Elias hopped from one foot to the other, and made a noise as if about to speak- but deference to Goody Durlin won out and he waited in patience for a gap in the conversation. However, once a lull presented itself, the young man pounced like a conversational leopard upon the prey known as 'these unsuspecting out of towners'. If he wasn't so utterly sincere and gentle in his mannerisms, one might think him a lunatic with how he suddenly offered information such as:

"Well, Wolves aren't even all that dangerous so long as there's food for them- they're kindred spirits, really. Sharing the forest with us and whatnot- still animals, mind, but nowhere near as dangerous as folks seem't think." Clearing his throat, mild embarrassment at his interjection burning just visible above the line of his scarf on his cheeks, Elias continued from there; "But yeah, with weather like this so out of season who's to say how the prey situation is... Goodness, I hope all the little animals are doing alright--"

He waves his hands and finally stops moving on his feet.

"I'm digressing, what I mean to say is that Goody Durlin pretty much summed it up, I don't have anything else to add on that front- but I do have to point out that [b]none[/b] of this is natural, and that there may be some [i]veeeery[/i] unnatural things out there. That's part of why I'm here- I think I'm the only person in town with knowledge on the occult."

He said this as if it weren't some insane thing, and merely a fact such as the time of day.

"And given the land's relationship to the Algonquin tribes, I'd be remiss not to mention possibilities of danger from those particular myths. Pagwadijinini, Widjigo, Bi-bon- all are possible spirits tied to this sort of phenomenon. Pagwadijinini are Wild People, spirits of the forests of diminutive stature, and while troublesome are considered harmless by legend. I don't suspect we'll have need to fear them- think of them as mischievous Gnomes. They aren't beyond kidnap, mind you, but they're only that way to people who do them harm first. The Widjigo..."

He shudders briefly, eyes cast skyward briefly as he shifts his scarf and pulls it down off his face so he can grab his Pentacle necklace.

"I pray we need not understand them." His solemnity on the subject was total, a gravitas loaned to the accursed creature. "A cursed thing. [i]Cannibalism[/i]. They thrive in the cold where resources are scarce and humanity is driven to its wits. As for Bi-bon, that's the Algonquin name for the Northern Winds. Father Winter, if you will. While a powerful entity, he's usually represented as a seasonal change and the reason for bird migration- if he was truly angry, we wouldn't be searching for Chuck- we'd be icicles. I could elaborate further on other areas of cryptozoology or demonology, but those are the likely possibilities for now. If I see evidence otherwise I'll chime in."

This moment of madness abided, Elias exhaled a brief cloud of warmth in the form of a sigh before he pulled his scarf back up.

"I've got a few spells and wards handy just in case, and I have a few protective amulets on me if anyone else wants one. I also find it can be good for the health to get in a horoscope or fortune telling before doing serious things, so I went ahead and did a general one before coming out here- but if anyone wants something more personal I can do a quick one before we set out- though I'm antsy enough as it is to get out there and find Chuck. He almost certainly doesn't have any silver or iron on him." He says wistfully. "Let alone food or water."