Big Salmon Lake daring

Coming back to this grim place was not particularly on the agenda, but Dirge couldn't help but take any and every advantage to stretch his legs a bit. Even with the temperatures dipping and the weather playing a frightful game one day and perfectly calm the next, it had felt good to move across unfamiliar grounds.

Except these weren't all that unfamiliar—they were the site of more than a number of ghastly things. Vercingtorix's death came to mind as he skirted along the muddy bank of the lake, though he wasn't there to see details he could ascertain from that. At least not directly. He could search for @Vela at @Hydra's behest too, but they were exhausting options and some even grim enough that he hadn't wanted to investigate them just yet.

But skirting the lake did provide an advantage—he hoped it would offer them more food. Another elk, that would have been nice. Didn't need to be a cow or a bull, either would have been fine; the premise of food would certainly draw out others too, and perhaps Vela would be among them. Or maybe the far more elusive, like @Revui, or @Yami, the list could go on.

Instead what he found along the curve of the lake was a gathering, and not of any particular sort. There were no proud, pronged antlers peeking out of the muck. No flashes of teeth or otherworldly sights to be seen. No bodies lying strewn and torn. Just two wolves, seemingly minding their own business and their distance.

He did the same, cutting out wide from the shore to move past them... but close enough to eavesdrop, too.

if neither of them acknowledge him, consider it a cameo post! tags are for reference.