The wind and his nose had taken him northbound, weaving him over mountains and through valleys until eventually he ended up caught in a territory one what might describe as odd.

Xizur imagined that whatever higher being had created this corner of the earth was not too pleased with their creation. For it was as if a smoker had used the ridge as their personal ashtray, stubbing out cigarettes with each new season that constantly added streaks of burnt grey not unlike the scorch marks found along an ash-pit. It made him wonder if from above the birds might play games of connect-the-dots, linking the charred pockets together in an attempt to create some grand picture that was more than just ugly patches of death and ash. 

Cinnamon ears swiveled atop his crown at the sound of the gentle greeting, sea salt eyes turning to blink sluggishly at the woman's dainty form. Petite, sylphlike, and surrounded by an air of youthfulness despite the telltale signs of middle age betraying her otherwise girlish features.

Perhaps it was because she was the polar opposite of him, at least appearance wise, that he thought her properly beautiful. And so with a steady swish of his tail he silently invited her closer, all the while wondering where exactly she'd come from.

He shifted uncomfortably under the weight of her stare, tail feathered and heart fluttering as she introduced herself. "Bhediya" he repeated aloud, allowing the foreign taste of her name to be committed to memory as he went through the syllables once more in his head. "I'm Xizur" he introduced a beat later, ears twitching from anticipation of what she might think of his far less elegant name.

For a moment his jaws parted once more, but whatever thought had danced along the edges of his lips had retreated before ever forming into words. And so their world fell to silence once more as he left the option to continue or end their conversation completely up to his newfound company.

Any tension he'd been holding in his muscles relaxed the moment she spoke, a strange wave of relief washing over him. Her voice was calm, soothing even, and he found himself easing into her soft spoken words. "No" came his response to her question, sea salt eyes glancing from the features of her face to the woodland surrounding them.

It was her later choice of words that stirred a different reaction from the youth, one he'd usually never entertain. But he was curious and so he leaned a bit closer, nose wiggling as he took in her scent. "Yours?" he asked, referring to the pack she had mentioned before.

It was hard to miss the disapproval wash over the youth's face after he learned of her future pack's choice in territories. "They are unkind.." he let out, sea salt gaze turning to glance toward the crusted wound along his hind leg "...the mountains I mean", he added on not soon after, briefly recalling the handful of poor memories he'd earned in the past week alone.

He decided then quite abruptly that mountains weren't his thing. He'd stick to the forests and fields he was use to and leave the mountains for the more fortunate of individuals.

He offered a few lazy blinks in her direction, his attention set on the ebony curls of her fur as she spoke. It was only then, as some fleeting rays of sun broke through the cloudy sky, that he realized just how tiny she was. A wisp of a woman mixed with something foreign to him. To think that she, so dainty and slight, could conquer a mountain...

Xizur was rarely impressed with anything besides himself, but she had managed to earn his favor during their time together and he thought it only fair to give her the time of day. And so as the last words left her lips, the wayward youth's ears cupped forward in interest, ready for whatever it is she might yet share with him, if anything at all.

So often were his lack of words viewed as standoffish or rude, that he'd grown accustomed to being misunderstood. So when she did not judge, did not assume that his silence was unmannerly, it was as if he'd just taken a breath of fresh air in a stale world.

And so with a single, sharp nod to her words, Xizur followed where she led - anxious, yet eager for what was to come.