The End of the World

Sure, she was pleasant -- though she seemed a bit cold at first meeting, which Áki understood as he could be a bit standoffish himself. Though he and his family had always been social at the core, normally eager to meet new wolves and to learn all they could about the world. Perhaps some were just not nearly so outgoing? The stranger seemed to give in to his respectful bow, and he found his grin widening at the small smile that danced over her pretty features. "Well, I'm happy to meet you, Kuwindwa," he told her, his deep voice genuine.

She would ask if he was from this land, implying she was not either. A low nod would be offered, reminiscent of the bow he'd given prior, though considerably less pronounced. "I'm not," he explained with a grin, letting his head bob for a moment as he gazed at her. "I'm from the north. Far, far north," came his playful explanation. He'd been growing far more fond of the wolves in this land that he'd anticipated -- to the point where he'd been making promises to return to them. He was entirely used to such obligations, and he found himself wondering if he'd soon regret making them at all. The only one he'd ever had any loyalty was were his family, his sisters in particular, and even then they had stayed together out of want, not obligation. "And you aren't either?" She'd asked if he wasn't from this land either, making him deduce she wasn't either, but he'd ask for the sake of conversation. Briefly his gaze would dart away from her, turning to face the ocean, to watch the waves in the distance crash unforgivingly against the shoreline.