Well, it was official. He was lost. He had taken a wrong turn somewhere, distracted a bit at some point, and before he knew it, he was further than he should've gone and wasn't well versed in tracking to be able to find his way back. But then again...what was he supposed to go back to? He and his family were loners. The pack they had been a part of fell as soon as it had risen. He sat beneath the shade of the desert trees that sat against the redwater rocks as he pondered his next move. He didn't really like being a loner. He hated it. He felt like he would never reach his potential being a rogue with no structure or stability. Would it really be a bad thing if he just...went off on his own now? Sure he was small, not quite a yearling yet, but he was smart. That had to count for something, right? First, he'd wait until nightfall before setting out. At least then the sun wouldn't be bearing down on his pitch-black pelt. After a few hours of waiting and resting, he was ready to go. He followed a path along the rocks, silence filling the air with no sound save for his own footsteps and the breeze. This part of the land was...different. Better than the North, that was for sure. He yawned, shaking his head to keep focused. He had covered a lot of ground over the last couple of weeks...what with the festivities and whatnot. His feet were tired, and he didn't know where his mom and siblings had ended up, but honestly, it was no sweat off his back. He wasn't much of a family person. He lacked the social skills and empathy that was ingrained in most but hey, he didn't mind it. The smell of water drew his attention, and Phantom made a beeline as best he could for the source. Though as he drew closer, he could smell the scents of several different wolves and realized he was likely approaching the borders of a pack. While he was young, he at least knew enough about pack borders. Frowning, he stood in the dark, wondering if he ought to chance to sneak in for a drink. He practically blended into the night, it'd be easy, right? He took a step forward and decided against it. For all he knew, this pack could be the type to maul or imprison him. Or they might not...but why risk it, right? He was far too inexperienced still to take the risk and he knew he didn't have the experience to fight his way out, either. Not without serious injury, at least. Sighing, he uttered a few low woofs to see if anyone was nearby that might hear him. "Phantom"

Hunting the desert rodents was always better at night. When the land surrounding the oasis cooled off and became bearable to walk upon. Having adjusted quickly, Celeste didn't mind the daytime but was slowly shifting into a more nocturnal pattern. Dusk and sunrise were her favorites, but being cloaked in the shadows of the night didn't bother her either. Toting her feline companion with her to hunt, they soon began their return from Traveler's Lake with a handful of mice neatly collected. She knew the way back to the warrens well enough and depended more on her eyesight to watch out for den holes than the actual direction she was headed. Happily distracted by the thoughts of making a midnight snack to share with the others, Celeste was quickly stopped in her tracks. An unfamiliar scent wafted into her nose from the red rocks border. Even the sound of a couple of woofs caught her attention, causing her ears to prick up. Curious as to who was calling at such a late hour, she handed the mice off to her companion who continued in the direction of the warrens. Making her way in the direction of the sound and scent of someone new, her aquamarine eyes trained upon the small midnight figure lingering at her borders. Placid expression with a small smile pulling across her features, Celeste responded with her own rumbling woofs so that the stranger wasn't caught off guard. Even from this distance, she could see that the figure was pup-like in nature and rather small like herself. She found herself wondering why so many young wolves were out wandering alone these days but chose not to dwell on it too much as she finished closing the distance. "Are you another wayward loner come to stay or are you merely in need of a rest?" Celeste tilted her head slightly to the side as she looked over the pup. He wasn't in too bad of shape but did have a rather exhausted appearance.

"Are you another wayward loner come to stay or are you merely in need of a rest?" Coal black eyes glanced up to find a pretty horned she-wolf approaching him. He pondered her question a moment, though he wasn't sure. "I...don't know. I kinda got separated from my mom. Not really sure where I am, or how to get back to them..." Did he really care if he managed to find them though? Probably not. He didn't have the empathetic feelings that others did. He knew his mom loved him, but he couldn't say that he knew how to feel it. "This is a pack right? Your pack? Why do you live in a desert?" Was he being inappropriate with his questions? He didn't know. "While I think about your question, can I have some water?" His tongue was starting to feel like sand. But he didn't know if it was because of the literal sand in the area, or because he couldn't remember when he had last had a drink. "Phantom"

The Mistress eyed the pup carefully. While he appeared to be physically okay, she wasn't sure how mentally okay he was. Even the uncertainty that lingered in the boy's words caused her to be slightly concerned. Not that she would ever be a good mother, but the idea had crossed her mind a time or two. Her eyes would flick about momentarily as she mulled over his response. Was this a trap, perhaps? Or was he truly lost? His question about why her pack lived within the desert brought a smile to her lips and pulled her back to look him over. Scrawny, small, and definitely in need of some sustenance, Celeste nodded. "Yes, let us go have a drink," she began the descent down the dunes toward the oasis where its surface shimmered in the moon's light. Once she stood beside the water's edge with the pup, she took a seat beside him. "I chose to bring my pack out to the desert for seclusion, safety, and something different," her shoulders shrug nonchalantly. She doesn't expect a pup to understand the nuances of politics. "Do you have a name? You can call me Celeste," she pauses as she turns her aquamarine eyes to the entryway of the warrens. Celeste had prided herself in believing she would take any wanderer in whenever they needed it, no matter how temporary. But did she really want to mess with this pup's mother? Her brow furrows, wondering still if maybe the pup's mother was even still alive... Letting out a sigh, she looks back to the shadow-coated pup. "You're welcome to stay as long as you need. I can offer you protection, food, and somewhere cool to stay until we figure it out, cool?" The Mistress sounds concerned more so now as she hopes the rest of the pup's family is at least alive.