Greatwater Lake La-dee-da, la-dee-da

"It is. I haven't seen the Hearteood, but we had our own run-in with it.  It's a sight to see, but the result.  It's overwhelming."  He could still feel the damage it had done to his throat, a roughness that, unknown to him, would never leave completely.  He'd been marked surely as the plateau, perhaps fittingly. "He's probably right. That is what caused ours. A different storm though." The summer had been a dry one, which could be another cause. He was no naturalist and couldn't say for sure.

Wildfire was definitely right on her next point. A hell of a lot had changed. A few months ago he couldn't imagine turning away a wolf in need, especially one he had called friend. But he knew that now, should one of them show up in need of aid, he would indeed turn aside. He was perhaps past the point of losing himself should they run into one another, but he hadn't enough graciousness in him to put them up if they required assistance.

"No, I suppose you are right." Children of course excepted. He was acutely against holding the sins of the father against the daughter or son, for obvious reasons. "Outriding is an important job though. No pack can ignore their neighbors, even if only to keep an eye on them." His current methodology. No relations, but wary explorations that showed how close they were and if they came close to the Plateau. "I'm sure they'll come to be glad of it." If not, perhaps Wildfire would need to branch out to do as she wished. He kept this to himself, feeling he'd said enough on the subject of her parents. Much as he might dislike them, he had no desire to poison a daughter against a loving mother and father. He knew the harm that could do and it was the reason he kept his former tale so objective.

"You must love it, to do it against their wishes. What about it do you enjoy so much?". Genuine curiosity, as he was no outrider.