At last! The boy now a year old, was able to travel out of his home territory of redbud nook. (unless I got the territory name wrong then somewhere from the east.-.) He was eager to get out and see the world with his mother, though he didn't realize how big the world was! And to him, such a tiny creature in size, everything was big! And still, he'd look at everything they passed in astonishment. They had gone westward, the heat having died down thanks to the changing of the season and the sun was much less harsh on his small frame. The young lad was excited, even though he didn't know where he was going or what lied ahead. But that just made it all the more exciting!

Shiki had been feeling a little more confident lately. Perhaps because of the rush for adventure or because he was a yearling, and a years worth of pent up energy raged inside him. He was eager to meet other wolves, eager to talk to strangers (even though his mom taught him otherwise), and eager to find out more about the world. And that's where he ended up today...Running as fast as his now lithe body would carry him, Shiki climbed up a rise that would begin to turn patchy and dry, the grasses making his fur itch but he ignored it. For the call of adventure was out there!

The midday sun was up, Shiki's energy as high as the sun. Tongue lolling out, eyes wide and nose twitching as he sniffed everything he passed, he finally made it to the top of the hill. Almost immediately his breath was taken away, for what lay before him was astonishing to him. There was miles and miles of sand! Hills of it! The wind sweeping dust devils and sand tornadoes off in the distance. He stared out in wonder as his tail slowly moved back and forth behind him. He had never seen a desert before, so wasn't even sure what this sea of sand was. But still, he would find out. With a small sneeze, he'd race down the hill and into the dunes, sand spraying up all around him. He couldn't wait to see what else life had in store!

Things had grown quiet, so very quiet lately around Pantheon. Perhaps that was what first prompted him to leave the lands. He had taken the time to visit Philotes first, checking to make sure his little sister was doing alright before he left. Hercules had cheered her up though it seemed, thank goodness. Thanatos was grateful for his brother being so good with the little ones. If anything happened to the youngest Natios litter he wasn't sure what he would do. Especially with Helios seeming to be scarce these days. It was something that truly had the young man concerned. What brought him out to the desert though he wasn't quite sure. The young man would breathe in the hot desert air, his tail moving slowly back and forth. Poe had chosen to stay behind today, and perhaps that was for the better. Who knew what dangers lurked out here? Or what wonders? Thanatos was one who did not mind flirting with death, his namesake, and the young man would move at an almost leisurely pace as he descended one of the dunes. That was when he saw movement. At first he dismissed it as more sand, the other boy being more of a creamy tan than anything else. But then he took notice of the white, and the darker brown. Thanatos would pause, a frown on his face as he watched the energy of the other youth. Shaking his head he would slowly shift his position and make his way towards the other.  He moved at a slow pace, his usual pace, and he would raise his voice, something uncommon for him, to call out to the other. "You... lost?" He would ask, heading in the direction of the other young man still. "Listen to me talk," 'but read my thoughts.'

Table by:: Chrono

The boy had been racing in a zig-zag pattern up and down the dunes, enjoying the feeling of the warm air and the way the sand sprayed up around him and leaving behind a wake of dust. As he was racing down the other side of a dune, he'd hear a voice calling out to him. Glancing back, the boy saw another wolf coming towards him. Distracted, the boys paws tripped over a scraggly shrub which in turn, sent him tumbling down the slope. Shiki rolled head over heels several times before finally coming to a stop, face first into the softer sand.

"Blech!" Picking himself up, he spit the sand from his mouth but it stuck to his tongue and all over his face. Shaking his head and his body, he was afraid to turn around now due to sheer embarrassment...he was sure the stranger had seen him fall. Dropping his head slightly, his ears tipped back in embarrassment as he felt the heat rush to his face, Shiki finally turned to face the direction of the one who called out to him. He had heard the words previously, before he got a face full of sand. But he wasn't sure what he meant by the question. Lost? Had he ever been lost before? He wasn't sure...he was always with his mother, and this time he had chosen to venture out on his own. Granted, he didn't know where he was, so did that count as lost?

The stranger seemed to be walking very slow, Shiki unsure if he should close the distance or wait...eventually, he decided he would meet the stranger halfway. Tail slightly down, ears tipped back and his stature somewhat bowed, he'd slink his way over until he stood a few feet away. "Um...I don't know?" He'd glance up, looking the other male over as he inspected his appearance. White stood out upon his face, brightening him up compared to the rest of him, but Shiki had to admit...he had a nice coat of brown, darker then his own but attractive nonetheless. Wait what?! Shiki sniffed the wind for a moment, inhaling the newcomers scent. And finally, in a small voice he'd ask "Who are you?"

The other young man would walk to meet him halfway, and, looking at him more closely, it looked as if he had already taken a face first plant into the sands. Thanatos would examine the tan male slowly, his gaze shining gently. He was so little... almost like he was still a pup. But by how he spoke it sounded more like he was about the age of a yearling... like himself. Thany would dip his head slowly, speaking in a gentle tone. "I am... Thanatos... Adravendi..." Still he clung to the last name his father had bore, as a reminder of whom he was. The other was a little cutie, almost like someone who would need constant protecting. The antipeltast of Pantheon would look first into the desert, then to the young man. "Nothing out... there... except... sand." He would inform the other. "Do you... not have... a... home?" He would raise a brow. There seemed to be no pack scent on the young man's coat... a concerning thing really. Wandering into the desert alone... no pack... not wise decisions at all. "Listen to me talk," 'but read my thoughts.'

Table by:: Lolaf

Shiki Gazed up curiously at the stranger, watching as he slowly dipped his head to him and Shiki in turn would tilt his head ever so slightly. Ears perked just a bit when the other male told him his name, and Shiki then would tilt his head the other way at the slowness of Thanatos's speech. Was he alright? Or did he deliberately speak that way? It seemed very...slow. He wondered if he would have to speak that slow too for this wolf to understand him, but at the same time he did not want to try it in case he offended the male. And Shiki was in no place for a fight, not because of the area...sort of. His mother wasn't around to help if needed, and not only that but Shiki was incredibly small and didn't know how to fight just yet. He met the strangers eyes for a moment, his fur feeling hot though he was unsure if it was due to the heated sand or something else. Still, he was too naive to understand regardless, nobody having taught him about any feelings he might have in the future. *cough cough*

He followed the strangers gaze when Thanatos pointed out to him that there was nothing beyond the desert, but how did he know? He responded to him then, curious. "How do you know there's nothing out there? What if there is? Not saying there isn't but..." His voice trailed away as he suddenly felt hotter. Speaking against the knowledge of one who probably knew more then he did felt wrong. Not only that, but maybe Thanatos did know what was out there. Shiki after all, knew nothing about these lands yet...When he returned his gaze towards the desert, looking away from Thany, paws shuffling slightly in the sand, he felt like maybe he shouldn't have spoken out like that. Turning to glance uneasily at Thanatos, he mumbled a quiet "Sorry..." before trying to figure out what to say next. Then, the strangers next question caught him slightly off kilter. "Um...I do have a home...I live with my mother Pamela in Redbud nook. Just...me and her." There was three of us but... He'd push that away from his mind for the moment, then realized suddenly he hadn't told Thany his name! "Oh! My name is Shiki Kedieo, it's...good to meet someone else." He gazed fondly at Thany, finally happy for once that he could meet someone else his own age.

Thanatos would blink a bit, confused at the younger wolf’s words. How did he know there was nothing out there? “I live... Near here...” Thany would say slowly. He didn’t take offense to the other young man’s words, though he easily could have. He would listen as the other apologized before he carried on. So he was a loner. He lived in the place called Redbud Nook. Thanatos believed that it was in the East, at least if he could recall. It was definitely not packland. He would frown some, his gaze gentle. “That... Sounds lonely...” Thanatos would tilt his head to the side, peering at Shiki with a curious gaze. “Why have... You... Not... Joined a... Pack?” "Listen to me talk," 'but read my thoughts.'

Table by:: Lolaf

"oh..." So it was true, the other male did know more then Shiki thought. He shuffled his paws a bit, lonely? Maybe...no. Definitely. "Yeah...I guess it kinda when you think about it..." He hadn't realized till now how lonely it truly was, but before he hadn't really given much thought to it. And now? Now this new guy was kinda starting to make him question his lifestyle. He watched as Thanatos peered at him, Shiki wondering what he was going to say next. And he wouldn't have to wait long. "Join a pack...well, for starters...I don't know of any packs to join. I don't know anything about these lands or where the packs are or what packs are best to join! What if I get into a pack and i'm kicked around?? I'm...pretty small, I'm sure someone somewhere would love to pick on me."

He sat down then with a huff, his fur prickling as his annoyances about his tiny height began to irk him. He hated being so small! Why couldn't he be big like his father? Why did he have to be such a shrimp!? Ah well, it couldn't be helped he supposed...he had to find a pack. Thanatos was right. And Shiki's first question, would be to find out his best course of action. "What about you? Are you in a pack?"

Thanatos would give a gentle smile as he watched the expression of the other young man. He would offer encouragement the best he could, speaking gently. “That is... why you need... to ask... around to get... what info... On... packs you can find. There are... some... packs that have... wolves... like that, but... you wouldn’t... be picked on... in every pack.” The brown male actually liked the smaller stature of the other male. It was nice. “I am... Part of... Pantheon. It is... Made... Of my... Family.” Thany would explain. “We are... Not... Doing well.” He would frown some, but shake his head. “It is... A... Good pack... Though.” "Listen to me talk," 'but read my thoughts.'

Table by:: Chrono

He listened to Thanatos with interest, the first pack wolf he had ever met. And the other male had a point, Shiki would need to gather information on the different packs and go from there. But as it was, he kind of enjoyed being a rogue. Though it did get lonely sometimes...but when he got the chance to meet new people all the time during his random treks, it wasn't all bad.

He frowned a little when Thany told him his pack wasn't doing well. And though he wondered why, he figured it was personal business. "Well, I hope everything turns out alright." He offered a smile to Thanatos, tail wagging slightly. It then occurred to him they were standing in the scorching sun, and Shiki suddenly wanted to bury himself in the sand like a desert dwelling creature to cool off. He began panting, and wondered if there was anywhere nearby where they could get water and relief from the shade. "Hey Thanatos, would you like to accompany me to find some water? I'm...not used to this kind of heat.." His voice turned apologetic, mentally scolding himself for he felt like he was bothering the other with such a simple request. Then again, he always felt like that even with his dad. Though he didn't know it yet, Shiki was feeling like he should allow others to lead, and he to follow.

"Speech"