Rearing up on his hind legs, Áki tested the weight of the rusted tractor beneath him. He had been here before, and he thought fondly of the man he had met when he'd first found this place. The structure itself had been strange, but its uniqueness had drawn him in. Still he longed for the familiar terrain of the north, being unaccustomed to the heat that plagued these lands. Luckily the weather was not quite as hot as it could be.. but the air felt strangely stifling, damp with humidity and he found his tongue lolling slightly from his mouth. With a great heave with his back legs, he pushed himself onto the tractor, aiming for the tattered fabric of its seat. It wasn't terribly comfortable, but he enjoyed the respite from the sun that the wooden structure offered. Exhaling loudly through his nose, he shifted to a more comfortable position, his tusked head hanging from the side of the metal contraption while his body curled up on the seat, oddly oversized even for the large machine.

Amon had never seen such a great metal beast. From a distance it was indiscernible, and up close... Well, it wasn't much better. His eyes narrowed in mistrust, altering his planned course so that he would come closer to the contraption instead. His morning had been largely uneventful, simply scouting ahead of his children in search of something new. This certainly qualified. As her drew nearer to the strange metal beast he discovered the scent of another, something fresh. Intrigue flooded through him, and he slowed his steps further, endeavoring to be as quiet as he could. What quarry waited for him here? What he found, as he rounded the front of the tractor and got a proper look into it's cab, surprised him. The male was large, though naturally did not appear quite so large as him. What truly struck him were the veins of true red he could see in the brute's coat, and the boar-like tusks protruding from his upper jaw. Amon had never seen a wolf like this and quickly determined that this was no common wolf at all. His ears perked. "You certainly look comfortable." The metal carcass did not look overly inviting, but a place to rest amongst this humidity was obviously desirable. "Talk" "You"  Think

Áki had grown used to the attention he received upon his first arrival in these lands. While he knew for a fact that he wasn't unattractive -- the Jarvela line had always produced strong, striking wolves -- he hadn't been able to anticipate that he would be seen as so unique in this world. His tusks were not such a rarity in the world he was from, though they were still far from common even there. While he used to pretend he was exasperated at the attention they brought him, the truth was that he enjoyed it and he had long since stopped pretending otherwise. His thoughts were aimless as he rested, his eyes briefly flitting closed. He wondered where Kai had wandered to today, and wondered if they should hunt something soon. The high humidity might make hunting a bit more tricky, with prey seeking shelter from the sun, but not impossible. The scent of another reached his nose only moments after he heard the unmistakable pawsteps announcing his approach. Having been nearly asleep, he was slow to react, tusked head lifting slightly as he peeked out from heavy eyelids to find the source of the sound. It took a moment for him to see the man fully, though when he did he sat up a bit more attentively. He was unused to seeing wolves as large as himself, and if he wasn't mistaken this one looked even bigger. His gaze betrayed a fair bit of admiration for his build as both eyes opened wider, roving over his dark coat. "And you look.. warm," he hesitated with his choice of words, the strong northern accent heavy on his tongue, as a grin toyed with the right corner of his mouth. "I've slept in worse places, but beggars can't be choosers." The cool metal felt pleasant against his pelt, and the large wooden structure that hung overhead was a welcome shelter from the sun. "Join me, if you'd like. There's more than enough room for the both of us." Perhaps not on the tractor itself, especially for two wolves of their size, but Áki found no reason to hoard this barn all for himself.

Amon was somewhat surprised to find the man so... accommodating. To the darker titan, it was obvious that this stranger was something otherworldly. There seemed to be no other explanation. Where or which realm he hailed from, Amon could not hazard a guess. He seemed eager enough to make conversation, and the welcoming words struck Amon as... charismatic. Despite all of this, if not because of it, Amon struggled to relax. The invitation out of the sun was very tempting, but to commingle with this odd creature was another story. "Warm may not be quite right," he mused quietly in his deep, rumbling tone, beginning to step slowly into the barn. "Stifled. Smothered. Assaulted, perhaps." He looked overhead, made only slightly uncomfortable by the enclosure. It was airy enough for sure, but unnatural. Above him swallows swooped between long beams of wood, flitting from nest to nest. Up close, the metal beast was no less fascination. "An odd lair you've made for yourself," he commented off-handedly, as if it weren't all that consumed his thoughts. "I've never seen it's likeness." And that was true enough. He wondered where it had come from, what had created it. The shelter it provided was welcome, a pleasant diversion from the otherwise brutal day. One could stay her comfortably with many wolves for quite some time, he decided, having noted the fertility of the general region in his travels. Well... he thought dryly. Here's to hoping the tusked fellow wasn't overly territorial. "Talk" "You"  Think

Áki's gaze was inviting as the stranger approached, appreciating the raw strength hidden behind his pelt. His grin broadened, glad that he didn't turn away his hospitality -- not that he was giving much. He'd never been one to turn away the prospect of company, especially when he'd never really enjoyed the concept of a piece of land belonging to anyone in particular. He had no claim over this place any more than Amon did, and wouldn't even begin to tell him otherwise. His grin widened at the descriptive words he used, all of which sounded better than the word warm. "Smothered is a much better word, yes," he agreed, tongue lolling from his mouth as his head lifted a bit higher. Being inactive, at least, had made the humidity feel far more bearable. His gaze followed Amon's as it lifted to the the rafters, seeming wary of the structure but not enough to keep him away. The brute shifted, his paws dangling over the edge of the tractor. 'An odd lair you've made for yourself,' he commented, and Áki grunted in easy agreement. "Isn't it, though?" he snorted softly in agreement. "I've been here once before and apparently it was... memorable enough to return to. Can't say I've seen anywhere quite like it either." Memorable was an understatement; he thought fondly, and briefly, of the man he had encountered here. He wouldn't at all be disappointed to run into him again, though he'd never caught a whiff of his scent again since that day. Curiosity shone in his crimson stare, tusked head jerking to the side, hoping to invite him closer. Hell, he probably wouldn't flinch if the man decided to join him on the tractor, though he'd have to shuffle around to make room for the two of them. "The name's Áki Jarvela, by the way," he offered gladly after a moment of consideration. "What's your name, handsome?" He felt no shame in throwing a compliment his way, though he was fine with retracting it if the man was less than receptive to his advances.

The beastial man seemed to appreciate Amon's sense of humor, and if there was one way to ease the man's sometimes fickle temper it was admiration. Vain as he tended to be, Amon let a bit of his guard fall away. That wasn't to say he felt completely at ease with the other man. He was certainly... odd. But that could be overlooked, at least for the time being. This structure was noticeably cooler than the world outside. Aki confessed that he'd be here once before, and seemed fairly nostalgic over the encounter. Amon gave a thoughtful frown and nodded, eyes finally completing their survey of the barn and landing on Aki. He jerked his head ushering Amon closer, and the brutish shadow found that he had no cause to disagree. He gave the tractor and appreciative glance, but they were both far too large for him to do anything but sit just at it's base, looking up at where Aki lay. He quelled the prideful majority which found issue in having to look up at anyone but perhaps for this strange, other worldly creature he could make an exception. After all, he had shown a succinct courtesy beyond the grasp of most. Amon begrudgingly tolerated his presence. He introduced himself at last and then- oh. Well, Amon wasn't entirely sure how to respond to the compliment, laid upon him by another male. He preened all the same, leveling Aki with a bemused stare. "It's a pleasure, Aki Jarvella. I appreciate the hospitality. I am Amon, of the Abraxas line." He wondered if the man knew the name. His family had a tendency to... leave a mark. Amon's grin grew a fraction, ever prideful of his origin. He wasn't the sort to speak so flippantly with another, so he fought with how to reply to this whole 'handsome' nonsense and decided at last to ignore it entirely. Amon was a man of few words, so sue him. He waited to see what else Aki might have to offer. "Talk" "You" Think

Áki briefly wondered if finding somewhere to swim might help lower his body temperature. Truthfully, he wasn't much of a swimmer, though; he'd always enjoyed being near water but not necessarily in it. It only proved just how uncomfortable the day was if he was considering such things. Only briefly would he dwell on the possibility, though he was distracted enough by the prospect of company that the thought slipped away from him as quickly as it had arrived. He stretched his forepaws as Amon approached, watching as he examined the tractor only to decide against climbing on it. He beamed at him, recognizing his faint wariness, which was no surprise.  Áki knew that his slightly exuberant nature could be odd to encounter for the first time, his jovial demeanor easily misconstrued as disingenuous. He hoped the man might relax a bit in due time, though knew it was possible he might not, too. "It's all my pleasure, Amon Abraxas," he replied, tasting the name on his tongue -- it was a strong name, and coupled with his affinity for names that started with the letter A, he found himself enjoying the sound quite a bit. "Are you from these lands? You strike me as someone from.. elsewhere." Why, he wasn't sure. His way of speaking was unique. "Forgive me if I am mistaken." He could be wrong, perhaps, as he'd met all kinds of wolves since coming to these lands, but he had a hunch that he was not.

Aki seemed vaguely bemused by Amon, and the dark titan didn't really understand that at all. It wasn't at all the reaction he'd become accustomed to but... Well, this clearly wasn't your average wolf. He still wasn't sure it was a wolf at all. He remember briefly stories his father told him of the Fallen God's minions and allies who were cast down beside him, taking the form of spirits and other strange fey creatures who supposedly walk the earth beside them. It seemed the best explanation for his companion's strange appearance and habits. He was graciously polite, proclaiming that the pleasure of their meeting was in fact his. To that Amon shared a small, thoughtful smile. Hmm, not many could look back on encounter with him and his kin with fond memories. Would Aki prove an exception to what he once assumed was simply a law of nature? And then the tusked man asked of his origin, and Amon truly smiled. "You have a keen sense of perception. I could not tell you the name of the land in which I was born, but it was far from here. My siblings and I were roving the moment we could keep pace with my father. As for where we originate, that's... something of a tale." He wondered if the quixotic statement might confuse his companion, but to a certain extent it was meant to. Normally Amon would not hesitate to brag of his prestigious line, but... Well, he was a bit wary. Somewhat superstitious, Amon was not yet convinced this was not an agent of the Usurper Gods, sent to lure and trick him. He would asses the man for a bit longer, perhaps. "What of you, Aki. Pardon my curiosity, but I doubt I will be the first to tell you that I was a bit surprised by your... features. I can hardly believe you were born of this earth, let alone this realm." A thinly veiled suggestion, but one he hoped would garner results. His mind was sharp, and it churned hungrily as it awaited more information. "Talk" "You" Think

Áki had always had a natural inclination toward powerful men; men who were confident and articulate, and Amon fit the bill perfectly. His presence was more than tolerated, and the easy grin he wore showed he approved of his company. He wasn't quite sure of Amon was nearly as pleased with his presence, for he seemed visibly wary, but he didn't seem dissatisfied either. He seemed to brighten considerably as he asked about his origin, offering some vague information. No name for his homelands, though he didn't suppose he would've been able to locate it regardless. He wondered if he was being purposefully obtuse, though decided he could try to pry more information out of him with (hopefully) minimal effort. "Perhaps a tale you'd be willing to share, eventually?" Áki raised a brow in question, clearly interested, if Amon was the least bit inclined to share. He could even offer a tale of his own origins, though he doubted the tale was as interesting. If he wished to speak of stories of early creation, though, of things far grander than himself.. he could certainly partake. He revealed his pearly fangs again as Amon directed a question his way. "Most are surprised by my tusks, especially in these lands," he admitted with a guttural laugh. He had once pretended to be annoyed by the attention, when in truth he adored it. The brute had since grown used to the strange looks he received, and they hardly phased him now. The mere suggestion that he might be born from another realm made his smile grow, more pleased now. "My sisters would condemn you for suggesting such a thing, though I'm flattered." he thought of them fondly as he spoke, imaging how they had rolled his eyes when he had implied he was sculpted from the hands of the gods themselves. He did have features similar to the creatures they worshiped, that his people had thrived on for as long as he had known -- was it really such a stretch to think he might be on to something? "I would love you claim you're right, but my father bore the same features. I'm inclined to think I'm more of a.. unique creation rather than some kind of mutant, though. I am not opposed to the thought that the gods gave me these for a reason, though I've yet the find it." He didn't believe in random chance, and thought all things were connected somehow -- surely he had some ties to something larger, even if he didn't realize it yet.

Normally, Amon was quite keen to speak of his legacy. It did not take much prompting at all for the tale to be told, often to the tune of growing anger that they did not know it before he came along to so graciously educate them. While his communication with the male had been nothing but pleasant, Amon was not so foolish as to believe that he was to be trusted. As far as Amon was concerned, nothing that looked like that was natural. If he did not proclaim the glory of the Fallen God, neither would he. It was not a risk that he could take. His father had told him many times that for every friend they would find a thousand enemies. To be stronger, quicker, smarter than them was their family's only hope. No, he would not be fooled today. Amon kept his face schooled into the same neutral, somewhat bemused and somewhat distant set that it had been in all the while. The pause may have stretched for a bit longer than was easily explainable, so he punctuated it with a long sigh. "Forgive me, Aki," he began, tone inflecting as much genuine intent as he thought necessary, without overdoing it. "It is a painful story. Perhaps another time?" As for his sisters, well... All Amon could think of was that there were undoubtedly more like Aki, and that held promise of another kind entirely. Of course, Aki himself appeared to be quite old, too old to breed. The prospect of younger sisters of course... That was another matter entirely. "Do you have a large family, then? Are they all as... Unique, as you?" he inquired, eager to move the conversation along and onto more informative subjects, attempting as well to keep his tone polite, if rather interested. His mind was hungry for some sort of explanation, anything that might help him make sense of this creature he had stumbled upon. "Talk" "You" Think

Though he had been interested in the tale Amon had hinted at, he would not be disappointed when it was denied, either. Instead he responded with a simple shrug of his wide shoulders, not wanting to dig up bad memories, and it seemed recalling the story brought him some level of distress. He merely grinned in response, oblivious to the inner workings of Amon's mind. He got no hint that there might be another reason why he was hesitant to share his story. "Ah, no worries," he replied with ease, shaking his head gently. "There's no need to dampen your mood with bad memories. Another day works." Or not at all -- either way. Though he was happy to learn about the wolves he met, he was often happy enough just enjoying their company without any added baggage. Whatever the day brought, he'd be content with. At the question about his family, his demeanor brightened again from the temporary divergence. "Not too large of a family," he admitted somberly. "I have two sisters, and a handful of cousins. Probably quite a few more, now that I've been away from my tribe for so long. Most have similar coat colors, but I'm afraid my father and I were the only ones I ever met with these tusks." They'd never seemed strange to him, nor those he grew up with, but he had learned they were quite unique indeed. He still remembered the first time he'd seen a tusked boar, and had very briefly mistaken it for a particularly ugly, rather misshapen wolf. The memory brought laughter to his eyes. "I hoped they might pass on to any children I might have, but my son was born without them too." The brute offered another shrug, not pretending to understand how the passing of traits worked.

Aki let his question go easily, as if it had been nothing more than a whim. Amon was no fool of course, he could see the curiosity kindled in the man's ruby eyes. Still, Aki did not press him and let the notion go as easily as if it were a leaf carried off by the wind. "Another day," Amon agreed, his rumble taking on a warm tone it had not held before. This man continued to fascinate. He was a puzzle which refused to be solved. What was his game? What did he aim to take away from this encounter? After all, Amon could not wrap his head around a soul without motive of some sort. It seemed as unnatural to him as the sun rising in the west. Aki went on to speak of his family, and Amon listened with rapt attention. His homeland was far from here, that much could be inferred. Why else would the man not return, at least occasionally? He showed age, much older than Amon, but he would not hazard a guess. Was it this that kept him from his kin? There were too many questions, and Amon was not overly fond of questions, particularly those who's answers, albeit asinine in the scale of things, could not be easily inferred. The fact that these tusks were restricted to Aki and his father only spoke more to genetic fluke than gift of the gods, he decided. "I see. Children can be tricky that way. They never seem to do quite what you want or expect them to," he commented with a wry grin, aware that Aki had so far been far more forthcoming in this discussion that he had. He went on, saying, "My family is large as well, and I'm certain my father will have several new siblings waiting for me, should I ever return. I'm thinking my own children will have a difficult time calling a pup 'Uncle' or 'Aunt' but I'm certain they'll adjust." Then again, he thought, he did not owe this man his thoughts, congenial as he may be. At the moment he was still little more than a stranger, fascinating stranger or not. Amon would give enough to get a bit in return, until he was satisfied. "Talk" "You" Think

Áki would be happy to answer any question that Amon might ask, but as he reflected on earlier -- the fact that he seemed such an open book often led others to believe he had things to hide. Most wolves had a great deal to conceal, whether others realized it or not. He was happy to put aside his current thirst for knowledge knowing he might meet Amon again someday, and might hear the tale then. He nodded in agreement to his acquaintance's words, about children. It was true, of course, that children often went their own ways -- he was lucky that Kai was quite similar to himself. Some of the values he had ingrained in the boy he figured would stay, particularly his fierce independence, already so well developed in him though he was still young. What if he did turn out completely different, though? Aki supposed he'd have to wait until that day came to know for certain. He found himself grinning at the thought as Amon admitted his own family was large. It was nice, though, that he seemed to know he might see them again upon his return. Aki wasn't sure if he would see his family again, at least his parents; he was getting up there in years. "It sounds like your parents think like I do," he said, referring to the fact that Amon's children would have to refer to pups as Aunt and Uncle. They were having children late, too - not that he knew how old they were, but older than Amon, so it was a possibility they were close to his age. The thought was amusing, and he snorted aloud. "I'm not sure I'll be having any more children myself. I was lucky enough for one, I suppose," he commented casually, with a slow shrug. More would not be unwelcome, but he was getting up there in years, and he wasn't sure rearing children would be easy for much longer. If he could even find someone to carry children for him at all. He'd gotten lucky enough with Renhett, and made a mental note to seek her out again someday to see how she was faring. She was a friend, after all.

Amon had a hard time believing their fathers thought much like one another at all. He found Aki perfectly pleasant of course, but that was all the proof he needed. Amon himself had not yet decided whether this was due to his advancing age, or simply his innate personality, but the man seemed entirely too lax for that warriors body. Was he a coward, perhaps? Amon could not envision a course his life could take which would place his soul in such a unique and powerful frame that he would not use it to it's fullest potential? No, he doubted their fathers were very much like one another at all. "It's quite possible," he said with a rumble, and a small smile. Aki had had one child, and that was enough for him. Another glaring difference, Amon reflected. One child could hardly solidify the passing of a line. Entire wings of the Abraxas line have been lost to time, war, and plague. With only one, he may as well consider his succession dead and gone. "I don't blame you," Amon said through a gentle chuckle. "One would still be enough to drive me out of my mind at times," and while that itself wasn't necessarily untrue, he was already thinking ahead to the future. By the time another litter was born and weaned, needing his full attention, his children would be nearly old enough to begin having litters of their own. Not only would it be good experience for them, he would have many an able hand to help raise their newest kin. It seemed perfect to him. Amon looked back to Aki, perfectly pleasant and content. He was clearly a powerful man, and while his seeming unwillingness to use it baffle the darker man, he did not yet have enough data to make an informed decision. Ultimately, Aki's reasons were his own. As it was, he might even go so far as to say it had been a pleasant meeting. "Talk" "You" Think

A truth that few encountered - for Áki had too strong a love for life, and too independent a spirit to meddle in the affairs of others - was Áki’s fierceness. Truthfully he could have a bit of a temper when reckoned with; it simply didn’t come out often. And though it’d been a long while since he sparred, and he was growing older, a friendly fight did sounded quite appealing.. He returned the expression with an easy smile of his own. Much of the things that concerned Amon were of little importance to him -- Kai was enough to pass on his bloodline and keep the Jarvela family going, and he was happy with that. Their difference in ideals hardly mattered to him, not that he was aware of them in the slightest; he met few wolves similar to himself in enough ways to matter and he was intrigued by the different creatures he met, even if their lives were far from ideal to him. Pack wolves, for instance, had always been fascinating to him though he wanted nothing to do with packs himself. He chuckled at Amon’s words, nodding in agreement. Kai was an easy boy to raise, though the fact that he was raising a child at all was a drastic difference from the life he’d lived before, where he’d been responsible for no one but himself. He was still growing used to wondering how Kai was faring without him, and feeling obligated to check up on him. He wondered then how many children that Amon might have. He’d said remarkably little about himself thus far, and Aki was curious. ”How many children do you have, Amon, if you don’t mind me asking?”