It was getting colder as Selene headed north. She wasn't really sure why, but it felt right at the time. Wandering north, high headed and quick. Her eyes were bright, the mid morning sunlight cast on her coat, leaving her a bit warm on the back and sides. That was something she didn't mind, the warmth. It wouldn't last for long, but she didn't really mind. Winter was coming, but for now she was safe and warm and happy. The forest that rose up around her was something comforting. Young trees, sprouting from the ground and casting moderate shadows on the land around her. She was enjoying it, loving it. Tail wagging happily, eyes glimmering. What a gorgeous day. Everything was gorgeous and she was in love with it all. Selene is in love with exploring and in love with life. Full of life and light, the woman was mapping the world around her once more. Learning as she explored. Always. "Talk" "You" Think

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He had decided to leave the Island after checking to see if any of his friends wanted to go with to the mainland. Today it seemed like a no, so he made the swim alone and went on his merry way to see what he could see. Atlas enjoyed exploring, especially when he didn't have to chase after any tiny thieves with angry animals running after them trying to get their stolen goods back. They were so very lucky he liked them despite their terrible thieving ways and penchant for getting into the worst sorts of trouble. Without a moose that was closer to one ton than most creatures ever got acting as backup, well, they'd be toast. Sometimes thinking about it made him laugh. He was more or less the reason they could even do any stealing since he was the ferry to and from the mainland. Clearly they must not be that annoying if he kept enabling the behavior.

When he found the strange island off shore, Atlas couldn't help but want to go there. After all, he lived on a island so exploring more of them sounded pretty great! The swim was easy, though most swims were for him. When he arrived, he spent a good deal of time eating and enjoying the foliage, quietly striding through the trees with grace some large creatures could only dream of. After spending time rubbing his antlers on a tree to rid himself of a lingering bit of velvet he'd not noticed before and ensure the antlers really were clean as could be for real now, he caught the scent of a wolf.

For a moment the moose stiffened a bit, but after breathing in more of the scent he noted there was only one. A lone female. That he did not find the least bit intimidating. Most wolves didn't really like the idea of facing him alone, and certainly not with his antlers - which were growing more impressive every year - so there wasn't much cause for concern. On the contrary, he was intrigued by the strangers presence, and without much else to do he'd seek the creature out.

When he finally saw the dark-pelted woman he let out a soft snort to announce his presence to her while doing his best to look as non-threatening as possible. His ear twitched as he regarded her before saying, "It's a beautiful land, isn't it?" his way of greeting, perhaps.

This place was... breath taking. Honestly. Selene's gait is easy, head high, gaze bright. Everything about her is bright and glimmering, nearly a mirage in all of the strangeness. Trees, young growth trees, covering the ground and making her feel all the more at home. How were things this lovely allowed to exist? She was feeling ever so lovely. A welcome reprieve from the eerie air around the south. No, this place was all cold and hard and natural. There was nothing here that she could push back upon. As she gazed upon the landscape, something else drew her attention. The sound of a snort-- that wasn't a wolf. That was by no means a wolf. Oh shoot. Er. Wait, from what Selene knew of moose, he wasn't being aggressive. Okay. Relax. Relax child, relax. "I-it's lovely, yeah," her tail wagged softly, trying to ease the nerves. A moose. There was a moose. Talking to her. "You don't look like any moose I've ever seen," it's an observation, one she's making aloud. Right. Selene was running a bit short on intelligent things to say. This was a bit weirder than even she was used to. "Talk" "You" Think

Atlas found this little wolf, much like the others he met, to be rather amusing in her reaction to his appearance. He had to remind himself that he was at least three times her size if not more; the wolf had every reason to find him intimidating. Still, his easy-going demeanor and entertainment at most acquaintance's expense was usually what brought them around to seeing him as non-threatening, so he would laugh softly and gaze at her with soft multi-colored eyes.

"I get that a lot. Although, it is not uncommon to see wolves like you who are strangely colored or marked." it's true, the canine predators don't always look as natural as they should. He wondered briefly why that was. Did something cause them to come in new patterns? Maybe if it did, then he was the first -at least to his knowledge - of his kind to change as well. Strange thoughts.

He nosed absently at the leaves of a nearby sapling for a moment before remembering to introduce himself, "Oh, I'm Atlas. What's your name? If you're interested, I would be happy to explore this island together." He saw no threat in the wolf, and heard no others nearby. There was no reason not to be friendly so long as she was.

Selene is a bit of a shrimp, there's no denying that. She's never bothered. Certain things work to your advantage when you're slight, swift of foot and keen of eye. Brilliant things. Selene would never pass up brilliance, not for anything or anyone. A bright spark in the darkness that had surrounded her in her youth, and the darkness that she carried on her own back. It wasn't any matter. There were stars everywhere you looked. You may as well be that star. Selene was okay with that. "That's true... my people thought there was something in the water, in some of the places we traveled. Maybe it was just a saying though." Selene shrugged at the thought. The strange colors, the loud ones, they... should have been dangerous. At least with the moose that she stood beside, most of his oddities were in his eyes. That, and moose were scary. Even if they were prey animals, Selene would usually steer clear. Not a good meal for a shrimpy thing on her own. That, and he was friendly. She could hang with friendly. "I'm Selene... exploring together would be cool!" Her tail wagged, a bit of a bounce in her step as she strode beside the creature. He was huge, and honestly, it left her feeling a little bit more safe. Meeting someone new wasn't a bad thing, even if they weren't like you. The moonscorned decided that it wasn't the worst choice she'd make today. Moose could be cool friends, right? "Talk" "You" Think

For a moment he considered her reply, head tilting slightly so his right antler was higher than the other. Maybe she was right, although he didn't fully understand the expression or it's origins, he had nothing better to offer. "Some sayings are based in truth. You never know," the bull mused.

The small woman seemed to relax over time, more as he continued to prove non-threatening. That was good, he preferred to be a friend over anything else if he could help it. The bull's expression lightened further as the wolf introduced herself and accepted his offer. Splendid! "I hope this island proves interesting," he said as he turned his large body, setting off alongside his new small companion to begin their little adventure. Exploring was probably much easier for him than some other creatures; whenever he encountered thick foliage he could usually just crash on through like it wasn't even there if he felt so inclined. That, and having those long, powerful limbs meant he could cover ground fairly quickly. Remembering this had him checking that he measured his stride as he moseyed along with the dark little woman.

As he plodded along Atlas scanned ahead over the shorter saplings to see what would lie ahead of them. It was a lovely new-growth forest, that much was apparent right away upon entering the island. What was more intriguing was the scent of fresh water that hit his large nostrils after they'd walked for a short while. Atlas paused, ears swiveling this way and that as he scented the air. Glancing down to Selene, he asked, "Do you often find yourself exploring?" He was mildly curious if she belonged to the pack from nearby, since he wasn't well-versed in picking out the scents of wolves affiliated with groups. Resuming his walking, the white-patched moose veered in the direction of the water smell, curious where it might lead them.