She'd roved through the darkest hours, too wired to weather a cold, lonely night, so she opted for motion. She'd sleep later in the afternoon, she reasoned, and the borders were well scoped and marked to her bladder's fullest capacity. So it was not without cause. But she was a little dismayed to still find no trace of Summer's return. He'd been gone a while, now, and it was beginning to make her wonder.

Nevertheless, come morning, she flushed a rabbit from a thicket and chased it down a hill, then culminated it all in a bloody kill. Not a big rabbit, but a fresh kill anyway (and her hunger wasn't complaining), so she ate part of it where it had fallen before picking up the straggled remains to go elsewhere.

Bloodied muzzle, face, and all -- carcass included, she jogged down a path that eventually found Jace. Since he was not an unwelcome sight, she chuffed through the rabbit's remains, and with an approach from behind, she drew up beside him. Meanwhile, she couldn't help but glance over his old healing injuries (not the one on his nuts, though) in question as her tail waved slowly.

Once she had settled alongside him, she bent her neck to set the rabbit's leftovers down at her paws. It landed awkwardly, spine bent and barely looking anything like the pleasant hare it had been just mere hours ago. As she nodded to his words, she licked her teeth free of some stray fur. Good. They do look much better, she commented.

Then, about herself, she bobbed her snout. Mm, alright. Vague, she practically shrugged it off. Truthfully she was worried about Summer, and anxious about winter still. Deep, deep in her bones it just felt.. like something to dread? And not only in reference to the weather and the conditions that came with it. Her mother had always expressed contempt for wintertime too, and young Ame had never understood it entirely, so perhaps this was that? I was on the borders all night.. and no sign of Summer, either, but my hunts have been successful at least, she said with a gesture to the carcass. Want any? she asked.

Regarding Summer, she was uncertain. He had gone to the Plateau, of that much she was certain, but that was not a trip that took this long. While there remained a good chance of him being derailed by something that had come up, there was also the possibility of harm finding him. Predators, both wolf and otherwise, maybe be more aggressive this time of year and they all knew some wolf-craving cougar lurked these wilds.

She settled onto her haunches briefly, although maintained a thoughtful expression. She is, and I hope so too. I told Summer to do the same before he went off.. I just wonder what is keeping him.. since his destination was just the Plateau, she said, ears angled back. There seemed little chance that they would do anything to him, especially if it was Lasher he found. The Plateau did not strike her to be a violent group, and towards a wolf who came with news of one of their own pack-born pups no less. She feared it was something between here and there that was responsible for his delay.

You are welcome, she replied smoothly, happy to share with someone she was as close to as Jace. I think we can anticipate another quick snap of cold or two, but I doubt they will last long or be overly serious.. It has been a mild winter overall and the mountain has proven to be very self-sufficient, for our first one here and all, she said. These were guesses, of course, but she was aiming for a hopeful outlook on the season.. especially considering how tired of wintertime she was already. I look forward to the spring, she sighed, more than ready to welcome the blossoms and the warm sunshine back.

She chuffed softly. Jace was always good to soothe her concerns, but she didn't say much more on the matter for the time. Indeed, she did care.. and sometimes it seemed a heavy burden. But if it made her effective..

She was then thoughtful in pause. Where to even begin? She didn't know, exactly. An extensive plan? I do not know where to begin, she breathed. Maybe it was meant to be this way, as maybe she was bound to feel stifled and confined by the involvement of an actual, concrete plan for their future. So much could change. As always there is a lot to consider. From inside the pack, like how the dynamics of the pack can grow best.. to outside, like where our hunting claims should be to our relations with other wolves in the region. The Creek itself, the further away Plateau, the other packs more south in the flatlands, the enigmatic Ankyra.. and so on. Then, there were the internal matters which she was more keen to consider. Who would rise the ranks best. Who would not stay. Would it always just be Jace and herself heading the pack, or would that too change -- such as if something happened to either of them, just as it had Ferdie. Nothing was certain.

There had been a great many things to adjust to in maintaining the mantel of alpha. She was coming to find that it nudged her a bit more towards a worrier, so at times she still felt out of place considering this. Going with life's flow in full was easier alone. Yet she always felt that Jace understood better than most.

Maybe, she'd just need some time away.. because the mild winter inspired a vague jealousy towards her outriders. More than just a day abroad might do her well. Of course she had considered this now and then, but there always seemed to be something going on to keep her around. She ought to mention this, eventually.

Dynamics, she murmured in repeat with an expression twisted in thoughtfulness. I do not know.. exactly.. she swung her muzzle in a nondescript gesture. I wonder of it ever not only being us at the head here.. how that may shape up to be. Considering a counterpart alpha male to compliment herself seemed strange. While at times she felt she may benefit from an added balance, it gave rise to inevitable uncertainty -- the weight of that role's impact on her was mighty. Or what could happen in our absence.. she sighed. Despite the topic, she felt content peering at Jace here. He had often proven himself to be all she need him to be. Ah, well, so long as we are steady and strong. She concluded alongside a soft laugh.

Then, straightening her ears, she nodded. Of course, towards more hunts. Do what is needed. Sometime, I want to scout around a little more myself.. I have not traveled far in so long, she mentioned. These were faraway plans still, and she was patient. He'd know when and what she planned when it got closer to happening. Until then, she was far more eager to support him tracking herds and otherwise beyond the mountain.

Jace's approach to her delicate topic was straight to the point, and as she was apt to do, this seemed to quiet her internal fretting. He always was quick to reassure her when she had her... strange doubts.

What he said was true. Summer was one she had thought about before. Vienna, too.. and Amekaze always did have a soft spot for Rain. There is Rain, too, as she has always done well to impress me.. she murmured in addition. But would these wolves all feel the pressure of leadership too greatly? Or would it hold them back? She couldn't know.. not that she was in a huge rush to instate new leaders.

Regarding alpha male, she had a bit of a frown. To me, alpha male is.. complicated, for when it came to the highest ranking male and the one to often serve as a confident and counterbalance to her, this was unquestionably Jace. The other males in the pack had potential, true, but none so solid to make her consider them at length for it quite yet. I do not think my plans for it would be quite as straightforward as Ferdie's were. She wouldn't feel right just tossing whatever male sired a litter onto her into the role, especially if they were not suitable. But, she did usually find herself interested in wolves at least capable of it, or already in possession of a decent ranking, so that might not ever be an issue. If it a fitting wolf came along for the title, I would know. Whichever way it shaped up to be.

Her expression did shift, then, and she arced a wolfish brow his way. Probably once Summer and Vienna are back, and if the winter remains mild.. she said, perhaps alluding to the notion that she had thought about this. I appreciate it, she breathed with a slow nod; he understood, as he often seemed to with her.

She travels around a good bit.. and is usually with Nishu, Ame said regarding Rain, since she wasn't all too surprised Jace hadn't crossed paths with her. She mentioned Nishu partially to see if he was a familiar topic to her dark beta, but she didn't dwell on the matter for long. His question had her thinking on that instead.

Childish? I would not say so, she huffed and shook her head. Oftentimes he advised her in his own way, and he had never acted overly immature around her (she did know he could clash with others, though). In fact, it was easy to forget he wasn't even two yet. And as for anti-social, perhaps somewhat, but so am I. I do not think it is bad, she reasoned with a level expression. He was not a total hermit since he did mingle here and there, but he was not exactly a social butterfly either. Amekaze, however, couldn't see this being a problem. Who says this? she asked, wondering if that was private information somehow.

Anyway, she did agree. Ferdie's plans had made her uneasy too. There had been a chance they would have worked out, but knowing what little she had about his intentions, she had seen many unpleasant outcomes. How could she have bent in submission to some strange female suddenly elevated to alphaship..? Then again, it could have been her position had she actively sought it. She didn't want to think about it, so she nodded to his words of her travels. It is just the way things turned out. Besides, it has not been the best time for travels.. she said cryptically. She did at least have very good outriders that helped.

She tilted her head, chuffing a little noise as she did. He is. He came from the coast, so the mountain has probably been an adjustment, she nodded, remembering that he had already fallen from one cliff in the last few months. Ame did like the straight-forward male in what she had known so far.

Then, she listened. It was Sumayl and it was a complicated sort of situation. It really boiled down to two males not getting along -- or so it did as she saw it. Jace had evidently tried to do what he could, yet they continued to clash. Ame didn't know Sumayl particularly well, but he had never inspired bad feelings from her, so she wondered what it was about the other that set them off. Hm. I would not expect to ever get along well with him if this is how it has been so far, she mentioned quietly, all while trying to look at this from Jace's point of view. He already admitted to being to blame in part, and he recognized the faults in it all, so there was not much she could say -- especially without fully knowing Sumayl's side of it.

You two got off to a bad start, Vienna's involvement probably makes you both.. extra prickly with each other, and you both simply sound predisposed to misunderstanding, she said. Two very different forces, and both stubborn. I would give it time, if it were me. Start slow and be level with him.. about it all, if it comes to it. Worst case scenario? They agree to disagree but learn to cooperate. Or she would need to find involvement. Or they just duked it out until one of them scratched his ass and got glad (and she almost suggested this, but would save it for later if necessary). And if he thinks poorly of your leadership, this is the first I know of it.. as in, Sumayl had made no motion to prove he could do better. Although that was not to say he had outright disrespected Jace in that way.