Despite his curiosity, Elohim always returned home one way or another. Sometimes, it would take him but a day but other times, some half a season would pass before he would trot over the borders and to a musty hollow. This time, it might have been longer. He had been kept in the free lands by the white woman, drawn to follow her for some days before his instincts called him elsewhere. It ached, in a way, to leave and yet, he always felt relief as he entered the familiar domain of the sea. He oft debated whether to follow his sister's lead and explore a new pack and yet, on the cusp of adulthood, he had found himself disinterested in the idea beyond folly imagination. Yet, he did always seem to crave something new.

Today though, he did not expect to find it. Instead, he had simply settled into finding a moment of peace in the last few days of warmth. Already, the skies had begun to change over the sea and the leaves had begun to dull. He had no issue with winter and yet, he had grown fond of summer. So, he had found himself a comfortable place by the shore as the sun beat down through wispy clouds. He lay stiffly at best, awkawrd in the sand as if he had never truly relaxed; he kept his head high and his legs straight ahead, his toes flexing periodically in the warmth. He watched out across the water, amused by the gulls that swooped about. He pondered sneaking to their alcove where their chicks lay in wait and yet, his ears had suddenly swiveled back with the sudden realization that he was not alone.

The paws had been frantic at first, light in weight as they crunched through the sand, but their sudden pause made Elohim twist his head back towards the sound. His eyes fell immediately on the form of a child, small and dark and yet marked with a familiar crimson - Ares, he thought but for a moment, shrugging the thought of his brother away. She was, well, a she for starters and far too small, far too much white, to have ever been his brother. Still, she looked quite peculiar. Intrigued, was she? Confused? His head slowly tilted as his blood-orange eyes fixated.

Then, she did something he had certainly not expected. She crawled suddenly, darting forward in a way that made him hesitate for a moment before he scuffled back an inch in surprise. His ears pushed forward and his eyes widened as he leaned out towards her, sniffing curiously. His own experience with children was...disasterously limited and yet, he vaguely remembered the action: hunger? Submission? His head immediately tilted once more as she spoke,. Daria. She was short with her words. Mine. At that, he drew back with a half-grin, a tooth exposed against the black of his lip.

"What's yours?" He huffed with a glance down to her again, "the ground that you're hugging so tightly?" It was not confrontational and yet, his voice had a natural sternness to it, a natural curious spike. She had confused him, admittedly, with her actions contrasted to the sharpness of her words. Yet, Elohim never liked to admit confusion and so, he had to feign confidence. Still, beyond confused, he was curious and so, slowly, he tilted his head out once more in order to sniff wearily at the top of the girl's head. She smelt like the sea and yet, not in the same way that he or even a wolf such as Haziel might. Something about her was different. He couldn't place what it was but now, he wanted to know.