The movement stopped, almost as if he had been spotted, and then resumed. While Amon sat watching, a stranger seemed to materialize before him. Her posture demanded respect and he was ready and willing to give it. As Fox got closer, Amon did not notice the limp - but was quite taken by the vibrancy of the stranger's pelt, as well as her diminutive size. Then again, it was rare for Amon to encounter anyone even close to his own burdensome weight and build, so everyone seemed small by comparison.

The girl did not speak. She watched him, and he watched her as closely as he could without offending, but there were no words. When he assumed she was awaiting some sort of explanation, the man cleared his throat with a rumble and attempted to make nice; another rarity in the life of a rogue. Must've gone a little astray in my walk. My, didn't he sound surly and old. He could do better than that. My name is Amon. I believe a pack is forming in the area - do you know anything about it?

He had seen a few wanderers in his time upon the lake shore, but nobody fitting this girl's description. That would make her one of the pack wolves, or at the very least, one of the beasts lured close by the group howl. Either way it was a good idea to make a positive impression.

Accustomed to leaders with at least a few years under their belt, it was peculiar to Amon when this red-furred girl introduced herself, thus sharing the information he was searching for. At first he thought it to be a joke - nobody would follow a child back where he was from. But surely for someone so young to have founded a pack - either because of their mate's wish, or because of a personal desire - they must have quite the backbone. That was something Amon could stand behind.

It was entirely possible for his inner thoughts to be exposed through a brief expression of surprise. He curtailed the expression as swiftly as it appeared. Redhawk Caldera. Sounds fancy. Oh, get on with it you old codger. Amon glanced beyond the self-proclaimed leader as if to suss out another; perhaps she was only kidding, and was biding her time before the real man of the house popped by. When he surmised that she was quite alone, Amon expressed what he had come here to express. You might've heard me from the lake. I heard your group and thought it'd be a great idea to enlist, so, here I am.

There was no point in playing games when all he wanted was a safe place to lay his head at night and a warm meal. As his rumbling voice ceased, Amon waited for the girl to acknowledge his earlier song - for surely if she was one of the leaders, she must've heard it. Heck, if Amon had been the alpha in this position, he'd be mighty curious about it.

The notion of a wolf having value was something that disturbed many youngsters - most of which having never left their mother's side before. But Amon was not among them. He had been around the block a few times and knew not to be offended or discouraged by the question. Though, he didn't immediately begin listing off his various abilities either. The man was thoughtful for a moment - still wondering if this was a trick left to the gullible - and then rolled his shoulders in a shrug.

I'm not exactly a spring chicken, but I know how to do most things. That was vague, but true. It was difficult to survive on your own for the few months let alone a couple of years, but that also begged the question of why. Amon didn't mention his history yet. It would probably be used as a black mark against him anyway. I've been in packs before, so this ain't my first rodeo. I can fight, hunt, track, whatever you want.

What else could he say? 'Hey there kid, let me join your club because: reasons'?

As if anticipating rejection, Amon shifted his weight and got to his feet. This resulted in his great dark figure looming over her's, so he took a step back to compensate for any unease this caused. I've lived off the land for over a year now, on my own. I could probably keep goin' on my own if I had to, but I've been missing the redundancy of pack life. Do you have room in your ranks for someone like me?

Amon wasn't ashamed of his age or his knowledge, but he felt a deep worry when his thoughts inevitably led to the end, and that resulted in some minor hostility. At present he was in denial about his own limitations. Such things would increase as time passed, until all of his strength was stolen away from him. Today was not that day; however, Fox's question made him want to withdraw almost instantly. Amon remained resolute, save for the brief flicker of his ears against his head, and up again.

Old enough to be your grandfather, likely. He all but slurred, attempting humor but finding that his voice lacked the enthusiasm. Age could be a deciding factor here - either these Redhawks would see his experience as a boon, or the inevitable end as a great fault. Why were you alone for a year? Fox abruptly appended her question, which earned another roll of Amon's wide shoulders.

I served a legion of warriors and gradually grew to dislike their practices. My superior at the time did not take kindly to my attempts to influence a few of my allies, to try and change some things I didn't agree with. He spoke of this slowly, as if unsure of the implications such a tale would bring to light; Amon had no intention of causing doubt or spreading chaos among the ranks of the caldera wolves, after all. I was forced to leave. Then whenever I attempted to place down roots, agents from this particular group of warriors would find me and drive me away. The only way to avoid this treatment was to leave, so I did. I traveled quite far, actually.

There, life story: abridged. At least, part of it.

Babies having babies. That was always the way of things. Upon Fox's reveal of her intentions, Amon appeared pensive - but only for a moment. Whatever this girl wanted to do with her body was up to her and this Peregrine she kept mentioning. I'd happily protect them. The beast rumbled in as pleasing a tone as he could muster, and already began to relax in place. Things appeared to be going swimmingly.

As part of my early training I was required to take a... Vow, more or less. To remain celibate and serve my leader. At the time it was my father, and his only wish was that his chosen heir remain protected. There was experience there, too. Even if this pack was run by a pair of children thinking with their groins, it was a safe place far from the influence of the Guard. If they needed a babysitter, he could fill that roll. Ask anything of me, miss Fox, and I'll oblige to the fullest extent of my abilities.

For as long as his abilities lasted. A deep part of Amon was instantly regretting those serious words; the mere thought of children making a chill creep across his skin. Sure, he'd had some experience dealing with kids - but usually new recruits to the Guard. And even they were older than the red girl before him now. A little fib wouldn't hurt... Kids couldn't be that hard to manage.

Since beginning his travels those many days ago, Amon had learned of various lifestyles - many of which were different from what he grew up with - and over time he had come to appreciate the differences. It was mirth that filled him now, as Fox swiftly deliberated over his assets and came to a conclusion, and Amon gave her a sharp nod of the head. Stooping so low as to nudge her chin seemed a bit too... Ritualistic. And probably hard on his joints (not that he'd admit it); so he didn't bother with such nuance. A smile lit up his features instead which didn't exactly fit the old-timer.

Hm, I didn't hear many voices when I picked up on your call. It should be easy enough to find them. With that said - and his body growing tired from the stagnation - Amon began to mentally plot a course which would take him closer to the caldera. Is there anyone in particular I should meet first? Your Peregrine, perhaps? That would make the most sense. But maybe the young man was too busy for a private meet-and-greet. Before Fox could answer, Amon came to his own conclusion. Ah, no matter. I'll find someone eventually.

As he began to stride beyond Fox's position, he paused and gave another nod; this one however, became more like a bow. The hunch of his shoulders was made quite apparent by the movement, and Amon briefly resembled some kind of bear. Thank you, miss Fox.