Northstar Vale There ain't nothing in this world for free.

A day or so passed during which the wolf studied the mountainside. He thought of giving offerings to the people of the mountain for a safe journey but, call it cockiness or forgetfulness, he did not. Rather than spend the hours trying to impress those that go unseen he found himself trailing after his next meal. A meal that would undoutably be split between himself and the aformentioned folk, but nonetheless something that would energize him and warm him to the core.

There were many indications that the cliffside was home to goats. Ailithir was not particularly fond of them (not that he valued flavor over any other aspect of a meal) but he was in need, and the mountain could provide. Yet it seemed as if his efforts were each in vain: first he spied an older buck who watched him in return, and seemed to be miles above him on the stone wall; then a pair of doelings not yet old enough to bare their own young but very close, and so he went about his business. As he ascended a path to a series of plateaus Ailithir found scat and thought to roll in it, but moved on as a myriad of dense clouds began to shift their way across the sky.

So it goes without mention that he ended that day hungry and far, far up the mountains. Rather than bed down for the night he found his way in the dark, picking carefully through the snow until he felt the earth shifting beneath himself and his weight redistribute, indicating he was heading downhill. At this point he found a series of plateaus that gave way to foothills which sparked not only his drive to complete the task, but his imagination. Yes, even beasts have some form of imagination.

The early morning sun was just breaching the horizon (thus it was too low for him to spy much difference, what with the massive walls all around him), but he heard the first notes of what few songbirds remained and sought out the shelter of the mountainside's forests, where he would rest for a time. The entirety of his travel was quiet and reasonably uneventful but Ailithir was still hunger-panged and in need, so he would no doubt only rest for an hour or two.

To the woodland at the base of the Northern mountains, the scent of settled wolves was strong. Their numbers seemed few but their claim was fresh, and so Talion opted to backtrack and avoid the area completely. He travelled South from there, happening across yet another pack's land a few miles from the first, and gives them a wide berth to avoid confrontation.

He didn't discover much of note as he trailed along the base of the Sunspire Mountains and, when he arrived at the edge of a vast lake, decided to turn back to meet Freyja on time. Travelling toward the Northstar Vale where he'd promised to reunite with the aspiring leader, he arrived at the clearing as the sun began to dip behind the Western ridge. At once he set about testing the land for signs of her scent, but found nothing as he looked for her well into the night. He hunted and rested within the vale, hoping that she was simply late from being caught up in recruiting or if she'd lost track of time, and his certainty kept him lingering for days. 

She never showed. Perhaps she never intended to, and as such had wasted his valuable time.

Disappointed and knowing that he couldn't stay there forever, the young Roux-Abrhen chose to finally abandon his search for the pale wolfess he'd so carelessly offered his loyalty to. After resting in preperation to start off fresh, Talion roused to birdsong early that morning and made to take his leave of the land and head toward the coast. Meandering through the trees, his frosty gaze fell upon the ashen form of a stranger and he paused in his tracks to observe the other wolf's movement in silence, wondering if he would notice his presence.

The sound of movement caused Ailithir to pause and listen but he did not move from his spot, not at first. The sounds dissipated and he lurched to his feet then shook debris from his shoulders, half-sat to kick at an itch on his belly, and began to survey the area. He was unaware of the wolf that watched him but his mind was not zeroed-in on wolf, rather, he was still very hungry and searching the leaf-litter for any sign of prey. He drifted with his nose low and shoveling through the snow and the frozen clusters of autumn's last vestiges as he went, and is overwhelmed by the odious nature of his surroundings - leading him away from the wolf who watches just beyond.

I don't think Talion would follow, so I'll move him on. :P

The stranger pulled himself up onto his paws and, with a quick shake of his pelt, set about ridding himself of an itch. Talion continued to observe in silence, half hoping that his presence would be noticed so that he might have some form of company for a time, but at the same time considered slipping quietly from the scene.

Truthfully, he wasn't entirely sure what he felt. He had known Freyja only briefly and had been drawn to her instantly, yet she failed to keep her word and his mind was clouded with uncertainty once more. His emotions were muddled: a confusing combination of frustration, disappintment, anger, fear. His opportunity to belong somewhere had been stolen away, and he was uncharacteristically bitter about it.

The ashen male seemed to scan his surroundings, but Talion remained unnoticed. He continued to watch with a cool gaze as the other loner pressed on, nose to the ground and presumably tracking. Not wanting to disturb a hunt by drawing attention to himself, the sterling yearling turned away and made to continue his lonely journey.