Larkcall Lowlands hunted by scavengers

“Me too,” the man seemed to cough out, and Sif’s mismatched gaze flickered over to him in interest. From his build, he could see a truth in the man’s statement. He seemed to be built for the climate, with tough muscle for insulation and large paws for the snowy months. An approving nod bobbed the Russian’s head and he rose himself to a sitting position. Off in the distance, the scent of borders once again floated to him matching that of Craw’s pelt and he was suddenly curious of the place that his new found acquaintance held. If he were any of the wolf Sif thought he might be, there was only one plausible one.

“Are you interested in staying?” he asked and a grin placed itself on his lips. “Perhaps. But, questions first. You are leader, yes? Strong, like bison, obvious to me,” he commented, wanting to verify his suspicions. “What pack stand for? What pack mean to you,” he would not be cowed into a pack that would end up just like his last one. No, he was smarter than that now, wiser than that. To others it might seem like he had no right to be picky as a loner, but Sif did quite well for himself out on his own. He could wait, scout others. He liked Craw, sure, but if they didn’t suit Sif then he’d be on his way without a second thought. He had no loyalties, he had a fresh start and he was going to start it right.

Very quickly, both wolves were on the same page, and perfectly aware of it. Craw watched @Sif process the question, saw the smile, and found himself quite invested in hearing an answer. Of course, it would have been a let-down for the peppered wolf to give himself away too easily; the loner's careful reply presented an image of strength, of intelligence, of a lack of desperation. He didn't need Craw or his offer. This was not a hungry vagrant come begging at the borders for a spot in the ranks in exchange for food and duties. Sif was clearly able to look after himself. That kind of independence and self-sufficiency coupled with that discerning self-awareness was entirely attractive. Alongside what he had already seen of the juggernaut, Craw was interested.

Sif deduced Craw's own position with ease, something which the spider confirmed with a dip of his head. The question was succinct, to the point. Craw decided to answer it in just the same way, twitching his nose up a fraction as he gave the answer easily and with pride. Had he been asked the same question while in the Ridge, the answer would have been the same - except that he could not have honestly claimed it applied to that pack. He felt no such shame as a Whitestone wolf.

"Loyalty. Prosperity. Respect."

It was a neat exchange, clean. If Sif found his response disagreeable then the question of whether or not they were suited to one another would be answered very easily, without wasting any more of each other's time.