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The fox-colored male's translucent silver eyes caught Harle's minute hesitation, and his thick fur bristled slightly, worried that he was being rejected. He was surprised by the wave of relief that swept over him when the the dark wolf agreed to his proposition and the purple female seemed to pass tacit approval as well. With his reason for being in the woods now on hold, Leigh had nothing else to do. True, he was a bit of a lone wolf in these woods, but he was not beyond getting lonely. He had never thought he would miss the laconic company of his packmates, but part of him frowned at the prospect of wandering alone for a month in woods of such magnitude.

Besides... the females' looks weren't lost on him. Dristi seemed to be an exotic beauty, with delicate patterns about her eyes, and a most interesting pattern on her shoulder. And Harlequin's pelt was stunning, a mix of bright colors to fit her ornate name and attractively coquettish nature. Both female's features, though different, were pleasing to the eye. Equally attractice were their strong personalities that seemed to compliment each other in conversation so well. They were like a force of nature, and interesting flirting material, to boot. Leigh couldn't help but quirk a small, smug grin, typically male. He adjusted his paws, pulling himself to his feet. A merry band indeed.

"The westlands are a wasteland. Long ago, the earth there was stricken with a strange upheaval, splitting itself apart in many places. Few trees remain, and the soil is poor." Light eyes stared into Harle's almost in a challenge, as the male let out a breath of air in a light laugh. "Home sweet home." He smiled dryly. "When the wind howls in your ears with no foliage to break it's power, then you know cold." His chest puffed slightly, as if he was proud of his barren beginnings rather than resentful. Either way, it explained why his pelt was slightly fuller than usual. His eyes, still on Harle, were teasing, testing.

Gaze drifting towards the purple female at the sound of her voice, Leigh smiled slightly, almost pleasantly, at Dristi's musings, looking amused. He wasn't sure if he agreed with her about the rain, though. He didn't look forward to being drenched without warning and would probably be more in favor of finding shelter. Of course, he could never admit to this unless one of the females suggested it first. It just wasn't done like that.

"Suits me fine either way. Though I can always go for fresh meat." He said, pleased at his ability to slip one more double handed little flirt into the mix.

[*fiiiinally has a little time to sneak on and reply* @___@ Sorry guys! It's just been so stressed out around here. But, hopefully the reply will get things rolling again. May the adventure continue...! Aha. ]

Former breezes have begun to pick up speed to a more forceful push of prickling cold as the storm forms itself above the three wolves. The scent of rain becomes thick in one's nostrils, lingering of moist earth, and whatever light was left from the soon setting sun has been dimmed by outstretched clouds. It shouldn't be too long before the rain hits.

Pricking an ear forward, Dristi keeps this observation in attentive care; it doesn't look like it'll be a light shower, or a short one, for that matter. Perhaps she'll keep an eye out for shelter to go back to after their catch of the day. As for the hunting, Dris finds herself caught in two feelings: one of excitement, for she's never experienced a group hunt before, and one of nervousness, because. Well.
She's never experienced a group hunt before. Her life has been one of travel, and searching.
This bodes for some odd awkward conflictions.

Listening to the two wolves talk about wastelands, she can't help but agree - it seems that every territory is catching on to the overpopulated affliction. Harle's mention of it being crowded enough here as it is leaves her disappointed. She was just starting to like this land, but 'old wolf's worries' is something she definitely doesn't want to go through, or contribute to, for that matter.
It looks like she'll have to be wandering some more before the winter completely settles itself. This is a saddening thought for someone who thought she finally might have found a place to newly call 'home'.

Catching Leigh's cleverly put lewd comment, her mind snaps back to the on-going present. Ugh! This boy just doesn't stop.
"I'm sure you would, Leigh....it doesn't sound like you've had a chance at any for a long time." Sealing her reply with a small smirk, she pads her way next to her female companion - and comrade in this delightful gender war.
"I'm not too terribly hungry, but I wouldn't mind a bite, either. A snack sounds about right for me, and seeing as how there's three of us, I'm sure nobody would mind if I just...nibbled some. No wasting there." She grins at Harle before taking a sweeping look of what's ahead. "Hmm...I haven't been around this part too much, so I don't know it well. Maybe you should lead the way, seeing as you're the only one who knows where they're going. So....which way to go?"

The Harlequin chuckled, but was not to amused to not be pleased by her position in this strange little group. She certainly did know these woods, perhaps better then many. The slight banter between Dristi and Leigh kept her all grins, and with a slow bound, she pulled herself from a sitting position. "Food it is then."

The black wolf brought herself to a trot, stopping once to make sure they were eager to keep up. If they would go for some food, then they'd better know how to be lightfooted. "That depends on what your particulars are." Harle responded, looking towards Leigh. "There's three of us- that shouldn't be too much to bring down something large. Unless that mouth of yours is only good for talking." She quipped, although she did it in an amiable manner, having for the moment lost her prior suspicious manner. There would be further time to discover such discourses as those which had brought Dristi and Leigh to these woods- to her home.

She stuck out her chest, as she rose on the corners of her toes to get a better scent of the wind. It was a dramatic sort of fashion, but she was a natural show person. "We'll head South- I think. It's getting towards winter, and it's the last place the elk move before heading further South down the mountains. We can probably catch some food there." She glanced back towards them. "But if you two are better with smaller game, I know where we can pick off some smaller creatures. It's you're choice." She said with a slight grin, although the matter was rather serious. She wasn't about to go elk hunting with a pair of wolves who hadn't done it before. She certainly hoped Leigh's mouth was good for more then talking- because although she was a smart (and rather good looking, if she might add) wolf, she did not have the kind of strength it would need to pull down such a beast. She could orchestrate this- but it'd take their help to pull it off. She hoped that her expression would hint them onto it.

Leigh made little move as the multicolored Harle padded a few triumphant steps forward, glancing over her terrain. Moments like these, where a female's pride was almost tangible, you could feel her comfort with her homeland, were always quite becoming. Dristi moved forward and Leigh finally ambled after the two females, unable to resist a slight snigger at Harle's next comment pertaining to his sullen mouth. "Oh no, it's good for a good many things, babe. Not just talking. Or hunting, for that matter." His tricolored foxtail arched into a cocky arc.

In the desolate far-west, there wasn't much prey to go around. Animals were scarce, and were seldom small. When an opportunity struck, you had to be ready or you would go hungry. If you went hungry too many times, you died. Thus was the way of the wastelands. In those lands, hunting big game was a necessary life skill, and Leigh had it. He was no master, but he was no rookie.

"I'm good with anything bloody. But there are three of us. We'd each get hardly a mouthful with a rabbit." After saying such, the silver male tossed Dristi a grin that suggested he had taken her comment about following directions out of this context and into another.

"I see it's good for getting you into all sorts of trouble too," was Dristi's sweet remark to Leigh after the exchange of his routine glances. Without taking a backward glimpse, Dris pivots on her left hind paw and closely follows Harle to their hopeful elk destination through the bushes.

With most leaves and green vegetation dry and dead for the coming of winter, the bare trees make the woods dense and easy to observe while traveling: like the ground they're padding through, most of the area is full of mild, curving hills, and the terrain itself is more on the rocky side with the creek trickling nearby. There were few stone cliffs that had formed due to said creek running through in centuries worth of time, and trees had taken privilege to rooting themselves into gaping cracks and flourish with moss and vine. A particularly cliff that briefly caught the attention of the gypsied-wolf had a very large crevice near the bottom base that could easily be considered a maw; dried vines had crawled up the sides and covered most of the entry way, but yes, there it is - possible shelter for the coming storm to drag their kill and eat in dry comfort.

Reverting her attention back to what's in front of her [and keeping the small cave with close attention in the front of her mind], Dristi muses over the hunting strategy. Helping out Leigh with the kill itself is probably not too bad of an idea - it keeps her from being completely depended on in a new situation, and she can silently observe the skills involved. Flicking an ear back, she mentally smiles to herself - she's pleased with the idea, and isn't feeling quite as nervous as before.

Now all they need is a herd.