Ouroboros Spine for he will never know peace

vilkas is unsure of actually climbing the squat mountains that form the spine's fortress ( aptly naming it ouroboros spine, but he doesn't know that ) and thus he is limited to the area of the once sprawling forest that has yet to be swallowed by the massive lake. it doesn't particularly bother vilkas. the chances of being taken off guard by the presence of another has been greatly decreased by the forcibly small and easily controlled forest. unless, of course, wolves could somehow sprout gills and live under water in which case then yes he would be taken off guard ...for several reasons.

in reality, though, as he pads through the mossy forest floor that feels like he's being deceived and the watery earth might give way and plunge him into the depths of the lake at any given second, there isn't much to see. less yet to do. no hunting to be had beyond fishing and he easily assumes it will not take him terribly long to survey what is left of the forest. this knowledge forces him towards the side of the mountain and forces him up. from one jutting ledge to the next as he follows a precarious path riddled with pebbles and droppings of what he assumes belong to mountain goats though he has yet to see any ( and is not anywhere near desperate enough to try to attempt a hunt even if he did see one ).

he climbs upon a sturdy ledge and peers out over the spine, attempting to discern what is left of forested ground he has yet to cover. he catches movement out of the corner of his eye and thinks, upon first glance, that the other male is a mountain goat. an easy mistake to make, the firebrand might defend himself, with the pale coat and dark paws. yet, when vilkas realizes his first impression was dead-ass wrong and the other was actually wolf his hackles bristle along his spine. he is uneasy being as high up as he is — he was not raised on any sort of mountainous territory and he is unaccustomed to the heights even if the spine was far from impressive — and his unease of his current height from the ground coupled with his natural unease around strangers making him instinctively aggressive that flirts unabashedly with the line of hostility. he immediately feels cornered and for the warrior that is undoubtedly a feeling he never wants to have.