Word Count: 1018

Leji had made it to Aerastouvious first.

That wasn't a surprise, considering how he left. Leji, one night, had woken up in a panic and bolted away from the mountain. He stubled downt he mountain and only ran into the pack b ypure chance. They were passing by a few miles away from the mountain. He was lucky to have found the pack so quickly, and he was lucky to find family within a pack he had never even heard of.

Tanda had followed him. Tanda woke up that morning, unable to find his friend and immediately went off to search for his packmate. It took some weeks to catch up with the nomadic pack, but he searched and searched until he came upon the pack in the early hours of the morning. He had been stopped short by guard - soldiers, they called themselves - until he pleaded his case.

By then, Leji had already intigrated himself into the pack, a small bird resting on his shoulders and a high ranking position. Tanda was shaking when he found Leji, breathing in the scent of his pack-mate and checking him over for any wounds.

"I'm okay," laughed Leji as Tanda nosed next to his face. Tanda's heart was thumping harshly in his chest, though, and he couldn't stop the feeling of relief that enveloped him.

"Gods, I was so worried," he murmured to Leji, nuzzling the side of his face briefly.

The pair had always been close. Closer than friends, at least, but Tanda harbored a great love for Leji. He was unsure if the other had felt the same for him, but being around him was enough. "I thought I'd lost you forever."

Leji gave a small whine, nuzzling up against the other. "I'm alright," Leji murmured again, "I promise, I'm alright, and I'm here." Leji gave an uncertain smile, nearly crashing into Tanda's side to cuddle with him. He murmured something to the small bird on his shoulder for a moment, and she flew off.

Alafia told Aeolus to give them time, time to reconnect and she could speak with them tomorrow. It was the lease that he could do.

The two curled together some ways away from the pack, Tanda pressing his forhead against Leji's. For once in a long time, Leji felt calm, he felt safe, and at home. The two took a while to bask with one another for a while, soaking in the pressence of the other.

"You're staying with this pack, then?" Tanda asked softly after a time. Leji frowned at him, wariness suddenly in his eyes.

"Did you come just so you could drag me back," Leji demanded. He wouldn't go, not willingly. He would fight, and he felt the urge to defend himself immediately, but after a second Tanda shook his head.

The brown dog was wary about the pack itself, he knew nothing of it, or why Leji raised in rank so fast. "I came to see if you were okay. You're important to me, and you just disappeared," Tanda spoke firmly, trying to get through to the other. He spoke softer, though. "I was so scared."

Leji whined at the confession, nuzzling back into Tanda. He wanted to apologize a hundered times, he wanted to stay curled together with Tanda forever, but they would have to re-join the pack eventually...

"Stay with me!" Leji said suddenly. "Stay with the pack, I..." He trailed off. He couldn't ask that of Tanda, not when Tanda had found his home in the mountains. Leji had been born their, sure, but he never wanted to stay there. It was never his plan to stay there.

Leji gave a small frown, huffing. Tanda was looking at him curiously. "Why did you leave, Leji?" He wondered aloud. The gold-speckled male turned his attention back to Tanda, and a questioning sound pulled from his throat.

"I woke up in the middle of the night," Leji recounted. "Something scared me so I ran. I got lost and... And the further I got away, the more right it felt. I joined up with Aeolus and this pack almost the same day..." He hummed softly. "Aeolus is my cousin, she understands the draw of the wind like I feel it in my heart."

Tanda tilted his head, confusion clear upon his features. "The draw of the wind?" He asked curiously and Leji nodded.

"I think it's something to do with my family. My mother felt the same draw when she was young, I asked her once..." He wasn't sure if his sister, the leader of the Tangambili, had felt the same draw for a long time, but he understood now. "It's why, in Tangambili," He continued softly. "The Howling exists, where we cimb to the highest peek to speak to the gods. It's a little different, but it stems from the same passion."

Tanda nodded after this. It made quite a bit of sense. Tanda had been born into a different pack though, only joining up after the pack had established itself in the mountains. He was an adult when Leji was still only a pup, but as the other had grown, he had found himsel falling for the shy pup.

"That makes sense," He murmured, nodding a bit. He huffed a sigh and then smiled at the other. "Alright, I will stay with you, if you cousin allows it," He prayed to the gods that they would allow him to stay, otherwise he wasn't sure what to do. He would have to follow the pack from a distance if he had to.

Leji gave him a small smile, "I'm sure she'll let you stay," He told Tanda. "She's very kind, though. You'll be meeting her in the morning, bright and early." Tanda could feel the nerved in the pits of his stomach rise up, and it must have showed clearly on his face, because Leji started laughing.

"You'll be fine," Leji promised. Tanda shook his head, smiling again. He was still nervous, but Leji had confidence, so he was sure he would be alright.