A large, white ear turned forward when Aiden heard his own name from the stranger’s mouth. It had been over a week since he’d struck out on his own, and, he couldn’t lie to himself, it was difficult being so alone. Very alone. But the boy had spent the first three and a half seasons of his life in a safe, family environment where he had friends, and caretakers, and just all the security in the world. Back home, he was a regular social butterfly, but… There, in the dark cave with a complete stranger, the boy had no idea how he should be acting. He didn’t trust the red wolf—not yet, at least—and part of him was just waiting for something to go wrong. Gosh, was being on his own confusing, and maybe a tad bit scary.

“Um, yeah,” Aiden mumbled a bit awkwardly, “Nice to meet you, too.” Staring at his paws wasn’t helping him fight the urge to lay down and pick the ice out of his toes, all vulnerable and the like, so the boy decided to lift his gaze and let it wander around the cave instead. Admittedly, aside from the hanging death spikes mounted to the ceiling, it wasn’t a particularly interesting space. Just dark and quiet and warm. Not much to look at, but it was comfortable—save for the small concern that one of the spikes could fall at any moment. Aiden figured it was either that or he could try his luck out in the snowstorm, and suddenly the death spikes weren’t all that bad. Unlike the snow, none of them had fallen. Yet.