Having escaped the frigid grasp of the north, Nagendra drifted with the winds towards warmer weather. He strolled for a day or so, taking his time, for he had plenty of it to spend. Eventually he came to a lively place – or at least, it probably was in the summertime. For now, the grasses in the clearings were brittle golden husks, and the trees thrust naked branches into the pale sky like claws, scraping repentantly at what they could not reach. This place too, had been bitten by the chill of winter. It was still warmer here than the snowy stretches of the north though. And plants, dead or alive or dormant, were a welcome sight. Perhaps he would find something to eat here too.

The brown wolf carried on for a short while longer, smiling a faint, crooked smile as he observed all that there was to see. This was a lovely change. A bit further ahead, he noticed water. Even better! His smile broadened, and he stretched his neck a tad to try and see better. He was getting quite thirsty… Another minute of time was all that lay between he and the creekside, and soon enough he’d halted by the edge. It was at that time though, that he noted that farther along, there seemed to be more. More tendrils of water, breaking apart from a main body upstream. His brows lifted with interest as his muzzle swung from left to right, casting his vision downstream with growing curiosity. Far, far down, the land sloped a tad, and he could not quite see what was at the end. But the distant roaring of water tickled a memory in his brain, and answered his questions. ”Hmm,” he hummed aloud with interest, if only because he had grown desperately tired of silence (at least, of the verbal sort) over this past day. With new goals in mind, he took a quick sip from the river and then proceeded onward, toward the ocean he now visualized.

The bitter sting of the ocean's wind lashed against Áki's face. Of all the places he had explored during his four years on earth, the ocean was easily one of the most freeing. How he longed to see beyond the vast horizon, to explore all that the world had to offer him, and yet he knew such a thing was impossible. Instead he would settle for the world immediately within his reach. The soothing sound of the waves crashing against the sore was comforting for the chaotic brute and for a moment he found himself closing his eyes as he stood on the sandy shoreline. The roaring that came from the water echoed in his ears and a gentle smile played on his features.

He stood for a long moment, before he opened his eyes, the pungent salty aroma filling his nose. Though the chill of winter had since faded, the chill of the ocean air had begun to seep into his pelt. Shivering briefly, he would turn around, putting the ocean to his back. Massive paws would carry the beast the way he had came, a slow walk evolving into a more brisk pace as he began to pad beside one of the rivers that let out into the sea. It was a few moments of aimless walking before he saw him in the distance -- a dusty brown wolf, completely unfamiliar to him. It came as no surprise that he did not recognize the male. His acquaintances were spread all across the lands, as he rarely stayed in one place for long. "Greetings," he would call out from a distance, his pace slowing at the stranger came more clearly into view. There was no harm in being friendly, and he was never one to pass down a conversation, however dull or interesting it might prove to be.

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Gradually the stacked sight of golden sands beneath a thin horizon of blue pulled in his view. As this slipped in, so did the most innocent of smiles across Nagendra’s lips. It was beautiful. Everything here was. Like with every new terrain he encountered, Nagendra could find something to appreciate about everything. The smell, the sounds, the feel of the fine grains beneath his feet as he walked towards the shore. He opened his mouth slightly, stopping where the dirt gave way to sand to drink in the salty air for a moment. It was much different from the crisp air of the open plains, but he enjoyed change.

As he inhaled again and established a decision to move, his attention was diverted to the figure of another. He turned his head, his lips parted with an expression of soft surprise as he cast his stare towards the stranger. They called out in greeting, and Nagendra would twist his body slightly to the right so as to get a better look. It was a giant wolf, with white fur and absolutely beautiful red markings the very color of their eyes. Nagendra was captivated, and lingered with a frozen sort of speechlessness for a split second before responding, ”H-hello.” He was suddenly aware of his own lack of… specialness. Throughout his journeys through this land, he had seen a totally red wolf, a blue wolf, and a gray wolf with random white splotches to one side. He felt out of place. Surely these canines were different from him in other, more important ways – better?

Though his need for company is often fleeting, he feels interested in this smaller man in the distance. A good conversation was hard to come by these days, or so it seemed. His gait was relaxed as he approached, his head dipped slowly toward the earth. Though he was quickly growing exasperated at how quickly others seemed to judge him in these lands -- tired of questions about what he was, or why he looked different from them -- he knew his appearance could be threatening, and he was happy to avoid misunderstanding by giving a more submissive aura than he might normally.

Acutely aware of the boy's slight surprise, he snorted softly into the crisp ocean air.  "What brings you here?" he threw at him conversationally as he drew a bit nearer, his steps careful as he trailed along the side of the flowing river.  "Hunting for crustaceans? Or is it seagulls you prefer?" A brow would cock curiously as he tread closer. His ears would flick from atop his skull, tail flicking where it lay behind his massive frame. Though he didn't really expect that he had been hunting anything on the ocean, it was a decent way to get the stranger talking, for he certainly seemed a bit tongue-tied from the get go.

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The stranger seemed to sink down a tad, his head lowering and his presence, while still intimidating, now seemed to be one of no possible hostility. As he approached, he would question casually. A smile blossomed on Nagendra’s lips, innocent and childish in that he’d been so easily encouraged by the slightest show of affability. ”Just exploring,” he replied, his gentle voice as fluid as the winding creeks that peeled towards the ocean. He remained where he was, still smiling and feeling faintly eager as he drew this stranger’s attention. Conversation? And with a creature as marvelous looking as this? Nagendra felt very lucky.

”And you?” he returned the question, though was still visibly fixated on the appearance of his company. He tried to keep his grin and his admiration subtle, but only partly succeeded. Perhaps he was shallow in how much he enjoyed and appreciated the surface – exteriors. Of course, that wasn’t to say he didn’t find value in intellect too! He was just… very much captivated by the things he found beautiful. He blinked then, flashing his eyes to the ground and then out to the open sea as he realized he’d probably been staring too much.

A gentle smile paints the tribal man's features. This stranger had an air of youthfulness about him, of playful innocence that was far too alluring to ignore. Gently his tail waves behind him, quietly inviting him closer.   "And have you found anything worthwhile?" his inquiry came after a moment, his normally serious tones laced with a bit of warmth. There was no harm enjoying the company of another... and this was the first other in a long while that hadn't tried asking him what he was, or if he'd been born this way. Despite the obvious attention that glimmered in the stranger's eyes -- no bother to him, as he returned the stare with a curious one of his own -- he was content to enjoy his company for awhile.

"Just exploring, too," he mirrored his words with a grin. His own crimson gaze would fixate on the man, assessing him silently. He was nearly a foot smaller than himself, and likely close to half his weight as well; though Áki had grown accustomed to looking down on others, it wasn't always his preferred position, and slowly he would recline to his hindquarters, his head dipping to the earth. "My name is Áki, by the way." He offered, hoping that perhaps he might get the liberty of knowing this handsome fellow's name in return.

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His smile was reflected in the face of the stranger along with the slight wagging of his tail – all the more pleasing. The other would inquire as to Nagendra’s findings, to which Nagendra would reply with a tasteful amount of cheer, ”Oh, around every turn I find something new and magnificent. The wolves here, the land – it’s all so different. So far I’ve only really been farther up where everything is covered by snow, and even though I don’t find the cold so agreeable, even that is a wonder to behold.” He let out an exhale after his substantial rush of words, still grinning, though mostly in amusement of himself. It must have been longer than he had thought since he’d talked to anyone.

The bigger wolf would reply that he was doing the same. Nagendra had made his glance away by then, but soon returned his attention when the other’s voice parted the soft roar of the waves. Áki. That was a nice name. He was sitting now, Nagendra noted. He smiled. ”My name is Nagendra Bahri. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Áki,” he said, his tongue carefully molding the simple yet elegant syllables of his company’s name, pleased to try it out himself. "Do you live around here?" he'd ask, curious.

His posture slackened, feeling relaxation slowly make its way into his bones. The stranger echoed a sentiment that he himself had found quite true already. Whether it be wolves with naturally fluorescent neon coats, to suicidal young men and everything in between... it seemed this continent boasted quite the interesting array of creatures. "Isn't it wonderful?" he'd ask, no more than a rhetorical question, a soft quip as he felt his smile widening slightly. The pool of wolves that he had yet to meet was far more expansive than he could imagine, though he knew he would try 'til the end of his existence.

"I've been keeping to the eastern lands, myself." The man would explain softly. Though the mountains were his birthplace, and he was accustomed to the bitter cold of winter, the warmth of spring was a refreshing change of pace, and he had never found himself bound to any one place in particular.

The stranger finally made a point to introduce himself. Nagendra Bahri. "Nagendra," he tasted the man's slightly exotic name, enjoying the way it fell off his tongue. "I have no home," he spoke honestly. "I hold no ties to any land or pack. I am a nomad, I suppose," he offered liberally. There was no shame in the way he lived, though he knew some considered it atypical and even strange, for wolves were by nature pack creatures. "What about you, hmm?" There was a genuine curiosity that sparkled in his crimson gaze as he cast it toward Nagendra once again.

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He was pleased to hear the other man agree; it was always nice to have someone share your opinions. He smiled, and continued to listen quietly. When Áki spoke of where he’d been staying around, it brought to Nagendra’s attention the fact that he had little clue where he was. He knew vaguely which direction to head to get home (granted it was far, far away), but he hadn’t been paying much attention aside from that. Although he had no plans of returning home any time soon, he still hoped that he wouldn’t get lost. He had set out so boldly on this adventure, but the thought of being cut off and alone was frightening.

The brown wolf’s smile broadened a smidge with quirky energy as his company spoke his name. There was something he liked about that – it felt like a connection. Áki would then speak of his home, or lack thereof, and Nagendra’s sideways smile remained. ”The very same,” he said with faint cheer at the common ground, ”I left my home to explore, and here I am. I’ve only been here a few weeks… I want to see what the packs are like around here though; even if for a little while, some consistent company would be nice.” He hadn’t quite gotten around to it though – be it from hesitation for the unknown, or for the simple fact that he’d been so caught up in the scenery.

There was a simple beauty to this land by the sea, and to be joined by such a handsome fellow only made his day even brighter. It was so freeing to be without purpose or direction, without obligation or commitment, to answer to nobody but himself. The smile that crept over his lips was indicative of his relaxed state of mind, and the contentment that had washed over him was obvious. "So it seems we have more than one thing in common," he told Nagendra with a cheeky grin in his direction. He himself hadn't been in these lands long, though he'd always had a bit of an adventurous spirit and it likely hadn't been a surprise when he'd left his tribe and his family officially.

"Looking to join a pack, are you?" Áki would inquire, only probing gently, unsure if his plans were public or if he'd simply been musing to himself. Personally, he had little interest in settling down, though the possibility of companions that might join him in his travels was an alluring one. The politics of pack life had never settled well with him, and yet he knew it was appealing to some, and it seemed even this lovely Nagendra was considering such a life. "I wish I could offer you some knowledge, but I tend to avoid claimed territories like the plague." He shook his head slowly; he was an intimidating man, and he knew the danger of encroaching on the home of another, especially with his size and peculiar features. "Though if it is adventure you seek, you've found the right friend."

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Sorry this took so long, omg ;__;

The other male would note their common interests, and Nagendra would smile. It was indeed very nice to find someone who liked the sort of things he did. Aki would then ask a little more about his intentions with the packs. ”Oh, perhaps. Merely a thought, really. I think I’d like to see what they’re like here, although I can’t say I’m looking for anyplace permanent,” he explained. He didn’t plan on finding a true home, so much as he did sightseeing and having a little taste of everything. Aki would explain his aversion to the pack lands. ”Ah, yes,” Nagendra would shrug slightly with a smile, ”I haven’t actually visited any yet; I’m not quite sure how welcoming they all are.” He hoped to make a few more acquaintances wandering, and that they might be able to inform him.

Aki’s last words caught his attention though, and his head perked up a little, his smile slight but warm. ”Oh?” He wasn’t completely sure what the big wolf meant by that. Travel together, maybe? He liked that idea, especially since each passing moment made him long to get to know this wolf better. ”Would you… propose we go on a few adventures together?” he asked, somewhat timidly in the suddenly more personal grounds he’d gotten to. ”I would love a travelling companion,” he added, a tad sheepishly.

If Aki was anything, it was blatantly fearless -- he was bold and willing to take on the world, selfishly drawn to adventure and excitement. "I wish you luck," he spoke, his words genuine as another smile twitched at the corners of his lips. The thought of a pack was far from appealing to him though he knew such life was ideal to many -- if not most -- wolves. "I've only met rogues myself." He thought of the strange, immature boy he'd met in the quicksand, and the brilliantly colored family he'd met in the forest that one night.

"That idea sounds spectacular," he admitted after a moment, grinning more widely now, his ears perking at the thought of it. He hadn't quite meant to imply that they ought to go somewhere together, though the idea honestly wasn't a bad one. "I do have something I ought to attend to first," he mentioned after a moment, remembering his promise to Kyung that he would return to check on him, that he wouldn't abandon him entirely -- as he said everyone else in his life had. "Though as soon as that's taken care of, shall I try to find you?" Would he still be in these lands, or did he have a particular path in mind?

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”Thanks,” Nagendra would say with a smile. So far, as opposed to Aki’s acquaintances, Nagendra hadn’t really met much of anyone yet. But he was a very social creature, and hoped to meet many more. There was a pause between the shifting of subjects and for a second before Aki answered, the brown wolf felt a faint flutter of worry; it would be embarrassing to have his suggestion shot down. The minute silence was just plenty to set that fear loose inside, his heart giving a quick pulse. But then his company replied, and a pleased smile lit upon his face – telling of his joy perhaps a bit more than he’d like. His tail lifted up some with a faint wag, and his whole manner seemed to grow a bit lighter. How exciting! Aki would explain that he had something to do, and Nagendra would nod. ”Of course,” he said, grinning. ”I’ll be somewhere around here,” he would gesture about with his muzzle, ”there’s still much for me to explore here. Do you know how long you might be, if I may ask?” His heart pounded now not for fear, but excitement and eagerness to please. It wasn’t every day that two perfect strangers were able to just… decide to become companions like so.

His grin grew yet again, his large skull tipping to the earth as his tail begin to bat lightly at his hocks, a signal of his pleasure at their agreement. It had been awhile since he'd truly had a companion. He was used to traveling with his sisters, and with their family tribe -- but since leaving them, he had mostly been alone. And though he was doubtlessly independent, he was social at heart and valued the company of a few, and had missed the comfort of a companion at his side.

"I'm not sure," he'd answered honestly when Nagendra inquired how long he might be. A few days? A few weeks?  "I have a friend I need to check up on. Though I can promise I will find you, if it takes me weeks." A cheeky grin would be offered. He wasn't sure what might grab his attention, or even if Nagendra would still wish to spend time with him upon his return. His tail would give another bold wag, unashamed of the joy this friendship brought him. "It's been a pleasure meeting you, Nagendra," he said, shifting his weight from one side of his body to the other. "And I can only hope I get to know you more in the future."

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