The road that was once so lonely

His gaze was nearly unblinking as he fixated on the stranger in the distance. The man seemed startled, which made him silently chuckle. Once, perhaps, he had been fearsome, even terrifying -- but now he was simply an old man. It he or his family were being threatened, he was certain he could hold his ground, but his strength was gradually diminishing despite his steady resolve. Bronze had taken some time to accept this fact, but he finally had. His youth would never return to him, no matter how deeply he craved it.

Despite how mildly entertaining it was to see him startle another, he did not truly wanted to frighten the man. He introduced himself as Aoto Akani, explaining he meant no harm, and simply wanted to find a place to call home. He found himself smiling slightly as he took a few steps closer, but he kept his distance all the same. "If you're looking for a home, you're in the right place," he spoke honestly, nodding slowly. Slowly his eyes were adjusting to the darkness, and Aoto's outline became more obvious. "These lands are home to the Ludicael pack. They are kind and just wolves. It is not my place to invite you to stay, but I can always call for the leader if you'd like." His voice was cold as he spoke, both from sleep and from his advanced age, but growing warming as he began to make out Aoto's features before him.

He was respectful and reserved, qualities that Bronze noted. He even said he was a healer by nature. "A healer, you say?" He ventured to take a few steps closer, no more than a pawful of feet now away from this brute. "My daughter is a healer. A damn good one, too." The pride was audible in his deep tones. Though she was young, not even two years old, she'd learned so much, even without formal training. He smiled as he thought of her, his attention only drifting for a few moments. "I bet she could teach you a thing or too, Aoto. Excuse my rudeness--my name is Bronze." He dipped his own head in return, though the gesture was not quite a bow. "In honesty, if it is a home you seek and your words are true, Ludicael sounds like a place in which you would flourish. They live to serve their gods, their studies, and one another." There were few fighters in Ludicael, if any, and he wondered how they might fare if ever attacked. "I am not religious myself, but I admire how studious they are. Smartest group of wolves I've ever known." It wasn't a lie, nor an exaggeration. He'd grown up around wolves that were hearty and relentless, known for surviving the merciless mountain winters. There had been much less time for studying plants and the sky where he had grown up.