Pan watches it as it falls, that last leaf atop the tree, wrinkled and brown, the tiny stem clinging with great ferocity to the twig until finally it is forced to relinquish it’s hold on whatever fragments of life it pertains and tumble to the earth. It twists and twirls in the breeze, ducking and weaving as the young male’s eyes watch with an almost child-like glee as the leaf twists closer and closer, tumbling to the earth as his paws before a wide and delicious grin spreads across his exquisite features, tail waving through brown grass before he rears back and onto his hind legs, forepaws placed against the tree as if he aims to climb it, black eyes staring upward in delight before narrowing slightly and with obvious contemplation.

“Remarkable!”

He exclaims, his laughter still holding a singular note of youth and childish excitement, a touch of the boy, instead of the man he was fast becoming and indeed, though he would never be tall- his muscle had filled out with startling results, his features broad and powerful, his voice deeper and pelt growing thick for the coming winter until that muscular frame was adorned in lashings of gold and copper that gleamed like the obsidian of his eyes. Where was Seven when he was needed!? A summoning bark was released from the boy’s lips, loud and commanding, calling for his gangly silver and dark sibling as his gaze returned with focus to the bare tree. Pan has been studying this particular tree for some weeks now, watching as each leaf fell and indeed, he has collected well over half of them, with the sole purpose being to gather the leaves again next season and compare the difference and today- the last leaf has finally fallen, signalling the coming of winter, the first snow surely no more then a day or two away and truly, truly- that is a moment to rejoice in. Perhaps the curse of Indus had finally been broken. Of course, Pan, a boy of the most incredible mindset is not given to believe in something as unscientific as curses and yet.....that does not mean he doesn’t hold some fear in the overwhelming evidence in support of this ridiculous jinx. After all, of Indus’ fifteen children, every single one had died before the age of four- Hadrian, the only one of Pan’s siblings to survive the fourth year was killed in the fall of the sky, never seeing five and indeed, though the golden boy understands that Hadrian’s death, in the least, was an accident of nature he cannot find evidence for the rest. Fifteen siblings and only himself and Seven lived- so far. They need only make it through the winter, hence Pan’s excitement in the falling leaves and surely they would be free of this four-year affliction.

At the sound of approaching footsteps the powerful young male pressed back from the tree to land neatly stop his paws once more, turning with beaming grin towards what he presumed to be his brother, black eyes falling upon the sight of a different young male and yet one that only brightened the intensity of his grin all the same as it reached gorgeous proportions once more. Pan is, as ever, still entirely fascinated by the legs of this particular individual and indeed, though he had only met Ajax once and been denied by social conformity to examine the creature legs there and then- he is entirely convinced that with suitable training and a working knowledge of tendon and muscle, Ajax’s ability to walk could certainly be improved. Of course, to study the deformed limbs would be no less rewarding and truly the golden male makes no effort to hide his gaze as it lingers upon the limb in question with utter glee, tail waving in a moment of excitement before his gaze lifted to the eyes of the other.

“Naturally I remember you, such is the burden of a Mind as comparatively unusual as my own that I quite find myself unable to forget anything though indeed, more then once, I wish this was not so. There are some things I do think I would like to forget, but, since that is an impossibility I have simply embraced that fact that I shall be doomed to an eternity of remembering almost every detail while being duly fascinated by said details, Ajax.”

Black eyes gleamed, the name added upon the end to signify that he did, indeed, remember the boy with the limp- and the puppy he had been carrying when Weylin had summoned them forth, the first and last meeting of the Pack before Sulan’s take over, a move that Pan still remains unsettled by, yet one that is hidden beautifully beneath his confident ease and gentle manner and grace. Stepping away from the tree once more, leaves forgotten for this moment- though he keeps a sure eye on the final leaf itself- the young male strode forward a pace or two to seat himself before Ajax, sweeping the leaf under his paw for safe-keeping before returning his attention to his companion, eyes once more seeking the damaged limb.

“Would you let me look at it?”

He asked almost offhand, distractedly, moving forward already though unaware he even did so, nor that such a gesture was surely highly impolite and insensitive, he only wants to help- he always does. He continued to speak, eyes still focused on the limb as his head tilted to examine it from a new angle.

“How did you manage to do this? Tell me, were you born with this imperfection or is it a result of accident or injury?”

p a n
all the world is made of faith and trust and pixie dust