Dawnlark Plains heavy-sighed and open-eyed I heard him speak

Phoenix was sitting when the sterling she-wolf first appeared, but he rose respectfully to his feet once he'd noticed her. Well-mannered and understanding her superior position as a pack wolf, he inclined his head to her and kept his tail low with an uncertain wave. "Easy?" he parroted, having never been introduced to Ishara by her more common moniker. "N-No, I'm looking for Ishara... Ishara Morningside?" He looked over the plains wolf's shoulder, as if he thought he might see her dark figure approaching just then.

But once confusions were set aside, the stranger relayed to him that she'd been gone for a while now. "Missing?" he echoed, his own ears falling as the worst-case scenario for her departure came to past. No one knew where she was, and he couldn't be sure how long a month was, but judging by this girl's expression, three of them had been longer than anyone could want for their family or friend. "Well she came to Swiftcurrent Creek a while back, but -- then she was just gone. I.. I really thought she'd come home to Morningside."

Phoenix took a deep breath and looked over his shoulder, back the way he'd come. An unfortunate feeling overcame him, and he struggled to suppress another whine in his throat. Slowly, he returned his lost-luster eyes to the silver she-wolf solemnly. "I'm sure she'll turn up, but I feel bad now for not looking for her sooner."