The perpetual optimist within the smiling she-wolf kept the shadows at bay. A quiet voice that constantly reminded her that she was at least alive and had a wonderful new home with many new friends to make. No one would know that she'd been damaged. She was damaged. Bright silver eyes held back a dark, dusty, leaking, and bloody soul. But no one would know. Her speech did not betray what her brain held hidden away. Electrical shocks that made her feel, as was the nature of science (though unknown to wolves), would shoot signals to her shoulders, her haunches, causing them to shake in reaction to a single image in her brain, a word spoken from the mouth of a superior, a look given...Even smells. Although the Lore was so far from her home, the climate seemed similar. When spring came about truly, she was certain that the fragrance of a flower might cause some tremor within her belly. But the voice in her mind, her own voice, did not allow her to linger long upon this reality. The woman embraced the moment she lived in, and at times, the future, but only the pleasant bits. Perhaps one day she might find herself in love again, or would find herself in the kind embrace of a best friend. Anything would do. Even caring for the children of her newly beloved leaders would make her heart leap for joy, and add another brick to the insurmountable wall that tried to keep out the darkness. It was never truly gone, but she could smother it longer and longer each day.

Maybe just like the snow smothered the grass and the flora that would bring life to this land. She looked forward to seeing these lands bloom. Certainly the willow trees would be gorgeous. Adelaide moved cautiously along the pack's borders, beginning to paw carefully at the snow hoping to find some new sprouts of life beneath the slowly receding snow. She didn't expect to find anything yet. Though the temperatures had risen slowly over the past few days, she felt that it would not be enough to lure the seeds of fall from their slumbers yet. But she was not a scout or a hunter, so this was how she passed her time. It would be foolish of her to be idle when she could easily be searching for necessary medicines. As the weather fluctuated into true spring, there would be many stuffy noses and things of that nature to assist with. She tried to keep vigilant whilst on duty, not wishing to be caught off-guard by some wandering loner. Adelaide was not small in stature, but she was still no real fighter. Of course she would defend the Ridge, she was a wolf that possessed a certain set of instincts and natural abilities, but doing so was not at the top of her list.

The large brute of dark complexion knew that the territory he was wandering into was claimed. He was just passing through really hoping to find an unclaimed place so that he could hunt. This past winter was hell on him and his family. He had recently lost his dad to old age and sickness and his younger siblings and himself were chased off by his mother. The brute had wandered for days in search of something to eat and thus was weak, tired, and hungry. He'd have to stay vigilant in this spot of the woods, in case he ran into any of the pack wolves that obviously dened near by. The snow was slippery under his massive paws and his steps were careful and precise. His golden orbs spanned the land scape with a stern look, one that a warrior wore.

All around this huge wolf was the skeletons of willows and many other things he could not correctly identify in this time of year. His stepped slowed as his condition finally started to catch up with him. He was skinny and tired and needed food desperately. He decided to give into his instincts even though this was claimed land and started to look for food. He put his nose to the ground and sniffed around the snow covered up most of the scents and most were stale and old. Suddenly he nose picked up a scent a extremely, pleasing scent one of a she-wolf who of course smelled of the forest around him but deeper, much deeper and maybe only to his nose, were subtle hints of pineapple, cilantro, mountain pine, balsam, and ceder in a weird mixture that was lovely and even more intriguing. The scent made his mouth water but only because of his hunger. He let his eyes rise up but he did not raise his head just in time to see the cause of the scent walk past about ten yards in front of him. Her coat was just as pleasing to his golden orbs as her scent was to his nose. He figured she was of the pack near here and thought he should probably avoid her but his nose and instinct drove him to subconsciously start padding towards the she-wolf. It was mating season anyways which made it hard for him to stay away from any female. As he padded towards where she was stopped pawing at the snow he took in her full beauty and the way the setting sun made her coat colors have an orange and vibrant tint.

"These are not your lands, stranger," Adelaide warned, tail rising over her back. Her heart pounded in her chest as she regarded this stranger, so similar in color to her Edmund, even down to his eyes. She reminded herself that there was little variation in their kind, which calmed her a bit. But she felt her throat beginning to fight against her threatening to throw her into the hands of fear. Adelaide hoped that the stranger would heed her warning and find his way back over the borders of the Ridge. Of course she would be willing to converse with him, but only if he did this. Otherwise, she knew that she might have to call for her packmates, for this man was larger than she and there was simply no way she could best him in any sort of fight should he continue on his path.

He stopped just five feet from the pretty lady of tawny browns, gray browns, and creams. He sniffed in her direction, and determined her true scents, lovely honeysuckle, balsam, and pine with subtle but pleasing accents of cilantro and ceder. He saw that her hackles were raised and he lowered his upper body in a non-menacing manner and tried to make his presence as non-threatening as he could. She was growling at him and obviously did not want him to cross over the boarder into the actual pack lands. He did not care she was a she and he was a he and it was mating season. He talk to her. Get to know her. Maybe even end up loving her. He was still young and these type of feelings were new to him. He smiled a wolfish grin and opened his mouth to respond to her warning only to have his words cut short as another scent crossed his nose a much needed scent. He turned and looked around his nose now in the air attempting to pin point the source of said mouth watering smell. A smell he knew oh so well. A smell he needed desperately. The smell of meat. The smell of food. His head whipped back to the lady his eyes joyful and somewhat crazed and blurted out, "Do you smell that?" with that said he went back to trying to find the meat forgetting about the glorious beauty in front of him.

Pale brown brows lifted as he opened his mouth, but she caught the scent immediately after he did. Rising to all fours, she took a step forward, hackles up again. This was not something she had prepared herself for. Though a few moments ago, she'd realized that this male could prove a very real threat to her as she was in heat, but now there was the issue of food. A meal that could prove vital for her new family. But the scent was of a moose, so perhaps when the man was done, she could drag the rest back with her. Guilt pricked at her, knowing that they might discover that another wolf had fed from the carcass, but would they be angry with her? She certainly could not fight him off. Shaking her head, she followed after the man. Easily, Adelaide caught up with him, and even began to pass him, being smaller and certainly healthier. Finding the carcass was simple. The snow around it had receded, and there were pawprints in the snow.

After a few cautious sniffs around, she was certain that the coyotes had abandoned this carcass some time ago. Taking up a protective stance at the side of the moose, she spoke in the most confident tones she could, "Eat what you must, but I will be taking the rest back to my family." Nostrils flared with finality when she'd concluded. Her accented tones seemed to have gotten through to him the first time, so hopefully they would not prove an issue this time either.

He turned when they found the carcass and let her take up a position near it. Of course it was only nice of him to let her eat first or whatever since this was her lands. However she then said he could have what he wanted and with that said he moved closer to the carcass and sniffed at it. It smelled faintly of stomach acid to his nose and his nose wrinkled up. He circle the carcass smelling the whole thing, but as he did his eyes caught something more pleasing and made him burst with energy. Rabbit tracks! His excitement radiated off of him and towards her. He would be still considered a pup or young wolf to most even though he was an adult and sexually mature. What luck. He looked at the she-wolf and then back at the moose. "You can have the moose. Also I noticed there is a pack near by how many of you are there? If there are alot maybe you should accompany me and find these rabbits." he said and looked back down at the tracks they lead into the the packs land. "It appears the rabbits go into your territory. If you let me hunt and take a rabbit for myself I'll help you drag this moose back to your pack."

"Not so many that this moose won't feed us," Adelaide said with much certainty. A deep set frown spread over her face at his words. Was he foolish? "I cannot allow you to do that. It isn't right in the least. You may have some of this moose and I will roll it back if I must." A forepaw met the ground with force, an assertion of dominance. Silently Adelaide hoped that her packmates might come across the rabbits so that they might not go to waste, but there was no way she could allow the man into Willow Ridge and then let him leave with their precious food. They would have her head. She pitied the man, she did, for she knew the grips of hunger, but it was her own head and then the stomachs of her packmates upon the line, and they took precedence over strangers, no matter how handsome.

How foolish of him of course he could not hunt in their land and take their food this moose however was not with in their boarders. He nodded realizing he was being stupid in front of they gloriously beautiful exquisite maiden. "Right.." He dipped his head in thanks and turned back to the moose choosing the part the was most scavenged by the coyotes and began to eat. By the gods it was like heaven in his mouth. Even in the meat smelled slightly off and old it was godly. With every bite he seemed to melt. His jaws snapped and tore at the moose. Sloppily he ate. He was in heaven. He had forgotten of the nice she-wolf that was even letting him eat the food. Most pack wolves would have chased him off by now. He shifted his weight a little and positioned himself over the ribs of the beast. With one quick snap of his jaws he snapped off one of the ribs and went for the marrow inside the ivory splinted bone. Oh boy was he in for a shock. He thought he was in heaven with the meat but the marrow, oh god the marrow had him in a blissful eyes glazed over paradise. It took him all of ten minutes to take his fill. Even though he was full he laid down with the rib bone he had taken from the carcass, gnawing on it with his saliva covered yellowed fangs and molars. He glanced back up at the she-wolf his eyes no longer in that blissful glaze. "Thanks for the meal but please let me help you carry the rest to your pack I do not have to go all the way to your den just let me help you bring it closer as a thank you. Then I'll leave."