The sky was beginning to churn above his head, watching the young boy with an eager malice. This wasn't the kind of atmosphere Lekan craved. Some wolves were hungry for power. Lekan was born to serve those wolves. But to relinquish oneself to another like that... it took an entirely different kind of personality. Instead of finding delight in the way his pelt rolled in the tugs of the wind, Lekan simply rocked under its influence. He approached the edge of the cliff that loomed ahead and rested on the short grass. He smiled at the power of the distant storm, respecting it somehow. Winter was coming quickly. The golden brute could feel it singing in his bones. That inevitable chill that he remembered from the early days of his life. Terrible white flakes that made you shiver and sigh, even as you paused to admire their beauty. Winter was a temptress. Lekan seemed to chuckle quietly as he entertained the thought. He imagined winter itself as a gorgeous white female, with eyes like ice and a voice softer than the wind. He may have let a slight shudder tumble across his spine. But that was not the life he was meant for. Lekan pushed the thoughts away instead and smiled gently at the angry horizon, trying not to worry about the storms ahead. WORDS HERE

His parents' surprise visit to Ludicael had lightened Anthem's heart considerably. For so long now it had felt like depression had gripped his heart and refused to let go. The man was unable to understand why he felt so down, but for weeks he had felt so sad. Even the changing of season did little to entertain him -- he was no longer delighted by the beautiful colors beginning to dapple the landscape, or the cool autumn air against his face. But his parents visiting had helped him significantly. How could it not? It had been so long since he had seen them, and just their presence brought him unimaginable joy. Today was the first day in a long time that he would dare to leave his home, though he was determined to not talk to anybody. He knew he had done something bad when he had found Virgil, and he didn't want to see his family so angry again. He was quietly as he padded across unfamiliar lands. It seemed a storm was coming, and Anthem wanted to return before it grew too strong. Today, however, his curiosity was strong. Pale dandelion gaze wandered over the horizon as the land sloped gently upward. He found a figure in the distance, and though he knew he ought to stay away from him -- things were better, and easier, when he kept to himself and his family -- he could not help but approach warily, a smile on his gentle features.

The clouds grew ever closer, and the wind began to press harder against his face. But again, he welcomed it. He welcomed everything, and gave his life up to the storms of fate. And so, when Lekan heard the sound of a stranger approaching behind him, he was unafraid. His amethyst gaze moved casually over his shoulder as he decided to see who it was. Behind him was a male two or three years older than he. His sandy brown pelt was tossed from side to side, but he approached calmly with a smile. Already he got a sense that this boy was a simple creature. Just the kind of company he needed. Lekan gave a gentle smile in return and rose to give the other male a respectful bow. "Good afternoon," he called out in greeting. Even from this distance he could trace the distinct smell of a pack on this boy. But the pack was unfamiliar. He wouldn't ask the other wolf such a question right away, though. To do so would be rude. So instead Lekan took a few steps forward, keeping a low head and a tucked tail to show peace and submission. It never seemed to matter whose presence he was in. Lekan was always the lower subject. WORDS HERE

Anthem Destruction still did not grasp what had happened. He had found Virgil, and she had been hurt, and he wanted so badly to help -- and yet she couldn't speak. He'd also found himself drawn to her, like his body could not keep away. He was riddled with confusion still, oblivious to the fact that he had children. Such a thing was never even a possibility in his mind; he would be as naive as a child forever. The stranger's reaction was pleasant, as he had anticipated, and his own smile grew. Anthem watched him dip his head in a gentle bow, and he mimicked the action quickly. "Hi," he called out, his voice strangely high-pitched and friendly. "I'm Anthem Destruction." He knew well enough how to greet others, even if he wasn't the most wordy of men. "Who's you?" He noted the man's submissive posture, and his was just as meek, his tail hanging limply behind him and his ears flattened against his skull.

It was a welcome relief to this male to be able to interact with such a kind creature. His experience in Arcanum so far had been worrisome, for others it would have been a nightmare. Lekan had trained to be a slave for his entire childhood, and so he was very prepared for the personality of a slaveholder, but Cataleya was something he had never expected. It wasn't even her thirst for blood that frightened him. He had seen that coming. Her malicious desire to hear cries of pain... that too was normal for him. But the way he was beginning to feel so dedicated to her, the way he truly ached for her approval... was that what he lived for now? Lekan silently threw the thoughts aside and focused on the sweet man in front of him. The boy, though older than he, acted like a pup. This was incredibly endearing. He mimicked the golden brute with a bow and voiced his name, voice high and cheery. "Nice to meet you, Anthem Destruction," Lekan responded with a light chuckle on his lips. "I am Lekan Mercado." He felt the automatic need to bow in respect once more with his introduction, but then decided that this wasn't necessary. Anthem also stood with a tucked tail and a friendly smile, there would be no possibility of him demanding submission. Besides, if Lekan bowed, the boy might think he needed to bow again too. So instead he gave another polite smile, feeling a kindred affection in his heart. "May I ask what brings you here?" WORDS HERE

Anthem was a thoroughly sociable man, around most of her siblings. Around strangers, he was not always so easy-going, but as he slowly approved Lekan, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. His demeanor was friendly and pleasant, and for a moment he forgot all of the disappointment and sadness he had felt in the last few months. "Hi Lekan," he repeated a greeting happily. Slowly he leaned forward to sniff the male, finding his scent unfamiliar. It did not surprise him, for he had learned that most wolves other than his family had a scent entirely different than any he was familiar with. And it seemed this boy was no exception. His words were different to Anthem; most of his siblings spoke more simply to him, but he did not completely lose sight of the meaning behind his question. "Just walking," he stated softly. "You?" His eyes were bright and alert as he watched Nekan, but there was always a strange haze in his gaze, as though he was somewhere else. Slowly his tail would unfurl from where it lay tucked beneath him, waving at an even rhythm behind him.

Lekan was relieved when, eventually, the other male got his confidence back. He watched Anthem with a smile as his tail resurfaced and began swaying gently behind him. The golden boy kept his tail firmly tucked out of habit, but still felt fairly comfortable around the other wolf. It took a lot to frighten Lekan, after all. He was the servant to Cataleya of Arcanum. But in this situation, it would have been difficult for him to be the dominant one. That would have scared him for sure. The only thing that scared the younger boy was not knowing. Not knowing what to do, or how to react. His entire childhood was spent learning these things. Luckily, not many scenarios were able to throw him off. He settled back into the routine he knew, swinging his ears partially down and away to show submission once more. The smile brightened a bit as the youthful stranger barked out another greeting before answering his previous question with a short reply. ?Just walking.? As time went on, the refined male began to see how simple this Anthem Destruction really was, both in speech and personality. Perhaps he wouldn?t need to use such formal words around him. However, after a life of polite speaking, it was difficult to make his words sound casual. But he made his attempt nonetheless. ?I?m just sitting. The weather was nice, looks like a storm is coming soon, though.? Lekan would flex his jaw as if to loosen it up. He had to admit that he felt a bit incompetent when speaking that way. Not enough social niceties, too little detail in his words. Still he shrugged the feeling away and returned a smile to his face. ?Do you have a home? When the storm comes?? WORDS HERE

Even though Lekan was not family, and he found himself almost never fully trusting anyone other than kin, he felt comfortable around this male already. Perhaps it was his submissive and utterly nonthreatening posture; perhaps he simply had a kind voice and a gaze to match it. Still his tail waved freely behind him, his smile growing as Lekan continued to speak with him. His joy was worn freely on his sleeve, for he knew no other way than to show his emotions plainly, and the goofy smile that graced his features was genuine. "Storm," he repeated, sneaking a few steps closer, but quickly letting his gaze avert to the sky. It was darkening in the distance, and the sky was quickly filling with grey storm clouds. "I have home. Ludicael." He was far from home now, though, and wasn't sure if he could go back quickly enough. Anthem shuffled his paws beneath him. "But won't be there in storm."

Lekan felt another surge of kinship as the other boy continued to smile. He was obviously feeling quite comfortable around the golden brute, and it showed in the joyful sway of his tail. Anthem then repeated the word storm and lifted his soft gaze to the approaching clouds. It sounded like he wasn?t going to make it home before the storm hit. Lekan felt his eyebrows crease in worry. ?Are you sure? How far?? The male was careful to keep his words simple, and he cocked his head to the side with innocent curiosity. Communicating with Anthem was slowly becoming more natural as he went along. ?Storm isn?t safe. We need to find shelter.? Lekan then stood a bit taller, amethyst eyes moving about in search of a cave or den. WORDS HERE

Though Anthem was not at all bright, he was a man of instinct, which typically kept him from getting in much trouble. Generally, he was able to tell when a creature had bad intentions or not, though he wasn't the best judge of overall character. But this Lekan seemed more pleasant than many wolves he had met recently, and he found himself shuffling a bit closer to him as they watched the darkening clouds overhead. "Long walk," he explained the distance as best as he could. "Maybe home by night." And it seemed the storm would hit much sooner than that. Anthem shuffled his weight from one paw to the other, watching as Lekan gazed about. He suggested they find shelter, and the man with the creamy hued pelt nodded readily. "Let's go!" he exclaimed with a smile, ready to follow, something he always did well.

The clouds were beginning to grow in size and depth, making them that much more formidable. Lekan felt his stomach tighten a bit. This storm could be one of the worst he had ever seen. They needed to find shelter now, before things really began. The young brute smiled warily as his new friend as he spoke of a home that was far away and agreed that they should find a place to rest until things blew over. Their golden pelts were already being thrown into a violent wind. The submissive gentleman had to shout to be heard, a thing that he rarely did. "Follow me, Anthem. Let's find a cave." His medium frame shuddered in the oncoming storm. The two males moved into the trees, and instantly the wind seemed to die down. Bright amethyst eyes searched desperately for refuge, eventually spotting a dark overhang that seemed to be covering a cave of some sort. They followed a narrow path into the heart of a deep cavern, one that was quiet and warm and would be ideal for spending the night. Lekan sighed in relief and sent a grateful prayer to the skies. He turned to the simple wolf behind him and returned to a basic form of speech. "Should be safe here. Storm cannot reach us. You can sleep if you like." Perhaps Anthem would not want to sleep. The lesser brute knew that his nerves were certainly on edge, and rest would most likely elude him for an hour or two. If the simple man did not sleep, then they could talk. Learn more about each other. Lekan thought that he would like that. WORDS HERE

The prospect of an adventure was exciting to Anthem. He knew he should've stayed home, where it was safe, where he could easily get help if he needed it -- but this man gave him a warm feeling. It was entirely unlike when he'd met Virgil, when he'd been overwhelmed and confused. This man reminded him of his brothers, and Anthem couldn't help but let his tail wag gently behind him, content for now, despite the incoming storm. Anthem's gaze returned to the sky, watching the clouds slowly darken, wondering briefly how they did that. His attention was broken as Lekan told him to follow, and Anthem nodded quickly, beginning to trail behind him as the wind began to thrash around them. The trees seemed much safer, and he felt his heartbeat slow as his new friend found a place for them to hide. "Thanks," he told him happily, knowing that Lekan had helped him. It was warmer here, and the sound of the steadily increasing wind was not so scary here. Anthem shuffled toward the side of the shelter, coming to rest on his belly. "Not sure where I would be if you didn't take me here." He knew now he shouldn't have left home, but he was still an instinctive creature, and he knew he would've found somewhere to hide either way.