Ordinarily, Razo was loathe to seek anyone out, but there was a part of him now that had some semblance of connection to Swiftcurrent Creek, along with a much larger part of him that was simply bored with the menial, day-to-day. In theory he could take some instances of larger prey on his own, being the deft and strapping lad he was, but in practice he was far more likely to get himself injured even if he did succeed, in which case he would be both useless to the pack and, reduced to a state of healing, plagued by boredom of a greater degree and wildly irate by his own doing. Best therefore to find someone else to drag along with him.

Just to sweeten the deal, he had an unfortunate muskrat tucked between his teeth as he loped languidly through the interior of the territory, searching for someone, anyone, really, he could rope into participating in a large-scale hunt. The day was indeed overcast and the breeze was cool even if the resting air was fairly warm and only getting warmer by the day. He slowed when the scent of another wolf wafted to his keen nose and paused altogether when he saw her. The very young, plush-furred female was seemingly unoccupied, which suited him fine.

He didn’t know her name or else couldn’t remember it if Serengeti had told him previously, but he did know she ranked as a leader, which made two ridiculously young leaders in one pack. He strode up to her with respectful body-language and his mouth full, then tossed the freshly dead muskrat to her feet, gesturing to it with his handsomely tapered muzzle. It’s only small-time shit, but it’s for you if you’ll agree to come with me, he offered as a predatory gleam worked its way into his eyes. Small and nothing she couldn’t catch on her own, but why lift a paw for just a scrap if she could have a subordinate bring it to her? I’ve been tracking something more substantial.

She accepted with no outward sign of scrutiny, which garnered a perfectly roguish grin. Try not to get used to it; I’ll be even stingier in the winter, was his droll reply, making drawling, easy fun of the size of the carcass he’d offered her and at the same time implying it would not be the last. Had he known she would be his find that afternoon he might have put his sights on something of a little more value—even if it didn’t matter considering her response elicited the feeling that she hadn’t been expecting anything from him. His remark also managed to give away his intentions with the pack, in that at the very least he wouldn’t be leaving Swiftcurrent Creek before the following spring. He returned her gaze casually with a hint of interest. The more she caught of all that, the fewer questions he would be answering later.

His expression didn’t change when she suggested calling Scimitar, as Razo very frankly didn’t know who he was. Being quite good at thinking on his feet, though, he assumed the face he eventually put to the name to be correct. Serengeti had mentioned a number of names with neat little descriptions attached to each, and although she hadn’t mentioned that particular name he had managed to get a look for himself at the previous meeting where he had done a bit of cross-referencing. If he’s the burly bloke, sure. I imagine he can throw his weight around easily enough, he said as she turned to stow her gift away for safe-keeping. He didn’t know or care how capable the other male would be, but he would inevitably be useful as a third hand.

Something happened between sentences that changed the plans she had meant to enact in the first place, not a moment ago. By removing the third party she was proposing a challenge, which, by her very position in the hierarchy, she had every right to do. As it happened, he had every will to oblige, whether his ideas of the why were miles away from the actual fact or dead on.

He tilted his head to such a slight degree that it was almost unnoticeable. Fine, he said with a most shallow nod, eying her with a subtle case of amused suspicion and curiosity that dissolved into shrewd acknowledgement the moment his forelegs left the ground and he sprang into a lope, gesturing with a coltish toss of his head in the direction they were to go.