Swiftcurrent Creek You packed your bags full of letting go.

Akavir had taken off for a time. While the reason that fuelled his brother's need to be on the move had not been shared with him, Viinturuth felt it safe to assume he might need some breathing space over his latest partnership breakdown.

The ranger felt his grief as though it were his own, for he'd been fond of Eshe. The relationship had come about so swiftly that he could not help but wonder of its urgency, but he liked to think he understood. The Frostfur-Mayfair siblings were no longer boys. With the coming of Spring they'd be another year older (though unfortunately no more wiser).

Viinturuth had accomplished nothing. He had sired several litters, no doubt, but there were none who would know who he was. "Father" was a title he'd never earned and he'd failed to commit himself to much of anything in his lifetime. Akavir had something to show for his efforts, at least: though Swiftcurrent's numbers were few, its most loyal wolves remained.

The days were growing longer, daylight stretching further into the evening. He looked forward to the shifting of seasons despite knowing how he'd miss the frosted mornings. He found himself daring to think on the promise of brighter times as he trailed through the riverlands that lazy afternoon, allowing a brief time to be hopeful.

with no real reason to be here, ancelin was. he'd been hunting rabbits a good ways from the creek, but their stupid brains took him further and further into the drifts between, until he had to skid hard to avoid touching a boundary line.
the bobbing white tail proclaimed the boy's spate of bad luck. he swore and kicked the snow, then turned and stalked away, shoulders tight as he headed off from the creek, hoping no one had seen that massive fuckup.

Viinturuth had not seen the chimera, not at first, but he did catch the scent of an outsider on the crisp breeze. He curled his lip and lifted his pale muzzle to survey the area, ears alert, and with a flagged tail he was hot on the trail of a trespasser.

When he caught sight of him weaving through the trees, Viinturuth quickened his stride to give chase.

ancelin was humming to himself, having slowed to a jog in hopes of catching more accessible prey, ie: not headed over the border into someone else's land. and because the young man did not think he would be trailed, having done the right thing, he didn't notice the great white shark pursuing him until he looked into the proverbial rearview mirror.
instinctively, ancelin ran, which of course made him look guilty; he hit the brakes and swung to face the stranger in a wide-legged, placating stance; "hey! hey! i know the guy who runs the place, okay? i'm cool, man, for real."

A streak of white following the mottled near-interloper. Bemusement held fast to Akavir, though his face remained solemn as he leapt from his place of solitude, a higher ledge up having offered him quite the entertaining show.

Only when he heard the semi-familiar voice of Ancelin and his chosen words did the swarthy creek wolf’s lips quirk upward in amusement—his rugged form sidling up toward the side of his brother, though his pale champagne eyes were scoring over the Bearclaw man. “I thought ‘Nicky Nicky nine door’ was a pups game,” he offered, a sideways glance then given to his littermate.

Viinturuth was hot on the rogue's trail, stretching into a smooth gallop when the younger wolf attempted to flee. This was what he'd wanted: to intimidate, to shoo the lurking stranger far enough from Swiftcurrent land to satisfy that those who dwelled there would not tolerate the encroaching of outsiders.

They did not get far, however. The unknown male skidded to a sudden halt and swung around to face him, seemingly braced for impact. Viinturuth also slammed on the breaks, claws seeking purchase in the damp earth, and his wild burgundy eyes were quick to seek the unfamiliar shade of the pleading interloper.

Is that so? Viinturuth rumbled his displeasure at the situation, though allowed pause for explanation. His brother appeared and moved in alongside him, a presence that soothed some of the tension along his spine where pallid guard hairs stood on end. His gaze never once strayed from the chimera, however, and his brow furrowed in frustration.

"uh, yeah, it's so, snowman," ancelin shot back, quite ruffled and backing away even as akavir mellowed the situation. shooting the much cooler dude a look that held as much gratitude as a proud wolf the relative age of a frat boy could muster.
"also, i wasn't coming into the creek, i was leaving. enjoy the rabbit i scared into running that way, you're welcome."
but he wasn't really miffed, not when it seemed like snowplow was done with the idea of eating him. at least for now.
he glanced between the two. "are you guys like, brothers or something?" he inquired, remembering in his brainstem the faint memories of what atreus had been like.

‘Snow man,’ the youthful man shot to his brother—Akavir’s eye skimmed over the frosty countenance of his brother. It was an apt description—but maybe lacked some imagination. His lips pulled at the faintest grin as his eyebrows raised, sidestepping past the Bearclaw wolf to settle in silent fortitude alongside Viinturuth.

“We’ll make sure the to-be mothers in the Creek speak a word of gratitude for your magnanimous generosity and contribution,” he gleaned with a sharp tongue—though amusement flickered in his eyes.

Youthful. Brazen. Stubborn. He was reminded of himself in his younger days—though early fatherhood had changed much of that. At the direct question, Akavir cast a lazy sideways glance to his brother. A complete contrast from one another—one cloaked in black and one in white. One bore eyes of mahogany, the other a soft champagne.

The Frostfur lineage of silver was likely what stood out the most. “‘Snow man’ here is my brother,” he confirmed, gaze drifting back to the other man. “Try not to hold it against him.”