Mount Apikuni please tread softly as you go

Exploring had always been his thing. He did it for the fun of it – a hobby of sorts. Being in a completely new area meant that he could do a lot of it. He could explore each territory, give them a through check over and maybe do a little discovery hunt. The man wasn't satisfied just being there once. He wanted to know all of their secrets... their history even if he could! Granted, Eli wouldn't be able to register most of it – he typically just got the “important” bits to retell it to his buddies. Buddies... he did have two, sorta.
Today his mission was to head south. The mountains in the distance had piqued his interest for some time now, and now Eli was finally able to check them out. His pace was casual – long, sturdy limps carrying him over the rough terrain... debating if he wanted to sleep out here tonight so he could explore the mountain further in the morning. Although he did have some responsibilities now that he wasn't exactly on his own... but he'd make sure to come home tomorrow – he decided. Trotting forward, the agouti caught a whiff of water. His dark ears pointed curiously forward. Pink tongue darted from his jaws to swiftly swipe over his upper jaw.
His pace quickened, glad that he could hear the sound of water the closer he got. The shade around this little oasis was nice, too. The mountain ahead seemed to lack shelter itself and the glaring sun wouldn't be too nice on Eli's thick coat. Nonetheless, he was determined to explore whether or not he'd have to work up a sweat! His attention, however, was instantly taken away from his initial plan. His pace slowed until he stopped – head tilting when he spotted the dark grey figure up ahead. Bright blue eyes narrowed somewhat. Slowly, he crept forward... stopping again when the wind moved the right direction.
A wolf?! Head tilted one way then the other, Elijah leaned his muzzle down before he reached his right paw up and rubbed furiously at his nose with closed eyes. A few seconds later he stopped, glancing up at the figure again. Jaws went agape, a wide smile on his lips with ears perked forward. Tail was sent wagging madly behind him as the brawny male came charging up towards the stranger. A low, innocent “woof” escaped his lips to warn the stranger that he was coming their way. But for once, he hadn't thought of whether they could be a cannibalistic mad man planning to eat him.
All Eli thought was that this wolf looked weird! He didn't have a normal tail and his nose was bright pink. He wanted to see it up close... wanted to touch and see how truly different this wolf was from what he was used to.
“Hey! Hey, you!” He shouted, sliding to a stop about twenty feet away from the stranger – playful excitement apparent in his demeanor. “Your tail is all different! What happened to it? Can I touch it?”