Totoka River i'm on my tip toes

the tundrian follows the snowmelt as it moves from the mountains once he reaches it's beginning at the swell of ravensblood forest and gyrfalcon keep. for a man that vehemently claims to hold the coast in a very low disregard he keeps finding himself here at different turning points of his life. the fight with mallaidh is not so easily forgotten — her words still, months after, leaving an echoing sting. and maybe that's why he does it. to reconcile with the memory.

it sounded like a grand plan, to excuse his wandering and exploration and searching so far from where he was supposed to be ( though he would readily argue that he is not so far from moonspear now that he's came down after exploring the taiga ). his motives are driven by his own greed. his want to explore his fettered potentials. the dark woods is his home, it's wolves his family but the dark brother yearns for more. ...isn't that always the reason why, in the end?

he is venturing closer to the ocean and his steps slow. the sea holds nothing for him and there is certainly nothing about it that he finds remotely appealing. he readies himself to turn around, hesitating on which direction. east or west. west would take him in the direction of more traffic and packs. more traffic and packs meant more potential recruits. west would also take him to moonspear and the redhawks ( his own reminder to himself of what he has promised to do, the original reason behind this trip is sharp lest he forget ). the taiga seems like a good spot to claim, he has a territory in consideration unencumbered by other packs. lots of hunting grounds, more herds without the choke of predators all around them and that is where he plans to settle, ultimately.

west.

just as he goes to alter his course, to find a way across the river where it thins and the meltwater slows enough that he is confident he can get across without issue he catches sight of another out of the corner of his eye. his head turns to study her and idly wonders as she heads in her own direction if she's as distracted by her thoughts as he. first glimpse tells him yes, even if his assessment is ultimately wrong.

the tundrian lifts his chin and lets out a soft chuff to announce his presence as he draws nearer ...still searching for a safe place to cross without backtracking.

i'm not real sure where this falls in his chaotic timeline so i'm winging it. timelines?