Word Count → 368 :: Here you go. <3
Wayne found himself thanking his wolf ancestors for the thick winter coat that kept him warm even in the freezing winter air. He was still used to southern weather, having traveled through states like New Mexico and Texas, but the timber wolf in him had awoken with the journey north. His breath foggy in the cold air, he squeezed Fern lightly with his legs and directed her around a treacherously icy patch of road that hadn’t yet been covered with grass here in the village.
“Think we’ll find anythin’ today, Fern?” the cowboy asked the mare, petting her neck lightly and checking to make sure her hair wasn’t standing on end. It was pretty cold out, but so long as she wasn’t shivering, he felt safe riding the large animal outdoors.
Luckily, it seemed to be warm between the buildings, and he kept the pace leisurely as he looked for broken doors and windows. There were sometimes salvageable human artifacts within, and even if not, he was looking forward to further investigating the farmers’ fields in this area. If Casa di Cavalieri expanded, he hoped that they went out in this direction so that they could take better advantage of the fertile land—though their pack was supposed to be a militaristic one. Wayne wasn’t much of a warrior, though; he was toned for work, but he didn’t think he would do very well in a fight.
Might have to change that, the man thought, frowning. He wanted to be useful to his pack in whatever way he could, though that was mostly providing food and taking care of the horses nowadays. Luckily, the surrounding packs seemed quiet and peaceful if still not altogether friendly, but he didn’t think he’d have to worry about preparing for war anytime soon.
He reined in the mare when a scent blew toward them; the animal stamped a hoof against the ground and tilted her ears back toward him, awaiting words in the form of orders or reassurances. He mumbled something soothing and sniffed again, identifying the scent as Cercatori d’Arte.
“Smell from the borders must’ve blown over here,” Wayne muttered to himself, knowing he was fairly close to the other pack.
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