There was a chill in the air as a lone silver figure made his way across the Buffalo Knolls in the direction of the Northern Mines. Specter had managed to pick at a buffalo carcass, chomping the meat down eagerly. He wasn't normally one for scavenging, but the meat was there, he was hungry, and overhead the clouds were gathering in an angry gray mass. His gaze shifted to the skies, expecting rainfall any moment. Given how cold Boreas had become with the changing season, and it nearing winter, the last thing he wanted was to get caught in the rain.

So he set his sights on the rocky formation that loomed in the distance. He wasn't overly familiar with the place but he had hopes that there was a cave or something of the sort he could hide in while the weather was bad. The wind around him blew, tugging at his fur and making him shiver. He had never been fond of the cold but, as he grew older, he favored it less and less. Maybe he should have been traveling south rather than north.

Pale eyes kept focus on the horizon as the rain began to fall. Sure enough it was freezing cold, and Spec shivered as the drops of water hit his face. Here's hoping he found a cave soon!

Grey was lucky he had found a rabbit earlier in the day, given the sudden chill in the air. Thick clouds had covered the sky soon after he had finished the small beast earlier, and the sky had only gotten darker since then. Luckily, he had soon found this grotto, and hopefully, a small cave was nearby where he could have some shelter from the storm.

And then the rain began to fall, sending a bitter chill down the wolf's spine. He kept his eyes locked ahead on the horizon, looking for any signs of shelter. But off in the distance... was that another wolf he saw?

Grey cautiously approached, offering a soft "Hello" to the other man. "Have you seen any shelter nearby? I'd be glad to help look for some with you, if you'd like."

The knolls were wide, but with each step he took Specter came closer to the mountainside. His pale silver gaze was scanning the rocks as he came, searching for a spot where the rocks looked different and, hopefully, indicated that there was a cave nearby. He furrowed his brow, the cold droplets of water distracting, though he was doing his best to push on and ignore them. He could feel the cold wind blowing across his coat though, and with the knowledge that he could get sick from the rain if he didn’t find shelter soon, he picked up the pace.

Spec was moving alongside the stone, minding his step, when the voice of another wolf caught his attention. Ghostly gaze flicked to the other male, one a bit younger than himself with a coat of calico-esc coloration. He greeted him, asking if he was seeking shelter, and offering his aid in finding it. Specter tipped his muzzle to the stranger, taking note that, like himself, this male did not hold a pack scent.

“Hello there,” Specter told him. “I haven’t found anything suitable yet, though given the size of this mountain I’m sure there is a cave or alcove somewhere nearby.” A cave would be far more ideal, given there were two of them now. An alcove would only protect them from the rain, not the cold. “Feel free to join me. I have a gut feeling if we go a bit further, we’ll find something.” Specter padded onward, leaving it to the other wolf if he would follow him or not.

“The name’s Specter, by the way. Specter Hollow. What should I call you?”

Grey nodded to the wolf who had already been here, his eyes glancing up to the rocks above. "I'm Grey. It's nice to meet you. Mind if I joined you?" the younger asked, shivering as the rain seemed to grow even colder and the wind felt as though it had blown that much harder.

"Thank you for allowing me to join you," Grey replied, beginning to follow Specter slightly more closely. Although an alcove wouldn't help protect them from both cold and rain, it would help with the rain at least. "I agree, a cave would be best, though..." his voice trailed as he looked ahead.

"... I think I see one, off in the distance that way."

Grey? Specter had to arch his brow at the name the other wolf gave. If anything, his fur color gave him the impression he would be called Red, not Grey. It was a nice name though, a simple one, and one that would be easier for the loner to remember. The silver and white-furred male allowed his gaze to linger on Grey for but a moment, but as the rain continued to fall, chilling both of them to the bone he let his gaze travel back to the mountain. Right now they needed to worry about shelter, especially with the wind blowing as it was. He was already feeling a shiver running through him.

“It is no trouble at all. Loners need to stick together, especially in this sort of weather.” Specter told him as he walked along at a brisk pace, hoping that soon the cave they would need could be found. A cave would definitely be preferable. The longer they stuck out here the more likely the rain they were in would chill them to the point of getting sick, something that he was sure neither of them wanted. He wasn’t exactly a healer, and he wasn’t sure if Grey knew anything about the craft. That could mean needing to find outside help…

But then Grey mentioned that he was sure he could see a cave in the distance and Spec perked his ears forward. Peering through the rain, sure enough, he could see a cave on the mountainside. He had no idea how deep it was, but it would be dry, and with the two of them there it would certainly be warmer than being out here. “Come on. Let’s run for it!” The adrenaline from the run would get their blood pumping and get them warmer too.

Specter lead the way, racing all the way to the cave, though by the time he crossed the stone threshold into it he was panting. He made his way deeper into the cave and peered over his shoulder to make sure Grey was still coming. He hoped he hadn’t left the slightly younger wolf too much in the dust. Once they were both in the cave they would need to move a bit further in, away from the entrance to avoid the chill of the air blowing in on them. Then they could worry about getting dry and warm.

Grey couldn't help but chuckle sadly as he saw the man raise a brow. "My parents said before I passed that I was completely grey with some silver, hence the name," he said, letting out a soft sigh. "But that was..." His voice trailed off as he spoke softly.

"That was before they passed." He closed his eyes, trying to keep his composure while he was out here.

The other male confirmed the cave, and Grey was very glad he wasn't just seeing things. "You are right about that, for sure," Grey chuckled softly as he followed the other man. Despite the other man running ahead as quickly as he could, Grey stayed right on him, glad for the sudden warmth from sprinting.

As he arrived at the cave, Grey moved as far in as he could, wanting to warm up as quickly as possible.

Grey’s explanation made sense. It seemed the red had come as he grew older, just like how parts of Specter’s coat had darkened with age. He was once a little white ball of fluff, newly born and squeaking at his mother’s side. But that was long ago. Now he was older, and he had long since been without his parents or siblings. He understood the feeling of loss, however. None of his family was alive, so he sympathized with Grey. It seemed a sore subject for the other wolf and Spec would not poke at it. Instead, he would focus more on getting them both in that cave so that they could start to warm up.

Though they would gain a little warmth from the sprint, when they cooled down from that they would start to feel the chill from their wet coats. Specter came closer to Grey, seeming to not be bothered about personal space as he spoke. “I’m going to groom your coat and see if I can get rid of some excess moisture. With the rain still in our coats we’ll be likely to get a cold if we don’t. Hang tight.” A normal wolf might have waited for permission, but Specter’s tongue was already lolling out of his mouth, reaching for Grey’s neck.

Grey nodded solemnly, glad that the other man was understanding of the situation. He caught his breath and moved on, watching the other man. He shivered as a sudden chill came back through the cave, whether the rain or just standing still after their short sprint into it. He wasn't that worried about the personal space, or lack thereof - after all, the body heat between the two would help them warm up that much more quickly.

And then Specter was grooming his coat, his tongue hanging out as he moved even closer to Grey. And that sent a certain feeling through him - one that he wouldn't necessarily turn down, if Specter wanted to indulge.