It was like looking in a mirror. The pup that stood before him reminded Halcyon so much of himself, he couldn’t help but smile as he watched him pull away from his teeth. So young and already so independent. But, if anyone knew how harsh and cruel winter could be to a cub, it was Halcyon. Had it not been for Athine, the boy would have certainly perished. A chuckle escaped his throat at the thought of the fight he put up when she dragged him back to Iromar. This boy wasn’t fighting tooth and claw, but he was proud and capable. Nodding, Halcyon took a step back to give the child some space. Hearing that his mother was gone made Halcyon’s heart feel heavy. The similarities between his youth and the one standing before him were uncanny, though he did not know exactly how this child came to be separated from his family.

"Alright, follow me. There’s a cave just over here you can rest in." With that, he turned and made his way back to the entrance. The wind blew harder as it carried frozen rain into Halcyon’s face, forcing him to duck his head. Winter could eat his crap! This was awful. The small wolf longed for the warmth of spring and hoped it came soon. Finally, he trotted into the cave and shook the excess snow from his pelt, spraying the walls and floor with water.

Free of the wind, his fur was able to work its magic and trap the heat of his body and at once he felt better. Waiting for the pup to follow, he began to wonder if he would need to hunt for the pup. Quietly, he grumbled to himself. Hunting had never been his most skilled trait. If Ame were with him, the pair could tackle something worthwhile. On his own, the best he could do was bring in a sick squirrel or long dead bird that had been unlucky to fall from a tree branch.

Once he was sure the boy had followed, he moved towards the back of the cave and laid down with a harsh thump. "There we go, nice and warm. If you want something to eat, let me know. I’m not sure if I can find much in this storm, but I might be able find a rabbit or pheasant unlucky enough to be out in this storm." While the boy replied, Halcyon began to lick and pick at his paws, ripping out the hard clumps of snow that had collected there. A thought came to him suddenly and he gazed at the child with a smile. "I’m Halcyon, by the way. What name would you like me to call you?"