Swiftcurrent Creek caribou wife

He did not know much about this side of the mountains. Valiant had told him that he was born here, hidden away in the foothills. He did not know if it was this place or another, but he was interested all the same.

The hunt had turned up nothing, thus far. Dutch was glad they would at least be able to pass word onto this pack, and any others that they came across. Inwardly, he wondered if they should have split up, the way he and Valiant had when hunting the cat. But no — two men could go further together than one could on his own. Dutch believed this wholeheartedly.

He stood silently at Chakliux's side, the rust-colored stains far less visible against his dark fur than the other man's stark pelt — but they were still visible. The panther liked this physical manifestation of their brotherhood the same way he liked when he and Valiant were mistaken for brothers rather than cousins for the strength of their Morningside genes.

But this hunt felt different, somehow. Chakliux did.

"I think I might know someone here," he said, puzzled by the faint but familiar scent in his nose. Perhaps it was just someone whose trail he'd crossed before.