Firefly Weir in his Zippo lighter he sees the killer's face

for @Revon special mention to @Morganna
Mostly Cloudy -21C/-6F

The woman who Wendigo had since come to learn was Revon's aunt had been keeping a close eye on the yearling ever since they had come back from the pup's escape attempt. He was too smart to try and get away with the child now and he was just biding his time before he too disappeared without a trace as his own sister had. Every so often he would wander away from the boundaries and return a short while later so as to not raise suspicion, seeing how far he could go before he would earn a curled lip or raised eyebrow. Not only that, but he was effectively spreading his scent all through the surrounding area, hoping it would be enough to mask his true trail when he decided to vanish.

It would be time soon. Time to become the wind and go back to where he had once come, nothing left of him but nightmares in the dreams of a girl who had been robbed of what little childhood she had left. He had crept his way around the lagoon today and was lounging on the banks of a cove that during the summer would have been hidden with foliage. As it was, the branches partially obscured his large frame but not enough that anyone would ever think he was hiding.

Instead he watched lazily as the steam of his breath billowed out of his nostrils and up into the frosty air. How much more time would he have to wait before he could go reunite with his sister?

The yearling’s plans, whatever they were, had been foiled. His sister had not made an appearance, leaving him without back up when confronted by Adeltra and Morganna. While she was happy to be surrounded by familiar faces Revon was also annoyed that she couldn’t return to the Heights yet. Why couldn’t she accompany the scout to the mountain? It didn’t make any sense. She didn’t want to be around her captor any longer—she wanted to be home, with her family.

She was restless, her tawny paws thudding along the frosted ground as she meandered along the edge of the lagoon, a scowl etched across her delicate features. If she ran there was the possibility of the dark yearling following her and dragging her off into the surrounding forest—or six feet under. It was not a risk she was willing to take. So she waited, impatient and grumpy, to be released by her aunt. Or for her parents to come to her, whichever came first. She just hoped it was soon.

She was so deep in her own thoughts that she had not noticed the figure lounging by the cove, or noticed his scent on the wind. Instead she kicked at the snow in frustration as he tail lashed out behind her, the frown on her creamy features deepening as she continued along the shore. 

He might go bored out of his mind just sitting around this pack waiting for something to happen. For someone to fight him or the pup to get picked up or for him to have the opportunity to slip away and leave, it was all a lot of waiting. Wendigo had never been good at waiting. So here he sat, doing something as mundane as watching his breathing in the cold air and just, waiting.

He had half a mind just to get up and leave right now, head back to where he had come from but where he had not belonged. Truthfully, Wendigo didn’t belong anywhere. Certainly not here among these wolves who were the protectors of the child his sister had stolen and now he’s taking the heat for. Convinced he stood up, this was useless and clearly Rhamnus had ditched out and wasn’t coming back, he wasn’t just going to sit here and keep waiting.

Immediately after he stood a small pile of snow flew into his face. Shaking his head with a gruff growl in annoyance his orange eyes squinted at the culprit. Of course. Snorting Wendigo couldn’t keep the sarcasm from his tone, ”You know wandering alone is what got you abducted in the first place.”.

I have adoptables! pm Ghost for details.

Shallow water has trapped several fish in a small pond. Hunt Opportunity

The girl was confused as to why the wolves of the Scowle weren’t keeping an eye on her kidnapper. He seemed free to roam the territory as he pleased, which only infuriated the Archer further. She despised being among the trees and the lagoon, even if it was among good company (aka Archer’s). It had been too long since she had last scaled the mountain and her paws were already beginning to grow soft due to the softer terrain.

She had not noticed that the pile of snow she’d kicked had connected with another—not until a low growl caused her head to snap around. Immediately her hackles raised as she eyed the dark yearling through narrowed brows, her tail lashing out behind her. Piss off, she hissed, the curse word rolling off her tongue naturally as she took several steps away from him. Go away! She wanted to scream, her tongue poised and ready behind rows of ivory teeth in case she needed to call for her aunt, or another Archer, to rescue her once more.

Wendigo couldn’t help the laugh that roused from his throat at her cursing, but he didn’t try that hard to smother it anyways. Rolling his eyes the yearling shook the rest of the snow from his fur and rolled his shoulders leisurely. He was over the game that his sister had created, the pup could do whatever he wanted as far as he was concerned and frankly this had just been some large prank anyways. Apparently Revon had not found it that funny.

Moving forward the dark teen gave her a passing sideways glance, ”Very intimidating, I’m shaking.” Then almost as an afterthought he gave a large exaggerated shiver, a sarcastic grin adorning his muzzle. ”Don’t worry, I’m on my way out and you can return to your life on the mountain without a second thought. It’s not like Rhamnus ever really wanted to hurt you or you’d be dead by now.” This was at least the truth. His sister had many flaws but she was a skilled assassin, it was like an outlet for all of her dripping sarcasm and anger. Wendigo on the other paw had never killed anyone, that was what this trip had been about. He had to go find a pup to kill and bring the body back and that would lift the curse..

I have adoptables! pm Ghost for details.

The firefox remained where she was as the dark yearling stepped forward, her lips curled back in a silent snarl. Why didn’t he just leave? He could have easily snuck out without the Scowle wolves noticing, heading north (or south) to evade any search parties. But, instead, he stayed. Prowling the lagoon. Being a nuisance. Surely her father would arrive any day… a scout had been sent for him (and her mother)… this pest would be so smug when her father showed up.

He spoke, breaking the girl away from her thoughts. I’m on my way out… he claimed, stating that his sister—Rhamnus—had not planned on killing her. She rolled her eyes at the comment. Whatever, she hissed back, her tangerine pools narrowed into slits as she observed the dark male. She took several more steps back, away from him, as her frown deepened. Just get going already, she added hastily, her tail swaying aggressively behind her as she kicked at the snow, her impatience growing thin. She’d even do him a favour—she wouldn’t tell the others where he went. As long as he went and didn’t look back. The Archers were a smart bunch; they would find him with or without her help. Make him pay for swiping her off the mountain.

The thing about being the big bad wolf is that you never realize how bad everything you’ve done is until after. To Wendigo this whole ordeal was still just mildly amusing albeit annoying that his sister had left. He had no remorse over what had happened, didn’t feel bad about taking a child from her home or scaring her, they hadn’t hurt her after all so nothing had been that bad.

Revon probably didn’t see it that way, she was all spitfire and angry, accompanied by every teenager’s favourite word, whatever. Wendigo kind of liked her, she was funny in her naive angry sort of way and so he grinned at her as she kicked at the snow. What a weird child she was. All the pups he had experience with were already being raised to be killers, yet she had been so innocent.

He should have just left and he took a few steps to do so but couldn’t help himself from glancing over his shoulder, ”Are you really just going to sit here and wait for someone to pick you up? Your pack isn’t even that far from here.” clearly she had some need for adventure, but did she just lack the independence?

I have adoptables! pm Ghost for details.

While she wanted nothing to do with the dark yearling he did have a point. Why did she need to wait around for her parents, or a scout from the Heights, to come retrieve her? She knew where to go—east, toward the mountains. The girl was sure if she made a beeline for the east she would likely hit the territory where her other relatives resided, and then her own home would follow shortly after. It didn’t make sense, just staying put. If anything it just made her more impatient and feel like she was being kept prisoner. Her nose, however, wrinkled in defence as the older male spoke. Maybe I want to wait, she retorted with a sharp cluck of her tongue. Why did he care? He was the one that had kept her from returning home before—why did he want to see her return to the mountain. Why haven’t you left, huh? You have the perfect chance. I won’t even say anything. Maybe. Probably. But she couldn’t promise that her father would do his best to track the yearling down…

Wendigo decided that he seriously liked this pup, it was the way that her angry words and tone clearly clashed with how much of a child she appeared to be still. It was like arguing with one of the tiny children back home before their training started, when they fought from emotion rather than logic and their feelings clearly played out on their muzzles. The clucking of her tongue pushed him over the edge and the yearling laughed, not a snarky sarcastic or snide laugh but his honest-to-goodness that was actually funny laugh. It changed his face, lifting the darkness that was meant to intimidate and leaving behind a wolf that looked more his own age. A yearling who was just figuring everything out.

Ears flicked backwards at her next question and he grinned again, "I already told you, I'm leaving right now. I was just waiting to see if Rhamnus wanted to come back and clean up the mess she made but clearly that's not happening." Taking a couple more steps he really was going to leave this time but something pulled him back. Turning back around his ears dipped backward slightly in apprehension, "Look, I know you have no reason to believe me but I feel bad about what she did. She took it too far making you think you would get hurt." Revon probably would not believe him but for the record his words were sincere, he did feel kind of bad about how everything had happened. His ears dipped back farther, he wasn't sure how to do this, "I can take you back to the mountain if you want, I swear she's gone and you can turn me over to your parents. Listen, I know you din't trust me but clearly you could outrun me if things went bad so."

That might have been the closest to an apology that Wendigo had ever said.

I have adoptables! pm Ghost for details.