Her paws padded the soft ground as she walked in a direction that lead to an unknown destination. Kiaki's fur shivered in the breeze and her head was bowed as she walked. The land was bare and resources scarce. Her stomach gave an unpleasant growl and longed for food, but as Kiaki twisted her head to look around, there was not much to sustain her. However, this didn't bother her too much, as she had grown used to the independent life. After her mother's death and her father's disappearance, she was forced to tread outside of her boundaries and venture into the unknown. The horizon never neared, so this land, empty though it was, was not a form of abyss, but Kiaki was yet to cross paths with another animal of her nature. Small voles and snakes waited in the shadows, and the occasional screech of a hunting bird could be heard from overhead. Fear failed to penetrate her, yet her lonliness forever grew.

A petrified tree stood just yards ahead and Kiaki approached it, lifting her front paw to scratch at its mineralized exterior. Flakes of debris shedding from the trunk as her claws did harm, but no water had been present in that tree for a very long time. Kiaki dug around the roots, hoping to find some source of liquid to quench her thirst. It had been too long since she had passed by an oasis or stream, and her tongue was dry from her panting and her teeth grew numb in the dry air. She whimpered for the first time in days, a light squeak issued from her dry lips. Her tongue reached up to wet her nose and felt pain as it cracked from her touch. She needed to find water, and fast. But apart from nourishment, she longed to find company.

A howl struck out through the air like an arrow and Kiaki stopped in her tracks. A moving silhouette shimmered in the heat waves and the scent of another struck her nose. Shivers danced up and down her spine causing her fur to stand on end as though in fright. She dared not to move further, and again, she whimpered. 

Although fear struck her for the first time in a while, Kiaki panted with excitement. It had been so long since coming across another, and that was just what she needed. Although introverted, Kiaki was sociable, and being away from her family drove her to near tears. Perhaps whomever this was could offer her something. Perhaps it knew where to find water, shelter, or a meal. Yet Kiaki remained cautious. She had not eaten in quite some time and was in no position to fight.