Verdant Basin journey's end

So much had happened in the past week of Alder's life: after returning home and chosing to step down from King- temporarily, of course, he would likely take the throne again after the children were born- he'd gotten the oppurtunity to talk to Heartha. She, too, carried his children, and there was nothing wrong with that, to him. The act to create them had been, yes, and every day the guilt from his hormone induced affair burdered his wide ginger shoulders, but his kids would always be his kids. He refused to be the parent his mother was, and instead strove to be the father his was. Just because those pups would have a different mother didn't mean he loved them less. For him, he was happy with life: he'd soon be a father, he was the ruler of a great golden forest, his wife had forgiven his mistake, and the den mother bore him no ill will..... Why should he be upset?

For the first time in a week, Alder had left the Glade with a howl to @Aspen and @Shalon letting them know he'd be back in an hour or two-just going to stretch his legs. When the scent of another pack drifted in his nose, he almost went right to the Creek in an alliance mission, until another, closer one brings his massive paws to a halt. 
It takes a moment, but after turning fully to his other side, he finally rests his one good eye on another man-this one much older than himself. He's washing, but even from yards away Alder can see that he is ready to jump to his own defence should the need arise. The unruly furred man chuffed softly, padding closer with a curious tip to his head and a friendly wave of the tail he holds high. His ears cup forward, but he tries to keep signs of dominance out of his posture: this is an older being, filled with knowlege and deserving of respect. Upon sliding a foot or two closer, Alder notices the scars littering his pelt, and he freezes with a tiny gasp of wonder. This man, too, was missing his right eye, and sported a half-mask of scar even worse than his own. 
Now, Alder opened both of his eyes- it was a rare thing, for as his eye was not entirely gone he didn't want to make his family uncomfortable- and faced the soldier directly before giving a bow. He did not speak, not yet, but questions already piled in his head.