Illegitimate

The marred wolf greeted him in French, then translating to his, though he got the meaning of the message. He snorted in response, the best he could do without opening his mouth to speak around the rotting garbage in his maw. Running down the slope, he saw a murder of crows circling around a pine tree. Relieved that he wouldn't have to drag the rotting carcass any further, he tossed it a little ways from the mountain.

He climbed up the slope again, deep in his thoughts this time. For a while now, he smelled Erika's scent constantly crossing the border. While Silvertip wolves did leave the territory now and then, none did so as frequently as the Frenchwoman. And sometimes, he would smell a salty tang to her scent. Curious.

Near the cave's opening, he spotted the Beta, Lecter. He bowed his head in respect before moving over to the older wolf's ear. "Have you sensed anything...wrong with Erika lately?" he murmured to the old man.