Great Bear Wilderness what a shame we all became.

He's actually quite close to Lake Rodney o:

His hunt for the Caldera was taking far too long. Every day that passed made him more and more uncomfortable with it. Only Lasher and Blue Willow knew of his intentions to go to the Caldera to speak with Ty's father, and they were not likely to be letting anyone at the Sunspire know, for not even they knew that the information hadn't been shared with his alpha. He worried for what he might be putting his packmates through, but even more so about his poor Tytonidae. Summer was the only wolf she really spent any time with or spoke to. His insides squirmed with guilt over the thought of how lonely and miserable she must be without him. He had to remind himself that he was doing this for her, otherwise he would have given up on his quest long ago.

Summer awoke from a restless sleep, dark eyelids peeling back to reveal his bright yellow irises like a solar eclipse fading back into day. He blinked a few times to clear his blurred vision before standing and giving his pelt a good shake. It had snow a bit overnight, so a flurry of flakes swirled about him in a cloud which he groggily stepped out of towards the frozen stream he had camped beside. He pawed weakly at the ice in a barely half-hearted attempt at breaking through to the water he wasn't certain was even beneath it as shallow as it was. He gave up rather promptly, settling to turn around and swallow a few mouthfuls of the fluffy white snow that rested along the bank before starting on his way again, hoping once again that today might be the day that he finally arrived.

Oh, what's that? You're tired of threads with me? WELL TOO BAD. <3

Even just a short time away from the caldera had reminded Elwood how happy he was to have a home. His encounter with Saena had been pleasant, and Mother Nature hadn't been too harsh on him as far as the weather was concerned, but once his paws were back within his own territory he relaxed considerably. He hadn't realized how tense he had been on neutral land, but now he was thinking that it was a good thing he hadn't pursued the outrider trade. That just wasn't for him.

He had spent a day recuperating from his brief journey, but in doing so he managed to knock his sleep schedule out of whack. So he was up before dawn, prowling near Lake Rodney for no reason whatsoever except that he was awake and restless. The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon as he approached the edge of the large body of water, and he paused and squinted as he looked out over the snowy plains. In the distance, he could see a black smudge against the blindingly white backdrop. He watched the speck of a wolf, remaining rooted to the spot as he waited to see where the stranger was headed; he was prepared to call for backup should it be necessary. There had been too many daringly stupid wolves trespassing on their territory as of late, so Elwood wasn't willing to take any chances.

OMG YOU AGAIN. :D <3

There was a large formation off in the distance that appeared to be promising, and it was towards this that Summer was now making his way. He loped across the snowy fields, every once in a while falling into a deep pit of snow and surging back out. The scent of wolf was faint where he wandered, but it was still there, just faintly. He followed whatever scent trail he could, eventually slowing as something caught his attention in the far distance.

There was a faint blot upon the snowy landscape in the distance. Though he couldn't tell for certain, the shape seemed somewhat wolf-like. Summer stood a bit taller and set his senses on high alert. Whatever it was, it didn't seem to be a threat. It was keeping its distance, which was a good sign at least. He debated for a few minutes on how to proceed, finally deciding in the end to raise his muzzle to the wind and let out a low howl, announcing his presence and his neutral intentions to whoever the stranger was in hopes that they could speak. He had no idea that this stranger would lead him exactly where he was trying to go, although he hoped quite desperately that he would.

The wolf seemed to be drawing nearer, though it was hard for Elwood to judge from this distance. He continued to watch, squinting against the cold breeze. Then, there was a howl; his ears stood tall on his head as he listened to the stranger's message. He sounded harmless enough, so the Beta hesitated for only a moment before issuing a reply.

His own howl poured into the frigid air, rising in a billowing cloud of steam as he invited the other male to come closer. This might not have been how Peregrine or Fox would have handled the situation, but he saw no reason to turn away a polite traveler without at least learning his intentions. So the greyscale wolf waited, his yellow eyes fixed on the interloper.

Summer lingered where he stood, awaiting the stranger's response. He was quick to break into an easy canter across the snow-covered plains when the invited to do so rose upon the wind, for he had already begun to hope that this wolf might possibly be one that could help him. Even as he closed the distance between them, Ty's face swam in his mind - so full of sorrow and longing. It was a look she often had when thoughts of her family claimed her attention, and one he was quite certain she bore now for him since he'd been gone for so long.

The young wolf slowed as he came within a few yards of the stranger, taking on the posturing of a neutral, humble creature. Even though he knew it was a requirement of one in his position, it still felt innately wrong for the princely Ostrega. He brushed those thoughts aside as he studied the ashen wolf, holding his tongue politely until the other determined he was comfortable with proceeding.

The dark-pelted wolf approached, and Elwood took the opportunity to assess him once he was a bit closer. He looked healthy enough, which suggested that he belonged to a pack somewhere in the area. The Beta sniffed, immediately smelling the scents of other wolves woven into the younger male's pelt, but he did not recognize any of them. He was realizing that this was one of the downfalls of spending so much time within the caldera's grounds: he wasn't at all acquainted with any of the other packs. But it wasn't of enough concern for him to do anything about it; he wasn't an outrider, after all.

He watched as his companion drew to a halt, leaving a good amount of space between their bodies. Technically, Elwood was still standing on Redhawk land, so he was glad to see that the stranger was respectful of those boundaries. He did take a few steps closer, giving his chin a small inclination to show his approval of the other's posture and manners. "What is it that you're looking for?" he asked, referencing the vague intentions that he had expressed in his original howl.

The stranger went straight to the point when he spoke and for that, Summer was grateful. He had no desire to waste time with pleasantries, particularly not if this wolf wasn't of the pack he was searching for. "I'm trying to find Redhawk Caldera," he responded promptly, lifting his gaze to his companion's face in search of any recognition.

His eyes drifted towards the looming slopes at his back, wondering if perhaps this was the place. He'd never seen a "Caldera" before, and though Willow and Lasher had tried to describe it for him, he had always anticipated that actually seeing it would end up being vastly different than his imagination.

"Well, that's something I can help you with," Elwood replied, finding it curious that the stranger was looking for the caldera. He wondered what the reason was; he still only felt neutral vibes from the other male, nothing malicious or worrisome. Perhaps he knew someone there -- Elwood briefly thought of his sister, wondered if she would ever turn up at his doorstep searching for him -- or maybe he had a message from another pack.

Gesturing over his shoulder at the squat, flat-topped mountain behind him, he said, "That's the caldera. I'm the pack's Beta. Before we go any further though, I need to know your name and why you're here." His requirements were not unfair, nor were they spoken in an unfriendly manner. Once he was clear on the wolf's incentive for the visit, he would determine his next course of action.

Summer couldn't help but show the relief that washed over him when the stranger announced that he not only had found the Caldera, but he'd also stumbled upon the pack's beta. Finally, he could speak with Peregrine. Finally, he could turn back to the East and head home. Finally, finally, finally. But above all other sentiments, one rang louder and more passionately than the others that swam through his mind - I'm coming home, Ty.

"Of course," he responded politely to the beta, "My name is Summer Ostrega. I'm here seeking Peregrine Redleaf-DiSarinno - I have news for him of his daughter, Tytonidae." He paused to let his statement sink in and to allow the silver wolf to a second or two to think. "Is he here? I'd like to meet with him as soon as possible. I'm afraid I've been away from home for far too long now," the young wolf added, likely out of turn, but he could not help himself being so close to what he'd been working for.

The boy continued to be polite, promptly and succinctly explaining why he was looking for Redhawk Caldera. Elwood listened, his interest piqued at the mention of Peregrine. Summer elaborated, explaining that he had news to share of Peregrine's daughter. Wrongly, Elwood assumed that Tytonidae lived at Blacktail Deer Plateau -- an educated guess, considering that Peregrine had spoken of his children there on many occasions -- and that Summer must have come from there as well. Briefly, he wondered if this would cause any further tension between the two packs, but decided that was something for Peregrine to determine.

"I'm sure Peregrine will be eager to hear your news," he said with a wave of his tail. He half-turned back towards the caldera, keeping Summer in his peripheral vision. "I'll call for him; hopefully he will be available to meet with you." With that said, the Beta tipped back his head and released a simple, straightforward howl requesting @Peregrine to join them near Lake Rodney. If the Alpha male did not respond, he would have to figure out how to proceed with Summer and the important information that he carried.

Summer couldn't have explained just how grateful he was that the Redhawk wasted no time in calling for his alpha. Even so, the moment the call went into the air, Summer suddenly felt his nerves churning in his stomach. It had been a while since he'd suffered from his crippling anxiety, and though this was no where near what he'd been through it still tasted very faintly like it. It was strange to think that this sort of nervous was how others felt when they were afflicted with the emotion. They did not begin to fall apart at the seams like he had when he was younger. It was an uncomfortable tickle, nothing more. It hardly even bothered him when he considered in retrospect of what it used to feel like.

"Thank you," the young wolf said, pausing as he deliberated on whether or not to ask for his companion's name. Wouldn't it be prudent to do so? He still felt as though he were walking on eggshells around these wolves, so desperate was he for them to like and trust him enough to take care of Ty, but even as that thought occurred to him he realized that the personable thing to do would be to inquire. "I didn't catch your name, sir?" Summer stated, his features softening slightly from the purely business-like manner to take on a more friendly character.

Kat won't be able to jump in, so we're gonna have to improvise! Elwood can offer to take a message, lol. ;)

It seemed that things were falling into place for Summer and his hard work was paying off. Elwood didn't know how far he had traveled in order to find Peregrine, but knowing that the news was about his Alpha's daughter, he was glad that he had been the one to intercept Summer. He hoped that Peregrine would be along soon, but also realized that he could be preoccupied with something else at that very moment -- they would have to wait and see.

Summer asked for his name, and Elwood smiled. "Sorry, forgot to introduce myself. I'm Elwood," he said pleasantly. In his curiosity to figure out what Summer's goal was, he had neglected to share his name. He cast a glance over his shoulder, looking for Peregrine, then settled onto his haunches. "Where did you travel from, Summer?" he asked conversationally after a beat.

Ugh Kat is such a life ruiner >___> lol i kid :D

While the conversation proceeded forward, Summer kept an ear and an eye out for any sign of Tytonidae's father approaching. He did his best to pay attention to his companion - Elwood, he was called - but couldn't help but feel preoccupied with anxiety over whether or not Peregrine had heard them or if he was on his way.

"The Sunspire," he replied, forcing his attention back to the beta, "It's the tallest peak in the mountains to the East. Our pack lives upon its slopes and at its feet." If Peregrine had heard and expected to be a while in coming, he probably would have howled back to let them know. Did that mean he was too far to hear the call or that he would be there quickly enough that he wouldn't need to warn them? "Have you been that way before?" he asked.

Elwood hadn't heard of the Sunspire, but that didn't surprise him. There was a lot he didn't know about the Teekon Wilds, and it sounded as though it was much more expansive than he had initially thought. Summer implied that the mountain would be easy to spot, as its peak was the highest in its range; surely their short little caldera wouldn't compare to the Sunspire's magnificence in the eyes of some, but to each his own.

"No, I don't think I have," he replied. Honestly, he couldn't remember what path he had taken upon his entrance into the lands collectively known as the wilds, so there was a good chance he had walked right past the Sunspire and not realized it. He did recall that there seemed to be a variety of packs in the area, though he had given them all a wide berth until he ran into Peregrine.

Speaking of the swarthy Alpha, the time was slowly ticking by with no sign of his arrival. Elwood looked again towards the caldera, chewing thoughtfully on his lower lip. He didn't want to keep Summer waiting for too long; he was probably eager to return home, as was Elwood himself. "I'm not sure if Peregrine will be able to make it," he said after a hesitation. "I don't want you to have to wait around all day, and there's no telling where he is. Would you be comfortable letting me pass the message along to him?" he asked.

Summer apparently had stumbled upon a wolf who was much like him in the sense that he was rather a homebody. Before this little escapade, the Ostrega had never been farther from the Sunspire than the Coast. The fact that he'd nearly gotten his head ripped off by a bi-colored eyed female that just so happened to be the other daughter of the man Summer was seeking (which he had no idea was the case) was exactly the reason why that had been his very last excursion until this one.

He accepted Elwood's response with merely a nod. The man hadn't given him much to feed off of, so he kept quiet, awkwardness slowly creeping up his spine as his mind reeled, trying to find something to say next. Luckily, Elwood filled the quiet with a truth that Summer hadn't quite been ready to accept yet. Peregrine was not coming.

Summer pondered the beta's suggestion with a frown. He had really wanted to speak with Ty's father personally, for there was much he wanted to know that didn't even pertain to a simple discussion about where the female currently was residing. Perhaps it was for the best, because it likely would have come out that Ty was not doing very well in her current situation. Had he known Peregrine better, he would have understood that telling him this would have resulted in the male storming the Sunspire to reclaim his daughter. So really, it was better that Summer was never able to ask him about Ty, about what she was like growing up, about what it was she possibly needed that Summer could provide to make her better again. Because then he would have lost her, and then they would have had to discover that Summer was just as recklessly passionate as the Caldera's alpha, though far less capable.

"I did really hope to speak directly with Peregrine," Summer admitted, "But I can respect how much there is for an alpha to attend to." He pulled in a deep breath, wondering how to even begin what with speaking to someone who likely didn't even know Tytonidae or the history she had with her family. "I really just wanted to let him know that his daughter, Tytonidae, is safe," he said, casting his gaze respectfully upon the silver male's face, "She is now a member of the Sunspire, my pack. She has had trouble with her siblings at the Plateau, trouble that I'm not sure whether or not Peregrine is aware of. Nevertheless, she came to us seeking solace from such distress, and we were more than happy to give it to her."


"I suppose that's really everything," Summer said after a slight pause, "She's safe and she's well. Lasher, a member of the Plateau and a good friend of Peregrine's, wanted to come and deliver this message himself, but his mate is very close to delivering their first litter, so I offered to come in his stead. And, I truly am sorry to have missed him. Ty is a very dear friend of mine, and I would have loved to have been able to meet her father." Summer fell silent then, giving Elwood the opportunity to ask whatever questions he would.

Though he seemed to be a bit disappointed by the situation, it took Summer only a moment before he delivered the message to Elwood. The Beta nodded sympathetically at first, knowing that his companion had wanted to speak directly with Peregrine but also understanding all that had to be done to keep Redhawk Caldera operating smoothly. So he then pricked his ears and listened attentively as Summer spoke, making sure to absorb as much information as possible.

There was a lot to be said, but Elwood was able to sum it up in his head: Tytonidae was living at the Sunspire and was safe. There were other details that he attended to and would relay to Peregrine, such as the fact that she had left Blacktail Deer Plateau due to trouble with her siblings, and that Lasher had wanted to come tell Peregrine himself but was unable to. He nodded again once Summer had concluded, also making sure to remember the boy's earnesty; it was obvious that he cared for Tytonidae, something which Peregrine would surely appreciate.

"I'll be happy to share that with Peregrine," he said with a smile. He didn't anticipate that there would be much else to talk about -- Summer was probably ready to hit the road, and honestly, Elwood didn't want to fill his mind with too much clutter. He wanted his memory of the news to be sharp and accurate. Nevertheless, he still asked, "Is there anything else?"

"No, that's all, really," he answered thoughtfully. There actually was more that he would have said to Peregrine, but Elwood's reaction to his words made him quite certain that he didn't know Ty himself. There was concern and care in his features to be certain, but it was of a different breed than there had been in Lasher, who had known the girl quite well. The truth was, he wanted to know how to fix Ty, what to do to make her happy and whole again. Though he knew it likely involved reconciling things between her and her family, he still held out hope that there was something he could do for her, something he could provide, some magical word he could say that would trigger her smile, which he missed quite desperately.

"Actually," he added after a moment, "Perhaps when the weather is better, in the Spring.. He would come to visit her? I'm sure she'd love to see him. I understand that now is not the best time to travel and that it would be quite difficult for him to make the journey given his responsibilities here, but just let him know that The Sunspire would be happy to have him." He knew that it would be dangerous to have Peregrine there, to allow him to speak to his daughter. Such a meeting might end up with Ty leaving them to be with her father. But hopefully, Peregrine would postpone his visit until the Summer, like he'd suggested. That way he could have more time with Ty, to try and help her heal without her father's intervention. And, if by then, Summer still hadn't succeeded... Then perhaps it would be for the best that she went with her father, if that truly was what would make her smile again.

Unfortunately, Elwood had never and likely would never meet Tytonidae. Had he known the girl, he would have been more than willing to try and answer Summer's questions. But those answers seemed to be out of Summer's reach for now, and he would probably have to figure out how to help Tytonidae on his own.

Before he departed, however, the Sunspire wolf made one last request and combined it with an offer. Should Peregrine have the time, Summer wished for him to come visit Tytonidae and would provide a place for him to stay temporarily, since it would require a long journey. "I'll suggest that to him," Elwood replied; he thought it sounded like a good idea. Redhawk Caldera had more than enough leadership to cover Peregrine's absence, and he was sure that it would be good for the Alpha to see his daughter.

After a pause, he added, "Thank you, Summer." His appreciation was genuine, and he thanked him on behalf of Peregrine, as well -- preemptively, but appropriately.

last post for meeeeeeeee! Ilu <3

Summer dipped his muzzle as the silver beta thanked him, shaking his head just slightly. It was the Ostrega who had far more to be thankful to Elwood for, though he wasn't about to be so rude as to correct the man. "Thank you, Elwood," he said, pulling himself to all fours to make to leave, "I truly appreciate all of your help. I wish you and your pack all the best.". He paused then, lingering to hear whatever words the beta had to share (if there were any) before turning again, setting his sights to the East where he hopefully soon would see the towering silhouette of the Sunspire materializing as he closed the distance between himself and home.

"Safe travels," Elwood said warmly, bowing his head as Summer began his departure. He stayed by the lake for some time, watching until the Sunspire wolf was nothing more than a dark smudge against the horizon. Before heading back up the slopes of the caldera, he quenched his thirst with a few sips of clean, crisp water.

As he drank, he ran over the information in his mind: Tytonidae was safe, she was living at the Sunspire with Summer, she wasn't getting along with her sisters, Peregrine was welcome to visit. When he was sure that he wouldn't forget anything, he made his way back home, intending to talk to Peregrine within the next few days.