Swiftcurrent Creek out there

No verbal reply came; Blue Ridge began to feel misgivings about announcing his presence before another wolf suddenly, silently appeared. A jolt of adrenaline shot through him, but he remained composed to answer:

"Name's Blue Ridge. I'm looking for a place to spend the winter," he replied. His gaze lingered on the white circle around Arric's eye before he forcefully lowered his gaze. "I'm good in a hunt, good in a scrap. I'd pull my weight."

He did this every winter, but never before had he felt so strongly that he needed to sell himself and was somehow failing to do so. He was just so angry with himself — it was hard to imagine others seeing his worth when he didn't want to acknowledge it himself.