It was only thanks to Thanatos that Shiki was getting better each day. He couldn't exactly remember how he'd gotten back to the redbud nook, but he'd been here since. At first, he had hoped that his mother would return...though it was still hard to swallow the fact that his dad was dead, he knew he would never be back. But what about his mom? Or at least...the woman he thought was his mom...until someone else told him otherwise. His heart felt heavy, but today he didn't want to think about that. He wanted to get out and walk, and when he thought about it, he had never really explored the nook before. Now was a better chance then ever, right? With the snow touching down, the breeze was cold and made him shiver. The tiny male walked slowly, cautiously, as he kept low while he used the near dead bushes as cover. Honey gaze was brighter now then it was before, so he looked out at the world with more vitality then he had before. He could smell stale scents, as if others had been through before. It frightened him a little, but he couldn't run away from everyone now, could he? "Listen to me talk," 'and know my thoughts.'

Every inch of this new land seemed more interesting and more worthy of exploration than the last. He felt the itch of wanderlust; the drive to explore every corner of Alacritis, peek beneath each stone, spy behind each bush. Such searching led him to the nook, a relatively young forest teeming with delicate redbud trees. In these early weeks of spring, the rising temperatures coaxed new life from seemingly withered branches. All around him thin branches dipped under the weight of laden buds, not yet ready to develop into their vivid fuchsia blossoms. He paused his careful wandering for a moment to inhale the scent of the forest: damp earth, pungent flowery perfumes, the retreating hiss of winter. Yet there was another smell beneath these, an almost-hidden musky tang. Curiosity overwhelmed Wyndham in an instant. He took another long drag of air, craning his head in a slow arc. This way. His steps were light, but not hidden. He had no strong reason to sneak, for by now the scent was unmistakably wolf. In his time he had met some truly dangerous wolves, but his confidence assured him that he could handle whoever was out there. He paused near the very bushes the stranger was creeping behind, though Wyndham hadn't yet caught sight of him. "'Lo, out there," he called amiably. "Wyndham Rittan Cross. It'd be nice to have some company."

He kept low to the ground, the frail bush he was under concealing the boys similarly colored pelt. He was such a small thing, he could be easily mistaken for a rabbit...hopefully, someone would know he wasn't a prey animal though. As he scooted his nose across the ground, he heard and scented something coming towards him. The boy froze, nearly holding his breath as he peered beneath the bush. He saw legs, and they were close...too close...before he could back peddle away, a loud "lo there" followed by a name came forth. Gah! He'd been discovered! His breath quickened in slight panic as his tail instinctively curled beneath him, ears flattening as he remained there a few moments. To flee? Or not to flee? The question weighed heavily on his mind...then again, the strangers voice didn't show any hint of threat, but it was rather...kind. Swallowing, he slowly pushed out from beneath the bush he was hiding under, golden gaze peering at the taller, darker male. "H-Hello.." His voice was meek, soft, trying to not sound scared and failing. He would remain half under the bush, just in case this guy was tricking him and tried to attack. Well, if he did try, then he would get a face full of brambles and sticks. That would show him! Not that Shiki wanted that...as the boy kept his stance low and submissive, he was a little curious about this fellow. Since the man had introduced himself, then he figured he should at least give his own name in return. "S-Shiki Avion Kedieo...you're not going to hurt me are you?" eh, dumb question. If someone were out to hurt him, they wouldn't tell him would they? "Listen to me talk," 'and know my thoughts.'

His name hung in the air for long moments, an invitation seemingly with no answer. Wyndham pursed his lips and prepared to turn and leave -- after all what good is invisible, wordless company -- when the stranger finally decided to show himself. His gaze flickered down to meet Shiki's, and a wide grin spread across his features. Despite being understandably taken aback by the other's inquiry, he was feeling more than friendly enough to play gently. "Hurt you," he scoffed. "Why would I want to go and do that? Too much work, really. To be fair, that does sound an awful lot like something a murderer would say." Sensing after a moment that a joke of that nature may be lost on his new companion, he let out a soft laugh, an indication that he really meant no harm. "Well met, Shiki! What was so interesting under that bush, anyway?"