Ouroboros Spine If you were a chicken, you’d be impeccable.

Maybe? only if you have time, if not I can open it up!

Zane had yet to meet the daughter, but if she was anything like Duchess, he didn't have the grip on it just yet.  Better take this one problem case at a time.  There was, however, another chick here... though she was a little harder to track down.  That made her immediately interesting to Zane and hoo boy, when he was interested, try turning him off a trail.  (It wasn't hard... just toss anything remotely dangerous in the way).

So he looked for her, but he did it on his own terms... easy climbs, low ledges, and sticking mostly to the forests at the base as usual.  There were some climbs he was in no way ever going to shoot for... fuck everything about those upper spires.  Duchess' digs were about as far up as he needed to go anyway.  Hunting was better on the ground, the borders for pissing were on the ground, so Zane was on the ground.

And so, maybe, was she?  He paused, listening, then continued to track @Norah's trail.  Maybe this one would play rather than try to turn his brain into a fuckin pretzel.

Kukutux had advised him that he ought to build himself a den, so he had begun to do so. He liked being near the lake, so he had meandered along the foothills through the wooded lands which were within view of the lake, but far enough from the shore that he would not be in danger of having his den flood if the lake took on water from snowmelt. He found a place where two large boulders were jutted against one another, creating a small, natural, triangle-shaped opening between them but he couldn't fit in. So, he started digging, opening up a space which would allow him to dig his den between the two stones which would then act as a solid, slanted roof. They were covered in moss, which led him to think that his den might be quite beautiful to behold come springtime, especially if little flowers could bloom all over the boulders. He would have to wait and see. 

He put a fair bit of work into digging his den, before he stepped out to mark the area thoroughly, and then headed off to find something to eat. Digging was tiring work, and tiring work made him build up an appetite. He began to trot along the hillside, head down, in search of a trail potentially left behind by prey when he caught another male wolf's scent. As far as he knew, there were only three males in the pack- which meant this had to be the second hunter known as Zane. Keen on getting to know the other hunters in the pack, he temporarily gave up on scouting out a meal, and began following along Zane's trail instead.

Zane walked on, oblivious to the fact that he was being tracked in turn. He lost her scent eventually and gave up with a sigh, but was just turning around when he spotted Andrastus catching up. Oh shit, man, hey. He greeted him, clearly surprised by the company. He'd thought he heard tell of another guy hanging around but so far, the only one he'd had the "pleasure" of meeting was Sarge.

This guy was a fuckin bear by comparison. Dude was stacked. Zane settled back on his haunches but kept a wary eye out, wondering if this was the type of guy to throw his considerable weight around like a few he'd had run ins with before. Never really ended well for him considering he was built for finesse and shit.

I was just lookin to meet someone, you're a little less pretty but I guess you'll do. He joked, letting the usual cocky grin slip onto his face. Maybe the dude had a sense of humor?

He was profane- instantly, he noticed- but friendly enough. He was not bashful with his gaze either, though Adrastus didn't bother to return the moments the other had spent learning the face and size of his companion, and instead gazed steadily at him, lightly amused. He smiled faintly, and bobbed his head- almost as an apology for having startled him. This was the secondhunter, the one Kukutux had called Zane, then. The one she had thought would not object, should Adrastus move to replace Raimo as firsthunter. His scent lingered around the pack's claim long enough for him to make that conclusion, and feel safe about it. 

He sighed and shook his head slightly, chuckling deeply. Zane was a hunter it seemed- though perhaps not quite as focused on hunting the same kind of prey as Adrastus. "You flatter me. But there are many, far more pretty than I am; you should save yourself for them." He replied. "Obviously, I'm not the prey you were seeking, but I thought you might like to go on a hunt regardless, with me." He said, and paused for a second. "For food." He clarified with a quirk of one eyebrow.

Where Sarge was prickly, this dude was a fucking rock. He wasn't sure what was more unsettling because he knew guys like this had a point, and when he hit that point, he might not even know it before he was out on his ass. Least he was laughing now, but that didn't set Zane completely at ease. Dude was definitely eyeing him.

Zane did loose a bawdy cackle at the implication though. Nice. You aren't my type, but somehow I doubt I'm in the fuckin norm there. Guy wasn't only a rock in manner.

But yeah, sure, why not? Can't find the chick so might as well find some other snack instead. Food wise. He confirmed. He definitely wasn't into crossin swords or whatever the fuck they called it, seemed like it'd wig him out. But hey - dude had jokes. Maybe he was alright after all.

He wasn't sure if he should be flattered by what Zane said or not- truth be told, it was a bit awkward being spoken to like that by another male, especially one that he didn't know, but at least he seemed to be getting on Zane's good side. If he was this blatant when he was being friendly, Adrastus could only imagine what sorts of things he might say if he was offended. 

What struck him as being somewhat interesting, was that Zane hinted that there might've been someone in particular that he was looking for. After all, he'd said the chick, not just chicks which might've been more general. And while he might've been somewhat stony at first glance, Adrastus was not immune to the allure of gossip. "Hmm," He mused, as they began to walk together. "Just being curious, but- is there a particular someone that you have your eyes on?" He asked casually, lowering his muzzle to begin tracking again.

If Adrastus' discomfort showed at all on his face, Zane missed it entirely. He'd turned to give one last look around, but he focused back in on the question.

Nah. Well, there's a chick I haven't met yet and who seems to be hard to pin down. Figured I'd give her a go, let her get a look. But I ain't bothered by lettin it pass.

This place has plenty of pretty faves, but they're all a little wound up, if you ask me. Zane grinned conspiratorially, completely unbothered. He had no clue if Adrastus felt the same, but he was a dude, right? Seemed likely.

For some reason, he found himself wondering if Zane was talking about Lótë. Perhaps she had been too busy to see him, or perhaps she had been busy tracking the resident herds. Perhaps she wasn't interested in seeing him at all and was putting some space between them; though he hoped that if that was the case, that she didn't feel he made her uncomfortable. The guy was probably a flirt- but in a much more outgoing way than Raimo was. A bit more harmless, he thought; regardlesa, he decided he didn't feel threatened. Zane, as amusing and wry as he was, didn't necessarily see as though he'd be Lótë's type.

Maybe she'll come around. He responded simply, with a shrug. He chuffed at Zane's comment, about the women being 'wound up'. He wasn't entirely sure what that meant- but it didn't ruffle his feathers any. Have you stopped to think maybe they're not wound up, but that you're wound down? he asked with a light smile.

Way I see it, bein wound too tight's a health hazard. Zane replied, easily enough that it was clear he'd replied with that before. He'd had more than one chick tell him he was too lazy for his own good but better that than grey fur and nothin to show for it.

You don't seem too high strung yourself, my man, which is more than I can say for Sarge. If she doesn't, always another one somewhere. He was more intrigued with this guy now, mostly because unlike most guys in a pack he didn't seem immediately up in arms about Zane playin the field. Always seemed a little fishy to him when dudes were... smelled like insecurity. This dude seemed instead like he had nothing to worry about it. Zane jived with that.

What about you? You the lookin type, or the settlin?

He wouldn't have immediately assumed that Zane held any disdain for those who worked hard- nor had he deduced that this likely meant that Zane was lazy. He had, after all, decided to come along with Adrastus to see if they could hunt down something to eat, which meant he was willing to work with his packmates and contribute to the pack's wellbeing. While he did come across as being perhaps a bit more familiar and less formal than what Adrastus was used to, he couldn't find this quality to be a fault. Friendliness wasn't a bad thing.

When he mentioned Sarge, Adrastus assumed he meant Raimo and the comment made him utter a surprised, half-stifled laugh. He shouldn't have been so fickle- but it was reassuring to know that he wasn't the only one who found Raimo to be less than tolerable. There was a gleam of amusement in his eyes; Zane seemed like the sort who would be an easy ally.

"This is true." He said. He still wasn't entirely sure who it was that Zane had had his eyes on, but if she wouldn't have him, perhaps another would come around who would. Zane didn't seem to be the type that Adrastus would have matched up with Kukutux, Sialuk or Lótë, but the wolves from the Glen might have one in their midst who would catch his eye, and be a suitable match.

"I want to settle," He said, though he was well aware that this was likely the opposite of what Zane might find interesting. "Find a woman I can share my den with, and then fill it full of children together." He said with a slight laugh. "Kukutux is a matchmaker, so I expect she may have someone chosen for me so long as I prove my worth." He said. He glanced at Zane out of the corner of his eye. "I suspect you'd probably rather choose for yourself though, no?"

Zane made a sound that was mostly neutral agreement. He didn't have to get it - most dudes were exactly like this guy here, ready to snag a chick and settle down and somehow manage to get to know her well enough to put up with it forever. Fuck that sounded awful. Not... okay. Not because the chick was terrible. Just, shit, how fucking bored did they all have to be?

Way I operate, I tend to pick the ones that choose me, y'know what I'm sayin? He waggled his brow a bit suggestively, then grinned. Chicks are picky, but I know by now how to show 'em a good time. There's more n enough that appreciate that. No offense to Duchess, but I really don't think she's one of 'Em. He guffawed, then settled back into easy relaxed silence. He'd dismissed the notion a while ago that he'd actually catch Kukutux's interest and was, for maybe the first time in his life, positioned firmly in the 'friend zone' without any complaints. (Outside of the ever present jokes, because it was maybe a little too much to ask, having him accept a friendship and make 0 inappropriate advances. Very old dog, very new tricks.)