There were rumors across the Lore that winter was fading, that spring had chosen to grace the lands with its presence once again. They were hardly believable. How often did the snow still cascade from a white sky, and the howling winds blow bitterly and without remorse? Though the cruel temperatures had indeed let up for short times here and there, few signs existed that insinuated the arrival of the warm seasons.

Truthfully, the Lore had not been hit the worst. Surrounding the haven the storms swept through with a fury unknown to most, the famine completely destroyed packs that had once been powerful, and prey could not be found for miles and miles. Each day more creatures succumbed to the cold and the hunger...only the truly strong survived. Herron Ryder, a silvery ghost that flitted unknown throughout the many regions of Canada, had somehow managed to hold on to life since the winter had first struck mercilessly. Now he found himself knocking at the borders of Relic Lore in desperate need of a place, a home.

He stared at the sparkling ice that encased the Secluded Spring, frost thickening on his muzzle for each breath he exhaled. Though the snow was plenty to keep a wolf alive through the winter, a long, deep drink was much needed by the pale rogue. This, however, did not seem the place to find such a luxury; it yielded nothing to quench his thirst. Herron frowned sadly, a wistful glimmer dancing in his emerald green eyes. What he wouldn't do for a thorough drink...or a meal...or some friendly company. The rogue was nothing if not a social butterfly, though he rarely found himself with the same crowd for long due to his deceptive habits and tendency to hoodwink those around him.

Herron grumbled under his breath and turned away from the useless spring, a new plan formulating in his ever-working mind. Death threatened him every day, and waiting out the harsh winter became more and more difficult the longer it lasted. Being alone had made things even tougher on loners like him; therefore it was time to find a pack.

He shuddered at the thought.

He would provide for them as long as they provided for him. He knew it worked both ways, and he would have no chance at finding a home if he saw it any other way. Alphas were the choosy sort, nit-picky and stiff, and perfectly annoying, but he could bear it for the remainder of the season. And who knows, perhaps he would even decide to stay there indefinitely if things went well. Herron chuckled, his light and happy-go-lucky spirit returning now that his mind was off water.

Now...if only he could find a place.

She hadn't travelled north since her arrival in Relic Lore, the mere thought made her paws tingle with frozen numbness and her today ache with the pain of travelling endlessly without food or sleep. Yet today she was wandering north, along the foot of The Mountain of Dire, every other moment casting glances up its impassable side; her packs old home lay buried up there somewhere. Weather the wolves of Hollowheart Keep would return to their pass once spring cleared it, or continue to make their life amongst the trees of ghastly wood she did not know, not that she cared. Evann would go wherever her leaders told her to, which was partly why she was trekking north in on this day, as everyone else capable, she was ordered to keep searching for food - now that prey had been spotted on two separate occasions, the wolves were starting to regain hope - but the demand for sustenance was also growing, as spring slowly began crawling into the frost, breading season was upon the land, and to multiply successfully, wolves needed fresh meat.






So far she had had as little luck as ever before, not even finding old tracks in the snow. It was hard to kill the young woman's resolve though, she had been hardened by a life of misery, and her last few months in Hallowheart Keep had certainly been no picnic - they had provided for her though, she owed them eternal loyalty - so she struggled on through the drifts, snout raised to the icy wind, in hopes of catching the scent of prey.






What she did smell though, was no eatable; Or... That depends on how hungry you are... And WHO you are. The coffee brown girl knew of at least one wolf who wouldn't hesitate to feast on her own; she wasn't prone to such things however! Instead she stopped up, head held high, ears twitching around in all directions, listening for any sound of the stranger. The wind was surprisingly silent today, the sound, that often grew to a howl in the winter nights, merely a whisper in the leafless trees; Nothing... No sound of movement.






Cautiously, she began moving again, ears perked, eyes wide. After a few moments she caught sight of a clearing up ahead. Slowing down further, she made her way to the tree-line, studying the frozen spring before her. A distant part of her brain longed for the trickle of fresh water, the clean, clear taste of this life-giving fluid; So much better than snow... But now was not the time for such desires, somewhere out there, a stranger was encroaching on The Keep -they were still far enough that the borders could not yet be scented, but only just - and she would make sure he didn't come any closer.

It took her a while though, to spot the male, his grayscale fur working as excellent camouflage against the white snow and dark tree trunks. It was the eyes she saw first, their bright emerald a stark contrast to the muted pelt, but now that she'd picked him out, she studied him closely. He was a decent size, long legs under a short, compact body, marked as herself by the harsh winter, but still fairly strong looking; He's quite hansom actually... Pushing the thought aside, trying to ignore the faint heat it had brought to her cheeks, the mottled lass finally stepped out of the shadow of the trees, making herself known. Taking a neutral position - not challenging the man, but also showing that she would not yield - she addressed him in an equally unaligned voice: "St... Stranger, w-where are you h-headed?" Evann hadn't been bothered by her stammer since she turned two, she had grown used to it, and to other's surprise when hearing it; and yet, for some reason, it suddenly nagged her to be unable to speak cleanly to this wolf; Why? He's a stranger, what does it matter?! But it did, and that only made her even more annoyed at herself.






Word count: 679




”Speech” Thoughts

With his mind made up to secure a home, Herron chose to abandon the arctic spring and meander southwards. Uncertainty now behind him, his steps were light and bouncy, his tail hung loose and friendly, and he felt alive once more. Twinkling emerald eyes now matched the smirk that was forever etched onto his face despite the shackles winter had woven about his feet. True, a pack had never been his idea of perfection, but this winter one could present just what he needed.

With high hopes to stumble upon the borders of one that would accept him, Herron frolicked through the deep, fluffy snow that blanketed the Lore, when suddenly an intensely strong odor stopped him in his careless steps. A female wolf was close, extremely close, and mingled with her scent was that of many others. Herron grinned, chuckling internally at his good fortune. Before he could even set out to find a place, his place had come to him. Undoubtedly the she-wolf would have caught his scent by now and be headed his way. Impeccable timing.

Herron brought himself to perfect stillness, preferring to spot his pack-mate-to-be before she did him, and knowing perfectly well how wonderfully his black and silver pelt blended into the barren winter landscape. His bright eyes scanned the area while his nose worked overtime to gage her nearness. For a while he waited there as quiet as a frightened deer, searching for movement that would betray the stranger's presence.

She appeared out of nowhere, materializing from the trees like a forest sprite, her chocolate eyes glued to his intruding figure. She looked starved yet enduring, much like himself, and walked with a surety that spoke of a powerful pack; just what he was looking for. Excitement welled up within Herron at the prospect of joining this young lady's pack, and a toothy smile spread across his face. What a lucky day.

Then the lady spoke, beginning with a stutter that made Herron's eyes widen in surprise. Her strong bearing shared no likeness with the hesitation of her voice, nor did her firm tone. Immediately Herron's curiosity peaked. Was she afraid of him, perfectly hiding her true feelings in all but her speech, or was it a natural occurrence that she could not help? Impossible to know at this point, since outright asking would be horribly rude. Herron chose to ignore her stumble and immediately replied, his voice light but as forward as her own.

"I am traveling wherever my instinct takes me, for I am searching for a pack to call my own. Perhaps you, who I am certain knows the outlay of this land very well, could aid me in my quest?" His sincere expression and smoothness of his resonating voice betrayed no lie. In fact, everything he had said had been truth with a bit of unnecessary flattery thrown in. Bait. Take the bait. She had to take the bait.

His harlequin green eyes sparkled as they met her own deep browns, a broad smile gliding over the man's face. Evann responded by simply flicking her ears, eyes narrowing as she waited for him to answer; Charm won't work on me! She though, almost defiantly, as his expression made her chest feel strangely tight for a moment. He went on to use this weapon though, and rather skillfully, as he addressed her with a gentlemanly, yet firm tone. The slight femme flicked her ears again, this time widening her eyes in surprise; So he's searching for a home..? As an immigrant herself, the lass was eager to offer him a place where she had found refuge, but she held herself back; even if she decided to show this stranger to her pack, whether or not he was accepted would not be her choice - and in any case, she would not take him to her borders before making sure of his intentions, and his qualities.






She looked back at him with a flat expression, not betraying her inner turmoil, as she considered her reply. Clearly this man was not stupid, he would surely have smelled the trace of her pack mates in her fur, but they were far from The Keep, and he would have no way of knowing where the pack he scented resided. So the coffee pelted fea weighed her options, considering carefully before responding, she was not averse to this stranger, if he proved suitable she would take him to Hollowheart borders, where her leaders could determine his fate; So a few questions might be in order... Allowing a small smile to grace her lips, Evann finally spoke, her voice warmer now, yet still firm; "I a... actually now sh-shamefully li... l-little about these woods." She began honestly, showing no embarrassment about the fact, despite her words; "Bu... but as y... y... you c-can smell, I do know o-of a pack you could po... p-possibly join." Her stammer seemed to be worse today than it had been for a long time, she tried taking a few deep breaths, turning her eyes away from the white wolf in feigned disinterest; trying to hide her difficulties.






After a few moments she looked back at him, cocking a brow as she proclaimed: "O-of course I would n... need some re... reassurance of y... yo... your intentions... b-before I take you there." This time she ignored her troubles, looking him squarely in the eyes while she spoke, almost challenging him to comment on her stutter. She knew he was making a gamble here, the male could easily overpower her if he chose to, but she wanted to show him the strength of her pack.






Word count: 453




”Speech” Thoughts

He found himself being drawn into her deep brown eyes that stared him down first with cold calculation and then mere indifference. He couldn't deny that it stung to have his charming smile so rejected by this pretty chocolate she-wolf (it had never happened before) and he had to forcibly set aside the impulse to put on a pout in reaction to the severe catastrophe. But years of practice had left Herron with perfect control over his outward appearance, and the sincere warmth that emanated from his expression did not falter.

Slight hope returned once he spied the tiny smile on the woman's face; she did not find him completely undesirable then? He listened patiently while she stammered through a speech, becoming more and more certain by the second that her hesitations were an invariable obstacle she faced, not just a petty reaction to his presence. Herron truly felt sorry that she had to live with the stutter, for it certainly brought on all kinds of unfair ridicule. His heart thumped in sympathy when she turned away to gather herself before continuing. Once she had finally stopped talking, he nodded in agreement, not breaking the firm eye contact the stranger had initiated. Of course a strong pack would not accept just any straggler; however he knew himself to be what an alpha might find a wise asset.

Just as Herron parted his jaws to answer, they were interrupted by the arrival of yet another female who glided from the trees with a domineering aura and came to a halt by the chocolate lady's side. Immediately a raspy growl rumbled in Herron's chest and he bristled, stalking forward to greet this stranger who thought she could so blithely waltz in like she owned the place. He stopped after just a few steps though, glancing back and forth between the two women as they exchanged friendly, if not rather tense, greetings. Oh. They know each other, he grumbled, studying the second wolf. Pack-mates, surely.

She was small, with a silvery pelt in a similar pattern to his own. Her amber eyes were locked on his own compact figure, and he felt quite uncomfortable under her scrutinizing gaze, though it was nothing he had never seen before. Herron flashed her a toothy smile and returned to a neutral position, signifying that attack mode was no longer with them. Then, just for good measure, he added a cheeky wink. If they were going to live together, why not get along, he mused.

"Herron Ryder, miss. Was chatting with your pretty friend about the possibility of myself joining your pack. Where did you say it was again?" he asked, hoping for some new tidbits of information he could use if these two ladies somehow found him unworthy of their home. Which, undoubtedly, he was. That was not something they needed to know, though. To them, he was an able-bodied man fit to serve their pack.

She was unfathomably happy to see the pale man listen intently, his amiable facade not wavering in the slightest, despite her hacking speech. Her smile grew a little wider as he answered her with a simple, stern nod, she was beginning to think that this wolf might be fit for a place among the ranks of Hollowheart Keep. He was getting ready to speak when the sounds of paws in the snow interrupted them, ears flicking to the tree's behind her, nostrils flaring, Evann kept her eyes on the stranger, watching for his reaction as her nose was filled with the familiar scent of the arriving wolfess. the brown girl's ears fell to the sides, tail sinking at the looming presence of Sagacity beside her; she didn't fear the silver pelted woman, but to say that they were friends would be equally untrue. Despite her taller form, the young lass sunk next to The Keep's second in command, her submission clear when she answered the woman's nibble with a timid lick of her jaw.






Only the presence of the stranger prevented Evann from turning her full attention to The Silver Arrow, whom she knew as prone to irate outbursts if she felt she wasn't being properly respected. Now though, they stood in synergy before an outside force, and it made the bole lady both proud and nervous, eager as she was to please the other. She was careful though, to hide her feelings, the only thing showing on her face the mild submission to the other female, and a faint interest in the white male.






The man's initial reaction to Sagacity's appearance though, made Evann's chocolate orbs widen in fear, though the hostility was quickly quelled as he realized her relation to the brown girl. She glanced at the grey dame to see her reaction, hoping that the situation wouldn't escalate; Ending up chasing him off would be a shame! For the moment things seemed calm enough though, and as Sagacity asked, Evann again looked to the man, for an answer, since she hadn't yet heard his name. His first response, the wink, made the smallest of smiles cross her black lips, and as his well-clinging voice added words to his charm, one of her ears flicked forwards in attention; Herron... She mused. A peculiar title, but in some way fitting of the grayscale lad.






The wiry dipped her small dome to him, never taking her eyes off his, and offered her own presentation: "I'm Evann At..." She stopped herself. That title was no longer hers to posses! How could she have forgotten?! "Ju... just Evann." She corrected herself, shrugging off the slip as if it was nothing; but her eyes stung faintly. Ignoring her own inner turmoil, the skinny fae turned her ears at the other female, choosing wisely to let her decide which name, if any, to give Herron. As for his question, she left that to Sagacity as well, as the highest ranked of them, it would be up to her whether or not they should bring this male to Hollowheart Keep, and Evann would not give him any hints, should the decision end up being negative; Though, I hope he'll join us...






Word count: 536




”Speech” Thoughts

The brown female that had first appeared seemed to gain twice the confidence when her friend showed up. Herron suddenly felt less in control with both of them standing together; the smaller one had brought an aura of command with her and the atmosphere was less friendly, less welcoming. His bright green eyes flickered with annoyance for just a second before returning to normal: it wasn't a big deal. He wasn't trying to use force anyway.

In response to his introduction, the brown wolf offered her own name. Evann. Evann something. Herron knew that she had been about to tack a surname onto the end of that but for some reason she had stopped herself. For a moment he looked at her suspiciously but then his attention was shifted to the other wolf as she spoke flatly. Herron stared at her as if bored with her degrading comment.

"I don't appreciate being referred to as such; I can pull my weight as well as others'-" he was cut off by an extremely annoying two word sentence and found himself staring as the still unknown wolf walked away. Herron frowned darkly, feeling a bit miffed. It was then that he could smell the strong aroma of meat from the direction she had gone. It's a good thing I was blessed with a large dose of self control. If he wasn't on a mission at the moment he had half a mind to go and force her away from the carcass so he could stuff his own face. As if to agree, his belly rumbled hungrily. Instead he looked back at Evann, waiting for her to...question him. He cocked his head slightly and grinned. "So?"