in a different place

The stranger was considerably smaller than him - at least by a full head, if not more - though this came as no surprise to him. He and his family came from a bloodline of large wolves, and strong wolves; you had to be, to survive the more northern climates that he was accustomed to. In these warmer lands, wolves didn't need to be quite so bulky.  His gaze roved over her, wondering how difficult the climb had been for her. She didn't look like she was about to topple down the mountain, which was a plus.

His grin widened as her expression shifted as she eyed his tusks, a hearty laugh escaping his throat. Aki was used to be looked at wide-eyed and confused quite often. He only grew agitated when his presence was met with fear, for his demeanor was generally pleasant upon first meeting a stranger. The questions could get a bit old, but he was happy to have company, especially on a day as lovely as today. Sharing this view with someone else wouldn't be at all unwelcome.

His tail wagged behind him in a wide arc as she spoke. "Not too many wolves enjoy mountain-climbing, it seems," he mused aloud with a lighthearted chuckle. "It's a shame. No other way to see so much of the world at once."  Hopefully she could appreciate the beauty just as he did. His head tilted to the side, casting his gaze over the landscape below, which was really quite breathtaking. "It's a pleasure, Faite. My name is Aki," he'd reply to her name easily. "And.. I was born with these. My father had them, too. A gift from the gods, I like to tell myself. You could humor me and pretend you believe me, if you want." Or more likely, it was just an abnormality; but it amused him to pretend there was some spiritual reason for his mutation. He gauged her for any kind of reaction, wondering what she could learn about this woman so soon after meeting her by her reactions alone.