Silver Moraine a horse with no name

@Alessia, set a few days ago

After spending some time north of the Maplewood, Shale thought it would be best to head home again, cuddle up with the pups and bring them some food and toys he'd found. He was tired, too; it pulled at each and every nerve, dragging him down in a haze as he padded along. His paws hit the moraine and the seconds seemed to stretch into minutes, minutes into hours--

The closer he got to the plains, the farther away they seemed. He heaved a sigh, toes skidding a little along the stone as he walked.

He was still underweight, but his condition was improving as the extra hunters helped to bring in more food. He no longer felt the need to starve himself completely in order to provide for his family; his food intake was still less than it should be, but he did eat. If you asked Pema, probably, he didn't eat enough--but he did eat.

sorry this is kind of awful

She's been exploring the areas around the glacier, and finds Morningside's claim isn't terribly far from her new home. She's careful not to venture too near the pack's borders, but she's a little curious. Part of her wonders what might have happened if Siarut hadn't appeared that day; perhaps she'd have sought Morningside in her loneliness.
Just as she dismisses the 'what-if's and begins to head home, she catches an unfamiliar scent on the breeze. Within moments another wolf enters her view, cloaked in grey and too thin. She hesitates only for a beat before she decides to approach, chuffing a greeting.

She was pretty; her dark fur contrasted nicely against the gray of the moraine, and as she drew closer, Shale noticed she had eyes of crimson--something he'd not seen before. He returned her greeting with a smile, dipping his head, but remained silent for a few beats before giving her something of substance.

"Hello, miss," he said, for it was clear that this girl was his niece's age, if not younger. The new father felt more of a paternal attitude toward her than anything. "Anything I can help you with?" His tone was not rude but businesslike, gently inquisitive. If he had felt better, he would have been up for a conversation.

As it was now, the exhaustion overruled any inclination toward chattiness. He really just wanted to get home.

The man is nice enough — his smile is charming, she thinks, but he seems tired and preoccupied. No, I suppose there isn't, She admits, offering a half-smile. You seem like you have somewhere to be; don't let me hold you up.
With that she turns to leave, smile brightening for a moment to assure him she's not offended by his lack of interest. His expression and posture speak of hardship — and while her instinct is to offer help, she's not certain she can. Perhaps before she'd pledged herself to IkKanattuk...
But the past is the past, she reminds herself, and continues toward the glacier.

Well, she wasn't wrong. Still, he gave her a rueful smile, nodding in answer to her statement. "I've got four kids at home who are eating for eight," he remarked, chuckling. "Perhaps we'll run into each other again, someday, when I'm not so busy."

With a polite dip of his head to the pretty young girl, Shale stretched his aching, weary bones and took off at a slow jog, still grinning.