Anu's smile melted away the knot of worry in Coli's chest, and her stance brightened considerably. She dared a glance at Brooklyn, ears flickering as she tried to adopt a simultaneous friendly and apologetic expression, succeeding only in looking awkward. She rose quickly back to her small paws, snowflakes eddying around her haunches as she padded obediently at Anu's heels. The cold air was surprisingly good for her healing tail stub; it brought a numbness to the consistent throbbing, making the introverted female a bit more optimistic about the outing.
Two more wolves surged out of the darkness, falling in step with their small hunting party. Colibri skirted shyly away from the unfamiliar female, the warm scent of pups lingering in her sleek pelt. The sole male caught her eye, though, with a reassuring smile. His scent was strangely familiar, although she couldn't place his face immediately, being in the dark and in a different form. "...You're the whittling man!" she blurted triumphantly, a shy smile quickly following an embarrassed wince. She couldn't quite recall his first name - she had still been lightheaded and weak the day she met him, and most of their conversation was a hazy memory at best. Still cringing, the small timber wolf let her pace falter and slow, so that the older wolves would pass her by. She should be at the back of the pack anyway.
The wintry air crystallized her breath, suspending tiny clouds that dissipated as she cut through them. It was relaxing to stretch her legs, to lope along at that easy stride, hearing the short huffs of breath from the wolves around her. This was the part she liked, really - being included, and knowing that it would not fall on her incapable shoulders to bring down their prey. Not every hunt was a successful one, but Coli did not want that failure to be the first impression her new packmates would carry of her.