Somehow he had a feeling that this quiet would not last for long. Purge had disappeared, for reasons that no one – not even her lackey Skully – seemed to know. But Snowshoe’s rise to power had not exactly been met with a resounding cheer. Spirane was left in a state of confusion and disarray. Where Purge had come into her reign with direction and a purpose, now the pack was dispersed with no course of action to follow whatsoever. For this reason Sleekwing had receded within the territory, surveying the pack from a distance. He had little doubt that Purge would return in due course and reclaim what she had killed for. The thought caused a pang of guilt in his chest, which he did his best to soothe. He missed his parents greatly, but life had moved on without them. Sleekwing had visited their tomb on occasion, but in personal interest to move on with his life, he tried to limit the number of times he frequented the location.

For this reason, he found himself roaming the snowy ranges of the mountain, away from lower quadrant of the pack lands which housed their memorial. He had no exact destination, he simply moved through the territory with his thoughts. Oft times when he did this his mind wandered to Malina, and his brow furrowed. He really needed to get more acquainted with the newer members of the pack. He had withdrawn into himself at the loss of his family. When his parents had passed away, all of his siblings had left the mountain in their wake. They each had their reasons, and Sleekwing respected that. He just hoped they respected his choice to stay.

As he ventured higher, he followed no trail. Frost and a fresh, light powder dusted the earth here, and it had not yet been disturbed here. He glanced skyward as a flake of snow settled and immediately melted on his nose. A gentle flurry descended from the sky, contributing to the gathering first snow of winter. It was as he looked skyward that he was distracted from the path he was making. Luckily he lowered his head just in time to see a shewolf burst from her den. He planted his paws and slid to a halt a mere few feet away from her. She was stained with blood, probably from a hunt from the night before. It took him a moment to recognize her, but eventually realized she had been present at the burial Purge had organized. He had also spotted her on occasion around the pack lands before Spirane had been thrown into disarray. But he had not yet taken the opportunity to introduce himself to her.

Sleekwing cocked his head slightly to the side, noting the rapid breathing and flustered state. “Hi there,” he said, hoping to make his presence known if the skittering snow hadn’t already announced his arrival. He offered a smile, “I’m Sleekwing. You alright?” One brow lifted inquisitively, wondering what might have chased her from her den that morning.