Porcupine Ridge sweet nothings,

@Alasdair ; envy tag for mention

The night had settled over Shadow Ridge, a blanket of muted grays and shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly into the surrounding wilderness. Lorcan moved through the territory like a wraith, his steps soft against the cold, damp earth. He hadn’t quite gotten his bearings yet, hadn’t made any effort to. Shadow Ridge was still unfamiliar, still untrustworthy. The wolves here were a mix of hardened edges and veiled intentions—wolves he might’ve called kin in another life, but for now, they were strangers. All of them.

Except for her.

@Envy.

The little twerp had slipped into his thoughts like a thorn snagged in fur, persistent and sharp. He didn’t know how she’d managed it—didn’t care to dwell on it too long—but her presence kept him tethered to this place. It wasn’t loyalty, not exactly. More of an intrigue. A curiosity he couldn’t shake.

He exhaled through his nose, a quiet sound of annoyance, and pressed on. The chill in the air felt good, biting against his fur and clearing his head. The familiar scents of the Ridge filled his nostrils—damp bark, frost-laden grass, the faint musk of wolves—but then, something caught him off guard.

A pup.

Lorcan froze mid-step, ears swiveling forward, sharp against his skull. He hadn't known there were pups here. No one had mentioned them—not in the half-conversations he’d caught, not in the glances exchanged around camp. He breathed in again, slower this time, his mind quick to piece together the trail. It wasn’t old, either. Fresh. Close.

A flicker of something unfamiliar stirred in his chest. Curiosity? Annoyance? Concern? He couldn’t pin it down, and that frustrated him even more. With a soft huff, he moved again, this time following the trail like a predator drawn to prey—but this wasn’t hunger. It was something else entirely, something he didn’t yet understand.

The scent led him through the trees, weaving between the Ridge’s silent sentinels, until finally, it grew stronger. Lorcan slowed, his dark frame blending seamlessly into the shadows as his sharp eyes scanned the area. Somewhere ahead, he would find the source.

And he wasn’t sure if he liked what he might find.