The Heartwood until now we have seldom seen, i will go if you go with me

he was not alone as he traversed the forest, though it took the gentle chuff of a wolf to draw attention to that fact. imrathil froze - the noise generally meant a well-meaning presence, but it still didn't stop the climb of hackles that stirred along his nape.

then he remembered, those that would do him harm often did so in ambush. a cougar stalked silently, raining death from above. a bear might thunder, but you wouldn't hear its roar until it got you -- and another wolf... well.. his encounters with other wolves had usually been bloodless.

he turned carefully around, his posture unsettled but not aggressive. the author of the chuff was a decidedly feminine form, though imrathil knew immediately the shape of the boy's frame was deceptive. perhaps it was the cardinal red that flared across his body that suggested the softer sex -- imrathil exhaled his tension, his tail lowering as he saw the male held no hostility in his gaze. "oi," an old shade of ingram appeared in that voice, though imrathil wouldn't have known it. "you lost too?"