Great Bear Wilderness chew it over

Luke had entered a daze as his teeth worked the stick into shreds and splinters. His eyes were focused on nothing as he gnawed the time away. Were it not for a gentle breeze that drifted the scent of the caldera past his blue nose, he would not have been aware of the approach of another wolf until the male was beside him. His heart made a couple quick beats as his head turned, he simultaneously hoped to see Peregrine and knew it was not him he had smelled; the scent was not as strong, not his dark companion's own.

He felt the sting of disappointment, but it did not linger. He smiled, and his tail wagged. This male may not be the one he had hoped to see, but the blue-nosed wolf was nevertheless happy to see anyone. "Hey there," he greeted as he rose to his paws, leaving the stick where it lay. "Out for a stroll are ya?"