[Time, who cares about time when you're a wolf? Dates are human things!] [The first IC meeting of Winter Rain and Moon Otter, a while before he ] [returned to the Wheel. ] Evening is spreading its dark blanket over the land as the sun begins to touch the horizon on its descent. Nestled one one side of a tree-covered hill, a small pack of wolves is begining to stir. Hidden from view and downwind, Winter Rain watches the pack from afar, nose twitching as she scents them, wistfulness in her otherwise brittle amber eyes. The black wolf is the first to rise from his position above the den. Pushing to all fours with a mute grunt of effort, he pads over to the mouth of the den, disappears briefly inside, then reappears with a wayward small cub at his heels. A brief chuff ushers the little fellow back to the warmth of the den before Moon Otter begins making his rounds of the area. Winter Rain watches the black alpha quietly, her ears tilted backwards. Then she rises, puts her muzzle skywards, and howls, a simple message of humble greetings. Moon Otter pauses in his trek, takes a few steps back towards pack, then turns to face the direction the howl came from. Lifting his own muzzle, he returns the howl--not hostile--but stating that there are others in the area. A second, briefer howl inquires as to what the stranger wants. Winter Rain slips out of cover, limping slowly on three paws, her stance wary. She lowers her tail and ears and does not approach too closely. Moon Otter's tail rises straight up as the other wolf exits from her hidden place. The remainders of the pack, stirred from their rest by the howls, peer and sniff futily in Winter Rain's direction. A curt growl from Otter tells them to stay back--especially the cubs. This done, he turns his full attention towards the new wolf. He chuffs out over the night air, Who are you? What do you want? Winter Rain dips her muzzle, ears flattening back against her head, meek before the black alpha despite the obviously large amounts of rage simmering within her. She utters another howl, doleful and sad. She is Winter Rain, and she is alone. She does not wish to be alone anymore. Moon Otter approaches closer, to get a better look at this Winter Rain. He whuffs, You are injured. Can you still hunt? Winter Rain lifts her muzzle slightly, though she doesn't raise it above Otter's. She can hunt. She lost her paw to a Weaver-trap, when she was still young, long ago. Moon Otter's ears twist outwards at this. Then, he cautiously closes the remaining distance between the pair--sniffing. Winter Rain lowers her body, submissive, perhaps unable to be anything but toward the wolf who is so much an alpha in form and stance. She seems anxious to be accepted, perhaps desparate. Moon Otter takes some obvious time to muse over his decision. This one could use help feeding the cubs and protecting the pack. So long as you do not challenge this one's mate--Crimson Dawn--you may stay.