The Fool (joining)

The sound of a stranger's howl was a welcome distraction for the Beta. Since Finley hadn't come back and hadn't been found, he could only assume that something terrible had happened to her. Either that, or she had abandoned her family -- and he wasn't sure which scenario was worse. With a sigh, he turned his paws towards the borders, wishing that it was Finley's face that he would see when he arrived there.

The wolf waiting for him was grey, but her coat was lackluster. Her age was evident in the sharpness of her bones beneath her fur, yet there was still something regal about her. Elwood was intrigued; what was an older, distinguished wolf doing at the edge of their territory? He frowned, coming to a halt a few feet from her with head and tail held at a level that spoke of his rank but also revealed the exhaustion of a single father.

"Hello," he said, canting his head to one side. "Can I help you?" It was obvious that there was no need for aggression; the she-wolf was little threat, but his tone was not overly welcoming.