Qeya River I will keep quiet, you'll never know what hit you

His ears cupped with intrigued anticipation as the boy spoke, words floating to him from up the ravine. Stuck? "Uh, maybe?" Shale responded, not meaning to sound so ambivalent but. . .well, what could he do? He didn't even know the kid's name, and, if he was honest, he didn't fancy a dip in a freezing river this time of year. "Got any ideas that won't get me stuck? Or wet?"

The silver male picked his way nimbly down the slope, settling on what he hoped was solid ground just a few tail-lengths away from the boy. "How did you end up in this mess, anyway?" he asked, eyebrows arched high in scrutiny.

Still, he felt compassion come over him like a wave, and knew it for the feeling that had never really gone away since his children had been born. A father he was, and a father he'd always be. The same outpouring of support he'd shown for Narcisa--who'd vanished, damn her--was now coming out in this interaction. A strange wolf the kid may be, but he was still a creature in need of help, and Shale would do his best to lend aid.