Duskfire Glacier Wayward

He'd come off the mountaintops back the way he'd entered these parts, toward the glacial lake and snow blanketed valley. While he still held a considerable amount of fat over his muscle that kept him warm he found the crisp mountain air a bit much for his lungs and validated himself for his retreat by telling himself if he headed back some he could stumble into Hosea or Pike if they came looking for him.
Archie moseyed his way past the valley and the frozen lake stumbling on a rocky area with a big rock smashed right in two neat halves. curiosity had drawn him toward it for further inspection and it was pure chance that he was observant enough to notice the pit formed beneath the middle of the stones. It only took a little careful digging for him to squeeze himself into and once inside he delighted in making himself at home. That was where he'd been sleeping for the past several nights and during the day he kept to the lake breaking open the ice in the hopes to lure prey in with fresh drinking water each day. The area reminded him vaguely of the mountain passes that crested up out of the valleys at home forming canyons, lakes, and caverns giving beauty to an otherwise boring and endless expanse of plains.


"C'mon Dangit" 
   His voice echoed probably a bit too loudly along the lakeside he walked along. The days weren't too cold here but the night's were freezing, freezing enough that the spot Archie had broken through the ice the day before had gone and frozen over. That or he was forgetting where it was but in his hangry state he wasn't about to consider his own faults. Tossing his head with a growl he stopped walking and turned to the lake picking a spot, placing his two chunky paws down on the ice and then rearing up with clumsy balance to strike back down with a grunt. That's what he'd be doing for the next ten minutes if anyone stumbled on him, it would take at least that long before he broke through. 

the glacier wind cuts clean and sharp as sega moves along its edge, paws finding sure footing where ice meets stone. the lake lies ahead, pale and still, but something pulls his attention before sight ever does.

scent.

fresh enough. warm-blooded. clumsy, even. not hiding.

he slows, head lowering as he reads it in the snow and air, a low huff leaving his chest. wanderer, he thinks. hungry. tired. not a threat.

the sound comes next. ice cracking. effort. a voice, rough with frustration.

sega steps into view at a distance, broad shape breaking the white. he does not rush. does not posture.

lake fight back today? he calls out, tone even, almost dry. ice here stubborn.

gold eyes settle on the stranger.

you alone?

In his efforts to break the ice apart he completely failed to notice the fact that he wasn't alone until he was spoken to. The initial question was lost to him as his paws slipped on the now wet ice, his balance askew due to the sudden jerking of his stocky neck to peer at the stranger. Managing to save himself from further embarrassment he sat down so he didn't fall and used a paw to push the broken chunk of ice out of the way
"You startled me friend" 
his tone was friendly and with his task completed he turned to give some proper respect, his tail swaying at ease around his legs. The scent on the wind brought with it a muddled array of others and he wondered if he'd missed the signs of a settlement on his first way through. Not wanting to be rude he gave an answer to what he did hear "Yeah, Just me. I'm trying to open up some drinking water for myself and the local critters if I'm lucky"
He paused and hesitated as he realized his fumble in admitting his business. If this was someone with extra mouths to feed in the area he could find himself in trouble and being forced back on his way again alone or not. Dutch had been warned about the territorial nature of the wolves further west but figured they could all make their way well enough among them, Archie just hoped this fella was courteous enough to give him a warning before getting violent if hitting the trail was the way it had to be.

sega huffs low, thoughtful, eyes moving once around the lake, the wind, the torn ice. no threat in him.

hm. a pause. not trouble.

he lifts his muzzle, gestures with a tilt of his head toward the treeline.

there carcass. old, but meat still good. we ate already.

a glance back to the male, steady.

you can take. if you want.

The tip of his tail tapped anxiously around his ankles as his words were considered and then-
His ears perked at the generosity and he gave a surprised look toward the treeline, then back to the snowy furred stranger with hesitance. Normally folks weren't too keen to share in the winter but he wasn't one to look at a gift and piss on it "Well....I uh..." he lifted a paw, paused and then took a step toward the treeline his stomach rumbling unpleasantly. It had been a few days since he'd eaten and he was admittedly famished. Archie had been too focused on exploring and trying to figure out how far away from the gang he'd gotten during that snowstorm to stop and hunt. 

Remembering his manners he sat himself back down, clearing his throat and giving the stranger a dip of his head "thank you kindly Stranger, the name's Archie. Do you mind if I stay nearby for a while? I'm trying to find my folks and promise not to stir up much trouble" 

Sorry if this is a mess I'm stuck on mobile for a few days