After a period of rest and healing, she had begun to resurface on the regular to make her presence known among the mountain's slopes. Steadily, she integrated herself back into duty and activity. Patrol, hunting, and otherwise. Here and there she roved.

Her limp had healed up, no longer hindering her step and the wounds on her neck were mostly better. Only the one that had gotten nasty on the very back of her nape was still worth thinking about. The rest, better. She was almost back to a whole normal -- although not yet full strength.

She moved quietly from the cover of a forested stretch of mountain towards the Oasis, idly wondering if she may encounter others along the way. It had been a while since she had seen several faces around here, although it was mostly of her own fault. Aleera was all she had seen much of, for obvious reasons, so Amekaze wondered how they all fared. She guessed others had been keeping busy. Ferdie was probably occupied with the puppies (still something she was inexplicably uneasy about), Jace was likely around doing what needed done, and others like Fang, Summer, Vienna, and Kipling just to name a few, she could not say.

She lowered her muzzle for a drink once she reached the water's edge, then peered skyward to contemplate the cloudy skies. It was a day like many others.

Once her thirst was adequately quenched, her ears swiveled to the sound of an approach -- one offset by a limp. She turned to see him, the familiar sight of Jace, and took a quick second to study his gait as he finished his arrival. While glad to see him, as indicated by a soft swish of her tail, she was not pleased to see him limping still. His Swiftcurrent encounters had ended unfavorably for his body as well, with his much worse than her own.

She turned from the water and closed the distance between them to bump her muzzle against the underside of his, all while rumbling a low greeting in exchange. Her tail still waved slowly against her legs. How have you been? she quipped as she stepped back to look him up and down again, trying not to look too scrutinizing as she did -- although she was thinking of the Creek wolf that had wounded him: the burly, proud Scimitar she had never got to know any better than that.

Hers and Jace's paths had not crossed much lately due to a menagerie of things, and if memory served, she had last seen him at various pack gatherings where her attention had largely been elsewhere. One on on time between them had not been had in quite a time.

His answer, one that was not overwhelmingly positive nor outright negative, earned a low rumble. Better than worse off, I would suppose, she responded. Hm. Scimitar bit into you better than I thought.. Do you think it just needs more time? she asked, although doubted he could provide a concrete answer. Tendon injuries were not something well-understood by her, and whether or not it would be permanent was just as unknown.

She bent her neck downwards briefly, fluffing her hackles aside so he may see the wound on her neck. I had found a silver Creek wolf on neutral turf, not one I knew by name. This was from him, but he received his own.. she smirked. She had been adequately reckless with him so any aches were of her own fault. The fever she had weathered for a few days had been the worst of it though. Although our crossing of teeth was less because of.. pack relations. Mostly just for the sake of it, she explained. Jace ought to understand if anyone would. She could confide truthfully in him. Sometimes, there just was that kind of need. While it had been Shadow's poor mood that had inspired it, the fight-hungry side of her had jumped at the opportunity.

Anyway, since he had mentioned Ferdie fleetingly, her thoughts had been drawn to him, and since Jace knew him better than most, she saw it fit to bring it up. Speaking of Ferdie, have you spent much time with him as of late? He seemed... distracted, last time. She furrowed her expression. Although.. perhaps that is not the right word. Much on his mind? I do not know. I assume the... pups are part of it, her tone had dropped as she spoke of them, and quietly, she wondered of Jace's thoughts and insight on the matter.

Her ears were angled back, dissatisfied for him that his wounds would not mend entirely despite his efforts. She "hmm-ed" softly, wishing she had advice to give or even any suggestions. Time was her best medicine and it seemed that he was forced into waiting to see if it would help at this point.

I agree, she then said with a bob of her head. They are so.. full of themselves, she grated with a small scoff. They had no reason to feel as they did, so she believed. It would not surprise me in the least for them to push the limits. I almost.. await it, she squinted. Their peace was tentative at best. With Fox gone, it probably had more longevity than before, but Amekaze wouldn't trust them and not for many, many moons.

She then listened, for Jace may not have seen all that much of Ferdie judging by his answer, but he did provide a deeper look into his scarcity. She too frowned. Hm, she breathed and contemplated. Their real father is nowhere around, correct? I know so little of it and frankly have kept my involvement minimal, thus why she knew next to nothing about Ferdie's intentions with them and otherwise. She didn't want to say outright that the whole thing made her uneasy, especially when it was unfounded as it was. If a father randomly showed up and caused trouble, that would justify her feelings some.

However she did not exactly know of Ferdie's troubles in a quest for a mate. Ame was not one to think too in-depth about mateship. If it happened, it happened. She was not overly fond of the title, though, for it seemed stuffy and full of boundaries and expectations. Which was not to say she was opposed, but she would not make for quite a traditionally stereotypical mate for anyone. It was a part of why she had chosen her self-imposed exile, over staying to eventually be relegated to raising a brood if peace in their homeland continued. Without war there, her place became more questionable. But you are right. It does need to happen naturally. He is.. a little bit older than either of us, and as you say, Alpha. A part of it is only natural but if it is consuming him, it can be good for no one -- himself and the pack included. She shifted her weight. Yet I cannot say for sure. It is perhaps not my place. I even have a difficult time wrapping my head around taking in the pups as one's own. My altruism is not so great as his, but he is a far better father than an absent wolf, no doubt. I just do not want to see him suffer for it.. her ears slicked back. She cared far too much for Ferdie and did not want to see it come to that somehow.

As always, she was pleased by Jace's thoughts that ran parallel her own in many ways. Mm, I agree. In my homeland, Alphas were old enough to breed at least. Even then, few of any real strength were younger than four.. She couldn't see the use in an Alpha any younger than breeding age, and once she had been a tad more open-minded to seeing what they could do, for youth did have surprising power.. but the examples set by others failed to impress her enough to change her mind.

She then couldn't help but frown. I see.. she rumbled and slicked back her ears in consideration. Then it could make trouble if he does appear out of nowhere. A part of me hopes he will not.. although the pups ought to know their father by blood. Maybe it is for the pack's best that they do not, though. Ferdie can give them what they need for a male role in their life, and our pack can fill in the rest, I suppose.. She shook her head softly, as undesirable as it was. Jace, too, had not been around them much evidently. I leave my catches near the den and that is all I have to do with them, mother and all.. They make me uneasy.. still went unspoken, although she shifted her weight as the thought occurred. Their mother especially, the stranger that she was to the Sunspire. Amekaze hoped that once her pups were old enough, she would prove her worth to make up for the sudden burden she had brought them.

She flicked an ear, mildly satisfied to know that Jace felt so similarly to her. He vocalized his uncertainty better than she did, though. Amekaze couldn't help but nod. I feel much the same, she breathed. Confused was one way to put it, while disconcerting fit alarmingly well. Maybe it will be better once I know them more, or we know their real father is not going to come for what is his, she sighed. She rolled her shoulders, unsure.

Mm, speaking of hunting, I should set out. I am heading towards the flatlands to see what I may encounter there, she said. Now that she was feeling better, she wanted to hunt and perhaps gather some herbs if she could encounter any. She felt she owed Aleera.

So after a nudge to his shoulder and a lick on his cheek, she took her leave.