Neverwinter Forest where silence comes

A small, bedraggled creature slunk through the bloodshot evening, russet eyes big and alert.

Ico had imagined that when he'd finally summoned the courage to approach a pack border again, he would be at his best — groomed, sleek, smooth and well-rested. But it hadn't worked out that way, had it?

Having fled a frightening blood ritual at Ursus, Ico had spent August up in Sunspire Mountains, exploring the peaks and nooks, getting into a couple of tight spots, honing his skills as a hunter of small prey, and frequently musing over the whereabouts of Germanicus, the only creature he'd ever truly cared about — and who cared about him. One time, when the rain poured down in sheets from the heavens, Ico could've sworn he'd heard an echo of Germanicus' howl... he'd attempted to track the source for several days, but to no avail.

Yet in doing so, Ico had discovered a mountain pass that had led him through to great westerly lands the likes of which he'd never seen before. It was there he'd laid eyes upon a distant blue forest with a strongly marked border; and thus experienced a new, prickling desire to find a home. A place to stay put. There was something deeply alluring about those rich green trees.

The days he'd spent planning his border approach had been marred by continued bouts of dastardly weather, and a scree slip on Sheepeater Cliff — hence his rugged state as he crossed the gorge west and hesitated at the pack border. Ico's ears began to flatten as if already intimidated. Should he howl, or wait...? Deciding resolutely on the latter, the boy could already feel his desperately summoned confidence beginning to wane like a snowdrop on the wayside.

@Mal @Simmik