Greer wasn’t so sure he liked the snow anymore. The cold clung to his damp fur, chilling him down to his little bones as he trudged through the blanket that covered the Lore. A permanent grimace had found its way onto his maw, his cold, gray orbs narrowed as he desperately searched for the way back to the Ridge. It had been a stupid decision to venture so far away from pack territory in such awful weather conditions. He had been gone for too long… the thought made him cringe outwardly as he realized the scolding he was going to get from his parents upon his return.

The shadow prince wondered if his brothers missed him – he had never been much of a brother. He preferred to be out on his own, exploring without the company of his kin, and shunned them without reason. Greer adored his brothers – they were blood, after all – he just preferred to do things on his own. Would they resent him for that? His frown only deepened as he pushed forward, his long legs struggling to maneuver through the snow. He needed to get back home… back to the warmth of his family’s den… back to his family… A whine escaped him, a sound that was unfamiliar to the slender boy. For the first time, Greer was lonely – a strange feeling for the boy who preferred solitude.

Not only was he cold and lonely, but he was so hungry. The arrival of snow seemed to scare off most of the prey, leaving the willowy child desperate for a meal. Some days he was lucky to stumble upon the frozen body of a rabbit or deer; if he was real lucky, he would come across a live squirrel and successfully catch it. He could feel his body weaken as the days passed; he wasn’t sure how long he was going to make it. He needed to get home… he needed the warmth and comfort of his family. This adventure had ended days ago, and he was no longer enjoying his excursion away from home.

He just wanted to be home. Adventure could wait until the temperature had increased dramatically and the snow (mostly) disappeared from the Lore. His mind had grown fuzzy during his trek back home as fatigue begun to take hold on his frail body. Freezing was inevitable if he did not make it back to the Ridge soon, and the thought terrified him. He had to survive; he had to make it back. He desperately wanted to hear the voice of his parents scolding him for disappearing and longed to feel the warmth of his brothers’ pelts curled up next to him. For the first time, Greer no longer wanted to be alone… at least not now. He was far too cold and miserable to be alone…

Without warning, his thin legs gave out beneath him, and the shadow prince folded against the cold ground. An irritated groan escaped his maw as he struggled to push himself into a stand, silver gaze narrowed as his legs quivered beneath him, threatening to give out once more. Determined, the willowy male pushed forward through the snow with slow, hesitant movements. A familiar scent, paired with his name being called out through the cold air, caused his stilt-like legs to abruptly stop as his silver eyes widened in disbelief. Deacon! He stepped toward his brother as the fiery-eyed boy approached him, worry evident in his gaze as he studied his ruffled appearance. “S-Sorry,” he mumbled quietly, his voice hoarse with lack of use. Deacon’s next comment about being lonely without him caused a soft, foreign smile to fall against his dark lips. The slender male nodded furiously at the mention of going home, his thin body shivering uncontrollably as he leaned into his brother.

As he stepped forward to follow Deacon another ash-coloured male approached; Titan. His lips tightened as the older male questioned him, asking about his whereabouts and his health. Greer did not really have an answer to the male’s first question, as he wasn’t really sure where he had been. Here and there – not home, that’s for sure. However, the other questions he could answer: “H-hungry.” His voice was small as it stained the cold air, and sounded strange even to Greer. As much as he did not like speaking, now was not the time to remain silent. They were here to help him, and he would not shut them out regardless of how much he wanted to.

The cold air nipped at his skin so furiously he was unable to control his shivering regardless of how much he pressed himself against Deacon to absorb his warmth. He was glad that his brother suggested continuing forward – as hungry as the little shadow was, he craved the warmth of his family’s den. Greer was certain that if he remained in the cold any longer his toes were surely to fall off, and he definitely needed all of his toes for running and stalking. As his older brother stepped forward the slender boy stumbled beside him as he tried to keep their sides touching. His eyelids grew heavy as he tried to keep up with his brother – constant traveling had taken a toll on the young boy; he could hardly keep himself balanced.

Food was mentioned once more, his brother asking the other male – Titan – if he knew if there was a cache close by. His stomach growled uncontrollably at the mention of food, but he yearned for the comfort of the Ridge. The little shadow felt incredibly out of sorts, as he craved the presence of both his family (and packmates). He was positive the cold and days of isolation was just making him loopy, but he desperately wanted to be surrounded by the wolves of Willow Ridge. He figured he felt this way because he wanted to absorb as much of their body heat as possible and not because he actually wanted company… but he wasn’t so sure. All he knew was that he was freezing, starving, and wanted to be home as soon as possible.