Hunting consumed much of her time. If not hunting itself, tracking and attempting to establish a small secret cache for herself -- which was not easy to do when she roved around as much as she did. Amekaze was not a stationary existence lately. She had to keep busy, lest it cost her.

Today she wove her way through a sparse forest. It was her earlier tracking of a doe that had brought her here in the first place, but not long after the trees rose up around her did she misplace the immediate scent. Still, she pursued it and hoped to cross paths with it again. Amekaze would continue until something else drew her focus, and surprisingly enough, that came quickly. On the cold breezes that shifted ever-so-subtly, she smelled wolf.

With her guards sharpened she decided to investigate and took an arching path to loop her trail back the way she had come. The trees here offered her little cover here so she did not go with the stealth approach and instead intended to appear poised and alert if and when she spied this other wolf -- which in time, she did. He headed her way while her angled path had sent her his direction. Amekaze watched him keenly and while still keeping distance, letting him decide the next move and she would react accordingly.

She looked him over and studied his posture intently. He did not appear aggressive, or like he would spring on her immediately, which judging by his looks, if he wanted to, he could probably pack a punch. He was heavier-set than her and the scars marking his face had her curious -- were they from battle? Or self-defense? A winning tale or a loss for him? Amekaze could not know.

She lurked closer by a few fluid paces and remained poised, with her head level, ears quivering his way and tail stiffened somewhat. He readily gave his name (which reminded her of 期す which had her wondering if that was intentional) and asked the same of her. His tone was perhaps not quite what she had anticipated, but that was not necessarily a bad thing. She had yet to decide what to make of him.

There was a brief pause before she answered. I am Ame, she replied with a small dip of her muzzle. It is not often that I encounter fellow loners lately, she added. Amekaze spoke curtly and to the point. What draws you here, Kisu? the dark female said, testing his name.

From all she could tell so far, he seemed.. normal. Not too intense but interesting enough to keep her curious. She kept tracing the lines of his scars contemplatively while she listened for his answer.

I see, she replied evenly. I came here hunting, though it seems that my trails have gone cold. It was almost expected that he sought a home; any loner with any amount of sense would be. Do you often stay near here? Or do you have a place you frequent yet? She had preferred the wetlands before the winter's chill became too intense but they were probably not the best of places to inhabit in all seasons. Now she was beginning to consider something on this side of the central mountains but had yet to feel at all rooted.

She gave him a small nod while she listened then to his offer of hunting, she chuffed and picked up a quick walk back in the way she had originally been going earlier. Amekaze assumed he intended to follow. Ah. I usually stay more to the west, but here has captured my interests.. Somewhat, at least. She liked the hot springs not far from here to the north and the rivers that weaved across the landscapes here. For a wolf who fancied waterways, it seemed like a decent enough place to be even if the wetlands had been her first true love of this immediate region.

Do you know much of the packs here? Have you considered any for yourself or do you plan to weather winter on your own? she pried curiously with a quick glance over her shoulder to him while she sniffed at a small patch of shrubbery, then the path ahead of her. Still no immediate sign of what she sought but she was far from finished.

She divided her attention and angled an ear his way. She knew of the pack in Blackfoot -- the voodoo wolves, but not that their leader had left them or that they had moved. It must have happened recently as this was news to her still. Amekaze noted it all. I know of Tartok to the north, but not the other, she added to his note of mountain packs. She had not encountered the second yet.

Continuing forward, she considered his words and how exactly to reply. He seemed to be in the same place as her, what with not knowing where to join for sure but knowing it had to be done if they expected to survive. Amekaze just could not see herself among the packs that she knew of just yet. To earn her loyalty, a wolf would need to truly impress her. Amekaze had never fallen in line beneath anyone aside from her parents, both of which were masters of their forte and heads of their respective clans. Highly respectable wolves to her, so her standards were perhaps a little too lofty for her own good. None yet, although I wish that I did. I cannot say that any of the packs I have met have thrilled me enough to earn my loyalty.. and I question whether or not I would be suited to them, she muttered. Tartok had fascinated her most of all with their promise of strength but... she just did not know.

Look she chuffed and gestured to a print in the leaf-littered soil. Sniffing, she smelled a doe.

Amekaze believed in honest confidence that a pack would do well to have her while she would be picky about selecting one to join. Perhaps it was time she get more acquainted with the packs so to make a selection, but the idea of doing so did not exactly appeal; it was just an obligation, a chore.

Her focus was quickly drawn away from the tiresome matter of a pack for herself to the hunt. She nodded quickly and let him seize the lead. Amekaze followed closely and stepped with a delicate step now; prey had to be near. She could smell it plainly now and her mouth nearly watered at the thought. Soon, she spied a suitable victim and caught Kisu's glance with a curious look. It seemed he intended to do the work here, but she would be close by in case he needed the back-up.

Kisu sprung into action and Amekaze stayed hidden, although poised to launch an attack if the opening presented itself. However, she watched his teeth find purchase in the animal's neck and soon, before she knew it, the beast fell limp to the ground. Amekaze rose from hiding and looked to him, impressed but unwilling to show it too much. You are a rather effective hunter, she said while dipping her muzzle fleetingly. As proud as she was, she could recognize the strength in others and likely, whereas hunting was concerned (it was not her strongest skill), he had her beat by a distance.

So it would seem that his time as a loner had carved him into an effective hunter. She had sharpened her own skills some too, but not to the precision he showed. She bobbed her head then squinted briefly at him when he offered her first go at the meat. It is your kill, she muttered in a half-hearted protest, but she wouldn't waste time bickering over it. A freshly killed deer rested cooling at her paws, so she was hasty in digging in her teeth.

The taste was very welcome and in her momentary bliss, she felt relief run through her. This would make the hours to follow much easier and for that, she was thankful. While doing this, she listened to him and his.. offer, which brought her back to focus; she would answer him soon.

Amekaze quartered off a hunk of the deer for herself and drug the bloodied meat a short ways aside, glancing at him so that he could get his first share. She hadn't touched many of the most prized organs so he could have his pick. When there was no hierarchical rule to who got the best pieces, she opted to go by just letting him have first choice.. if he wanted it.

I.. perhaps that would not be a poor choice, she eventually replied and licked her bloodied chops. She felt a little daunted by any companionship that would last for more than a fleeting interaction mostly because she had been on her own since the summer now. Yet, he seemed like suitable enough company--and quite kind, especially for a loner, which caught her off-guard more than she was willing to admit, but even the stubborn Amekaze couldn't deny the appeal of something more warm than a burrow all to herself.

If we stay near here tonight, we can easily cache whatever is left and know that it will not be immediately scavenged out from under us, the dark female reasoned for it was another bonus of sticking.. together. She resumed eating her fill and watched him keenly in what was perhaps a somewhat new light. If she would be sharing proximity with him, she ought to understand all she could.

She knew that turning down the opportunity for company was not ideal, despite her wariness about the idea at first. Amekaze was best at flying solo but winter had already driven her away from her original plans somewhat, so this was the same in just another way. However, she continued to reason that it could not be bad. Kisu was hardly more than a stranger to her but he had fed her already, essentially, and done nothing wrong.

He agreed with her and she nodded over her meat, too preoccupied with eating to verbalize any sort of response that way. The silence suited her just fine and if Kisu planned be spend any length of time with her, it was probably imperative that he learned that about her. Nevertheless, she did not intend to see any of this go to waste and would lurk these forests until the carcass was picked clean and whatever caches they made from it were cleared out.

She was quiet a little while longer and soon found herself nearing full. Where do you think you will go? she asked after mulling over his mention of traveling on full stomachs come tomorrow. Did he have a plan? She was somewhat curious for she did not -- not a crystal clear one, anyway.

It had been a long time since she had felt this full, and with fresh meat no less. She realized with some sadness that it could be the last time she enjoyed this for a while. Even if she did join up with the ranks of a pack, she still wouldn't be guaranteed warm filling meals all the time. Quietly, she enjoyed it while she could.

With canted ears and a pensive expression, she listened to his plans, wondering what exactly about this female he sought to see was worth risking the Alpha's ire. Amekaze exhaled a small sigh to his question. I am not yet sure. I may go north and visit Tartok's boundaries to see their mountain up close for myself. She had meant to, especially after encountering Tonravik. After that, I will go where the winds take me, I suppose, she chuffed lightly. My plan is not set in stone. She still sought what she did, but winter put a hold on too much traveling around and thus limited her progress, unfortunately.

She exhaled slowly, glancing skyward with a squint as the colored skies shifted steadily towards night. Although she was one to fancy the rain showers, she was less of a fan of such during these colder months, even if it was only a light rain for now. Instinctively she fluffed up her fur, relying on her outer coat to keep the wetness away from her skin.

The dark female nodded and approached what was left of the meat then dug her teeth in to help haul it. Kisu made easy work of it though, with his size greater than her own surely granted him superior strength when it came to matters like this. Still, she aided where she could and soon broke away to scout out a suitable hiding spot.

The trees seemed a little closer together here and the underbrush not as sparse. A little less of the rain got through to her, especially if she stuck nearest to the trunks. However it was far from the most densely forested of places she had known. I reason that here is as good of a place as any, she mentioned as she turned back to him. There was a chance there was a deeper thicket somewhere in these woods, but there was equal likelihood that it was all similarly sparse as from where they had come from. It should buffer the cold somewhat, too, she added as she moved around in the smaller shrubbery, sniffing and investigating as she went until she found a low spot in the forest floor that was well-covered. There were no other wolf smells here and more and more, she was finding it to be their best bet. Amekaze would inspect it thoroughly first, though.

When the area was seemed fitting and suitable by her, she moseyed over to help Kisu with the digging then worked alongside him to hide their leftovers. A decent dugout was for their own spot, too, and she eyed it momentarily before settling. She was somewhat wary at first -- company, closeness and such was so rare, so Amekaze waited for him to bed down first to see where and how he would decide to settle. Amekaze was more comfortable picking how close to him she would be instead of the other way around.

She watched, and when the time was right, she curled up beside him and assumed the form of a spiky ball of black fur. She felt his warmth already and edged just a little closer, a moth to the metaphorical flame, but said nothing besides a contented exhale. Soon, sleep would come for her. A full belly and warmth made it easier than it had been in quite some time.

When she finally awoke, she saw he was already moving around. Huffing to herself, she gathered her composure quietly and shook the sleep from her body. Admittedly, it had been pretty good sleep. She could not recall being disturbed any and now she felt plenty rested. With any luck, a productive day should follow.

She stretched and made her way to Kisu to greet him with a small chuff. A glance skyward told her that the weather had improved since last night and would likely serve for good traveling weather. Rest well? she queried, then began to drift closer to the meat to graze a little herself. Might as well, she figured. Soon it would be time to head out.