Thunder Dome umbra

If the ambitious leader-to-be meant to make these mountains his home, Rue expected they would continue to run into one another... but Stigmata seemed to think otherwise. The woman's eyes lit in interest as her aquaintance disclosed his intentions to lead a nomadic lifestyle. Despite her effort to keep her features blank, her expression grew momentarily wistful. Her birthpack had lived such a life, following the herds from territory to territory and rarely staying put for more than a moon or so. Rue had grown accustomed to this way of life over the years, and she found her paws often itching for travel once she had settled into the far-more-stationary Blacktail Deer Plateau. If not for her frequent scouting ventures, cabin fever would have driven the the restless young lady quite mad.  

Recovering her impassive demeanor, Rue commented with shrug, "I've found that reticent neighbors are the most desirable." It stood to reason that a neighbor who was rarely seen was unlikely to make himself a bother. At least in Rue's experience, the peskiest neighbors were always those to which she felt quite overexposed. 

Stigmata disagreed with Rue's claim, and it was her turn to look amused. She thought it highly improbable that he was having any better luck recruiting than she, but she knew better than to argue and possibly reveal the tenuity of the Plateau's ranks. If Stigmata knew she was actively recruiting (and failing at this pursuit), he might infer that the Plateau was easy pickings for his new pack. 

Stigmata added his final clarifying statement, and Rue's dubious expression morphed to one of profound understanding. That was the true challenge, wasn't it? Any wolf who yearned for packlife was already joined up by this time of year. And even if recruits were to be found, wolves who pledged their undying loyalty at the start of winter had the most uncanny way of disappearing once spring rolled around. 

"You might try keeping an eye on some of the smaller packs in the area.." Rue suggested, "..in case seasonal conditions force a disbandment." Disoriented wolves from newly-disbanded packs would be sitting ducks for an opportunistic would-be leader, and it stood to reason that those who stuck it out with their pack until the very end were the loyal sort. 

Rue gave the advice hoping that it might encourage Stigmata to move along, away from the territories inhabited by Blacktail Deer Plateau. However, the moment the words fell from her lips, it dawned upon Rue that perhaps Stigmata was already quite aware of this strategy. Perhaps this was indeed why he lingered near the fading Blacktail Deer Plateau border. Uncertainly flashed across Ruenna's face, and her eyes met Stigmata's monochrome gaze with uneasy comprehension.