Swiftcurrent Creek hemlock

@Akavir

The herd eventually splintered apart when they noticed the ambling wolf on their trail, taking off in every direction once they'd reached a small lake. Darius was distracted by the sight of it and only took notice of the sound of movement too late, when one of the hinds tripped over a thin log, and had to right itself. He was tense and ready to spring after her — but with a defeated huff, let her go.

Now he'd navigated around that same lake, seeking any sign of a meal. There was ample evidence of squirrels, rats, and voles; these were quick and would know the best places to hide as soon as they caught a whiff of wolf, so Darius figured he'd give up on that before he started. For about an hour he entertained the idea of fishing, but the sun was already tipping low, and visibility would only get worse from there on out.

It was best to find some place to sleep then, and try again in the morning. He was frustrated to no small degree by the passage of time, his distractible mind, and poor luck. Poorer still, the fact he'd unwittingly crossed one of those invisible boundaries in to claimed land as he'd mused.