Morningside Cuesta Fishbones ain't wishbones

Merlin was not one to get startled easy (unless it was an angry, sleep-deprived bear chasing him - true story - or a creaky-grumpy bachelor wolf woken at the least suitable moment) and he enjoyed company of any kind, even if he wanted to maintain that "I am tough and I do not need anyone to survive out here" bravado. He greeted the other fellow amicably (as much as the social distance between them allowed to do it), then took notice of a familiar scent, he had caught during two other encounters. 

"Hey!" he began the conversation. "Watcha you doing outside, when yer pack is just over there?" he beckoned at a random direction and just happened to be right by pure chance.