Whitebark Stream Fate's Calling (Leila, Slade, Cry)

He gave himself a good shake, scattering wetness from his coat. Several seconds later another shake and by that time Leila had arrived and he stood tall as she approached and joined him to await Cry who navigated the river crossing with ease, Redmoon hid his thoughts well but he was impressed by the dark pelt, a woodsman he was. It was inspiration for the red pelt to further himself in those ways and so he went about it diligently, studying the area and seeing the patterns of nature’s way. How the moss grew on the northern bark of trees to give him direction when he couldn’t see the stars and how game trails dotted along waterways and could be used to easily hide multiple animal’s tracks. 

Redmoon even went through the extra effort of trotting in a close circuit of the group while Cry was investigating something. The red pelt was focused on the terrain and the dips and divots within it. He could smell something on the wind and a sudden change hit him. His ears pivoted back to the water way and he trotted over, Cry was looking spooked and Leila concerned for him. 

Ever the curious one, Redmoon approached, spotted the fish remains and sought to his own investigation. His nose fell upon the earth and he sniffed in all the aromas granted to him here and his keen senses picked up on the filthy musk almost immediately outside of the scaly sensations of the fish. “This,” Redmoon began, he sniffed more and after doubly confirming what he smelled, he raised his nose to the air and gave a firm whiff of the winds, “this smell. I’ve found it before.” He looked down and over towards Leila, “I don’t know what it is but it was following you back from Broken Boulder and I tracked it to the Pass where you both found me. The winds changed and I lost it.” 

He dropped back down to sniff it again. Fully aware of Cry’s stunned capacity, he wasn’t about to leave the dark pelt vulnerable. Wait… His brow furrowed as he glanced Cry from the corner of his eye. He wasn’t loyal to this wolf! He held no responsibility in Cry’s safety - where had that thought of protection come from? 

His eyes never left Cry as Redmoon fought with his internal feelings of self preservation. Sure they’d been together to a few days, traveling far and wide. But did… how… he was confused and it was making him agitated. He didn’t know what to think of this and he’d had enough. 

“We’d better go.” He mentioned quietly, starting off in the direction they needed to go in, but not before getting Cry’s attention to snap him out of whatever revere he’d found himself in.