Lost Lake Cold weather blues

Beings at the communal den, but he's making his way toward the boarders so loners are welcomed should they remain outside when he arrives.

Molten gold irises watched as the mist of early morning swirled and fell like a light rain, everything in it's path that it touched acquiring a moistened texture if the snow that remained on the ground hadn't already. Winter was coming and with it came a whole new onslaught of worries and questions nagging and gnawing at the back of Vesper's mind. Fallen Tree Cove had never been a pack that thrived, necessarily, especially during the colder months where snow made traveling even within the pack territory a challenge at times. The constant looming shadow of the mountain peak that remained snowy all year long it seemed, an ominous reminder to the agouti male of all that had come to pass since the founding of this pack two years ago. 

The idea that they had survived this long did manage to manifest a smile upon the man's inky lips, but the smile was short lived. Darker thoughts dousing the embers. There was much work that still had to be done to ensure they saw the thawing of ice come Spring. Cache's needed to be stocked to the brim. @Moonshadow informed on what to expect during the cold season and how to handle certain situations. Especially the dire ones; that god forbid, never happen since @Namid had yet to reclaim her rank as Queen which admittedly began to add fuel to his bonfire of worrisome thoughts. Markers drenched daily if not twice, maybe even a third time to ensure loners caught in the harsh elements of Winter were reminded where the pack lay. The snow too easily diluting their claiming scent upon these lands. Then there were his children he needed to attend to, both old and young. This would be the first winter for little @Ismena and@Lunette and the second time father prayed to whatever gods bothered to listen that they would see it through. Safe and sound.

Thoughts then drifted toward that of the missing prince, @Aleister. Lips drawn down into a worried frown upon the aging man's facial features. Yet again the wayward son had managed to slip free of his parent's kingdom without a word or a whisper. Anger building inside his sire's chest like a raging wildfire at first in response to the nerve his eldest son had to abandon all that he had here. All that Vesper and Namid had built to ensure their children had a future, a legacy. Was it all for not? Albeit, as time went on the fire slowly dwindled down to nothing more than a few smoldering embers, worry about his son's safety; if he was even alive still, taking precedence more so these days. Did his son even know enough to survive Winter on his own? That was a question that would remain unanswered.

A heavy sigh then escapes the Vuesain's mouth, legs folding under the bulk of his now full winter coat to rise onto all fours, shaking the bits of snow that still clung to the edges of his hair despite residing within the warmth of the communal den and hopefully the negative thoughts that plagued him so as well. Jaw parting and tongue rolling out to allow a yawn to pass over inky lips, one last shake was given before the Great Plains braced himself for the cold that awaited him beyond the threshold. There were boarders that needed to be marked. Again.

The path he had been taking up the mountain had been snowed out, causing the red man to turn southwards. He had no real goal in mind, so it was hardly a bother, but that didn't stop him from baring his teeth at the sky with a snort. Things should go his way, just as they always had in his youth, before... before. Sour expression stuck on his face he lifted his head to scent the air, water cutting through the scent of snow and drawing him in. As satisfying as eating snow could be he knew that this may very well be the last drink of actual water he would get for... well months. He wasn't about to pass it up, no matter how close it brought him to the pack that nestled on its banks.

He stood clear of the borders, yet close enough to scent them. If he wasn't careful they might assume he was up to something, although he had every intention of simply passing through. The mere thought of submitting to anyone left a sour taste in his mouth. No, if he was going to settle down anywhere it would be on his own terms and as close to the top if not on top if he could manage it.

A lynx has left behind the remains of a deer. +5 Health

Apologies for the wait! @Arrow

Creamy limbs took their time navigating through the sea of various sized snow drifts that riddled his kingdom on his way toward the borders, tall standing spruce and mountain pine mostly bare of their needle shaped foliage by now doing little to keep out mother nature's ivory hued soldiers that bombarded them from the grey washed sky above. Although it was not snow today that tried to disorient the lakeside patriarch from reaching his goal, the swirling mist had its own way of trying to achieve a similar result. Silhouettes in the distance were easily distorted and had the man not known his territory and majority of the land surrounding it by heart after months of traversing it, may have fallen victim to such parlor tricks. A damp pelt the only success the mist would gain..

As it was, for the most part Vespertio had no qualms; nor was he the thrasonical type, weaving his way through the maze of timbers, russet ears pivoting this way and that when the occasional mountain dwelling creature not already enduring an extensive hibernation sleep made a noise. Time ticked by and eventually he found himself nearing the first marker on his route, habitually lifting a rear leg to douse the stump in his urine before moving onward, a small glance toward the glistening surface of the lake yet to freeze entirely within its core saddled his left side. It was during this momentarily glance that something caught his eye, cream lids narrowing to see through the heavy mist. The shape seemed canine like, but if the man was going to be sure he would need to take a closer look.

Route detouring, the agouti male changed course to intercept whomever; if it was another wolf and not just the weather playing tricks on his eyes again, had ventured within close proximity of his front door. Perhaps an opportunity to increase their numbers had presented itself to the stress riddled man.