Not for the first time, Halcyon’s claws slipped on the snow and his back legs were swept out from underneath him. The air was knocked from his lungs once more as he crashed through the thick crust of snow. Snorting in annoyance, he stood and shook the flakes from his pelt and gazed up at the top of the ledge of the valley. The thick forest lay just above him, where he was to meet with his oldest friend. True, the three males were loners and by no means a pack, but Jackson, Ame, and Halcyon had become close companions that worked together to help each one make it through the harsh winter. A winter that was going to be just as rough as the summer had been. When would they get a break from all the strange weather conditions? Hopefully the next year would bring a bountiful spring that would allow the wolves to rest and gorge themselves sick.

Thinking about spring made Halcyon forget his current situation for a moment and he shook his head to clear the thoughts away so he could focus on the task at hand. With a grunt, he set himself to making the climb again. An hour later, he finally reached it to the top of the slippery slope. Panting heavily, the thin wolf took several minutes to catch his breath before he was able to move off again. The year had not treated the wolf well. Sure, he had found Ame and Jackson, but even with their help, food was still scares, even more so now that the colder months were in full bloom. Catching anything for himself had become down right impossible and it was starting to show. His fur couldn’t keep his ribs concealed as they poked out slightly from underneath his skin.

Once rested, the russet wolf moved towards the trees and welcomed the comfort the shaded area brought. The snow here was not as bad as it had been elsewhere and his weary paws were thankful for that. Picking up the scent of his friends, Halcyon trotted deeper into the woods until he found the tri colored wolf. With a soft smile, he approached slowly, his tail wagging gently behind him. "Hey, Ame, thanks agreeing to meet with me. How have you been? Feels like forever since we’ve had a chance to just sit and talk, eh?" he said, laying down hard next to his friend. He would get to the reason of the meeting later. For now, he just wanted to sit and hear Ame talk in that strange way Halcyon had become fond of.