Big Salmon Lake always enjoyed and never returned

The mother stepped to cover her child, a reasonable gesture and one Malachi had grown to understand. While he knew he approached the duo with no intent of harm, all they could see was a stranger. Of course they would question his motives - though Malachi felt a characteristic ebb of sorrow mistrust needed to reign so strong. The mother whispered something to her daughter, but even with his ears forward Malachi could not catch their words. Whatever she had uttered was meant for their ears only, and he was left to settle with the greeting the older offered in return.

He itched to know what they had said, for he couldn't shake the feeling their whispers had been about him. Yet despite his curiosity, he left them to their secrecy: there was little gain in prying. "About two days North," he said and turned his head to point in the direction from which he came, "With the Plateau." Though Malachi could tell these two belonged to more than just each other, he still had no idea they were of the Caldera. He attributed their wariness to their position, two she-wolves against a strange and wandering male, and he didn't question the deep-rooted mistrust that sparked the air. "I wanted to acquaint myself with the land and the other packs who share it with us," he explained, "Do you belong to one nearby?"