He came from the south with no set destination in mind, and it always seemed inevitable that his travels would happen across pack boundaries. This time he slowed up his rolling lope as a gloomy forest loomed in this pathway, with the scent of marked claim assaulting his senses plain as could be. While he may not have always been prone to the wisest of decisions (the scabby lacerations on his hind end telling-tale of his last foray, though he lacked any ounce of regret), he did know better than to traipse too close. But, curiosity did brim. He decided to loiter a bit.

The roving male slowed and curved a path around the forest's edge. He could hear birds from deep in its depths, from their keening cries to the occasional flap of wings. Also, he suspected he smelled something loamy. Certainly, this was a curious path of land and he wondered of the wolves that had decided to make it their home.

Although he did not raise his voice to summon forth one, as he had no actual business with them, he knew someone ought to happen upon him sooner or later. Until then, he lurked just beyond their boundaries and waited to see what may happen. At worse, he'd be run off or ignored completely, which would just mean his travels would continue. At best, he may learn something before continuing northward.

As he lingered, he smelled a handful of wolves. A male's scent and a female one stood out the most, leading him to assume their dominance, or at least their attentiveness to the borders. He suspected this was not a large, sprawling pack either. Which could bode well for him. However, his quiet investigations were cut off by the sweeping approach of a female cloaked in shadows. His ears splayed and tail hung lax as he paused for her arrival.

His ears soon adopted a more angled back approach as he took her subtly venom-touched words. Well then.. he thought vaguely, assuming she was bound to be less than impressed by his casual snooping. I'm here to learn more -- what is this place? I'm a traveler new to this stretch of wilds, he bit back a small smirk as he stole a second to look over her as fleetingly as he could all while dodging her eyes and face.

Blackfeather Woods. He would remember it. I had noticed. I may not have stopped if not, he interjected curtly and she then asked him to move. Although, he had specifically stayed beyond the marks for this reason alone. With an arching brow, he leaned his weight into his hind legs and stepped back one pace. She had tensed and he fought the urge to roll his eyes; nothing about him indicated threat, or so he believed, and nor did he intend to make trouble. Was she paranoid enough to believe him breathing the air near her woods was a risk to them?

She went on to inform him of the reality of lone wolves in winter. He was beginning to suspect she may take him for being dens. While he knew loners struggled in times like these, the same could potentially be said for small packs if circumstances did not prove favorable for them. Of that I am aware, which is why I'm looking into the packs around here, to find out if any interest me.. Hers was the first so far, and while it had been overly hopeful to suspect it may be a good place to stop, he was uncertain still.

To hearing there were ten packs, he arched a wolfish brow. It was far more than he was expecting, but these lands were more vast than he could fathom yet. His possibilities were quiet numerous, it seemed, and now it only left it up to him, for he did not yet know quite what sort of pack would suit him best. Obviously somewhere willing to take in strangers (not all were, he knew) and somewhere not too uptight. He did not want to feel suffocated by a pack, and instead, supported.

I intend to, he quipped eagerly. Has yours been here long? And.. I don't know, what's it like here? He fanned his ears, expecting a brief answer because she didn't seem like the type to delve into too much detail to a stranger like him. Still, he was trying to feel it out to see if it would interest him, or if he should just keep going and not look back.

He came from a place much more scattered when it came to packs. They preferred to keep away from the others, with large stretches of land between them all for hunting -- even between the packs on good terms, such as splintered off families and allies. But he knew not everything was the same, and listened keenly.

Both. Either. Whatever you will share, he answered immediately with bright eyes and pricked ears. He couldn't tell if she was tired of him just yet. He'd keep pressing it a little while longer.

As he absorbed what she shared, he tried to form a mental map of the landscapes around him. What came together may or may not be entirely accurate, but at least he knew to anticipate mountains and an ocean. It was better than nothing. Your forest does seem so quiet.. from the outside anyway. But, I don't know, it makes it interesting? he peered towards the treetops briefly. I don't imagine many of the other packs bother you much here? Or are relations between the packs even much of an issue here in the.. Teekon wilds..? he referenced the title she had used prior, and it tasted odd on his tongue.

While he looked to the treetops, he still found quiet. But, knowing ravens and crows frequently fought there was an interesting twist (while he wondered if the forest's title had anything to do with that -- Blackfeather, and all). Hm, wonder what they fight about.. he drawled curiously. But perhaps they had settled it for the wintertime, as she said.

Anyway, she had answered and he nodded, deciding in favor of attending to the matter of hunger before bothering her any further. While he could probably muster up more questions, his attention span was bound to wane the hungrier he felt. And in order to safely hunt, he'd have to put some serious distance between himself and this pack territory. So it would be best he got going. Well, thanks for answering. Maybe you will see me again.. he shrugged, pivoted, and began to take his leave.