Detected

Bark colored fur bristled against the cold, the wolf lolled his tongue as he surveyed the lake under the bright moonlight. The waters were still and glassy, a perfect reflection of the full moon upon the surface. He was waiting, listening for the faintest sound; a snapping twig, a rustling of leaves, perhaps even breathing. Farkas could hear loons calling in the night, raccoons were chittering, crickets sang, frogs hummed loudly, a bobcat caterwauled, and an owl was hooting. In the furthest distance he heard a whisper of promise, the calls carried by the wind; howling. He threw back his head and answered the call, heart leaping with anticipation. Unable to wait any longer, he rushed into the trees, his paws kicking up clumps of mud where he had been sitting. He thundered down the path, whining with excitement.

The howling grew louder as he went, the ferns whipping water droplets onto his fur. Farkas howled again, he must be close by now. There was no answer at first, and Farkas sat with his head tilted to the side, confused. Then he was knocked to the ground with a yelp. A black wolf, only slightly smaller than he, stood over him with an obvious smile in his eyes. Farkas rolled away and the black wolf sat with a very satisfied expression. Two she-wolves wove their way through the trees; one ginger, and one chestnut. The ginger wolf bumped her muzzle against his own as the smaller chestnut wolf wagged her tail with a whine and touched her nose to his neck. Farkas may love the forest and living in it, but this was home. Pack was home.

The four wolves made their way back toward the lake, in no hurry, they chased anything that moved and often tumbled over each other in play. Farkas was careful to show Vilkas the tracks of the huntress, Brynn. They avoided her paths as best they could, and hunted elk on the furthest side of the lake. The entire night was spent as though nothing had changed, as if Farkas had never left, and it both pleased him and hurt at the same time. Farkas knew when he was leaving Jorrvaskr that he had made the right decision, but times like these brought out his doubt. When the moon began to disappear over the mountains, he watched the rest of the pack leave. Vilkas gave him a nod as he and Sivanna trotted side by side, with Aela trailing behind.

The mood was somber after they had left, the forest oddly quiet without them. Farkas sauntered to his camp and crawled into his tent. He shifted forms, the strangely fluid feeling washing over him, and then dropped onto his bedroll and fell immediately into a deep sleep.

"Fergus! Wake up, man!", a voice hissed. Farkas grumbled, rolling from his stomach to his side. He blinked groggily up at the shape of a woman framed by sunshine.

"Good gods, Fergus! You haven't any clothes!"

"Brynn?", he rumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Aye, it bloody well is Brynn!" she retorted. "Cover your bits and get out here."

"Bits?", Farkas said with a frown. He wouldn't consider them 'bits.' Never the less, he hurried into yesterday's armor and with a yawn, came to stand beside her. She stood at the edge of the bluff, looking out at the lake intensely. Another bear perhaps?

"Is it another one?", Farkas asked, scanning the landscape below.

"Might be, haven't seen the like before, didn't strike me as bear though.", she mused.

Farkas frowned, watching her from the corner of his eye. "What did you see?"

"Follow.", Brynn commanded, then called, "Olcan!" The silver hound came bounding toward them from the path as she walked briskly to the water's edge. Farkas trailed behind her, unsure where exactly this encounter was headed, until he saw them.

"Here!", Brynn pointed to tracks that were imprinted deep into the mud. The leg span was enormous as only a footpath of this particular type could be. A cold chill swept down him, almost as though someone had poured black ice water down his spine, as he looked at his own wolf tracks on the shore.