Scouting the territories that bordered their home was the least she could do before settling on their next step. While the Plains offered the best potential for their livestock, and it increasingly seemed that was the way forward, she would be remiss to dismiss the canyon to their north. She was sure it was littered with useful little caves and hidden waterways, but as her paws scraped against the sandstone, she grimaced.

Far too fond of the breezy treetops to tuck herself away in a bat-shit stinking cave, she decided without too much further thought, and while it might be suitable for storage out of the weather, she couldn't be certain the narrow valleys wouldn't be prone to flash flooding. In fact, the driftwood like sticks that caught between the stones seemed to indicate just that. Thankfully it was a sunny spring day. She would poke around a bit more before writing it off entirely.

"speech"

He had set off to explore the lands that surrounded Insomnia. The western part of Boreas boasted all manner of things, including another pack that nearly bordered the way to lands beyond the water. The young male was curious, of course, but he was even more curious about the canyons that partially separated the deserts from what lay beyond. The shade and cool stone was a welcome respite after all that sand he had trekked through, and quite frankly, he didn't care if he never saw another desert again! Luckily, there hadn't been too much between here and there, but still enough sand that made him feel gross. A bath was certainly in order when he returned!

He poked his head into various caverns as he carefully traversed the narrow pathways of the Redwater Rocks, ears catching the sound of both wind, falling stone, and the occasional screech of a hawk or ominous sound of vulture as they circled the sky above. At least the day was pleasant enough, though he wondered what he might find in the nooks and crannies of this place.

To his surprise, he spotted movement further along the path he was on. He didn't expect another to be out this way, but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless. Maybe they knew more about this land, what treasures it might hide or any history behind it. He offered a soft woof to alert the stranger to his presence as he briskly drew closer. The she-wolf smelled of a pack unknown to him, and he couldn't deny that she was quite the looker. All exotic looking and whatnot (to him, as he had yet to see something like her). "Good day, out for an exploratory stroll?"

"Speech"

Something tickled at the back of her mind that perhaps once Ashen had dwelled here. When she compared the caves to those on Dove Island, she supposed it might track. She was sure her Uncle had moved away from the rocks and back towards the coast to offer his wives a safe sanctuary away from the mainland, and that was still an option for them too (she was sure Gilgamesh would appreciate a stretch of water separating them from any that might wish them harm).

The movement of black and white caught her eye and her head tipped, wondering if the distinctive markings made this wolf some sort of distant relative? After all, it seemed so many had some tie to her mother's family, they had infiltrated most families like some sort of plague. She would reserve her judgement, however, as a youthful voice asked if she was out exploring. She inclined her head in acknowledgement. "Just contemplating whether the risk of flash flooding outweighs the shelter of the caves." She indicated towards a pile of driftwood.

She knew of Insomnia, it had been one of the first raids Gilgamesh had led when he formed the pack, but she hadn't been present so didn't recognise the scent on him. "Have you travelled far?"

"speech"

He nodded as he hummed softly, his own gaze taking in the driftwood that littered the canyon. He was fairly new here still, so he didn't know how often it had flooded here in the past, nor what the seasons were really like that might threaten to flood here in the future. The canyon looked like it had been carved out by eons of water, however, from what he could tell. The rocks smoothed over by rain and perhaps at one point, a river that ate away at it until it became what it was now. "Hmm...the caves would offer respite, as well as good places for storage, denning, protection..." His gaze found her for a brief moment again before he looked toward one of the many cave mouths that dotted the rocks. "But an escape plan would always be needed in the event it did flood enough to where it might trap you."

Indeed, that was always a risk. And considering she smelled like a pack, there would need to be several escape plans in place. And if one wasn't prepared, let alone an entire pack, chaos and panic could ensue, which could lead to lives lost. Her question brought his attention back to her, a soft chuckle slipping from pale lips. "Indeed I have. My family and I have traveled a great distance in search of more...promising opportunities. Safe to say I am not yet familiar with the lands nor the packs here. But I intend to be in due time," He settled down for a moment as he looked briefly at the sky, almost as if he was expecting a sudden torrent of rain to come pouring down and trap him in this very valley. But of course, it would just be a trick of the mind, especially after the flooding conversation. "And you? You smell of a pack."

"Speech"

The black and white wolf spoke sense, and she exhaled heavily as he came to the same conclusions she did. With a family as prone to drunken shenanigans as hers was... Caves with the potential to flood was a recipe for disaster. "I fear the wolves of my pack are far too prone to overindulgence for this to be a viable option for them..." A grin pulled at the edges of her lips, "But I do find myself drawn to open places more often than not these days, and who wants to live among the reek of bats and rodents?"

It was a rhetorical question, she didn't expect the man to answer. But he had asked after her family and she hadn't ignored the question, not really. "Raider's Hollow, this territory borders our own on the northern edge. We will probably expand further to the west, there is some prime grazing land for the goats, and the estuary just below it has some fresh water streams that the sea hasn't completely claimed. How about you?"

"speech"

She divulged a bit of information about how her packmates were. If he didn't know any better, they sounded a bit similar to the members of Insomnia. Throwing caution to the wind and all that. Still, he chuckled at the rhetoric. Yes, he didn't care to live among bats and rats either. The Gorge had a number of those already, and they were working on a plan to minimize the population, if not eradicate them altogether. She informed him about the name of her pack around where the pack was. Just on the other side of here, eh? So definitely not too far. If he kept going, he was sure he'd be at their borders in no time at all. "Doesn't sound like a bad plan nor location at all, you've certainly thought things through to the benefit of your pack." He nodded almost to himself, and if he had a beard he'd be stroking it as well.

"I've recently joined the ranks of Insomnia, just on the other side of here. Practically neighbors. A strange bunch, I must say. But the Bone Queen isn't that bad. She surprises me, really." He chuckled and grinned as he thought about the eccentric queen and her brood. Yep...it was certainly a lively bunch. An odd bunch...but they had a certain charm about them nonetheless. He stretched out his limbs, claws clicking on the smooth stone surface that he sat upon, the wind shifting and brushing his fur as he sat up, squinting toward the horizon where Raiders Hollow was said to be. Just barely over the rocks, he could see the fields that lay beyond. And even further than that, the ocean...or so he assumed. Then again it could be a trick of the heat waves bouncing off the rock, but he was an opportunistic thinker. So he opted to think it was the former. "The names Kronos Dunamis, by the way. I must admit, I've not seen a wolf quite like yourself. Back where I'm from, you'd be considered rather exotic."

"Speech"