Morningside Cuesta slice of cheddar

Arbiter's scent wasn't quite so salacious now, leading Kaertok to wander further from the heart of their home today. He was confident that their efforts were not in vain, which meant that he was going to have to step up his recruiting efforts. The father-to-be wouldn't go far from Legion, but he could scour the surrounding territories front to back, east to west, up and down. Surely some loners would wander by. Or even pack wolves who might be tempted to give Legion a go. Kaertok would never claim to be the most convincing wolf, but he could certainly try.

This, of course, left him wondering what he could offer. Legion was Arbiter's dream, through-and-through, but now that he was to be the father of her children, and he had stayed while others had left... she had mentioned opportunities, should he stick around. Considering the way things were going, he wondered if putting on the proverbial crown was on the table. Kaertok had always been content to be second in command, but something about a future with children he would raise made him feel more strongly that his place was at the top alongside Arbiter, not beneath her.

These thoughts swirled in his mind as he scanned the immediate area, the chill of a soft wind causing him to flick an ear backward for a moment.

He itches to wander further from their claim, but his agreement with @Kratos has kept him tethered for now. One of them needs to hold down the base, after all, even with the presence of any other recruits they may have at this point. A leader is needed to maintain order — and they also need someone to recruit until they can figure out whether any of their members would be suited to it. So it makes sense to divide the tasks, even if he dislikes the restrictions on his own freedom — and the absence of his mate.
It's the hope of finding Kratos somewhere nearby that had driven him past the faint borders of Permafrost Hollows. He'd gone a little further than planned, spending the night tucked under a small tree — and now, as he finishes the last of his recently-caught meal, he realizes it's probably time to go back. He kicks dirt over the bare remnants of the meal and turns, licking the blood from his muzzle. He only makes it a few yards before he spots someone in the distance, a large pale figure. The sight slows him at first — but then he remembers he's trying to recruit. So he presses forward, chuffing to catch the other's attention.

Kaertok's ears swiveled to pick up the sound of approaching footsteps, and he looked just in time to see somebody woofing a greeting at him. A cursory sniff of the downwind scent indicated that she was associated with a pack, although the faintness of it led Kaertok to believe it was not an established one. She was a small thing, even for a female, but Kaertok was aware that large personalities could be wrapped in small packages.

Considering this wolf had approached him, and not the other way around, Kaertok stood and waited expectantly, wondering what the occasion was to greet him.