The winter chill was unforgiving as it whistled between the peaks, the sharp air like knives across his snout as he pushed through the territory in silence. The snow had come fast and hard, dotting the horizon with blankets of white as he stepped precariously along its quiet crunch. He had thought about grabbing a meal, a small snack from the territory’s cache. Yet, disappointment quickly laced his features as he made his way toward the buried earth.

The ground was frozen beneath him, a hard surface beneath his nails as they scraped aimlessly along the ground. Nothing.

And though he could have dug it up and spent his afternoon releasing their meals from the winter season’s unruly grip, Amaris did not. Instead, he turned on his heels and stared at the winter-kissed forest that greeted him. He’d have to hunt, and perhaps a warmer meal would be a better one, after all.

Yet, before his legs could motion him forward, the sound of clicking… and crunching against the frigid snow rooted the moon-touched boy in his spot. His ears angled forward, twitching against the winter breeze as he twisted a head toward the sound of a voice.

Dimitri.

Amaris offered his older brother, one he did not quite know all that well, a softened smile. Hey, he greeted with a gentle bob of his head, No, just searching for a meal. In truth, Amaris had never been close to his older siblings, barring his relationship with Sreda—a relationship built upon his mistakes but flourished into one of trust nonetheless.

But…Violet, Alder, Dimitri…he didn’t quite know them, and they didn’t know him.

—is something going on, Dimitri? He asked as a tick of concern crossed his silver expression.