Quick jaunts to neighboring regions were becoming the norm for the scarred River wolf. He knew dozens of places by heart even outside of Cedarwood Forest, as well as the scents of the loners who frequented the areas. The positioning and status of prey herds were organized in his mind as if it was a filing cabinet, along with the positioning of caches, the burrows of snowshoe hares, and the attitude of the treacherous weather. Hati kept track of everything his mind could grasp, even though most of the information he carried would go to waste as he was unable to relay it to others who could use it.

Heartleaf Creek was lonesome underneath the dull, almost threatening sky. It was frozen over in places and blanketed with snow, but the water that did run freely promised freezing temperatures that the silent male did not relish touching his throat. Though it taunted his thirst he ignored the creek and instead walked along the ice that had formed on its edges. Little clumps of ice were melded to the feathering around his paws and tail, and his nose was dipped with snow—an effect of digging for the mice that tunneled deep below the surface. Frost clung to the tips of his eyelashes and most of his dark pelt, giving him a ghostly appearance.

Though he appeared to simply meander, the truth was that Hati was here for a reason. From far away a scent he knew well had pulled him like a magnet to this creek. Silver Shadow was in the vicinity and the river wolf wasn't about to let a chance slide to see her. It was a great relief to know the black female was still alive, for the winter was harsher than he had ever known, and their parting words from before had held little certainty. She had been on Hati's mind often, for he was curious as always. Had she made her way into a pack like she had spoken of? Was she well? Was she hungry? Her signature scent held no traces of sickness, and it was moving fast enough to be sure that she was not injured.

Hati sighed, tired of chasing her down even as she fled. The thought that she knew he was trailing her and was trying to escape had crossed his mind many times, but he kept forcing it out, relying on the fact that she had promised they would meet again. Perhaps she had forgotten...

The River wolf's strides lengthened until he ran full out, using his broad chest to force his way through the snow. Silver would not escape him. After just a few minutes of this his lungs screamed for a break, and his legs burned, but the trail was stronger. She would be in his sights any minute, he was sure. He could already see her black figure in his mind, contrasting so perfectly against the whiteness of the winter.

Then he saw her, carefully picking her way across the creek in a place where the ice met in the middle and the wind had blown most of the snow into drifts along the edges. A smile formed on his face as she barely managed to stay upright. With a quiet huff he sprinted to her, stopping just as his claws first clicked on the ice, and directed his smile at Silver, black wagging happily.