After his encounter with the Alpha bitch of Swiftcurrent Creek, Farstep had resumed his wandering. With knowledge of nearby wolves in hand, the vagabond had quit the field of wild flowers, unwilling to stomach a side dish of competition with his prospective meals. His paws had carried him away from young buds and flatlands alike until he roamed amongst foothills. Finally, his gaze sought the mountains he had ignored upon arrival.
The beast did not think of their beauty nor their majesty. They were monstrous monoliths and he, singularly purposed with the task of survival and requiring less inhabited grounds to hunt on, sized them up as a boxer would his challenger. Though this side of the mountain range was harsh and dotted with glimmers that could only mean running water, there seemed to be a pass to directly in front of him that he could use for passage.
Without hesitation, the wolf snorted and began to lope tirelessly toward the mountain base, his strides long and smooth and his head erected alertly.
Nerian left the ridge, having gotten tired of the talkative wolfs there. She was looking for a place to meditate upon her current situation and why it was that no one seemed to understand her transgressions. Were they really not that bad? she felt like they were weighing her down tremendously yet none else thought they should or even cared.
The lithe female took her her meditation as she traveled clearing her mind with each step she took, soon she was nothing but a traveling wolf with no destination or worries or crimes, just an animal moving in space and time.
It came to pass that he found herself at the base of the mountain with no where to go up up, or back.... and this was a decision she had to make Nerian turned and looked along the path he had just travelled she was far from the pack she had just joined, then she looked up, to go that way would be to go further still, what reason had she to travel either way? nothing came to mind so she simply stood there waiting for some choice to take her fancy.
For him, there were few choices. His choices were to turn left or right, to keep walking or to sit and rest. Many of Farstep's “decisions” were informed by his instincts, and sometimes the decision was made before the dog was even aware of it. His was the mind of an animal, with few thoughts of its own. For him, traversing the mountain was not a choice, but a necessity. Njal's posturing had sent a clear message to the lone wolf, though at times he recalled (in so much as he could recall things) Fox and silently pined. The male wolf's vigil would not allow him passage, so it no longer mattered, at least for the time being.
At the point where Farstep perceived the least resistance in the terrain, he spotted a female. She was wrapped in variegated shades of grey, but her underside was flawlessly white. In that regard, she was similar to Fox, but lacked the fiery colours. She was similarly small, built petite and therefore appealing to Farstep. The male knew from experience that keeping his options open was wise, but he also knew that too much involvement was detrimental to his quest.
For the moment, he didn't view Nerian as a prospective mate. Fox had a more luscious pelt and carried about her the scent of many, plus an aura of power that he greatly respected. Nerian, on the other hand, was didn't carry herself in a manner befitting an Alpha. Farstep knew his children would be stronger if borne by Fox than Nerian. Nevertheless, the lone male made a beeline for the Horizon Ridge bitch, seeking company if nothing else.