The young wolf pushed past a cluster of ferns, head lowered and ears back. The plants here were plentiful, albeit spindly and easy to move through. He paused to mark his scent along one crooked tree and scratch an itch behind one ear. The dense fog scattered the early morning sunlight, turning the raw, pink dawn into a kaleidoscope of gold and red contrasting the greens of the forest.
A grating call caught his attention and he lifted his head to see black plumage, so shiny it almost seemed to be glistening. The raven in question sailed towards the northwest, cocking its head to look at the brown wolf expectantly.
The wolf knew a sign when he saw one. He flattened his ears and broke into a sprint to follow, tongue lolling out of his mouth, tail up. The black bird croaked again, flapping its wings to fly even faster. The delightful, spontaneous game of chase seemed to drag on, considering he was confined to land while the bird claimed the air. Eventually it slowed, spiraling in front of a large tree stump beside a rotting log. It landed on a branch high above the male and tilted its head, beady black eyes winking in the light, watching intently.
The wolf panted, wagged a little, and barked at the raven. It refused to move. He gave up and sniffed the ground, covering his nose in dirt in the process. There had been squirrels here this morning, scuffing up the soil. Even the fog couldn't hold back that smell. He found nothing of interest, however, and turned to leave.
There was a short bark. The male paused, fur bristling, as a pretty dappled she-wolf approached him. She was accompanied by an older wolf, also female, with a healthy black coat. To his relief, both lifted their tails in friendly greeting, and he did the same. He noticed then how her ribs stuck out. Her legs trembled ever so slightly, and he twitched one ear in curiosity.
Nalypsis, she was called, and fires had forced her from her past home. She was friendly, charming, lovable, but supposedly a very poor hunter. Her orange eyes met his for a while, and she stepped forward to nuzzle him. He returned the gesture, feeling her bony back beneath his chin, her ribs against his muscles. He felt a warmth in her that was magnetic, and once they pulled back, touched his nose to hers. He hadn't had a group to live with before. Together they would found a pack, create a home. This they promised, tails wagging, while Tala spoke a few words to Nalypsis and sauntered off.
Scout 
Scout