Whitebark Stream I find myself somewhere I never thought I'd be.

@Minnow   :)

The snows had landed heavy in the past week, and Artyom ventured out to roam beneath freshly falling flakes. His more recent days, mostly spent with Dawn in seclusion as they waited out the duration of her heat cycle, had been wonderful - though he was glad for their return to routine.

Artyom thought of her as he ventured through the edge of their woodland, alert not for trespassers or prey but for something he could present to his silver-furred companion to simply brighten her day. With the weather he couldn't really source anything worth gifting her, but he continued his search nonetheless.

She was starting to feel like herself again and less like the paranoid little creature she had became. The young wolf no longer looked like a bag of bones also.

Despite feeling happier in the days that came; she couldn't bring herself to speak to her father just yet. So for now she's leaving him be. She saw someone nearby and let out a low bark and a flick of her tail in greeting.

At the sound of another, Artyom lifted his crown to turn swiftly in the direction that an u familiar bark had come from. His golden ears pricked forward, curious, and he relaxed at what he found.

She was young still, no doubt one of the previous year's cubs. Artyom responded to her friendly posture with one of his own, offering a bright smile and a few cheerful sweeps of his dense tail. "Hello," he greeted, licking a stray snowflake from a whisker, "my name is Artyom. What might yours be?"

She recognized him as one who'd she'd seen around her aunt a few times and she smiled softly at him. "I'm Minnow, nice to meet you." She first had to answer his first question then would ask for one of her own. "I've seen you around my aunt, how did you two meet? If you don't mind me asking."

Ah, Minnow. Artyom's tail wagged merrily at his hocks and his smile widened; this was Dawn's niece. He recalled the sterling Alphess having expressed some concern for the girl, though she hadn't elaborated and he didn't wish to press.

"The pleasure is all mine, маленький голубь," the ranger dipped his head politely, keen to show respect to Dawn's family that had so suddenly become his own. "Your aunt and I met when your family came to settle here. We are good friends." Artyom didn't quite have the courage to share that he'd become the leader's mate, and felt this should be something that the girl should hear from the mouth of her aunt instead.

He seemed nice enough and she was glad that her aunt was happy and was able to get her pack that she wanted. Minnow offered a smile of her own. "Oh well that's good. I don't really have many friends I have one but he's not in this pack." She thought back to rowan only momentarily and smiled then looked back at the man. "So what do you do? Like skills." Perhaps there was something she could learn.

There was an innocence that hung over young Minnow, one that Artyom found himself hoping she would never lose. She seemed soft, gentle, sweet of nature and the pale ranger smiled  down at her with quiet encouragement as she shared with him a lack of companionship.

"I will be your friend," he offered despite a doubt that the girl would be looking for friendship with older male, but he supposed there should be some level of comradery considering their status of pack-mates. "I'm a hunter, and I like to travel when I can," Artyom answered more confidently when Minnow asked, his tail giving a cheerful sway.

She waved her tail a bit when she said they can be friends and she smiled softly. "Cool!" She stated simply. Her ears perked up when she heard the word. "You travel, can you help me with something?" She knew where it was and didn't want to go by herself. "My mother is buried up in the mountains, after loosing my grandfather and getting separated I don't really lole the mountains by myself." She stated off with the basics. "Can you help me?"

edit: fading here.  :)

Contentment crept into his chest, settled in his bones. It was important for him to make a good impression on Dawn's family, considering her acceptance of his proposal. With her niece won over with ease, Artyom hoped he could succeed in charming her brother and his other cubs.

"Of course I can help," he told the pale youth softly, sympathy evident in the mahogany of his gaze - he had not been aware that Minnow's mother had perished. Artyom found himself wondering if it was a recent loss, and how the mountains had been the choice for her final resting place. Regardless, he was not prepared to decline in assisting a pup grieve her dam's death. "How about we discuss it with your family first?"

So off they went in search of the girl's aunt, to talk over her future plans together.