The desert was always good to her, it had always been a refuge from the world where only she could survive effectively. She didn't want to return to Valhalla just yet, not as long as Thane was there. Or his bitch. Or his pups. Or anyone that would love to see her grovel. She had long since forgotten the pain of being left by Thane, and now held only resentment for the black and gray wolf. Her paws drummed against the dry river, her tail waving between her aching hips. Her heat had come again, and she knew she would be vulnerable especially around males. Males had always been a touchy subject to her, she both hated and loved them and sometimes she felt nothing for them. Perhaps that was why she had such strong emotions for Thane, but that was not something she wished to dwell on.

She stopped to lick her aching paws and scratch the notch just above her tail, two nervous ticks she had always had from a young age that never seemed to go away. She had always been a nervous wolf, and the ticks came along with the territory. Her fur fell freely from under her teeth. Another bald spot. Just what she needed.

Speech!

This land just didn't stop surprising the barbarian. In the north it was cold, though there were varying in temperatures and landscapes. In the east it was wet and humid, but there were so many different places there, just like every other place in this land. It was truly unbelievable to see so many different climates and ecosystems coexisting together so well. It was certainly something he had never encountered before and it made this place that much more interesting. Like today, he was crossing over a dessert. He had crossed many desserts during his travels, so he was no stranger to them. The familiar feel of sand would slip through his sooty toes, bringing back some old memories. The titan would push them aside, not interested in going down memory lane. He was simply wandering, exploring, familiarizing. But it seemed like he wasn't the only one doing that today. A rogue breeze would sweep past the hulking giant, bringing along with it a rogue scent. Pace would be halted, ruby gems scanning the dunes in the horizon to spot a gray figure in the distance. The man would not continue forward, simply stand at his position, gaze intent on the young woman in the distance. What was another wolf doing out here in such a harsh environment? He had been in the desert quite a few times, so he was no stranger to it, but what about the girl? Talk like this

The femme had gotten complacent in the desert. She had let down her guard and the result was an approaching wolf. She stopped and wheeled around to face what was undeniably a monster of a wolf. She knew there was no hope of fighting him,although there was always a chance of running. She did neither and instead howled to him in greeting, very unusual for an abrasive wolf like herself,but her heat had made her curious of the male. Maybe he wouldn't hurt something as small as her if she showed him subordination He was truly a sight to behold. Huge in every manner of the word and decorated with scars that told of a lifetime of battles. She of course matched him in number of scars, but she doubted she could match him in story. She had never actually been in a fight with another wolf, and had gained most of her scars chasing down birds and from getting lost in brambles. But this wolf, this wolf must have had countless stories to tell. She howled again, beckoning him closer this time as she rolled onto the ground and turned her belly toward the sky.

Speech!

He hadn't made his presence known to the woman in the distance, but he wasn't surprised when he saw her turn around to look at him. No emotion flickered across his visage, features remaining neutral. She didn't seem afraid of him, or threatening. To his surprise, she howled in his direction, as if inviting him to come closer. One brow would lift to demonstrate his surprise, but he would comply with her odd request, powerful limbs pulling the hulking titan forward as he moved through the sand towards the woman. Before he was able to get a good look at her, her silhouette would disappear into the sand, bringing about curiosity from the hulking beast. He took his time moving towards her, not really in hurry to see what she was up to, but he was rather taken back when he found her lying on her back across the sand. He would come up right behind her, standing nearly on top of her, massive skull bent down towards her own cranium, ruby gaze fixed on her sea foam one, wondering why exactly she was lying like that but not willing to voice his curiosity. Talk like this

She rolled onto her hip, her tail beating against the sand. She kept her head bowed, her eyes on the ground between his legs "I am called Micha." She said. Her voice heavily accented with a foreign tongue that she knew by now, no other wolf but her spoke. "And you? She asked. She must have looked horrid. She was covered with patches of exposed skin where fleas and ticks could be seen migrating around her body. Her ears were abnormally large for a wolf and her paws, unusually small. To the trained eye it would be clear that she was well suited to the desert, but to the untrained eye she looked like a mongrel. Her paw covered her muzzle as she became more and more aware of just how ugly she was, almost as if to say to the giant brute, Don't look at me.

Speech!

She was tiny. Then again, he dwarfed practically every wolf he came across. He was just freakishly big, that was all. Or everyone was just ridiculously small. Regardless, the woman was much smaller than him, that was obvious, and she appeared to be in some of the not best conditions. She rolled over to her side, though she kept her crown tucked, her gaze adverted towards the sand as she spoke to him, introducing herself as Micha before asking what his name was. Without so much as a word the behemoth of a man would lower himself onto the sand, skull coming to rest atop his massive paws as his gaze sought to meet her own. Nice to meet you Micha, I'm Conan. What are you doing out here all alone? Tones were gentle in nature, though he couldn't help the deep bass that they came across in. He meant this young woman no harm whatsoever, he was simply curious. Talk like this

She folded her ears back and stared at the wolf, almost frightened. "I am...deciding whether I should return to pack or not." She said shyly. She had never before been approached so kindly by a wolf as large as him. She had never been approached by a wolf as large as him period. On all fours she barely reached his shoulder, and yet here he was, laying before her, her topaz staring into rubies. " The desert is my home. I have no fear of it." The femme explained. "But thick coated wolves do not tread in the desert without reason. Why do you brace the sands and heat?" She asked, ears pricking up as she spoke.
Speech!

Even though the move was meant to inspire confidence in the young woman, he was disheartened to see that she was frightened of him. He could feel it coming off of her in waves and her body language spoke volumes. To try and make her feel more comfortable, the titan would scoot back to allow two steps to separate them, hoping that would make Micha feel more comfortable. Pack. She was deciding whether she wanted to return to a pack. A inquisitive look would take ahold of the man's features, rubies running over her figure as he mulled it over, ears perking forward with attention as she explained that the desert was her home, that wolves like him didn't usually come through these parts. She was right, but Conan wasn't most wolves. Well packs for the most part are beneficial for a wolf, but then again it's different for each individual. And the desert doesn't scare me either. I've traversed over many deserts in my travels. This is another. Why do I do it? Because I'm familiarizing myself with this region. Nothing more, nothing less. The explanation fell easily from his lips, tones friendly towards Micha, not wanting her to be frightened of him when he meant her no harm. Talk like this

A shy ghost of a smile crept onto her lips as he spoke. He was a rouge, born and bred for a life of freedom. A life without boundaries, a life without laws or ranks or...Or anything! She could never live such a life alone. She was too small and sickly to hunt for herself, especially big game like deer. The birds of Alacritis she found were either too small or two fast for her, and mice and lizards were just as small and three score as scarce. No, she needed a pack to survive. Not like him. Hew could probably kill a deer just by glancing at it. How she envied him. But maybe she didn't need a pack, maybe she just needed one other wolf. Maybe she just needed him. She could be fierce if she needed to be, be strong if she needed to be, but never hunt. She could be an aide to the gentle giant, just as much as he could aid her...If he even allowed the idea. Perhaps he was a loner through and through and would leave the desert as soon as he had seen all he could. " It must be lonely." She mused " To see a land and all it's wonders just to leave it."
Speech!

He was glad to see the ghost of a smile that crossed her lips at his words. She seemed to be relaxing more in his presence and that made the behemoth feel better. He didn't like frightening others when that wasn't his intention. If he really wanted to, he could've had her running with her tail tucked between her legs and screaming, but what was the point of that? He was a just man. He had taken his revenge and now he was just trying to see where the rest of his life would take him. Would he make friends? Find someone to spend the rest of his days with? Would he join a pack? The possibilities were endless and the behemoth wasn't in any hurry to see where things would take him. It must be lonely. To see a land and all its wonders just to leave it. A pensive look would take hold of the titan's features as Micha's words, considering them before he spoke. I suppose you could say that, though I don't mind it too much. I grew up on my own, so solidarity is nothing strange to me. It must be hard for a former pack wolf to be on her own? He would throw a similar question back to the woman. Talk like this

Her smile brightened at his question. She scratched her ear and responded "I was not always with a pack. Before that I was a loner like you. It wasn't until I reached our first land that I was anything but. I only need someone to hunt for me, alone I can handle myself." She said proudly. Well. She needed someone to hunt for her,navigate for her in a forest, and heal her many illnesses, but he didn't need to know that. "It can be rather hard I suppose." She muttered. "But it is not impossible." She could feel herself warming up to the mammoth slowly. He seemed so kind and gentle. She let her guard drop completely around him, and sat closer to him, breaking the barrier between them with silent gratitude.

Speech!

The smile that was already gracing her features only became more powerful and evident when he presented her with a similar question. She would take a moment to relieve herself of an itch before answering his question. I was not always with a pack. Before that I was a loner like you. It wasn't until I reached our first land that I was anything but. I only need someone to hunt for me, alone I can handle myself. So she originally had been a rogue like himself, but had taken to pack life because there some aspects of living alone that she couldn't quite handle. That was understandable. Everyone needed some help every once in a while, including himself, though he wouldn't admit to anyone. As long as you don't give up, it's not impossible. If I may ask Micha, how long have you been in this region? He noticed that she had scooted closer, lessening the gap between them but he made no move to increase the space between them once again. Clearly, if she was moving closer, she was feeling more comfortable and that made Conan comfortable, though that didn't mean he wouldn't be ready to go in a moment's notice. Talk like this

"About a year." She answered. She could feel his ease as she sat before him, the air had gone from tense to calm in a matter of minutes, and now the two were both at ease. She laid on her belly , her eyes barely meeting his chin, as her tail wagged happily behind her. She yawned and scratched her ear again, this time with her front paw. Damn ticks. Damn fleas. Damn all the ugly parasites she harbored. She needed a medic desperately.

Speech!

About a year. That was nothing. Well, it was certainly more than he had spent here. He had only just arrived a few weeks ago and was still working his way around the vast and expansive territory. It was quite the piece of earth to explore and the mammoth was in no hurry to explore it all at once. He would catch her tail swaying behind her as she scratched at her ear once more, apparently bothered by some tiny bugs. So Micha, is there anything you can tell me about this region? Had he possessed knowledge of herbs, he would've offered up his services, but the barbarian was no medic and he could watch helplessly as his new acquaintance battled with her parasites. Talk like this

He asked what she knew of the land. Well, there wasn't much to the desert was there? Sand and cacti and rocks. "I don't know what you expect to hear, you're in the south now. My old pack is in the south, Valhalla. It's a pretty big pack. It's easy to go unnoticed" She said solemnly. Micha had never made a place for herself in the pack, she wasn't like most females, she wasn't beautiful with long flowing tails, she never groomed herself like most females did, and she never spent any time in flowers to make her fur smell nice. She was simply Micha and nothing more. "Keep heading south and you'll just hit more desert. Any other direction and you'll find plains, mountains and tropics." She explained. "It only gets hotter from here. With fur like yours you're likely to melt." She chuckled to herself. "Although. If you make it to the oasis. You might have a chance...If you keep heading south that is."
Speech!