My god it was hot! Winter seemed like a distant memory as I walked out of Asteraia and into the comforting shade of the nearby forest. The plains had some scattered trees and bushes I could have certainly used as shade, but the tall grass that made up so much of my home was dry and uncomfortable to lay on. No, I needed something else to help me escape the damned heat and the tall trees of Enocra were just too tempting. Truth be told, I was a tiny bit nervous about leaving the safety of the pack. I had only ever been outside of Asteraia twice and each time had been with my mother. Well, she wasn't here any more and I needed to understand the world a little better if I was going to get anywhere, right?

Panting deeply, I trotted through the heavily scented boarder and into the shadows of the forest. At once, I could feel the sun release it's hold on me as I took shelter in the shadows. While it was still blazing, at least it was a bit more manageable here. Taking in the new sites, I took my time wandering about in my search for the perfect place to nap. There were birds all around, singing loudly about something I couldn't understand. A few rabbits scampered by, each one looking stringy and thin. If I had an appetite, I don't think I would have even considered wasting my time trying to catch those things. They didn't even have enough meat on them to make the hunt worthwhile. I guess the wolves weren't the only ones to be effected by the sudden heat of the summer.

My wanderings lead me to a stream, a pathetic thing really, that only had a little water flowing along the river rocks. Carefully, I moved to drink my fill, wincing at the gritty taste it left in my mouth. I didn't want to get my paws dirty on the mud. It took so long to get the nasty brown out of my lovely white coat. As I drank, the summer breeze carried a scent towards me that took my by surprise. A wolf I didn't see was resting against a tree, not too far away. Her coat was an odd combination of colors that I wasn't quite sure about, but her eyes were what caught me off guard. They were a bright, shining blue that I fell in love with.

Putting a smile on my face, I carefully danced across the river using the rocks to keep my paws dry. When I got to the other side, I kept my tale hanging neutrally and trotted over to her. Keeping a comfortable distance, I blinked my eyes in my attempt to flatter the damsel and giggled in a singsong voice. "Hello there. Nice day we're having, isn't it?" It wasn't. It was hot as hell and made my want to pant, but I kept my tongue firmly in my jaws. It wasn't much, but at least I broke the ice. What I wouldn't give for there to be actual ice now. "My name is Jakuta. I'm from Asteraia. Who are you and what brings you to this part of the woods?"