willow

Between the two packs was where Ovaltine was presently crossing. It was a bit like walking a tightrope, if he'd known what that human invention was. Instead, he couldn't quite liken it to as much, and preferred instead to think that he was walking a very thin line from point A to point B. As he rounded the northern edge of the great mountain, Ovaltine paused on an outcropping, observing the land below. There was nothing particularly noteworthy about the mountain in the south (Silvertip, though he did not know the name of it).

The drifter huffed lightly, deciding he would rest here for a time before moving on. Perhaps, if he was lucky, one of the residents would come to greet him, and he could learn a thing or two about this pack on the mount. If not, he would continue north on his meandering journey. Perhaps he would pick up some information of value, but it would not bother him if he did not.

FitzDutiful was doing a lap of his outer borders today. He very rarely cared if drifters wandered through the outer perimeters, but he liked to keep track of them. He had to make sure that they weren't wandering too close to the inner circle and ensure that they weren't wandering in any loosely formed pack. Although a single wolf every so often wasn't a problem, a group of them may indicate a threat and they were definitely in a position to take the caribou that wandered throughout.

Today there was the scent of one who was trying to avoid being in both of the lands. The Blacktail Deer Plateau and the Silvertip Mountain clans had a nice pass between them and FitzDutiful was very serious about patrolling that section more than the others. It was a good bottleneck that separated those with respect for packs and those without.

FitzDutiful approached the loner, who seemed to have settled down for a time in the pass but closer to Silvertip lands than the neighbouring pack. "Hello," he said, approaching calmly but his stance giving away his position within the pack. Four months was plenty of time to gain the alpha confidence that it required.

And... his silent prayers were answered in the form of a white wolf. Or was he light grey? It could have been dirt, Ovaltine supposed. It was not as if a white wolf and a light grey one were that much different to his eyes. The black ears, however, were a defining feature, and Ovaltine let his eyes glance only briefly at the golden eyes before settling his gaze on the stranger's white front paws. He was a handsome creature, one built for the wild life. Ovaltine could appreciate that.

The other had approached the drifter calmly, though it was clear that Ovaltine was on the verge of being too close to his land. An alpha was made to protect his land, and so this one did. "Good afternoon," came Ovaltine's easy reply, "I'm Ovaltine Driftwood. You wouldn't be willing to share the name of your home, would you?" Had he been human, Ovaltine likely would have been a master cartographer in the age before satellites took over. Unfortunately, passing on the vast wealth of knowledge he'd stored in his head would be next to impossible, seeing as he lacked the opposable thumb to put pen to paper.

Ovaltine. It was an interesting name - he pondered it for a moment for no particular reason other than it interested him, then FitzDutiful turned his attention to the question that the mottled male had asked him. Was he here on the borders looking to join? It didn't seem quite like that, but FitzDutiful knew - even now - that every wolf would be welcome. "Silvertip Mountain," he answered and, without missing a beat, decided to be outright with his question. "Are you looking for a place to make a home?"

It could have been that he was asking to find out whether this wolf wanted to make the mountain his home, but it could also be interpreted as to whether the wolf was looking for anywhere in general to make a home. He wanted to recruit wolves and it was getting to a stage where he wouldn't be picky, but he still had his children to think of and they were young. Lone wolves that he accepted too hastily could be a danger that he had to think of.

Oh, goody. Another pack name to add to his ever-growing list. Silvertip Mountain, it was called, and what a fitting moniker for the beast that loomed above. "I'm afraid not," replied the drifter, "I am merely scouting these lands, taking in what information I can, and moving on. I will retreat further from your home, if that is your wish. You're even welcome to escort me. I was heading north and only paused to rest." Well, the last bit wasn't entirely true. Ovaltine had also stopped to see if any of the locals would come out of the woodwork to greet him. He'd been fortunate enough that his wishes had been answered.

It seemed as every wolf Oval ran into was trying to recruit him. He must have been some kind of hot commodity, and perhaps he would have thought that if he weren't so humble. Instead, he chalked it up to being in an area where there were packs stacked practically right on top of one another. He was curious to know how they weren't constantly battling for hunting grounds.

It appeared Ovaltine wasn't interested in joining, or creating, a pack, but still wished to talk and was willing to move on. FitzDutiful shook his head, "That's okay, you're not in our lands and I have no requirement to move you onwards since you intend no harm. I'm FitzDutiful, alpha of these lands."

He looked at the light brown wolf almost quizzically, the question appearing in his face before it reached his tongue. "A trade of information, perhaps, as I am curious why one would not seek the comforts and safety of a pack home. Summer might be nigh upon us now but winter is always around the corner and threatens the life of those on their own."

FitzDutiful wanted to press but decided to wait and let Ovaltine decide whether to answer or just move on his merry way.

Revived! Hope that's ok. I know I'm slow on Ovaltine posts. x_x

"Pleasure to meet you, FitzDutiful," Ovaltine replied. Others were always so curious about his travels, Ovaltine had noticed. He was not bothered by it, of course. Being a loner was always a thing of contention. "And in the winter, I shall rest," Ovaltine confirmed. Even he knew that being a loner during the harshest months was a sure way to die. Ovaltine did not wish for death, though, and so he would seek shelter with a pack. Some, he told of his intentions, others he kept it a secret, departing without mentioning why. Never, though, did he invest himself too far in the pack's culture, their relationships. He knew better than that.

"Did you never see the world on your own?" Ovaltine asked, wondering if perhaps FitzDutiful had always been part of a pack. Had he never had time between places to contemplate life on his own? Did he not know the joy in it?

No worries!

Ovaltine didn't really answer the question. In fact there was no really about it. Then again, FitzDutiful hadn't explicitly asked a question so maybe the joke was on him. Still, he quizzically looked at the wolf until a question was given to him to answer.

"I travelled to the valley from outside. I saw plenty of the world but realised the life of loneliness was not one for me. I joined a pack, travelled with some of them to found a new one and then decided to make a pack of my own. I then travelled to find a land that called to me. The mountain was it. I have no desire to go elsewhere for what else could I want?"

He let the question sit in the air, wondering if Ovaltine would answer the question or take the conversation in a different turn.

Last one for me!

"Different strokes for different folks," Ovaltine replied with an easy shrug. FitzDutiful was happy to be at the head of a pack, while Ovaltine was just as happy to go without one. Sure, he'd hunker down somewhere for the winter, but not with the promise of staying there past spring. The desire for family was not one he possessed, nor did he want for the steady friendship of others. Knowledge was what he sought, and it was knowledge of the world that he found.

"I'll be on my way, though," Ovaltine said, not wishing to take up any more of the leader's time. There were new lands to explore, wolves to meet, and food to scavenge. The latter he would have to do further away from claimed lands, he knew, and his stomach would be gurgling in no time. "It was nice to meet you, FitzDutiful of Silvertip Mountain." And with that, the Driftwood turned northwest, heading for the coast.

Despite FitzDutiful's words that he didn't mind Ovaltine being on the borders, he was still wary. If the wolf had decided not to move on then FitzDutiful would have had a lookout somewhere nearby at all times until the stranger did move onwards. Ovaltine might not seem like a problem but sometimes one could spring up when least expected.

It seemed as though the drifter had picked up on that though, for he soon said his farewells and headed off. FitzDutiful briefly thought about replying that he could return if he wished for winter, but he had just had a winter where most of the wolves had left when better weather came about. He wasn't sure if he was willing to repeat that experience. Not until there was a dedicated core anyway. He wanted a dedicated pack, not ones with wanderlust.

Making sure Ovaltine had left, FitzDutiful continued on with his outer border patrol.