Slavik was indeed a bit socially clumsy, he was still learning the ropes. Being a year old, and only ever around his family members and pack mates up until recently, meeting new people and introducing himself had never been a skill he'd had a chance to practice. Back then, he was just friends with everyone because he'd basically known everyone since birth, and it was all comfortable and familiar to him. But this was different; the wolves, the places, everything was new and exciting and it all felt very ephemeral. He wasn't sure whether or not he liked the short lived interactions yet, or whether he preffered stability. For now it was just new, and he was trying his damned best to get it down.

Liri was making the conversation very easy so far, she was polite and friendly and so he felt at ease. She commented that she was used to big and startling males, and Slavik briefly wondered who she was talking about. He'd noticed right away that she had a pack scent on her, so this comment led him to believe that wherever she lived had a bunch of big hunkin men. An unlikely and naiive thought, but Slavik rolled with it.

She offered her name, Liri Tonrar, then asked if he were passing through. His sunlit gaze followed her muzzle as she gestured around them.

Yeah. I've been moving pretty fast so I shouldn't be here too long. He replied, looking back to her with a slight look of disappointment in his eyes. This was a quite beautiful area, and his legs were tired and recently he'd been parched. The idea of getting back on the road so soon wasn't a pleasant one, but at the same time his heart itched for further adventure. Slavik always followed his heart, thus his plan was to work himself so hard that by the time he was too fatigued to continue, he'd have seen everything this land had to offer.

Liri's offer was tempting, and Slavik had to restrain his weary subconscious from taking control and ending his adventure. While he was sure there would be excitement in joining a new pack, he still yearned to see what else the world had to offer. Though the option would not be forgotten. I appreciate that! I may very well come back and take you up on it, but for now I'm going to keep exploring. He said with a polite grin.

He followed her gesture to a distant plateau, dark trees barely visible but clearly present on top. He found himself very interested in the forest above the others, how amazing it must be to look out from up high every day. He'd been through the mountains on the way here, but he was used to plat and hilly plains. The plateua looked like a towering vista from his point of view, and he wondered if one day he truly would return and sit atop it, like a king on his throne.

With awe in his eyes, he turned back to Liri as he spoke, Do you live with family? Or did you join your pack as a lone wolf? He asked, wondering if she knew what it was like. He knew he would eventually settle down with a pack, perhaps she could give some insight as to what it's like being the new guy.

Liri was very pleasant, she seemed so calm and confident and he admired that in her. He too was confident, but not in the same soft spoken manner. She was the kind of woman who need say little to say enough. She didn't go into depth about herself, but she expressed enough for him to know that it was a long story kept for ones perhaps closer to her. He accepted that respectfully, returning her wry grin with a grin and nod of his own.

When she said that she founded the pack, Slavik found himself feeling embarassed. She was a leader and he hadn't even known! He felt suddenly that he should be showing her more respect, as his parents would've demanded he do for them. That's amazing! My parents were the alphas of my old pack, I always thought it would be fun to lead. But I get that it's probably time consuming too, he said, stopping himself from rambling further.

The next thing she brought up was a warning, about another pack in the flatlands. She seemed very serious about this, and it spurned Slavik's curiosity. Are they dangerous? he asked, trying to imagine what kind of wolves could be so notorious that the nearby packs urge loners against going there.

But it is mostly responsibility. Slavik nodded to this thoughtfully, and briefly his thoughts wandered away from Liri, and to what it might’ve been like to stay on the plains and become leadership like his parents had hoped. Would he be happy and successful at leading and caring for his pack? Or would the responsibility that Liri spoke of swallow him whole? Whether or not he’d originally thought it “would be fun”, he couldn’t deny that one of the reasons he’d agreed to leave Kendry Plains was because he feared taking on the responsibility expected of him. He’d wanted more freedom. He felt guilty about leaving, but still hoped that he’d made the right choice.

He was pulled back to reality when she fed his curiosity about this other pack in the flatlands. Her grave words sent a shiver down Slavik’s spine, the body parts of those who crossed them?! His nose screwed up in disgust at the very idea of a border marked with such macabre detail. Thanks for the warning, I’ll make sure to head back through the mountains up north, just to be sure, he assured her. Feeling the thirst in his mouth again, he bent down to lap at the rivers edge again.

The white furred female  began to say goodbye, and Slavik was bit remorse to leave. Her company had been nice, but like they’d discussed earlier; she was a leader and her responsibility was great. He knew she had better things to do than speak with a lone wolf. He dipped his head as a respectful goodbye, Thank you, and I hope your plateau doesn’t get too wet! he joked with a hum. Then he started to turn to leave, Catch you round, he said as they both walked away.

Slavik of course got caught out in the rain, but after that talk and a lot of contemplation he felt a renewed sense of adventure. The traipsed through the rain with his head held high and his back end swaying with the storms rhythm, and looked for the rainbow that would come up above.