Enoki Ashrelle, lead female of Willow Ridge. The title still felt so foreign on the Magpie's tongue each time it was repeated silently, so heavy upon the woman's dark crown while equally dark limbs wove beneath the brilliant night sky that twinkled with stars that shone brighter than she could remember without true purpose through the snow frosted forest that made up most if not all of the territory; her territory now, an ivory splashed shoulder occasionally brushing against a frozen trunk of a weeping willow similar to how one would offer a friend a warmth filled smile in passing. To the Magpie the willows had indeed became her friends in a way after having spent more moons under their whip like canopy than she could dare try to count. A few pieces of ice crystals tumbling to the snow blanketing its base afterwards. Thick puffs of exhaled breath lifting into the air. When did it become so cold?
In and out Enoki continued to weave in no set pattern, her paws creating new paths in the snow while crossing over those already made by others, her nose giving a twitch each time her sense of smell was greeted with a new individual scent. It was during one of these crossovers that the familiar scent of him piqued the piebald's interest, dark rounded ears momentarily swiveling back to brush against the back of her skull before securing a forward facing position. He had been purposely avoiding her company since the tragic death of Adele and understanding the grief that consumed his shattered heart Enoki had given the man the space he wanted, but not without taking the distance he kept planted firmly between them months after to heart.
Crunching snow warranted her head to suddenly snap to the left, smoldering amber gaze filled with a look of surprise when they came to settle upon the distant silhouette of the devil himself which seemed to manifest from right out of the darkness and his path of travel seemed to be heading directly toward her rather than away. For what felt like an eternity the newly appointed matriarch remained frozen in place with one paw partially raised in anticipation of taking another step, ears sweeping back as a war of emotions raged within her core. Should she stand her ground and wait to see if he needed something now that it was her responsibility to tend to the wolves that called the Ridge home, or put her rear into high gear and move along to prevent placing herself within too close of a proximity to a man set on staying away?