Redhawk Caldera second horizon

I kept it vague in regards to the tornado (but I did take a glimpse at the map to see how close it would have came so I might have some idea of damage). Also, I'm on vacation but I wanted to get this up as to avoid removal. :P

Leontii drew in a deep breath as he took pause to allow ocher colored eyes to take in the unfamiliar territory that he supposed he now called home. It was a strange word when made in correlation to the Caldera pack he'd been accepted into but the oddity of it — of considering another pack aside from Ice-Crowned Peak home, that was — didn't make it any less of a truth. The height of the Caldera didn't bother him, didn't fill him with any sort of trepidation as he studied the peak that crowned the horizon, it's height stretching skyward. Having been raised on a peak whose caves were utilized wisely by the wolves that inhabited the pack offered a higher mortality rate but made the terrain familiar to him, if not a tad nostalgic. He was familiar with treacherous slopes, and paths that one misstep could easily lead to a untimely death. The lion understood that experience didn't grant immunity from accidents but he drew comfort from the sight in the distance, nevertheless. Perhaps, once he learned the lay of the land before it he would soothe the itch to explore what the Caldera's crowning glory had to offer him.

Priority had to be arranged and his first piece of business was finding a den, lest he desire to sleep under the comfort of the night skies and stars once more (he did not). It wasn't that he particularly minded sleeping under the open sky but there were certain advantages to sleeping in a shelter that he'd missed while he was making his journey from home. Black, leathery nostrils flared as his head bent down towards the earth, sticking his nose close to the entrance of a den that appeared abandoned. There was a faint fox scent and it was presently too small for him to fit his body — as tall and broad as he was — into it but it wasn't horrendous. A bit of work and it would become a sizable den; but he could continue searching. He might have a smidgen of luck and find one wolf sized that was never re-claimed, and so his head rose to scope out a vague path north bound and pushed forward, figuring it wouldn't hurt to get a better lay out of the pack's heart land while he was shopping around.

From Peregrine, Fox had learned they had another male amongst their ranks. His name was Leontii, and he was brown and grey and black. That was the extent of the description Peregrine had given her, but it would be easy to pick him out. His scent would stand out among the others, seeing as he had not been here as long as the other wolves. Even still, there was a girl—Gale, was it?—that Fox hadn't met. Not to mention she hadn't actually seen Ashton since he'd returned. Fox did not wish to fall behind in greeting the newcomers, so she'd made it today's mission to track down this new joiner and say hello.

The small Alpha new each and every step around Redhawk Caldera now that she'd spent more than half a year here. Only once had she slipped—upon first arriving—but since then she'd kept her footing and had become more sure of what she could and couldn't accomplish, climbing-wise. Nose to the ground, she began to seek out Leontii, knowing that eventually she'd come across his scent. Lo and behold, there it was! Locking onto it, she picked up her pace to a brisk trot, stopping frequently to make sure she hadn't lost the trail. Not slowing her pace, Fox continued to follow until she spotted the wolf up ahead.

"Hey, you!" she shouted from afar. Without giving him too much time to respond, she broke into a sprint, slowing down enough so she didn't crash right into him. "Hey, I’m Fox Redleaf. You met Peregrine briefly, I hear?"

A voice called out to Leontii, crossing the distance and effectively, giving the lion something of a start. It did not particularly come as a surprise that he'd managed to stumble upon another — or more accurately, they'd stumbled across him, especially since he was entering the heart of the Caldera which was where the packs were known to spend most of their time. Nevertheless, Leontii's focus had been upon his mission and he gave a small breadth of pause, glimpsing over his shoulder to see another striding towards him. It did not take her long to catch up to him and as soon as she gave her name he lowered himself into automatic submission. This might have been his first time meeting her but he wasn't unaware of her by name. Peregrine had accepted him but had filled him in on the name of his fellow leaders giving Leontii the ability to recognize name though he knew not the face.

“Yes, ma'am.” Leontii responded as a soldier might speak to his commander: with recognition of rank, polite, and with respect that holding such a rank entitled said leader to. “I'm Leontii Kallistratos, ma'am.” He introduced himself to her though he wondered a few moments later if it was truly necessary. It seemed clear enough that Peregrine had filled her in with enough details about him to be able to know that he was a new recruit. Still, Leontii figured that it never hurt to introduce himself properly, anyway.

Oblivious to her misspoken surname, Fox went along with the conversation without missing a beat. He responded with such formality Fox felt like she should straighten up and salute him... if she were that kind of lady. Instead, she gave him a puzzled look. "You don't have to call me ma'am. In fact, I'd prefer it if you didn't. Just stick to 'Fox,' ok?" It wasn't that she wanted to crush his hopes and dreams of being a formal gentleman... she just wasn't into that kind of thing. It made her feel weird. No matter where he was in the pecking order, they were a team by virtue of being pack-mates.

"So, what's your story?" she asked, eager to know whatever details he was wiling to reveal to his new overlord leader. Fox wasn't the nosy type in most cases, but she did like to know a little bit about the wolves that were living alongside her children. It was imperative that they didn't allow a Junior amongst their ranks, lest he try to attack (and kill) her beloved firebirds.

Unfortunately, it seemed the potential joiner had thought better of it, and quickly made his exit. Fox scowled in his direction, eventually turning back to the caldera and retreating.