Blackfoot Forest Entrance into the wilds

Shadowheart paused at the edge of the forest, wondering if any others ruled these lands. The dense tangle of trees looked like the sort of place that a pack might choose to rule over. However, he could detect no scents of any border markings, so the dark male cautiously continued his journey.

The male always felt safe in a dense forest. Perhaps it had to do with being raised among dense pine forests. In a more open environment, the male felt exposed, out of place, and vulnerable. Shadowheart had learned long ago how to use the shadows that were cast by trees to his full advantage, whether it be to set an ambush or simply to hide. As he traveled through the forest, the shadow used the forest to its full potential, becoming as invisible as wolf could as he darted from shadow to shadow, never stepping into the light.

His calculated movements had no malicious intent in them, only caution. Some may consider it paranoia, but experience had taught him to never be to unwary. If any hostile characters were in the area, Shadowheart wanted to be able to see them before being seen himself. And so the dark male continued on, cloaked by the shadows.

After deciding they were way too close to a bunch of wolves right up next to each other, they decided the best option would be to head south for a while until they figured out what to do net. Ravioli has little complaint, happy to continue their adventure from one to the net. She doesn’t need somewhere to settle for more than a few days any more than @Q-Tip seems to. It does take a few days to get used to their new surroundings but she’d found an owl’s nest nearby and quietly, out of sight, she studied the schedule the nesting owl had and when she’d typically leave the nest for any extended amount of time.
 
This afternoon, when the owl takes flight for a hunt, Ravioli does the same. She circles the tree a few times before scaling it quickly, shuffling around until she finds what she’s looking for: two juicy great horned owl’s eggs. It’s a few months before spring comes and the rest of the birds are just starting but this treat will be wonderful to share with her companion.
 
A few moments go by and she’s shuffling back out, two eggs in hand, but the sound of the ground floor crunching beneath four heavy paws cause her to stiffen, looking down to see a dark figure moving slowly in her direction. Slowly, she shuffles along one side of the tree until she finds a branch she can stand on to reorient herself and her prize and safely avoid a run-in with another dark, large beast.

The male trudged on through the forest, eyes constantly searching for signs of life. His paws crunch against the crisp snow layng thick upon the forest floor. The noise is slightly irritating to the male, as it could give away his presence, but there is little he can do, so it simply becomes an accepted part of his journey. His mind runs on ahead of his paws, wondering where he is, and how much sustenance may be found in this forest.

And who else may be here, unseen.

Soon, he spots an owl take flight from a tree. Then, he sees the coon in the branches above him. A wry grin touched his lips upon spotting the eggs clutched in the animals hands. It was the way of things he mused. Survival demanded some cruelty out of necessity. The male continued to watch the coon for a few seconds, deep in thought. Ordinarly, raccoons were quite a nuisance for him. They could be quite the troublemakers when they wanted to be, although Shadowheart had to admit a grudging respect for the cunning of their kind.

His mind made up, the dark male situates himself beside the tree the raccoon is in. "Hello" he barks.

As it turns out, she does not get away with going unnoticed. The wolf promptly walks up to the tree and looks up, greeting her as she’s caught red handed. She knows she doesn’t have much time before the owl comes back and sees what’s going on. Ravioli has never had a run-in with a bird of that size and she’s already limited on balance trying to hold on to two eggs. 

For a long, few moments, all she does is stare at him. Q-Tip isn’t anywhere to be found by the sound and smell of her area but she has to get down before long. She looks at the eggs she has in hands and ponders, thinking about throwing it down at the wolf but maybe it’ll make him angry. Or maybe he’ll like the free snack. Either way, she opts for silence and simply waits to see if he’ll keep on going or stay, keeping her stranded in the tree.

Shadowheart watched as the raccoon stared down at him from her perch high in the tree. She hadn't yet responded, and he couldn't wait all day. But he did wonder why she was being so guarded. Did she think he was going to eat her? Was she simply afraid of him? Either way, it was mystery he had no inclination to solve. If the coon wouldn't speak, he wasn't going to try and force a conservation. So the dark male turned away, intending to heading north.

Their standoff is brief. He stares back at her for a few moments before he begins to turn away and continue on the direction he’d been traveling. She watches a few seconds before she begins to shuffle on the branch. Surely she doesn’t have much longer before the mother owl returns. She grips one egg in one hand and gently, with the other, places in her mouth so she has at least one hand to help shuffle her way back down. Her ears twitch with a long flap above, rushing further down the trunk that she nearly stumbles. Without looking for the black wolf now that she’s on the ground, she begins to run off to find her friend and share her spoils.