Redhawk Caldera and was so much delighted with it,

"Ah," was Elwood's initial response. Matters of the heart were no joke, and while Aaron spoke of the situation with a distance that resembled nonchalance, Elwood was sure that he had been deeply hurt by his ex-mate's actions. "I'm sorry to hear that," he added after a brief pause.

Coincidentally, the smell that they had been following suddenly intensified, saving Elwood from discussing Aaron's heartbreak further. He was a compassionate male, but it was clear that Aaron was holding the wolves of Redhawk Caldera at arm's length, at least for now -- and understandably so. He paused in his step, one forepaw suspended in midair, and sniffed. "We're getting close," he announced, dropping his nose to the ground as they closed the gap between their destination.

He was pleased when they came across the carcass of a young deer, half-frozen into a creek cutting through the caldera's territory. Extracting it was difficult, but it was rewarding when the two wolves were able to cache the stiff, cold meat for later.