was unable to stop himself from muttering <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#ACBCCA;">“Kyros and Hypatia,” just barely audible under his breath. They were at a tender age where exploration was becoming a more common thing, and they certainly gave he and Borlla a good run trying to keep them out of harm’s way.

His nose lifted once more, attempting to decipher the whereabouts of the cougar.<b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#ACBCCA;"> “This trip will have to wait,” he decided in a soft murmur, glancing over to his companion for his consent. More importantly however, he nodded his way back to their home. “We might have to deal with it if it doesn’t leave soon..” He would not tolerate a cougar so close to his home, not with his children.. and if need be, he would round the pack up to scare it off.. or, if he had to, kill it. There just simply wasn’t enough room for the wolves of Magnolia Glen and a feline predator.

Inkheart, ever the steady companion, was quick to reassure Phineas that this decision was not foolish at all – that his worry was completely legitimate rather than that if an unnerved parent that flinched at any movement. His paces halted once more, his nose dropping slightly as he took in the path that led to home. As much as he desired to find the exact whereabouts of the cougar now, he knew that doing so with only two wolves was far more risky than if he summoned a larger group. Borlla would likely wish to join them, and that left Lucero or one of the yearlings to remain with the cubs to keep watchful eye on them. Erebos had been amiss these days, and the ivory wolf was not one to hold his breath in hopes his brother would answer his call. This left only Zia as a final full-fledged adult, yet the Argyris male was confident she would be as eager to protect her home as he was.

Without another pause, the male slunk past the ebony male beside him, his paws leading to the direction of home. Instead, this time, he chose a different path, one that would take them slightly longer than before.. but one he felt necessary, to help determine the location of the feline. When the scent grew stronger, he felt his nose burn with distaste, his hackles bristling slightly. It was not so near Magnolia Glen borders that it was an immediate threat to the pack, but it was certainly an uncomfortable proximity. Casting a glance to Inkheart, he rumbled a small growl of displeasure before continuing to the Glen, eager for his paws to cross the borders. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#ACBCCA;">“The situation needs to be eradicated,” he finally spoke, his words hard, if not cold.

The more they walked, the more agitated he became of the situation. He had turned from the area the cougar’s scent lay strongest, quickly seeking the path to home before they accidentally came upon the beast, and before they gave it knowledge to their own whereabouts. The last thing he wanted to do was give it cause to feel threatened so soon when they were unprepared and have it follow them back.

His paws moved quickly now – the large beast rumbling through the foliage, and only until the still and serene borders of the Glen came to view did a sigh of relief exhale past his lips. The scent was now long faded, and while this reassured him momentarily that the cougar had yet to come too close to their borders, it did not mean that their home lay in its future path. Stopping now, his tail gave an idle flick before his eyes flickered over Inkheart. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#ACBCCA;">“I’m going to discuss the matter with Borlla. Tell the others as you see them to be wary – we’ll be in touch soon on how to deal with this,” he decided, his paws then moving him away from the inky man and toward the direction of his den, where he hoped to find his mate. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#ACBCCA;">“Our travels will continue after this is settled,” he called over his shoulder, his fiery eyes glancing back to regard Inkheart one last time before he departed to check on his family. His heart would not settle until he could see with his own eyes that they were safe from this potential harm.