Haunted Wood Slumming it with the poor.

Roaming had its benefits. The only limit being resources and energy - of which Komet could scour the wilderness for one, but had a bounty of the other. He drifted from point to point in the dark; the starlight thin, but the massive moon lending him enough light to manage. He was a ghost. Travel was easier at night, for the most part, and as the thinnest emanation of light crossed along the horizon (indicating sunrise) Komet knew he should seek shelter -- get some sleep. At the same time as he observed the rising tendrils of light, he took note of wolf scent - which itself was  wake up call of its own.

Santi is up early to go catch some breakfast, maybe patrol the border a bit. When he sees the damndest thing: another wolf that he doesn’t know in their territory. How unusual. He thinks fleetingly as eyes settle onto the stranger from afar; they're smaller than himself, ragged, and thin. It’s off-white fur slightly dirty looking from this distance. Santi briefly wonders if they’d wondered over for some food knowing there’s another pack here. For how much they patrol their borders, there’s no way their scent isn’t everywhere.

He starts in a trot to the stranger and as he gets closer finally settles into a languid walk. Definitely within a comfortable distance of a bout fifteen feet, Santi’s usual smirk shows on his face–always so deadly and mischievous.

“Now, who are you?” The larger wolf asks in his Spanish lilt. Then, he gives a tilt of his head, “You lost, amigo?” He asks teasingly.

JSYK - he is on the borders and noticed the scent markers.

He is on-edge. The shifting of his eyes is one clue of this, and the tense manner of his posture. His tail is low, his head bowed over the earth to gather those scents, studying the multitude. No illness here that he is familiar with, which is a good sign. The forest trembles, and the boy lifts his eyes - then his snout - to observe the way the silvered branches overhead shake; there comes a more direct sound a moment later, and he watches a hulking dark thing emerge. They remind him of a bear. 

When they speak it is like listening to an oak tree split in two. Komet does not notice the inflection of the voice as a question, nor the accent, but the tone sounds friendly enough. He lingers merely for that reason - assuming a slouched posture as if to wordlessly prove his subservience. Komet was too young and hungry to be a threat.

Of course ;) It was more like Santi thinking about it.

The lack of a response grinds on his nerves slightly but he gives the snowy pelted male some slack. He can tell he’s young and though often Santi is usually a monster, he’s become somewhat softer.

His brows furrow in irritation, but he quickly smooths them out as to not terrify the already submissive male away. He comes closer to the other. “Relax, amigo.” He says casually, that same gravel still laced into his voice. 

“If you don’t wanna talk to me then let me call someone you might feel more inclined to answer.” He mumbles before letting loose a deep, rumbling howl calling for @Serem. After the howl is over he awaits the females hopefully swift appearance.

Looking down to the other he raises a brow. “Can you even talk? Or are you just shy?” He asks with a light, devious smirk to his maw.

The stranger moves closer. The boy is torn between the desire for more distance between them and the curiosity inherent within, reaching out with an eager nose to gather information from their coat. He can smell other wolves but nothing of great importance; nothing familiar, anyway.

It is when the stranger lifts their head and howls which Komet reacts to mercilessly - ducking down, curling his tail to his belly, his ears vanishing against his scalp. His haunches quiver. Maybe he will bolt away from the sound - but then it concludes and the dark giant is talking at him again, his tone vaguely menacing.

Santi doesn’t expect that reaction to his  howl. The other cowers horribly when before he even dares to get closer to take a little sniff of his pelt. How interesting. And yet the kid still does not speak.

Looking down to the other and seeing just how scared he is confuses Santi. What happened to him? He wonders. Then decides to come closer and with a voice less threatening he speaks once more to the ragged wolf. “It’s okay.” He murmurs back in his mediocre (at best) attempt at comforting him. “Why’re you so scared?” He tries again to get him to speak, not yet understanding that he just doesn’t.

Serem has heard her the howl for her at the borders and she went over there promptly after and saw yet another young boy at their borders and wondered how these young ones were even finding this place. "I was called?" She question santiago and looked at the young male.