It truly was sad here. Grey all over. The scorched trunks surrounded her like a rib cage, layers of ash still present in the grooves of the bark despite the seasons that had passed since some tragedy had obviously set this place ablaze. Fiora felt strangely claustrophobic in here, despite the lack of life and open sky above the dead trees. She'd been starting to feel better about being on her own, taking her time and getting to know her new surroundings, but this forsaken forest was certainly trying to undo the progress she'd made.

The rust-coated she-wolf had certainly started with a lively gait but by now she'd slowed to a mere saunter. She let her head hang low as her pale eyes scanned the landscape modestly. But there was nothing to look out for, not even the chirp of birds breaking through the strange spring time silence. Why did it feel like she was walking through a graveyard?

Fiora decided she didn't like it one bit and started looking for a way out on the horizon, maybe a spit of greenery to lead her away from the monochromatic misery that enveloped her. Instead, she found another wolf further ahead on a parallel path.

Wary from the atmosphere of the Wildwood, Fiora did not want to approach. But as she'd learned from her last encounter, hiding was not the proper response. Perhaps unlucky for the dark fellow, Fiora felt the loneliness of the burnt Wildwood seeping through her skin and decided on impulse to up her gait and call out, "Hey!" She widened her stride, her long legs easily swallowing the distance that separated them. Uncertain still of common manners she came no closer than a few wolf lengths next to him and lessened her speed to walk more or less in line with the guy. Her icy blue eyes snuck a glance at his path, noting with confusion he seemed to be heading deeper into the destruction. "Where are you going?"

To Fiora's great delight he responded to her with basically no question as to her strange mannerisms, which she took as a sign that she'd made the right call this time. Puffing up a little at her own pleasure she fell into a comfortable stride with this stranger and let a lovely smile settle upon her tan jaws.

"What Grove?" she fired back almost instantly, mostly because grove sounded a lot kinder than the place they currently were. In her mind she painted a picture of plush grass beneath her toes and beautiful willow branches hanging overhead and a babbling brook sparkling in the golden sunlight - which was a far more suitable setting for a lady than this charred cemetery. Besides, he seemed to have a purpose which was far more than Fiora could say for herself. Maybe he was well acquainted with the area. Maybe she could use that.

Seeing that he had been so receptive of her approach Fiora considered herself an expert, now, and let her chin rise ever so slightly as they walked. She fancied that conversation was something she could achieve with ease and let her frosted stare wander over the scorch marks on the bark and remarked, "Hopefully it's not too far. This place is pretty unfriendly." She accompanied her clever observation with a cheeky grin.

Sacred Grove? Even better. Not that there wasn't anything holy about the cemetary that they were walking on, but normally the sacred things weren't scorned by fire. Pleased with their current destiation she was able to rid her mind of the ashen place, feeling far less creeped out by the blackened trunks now that she knew there was a definite way away from here and that they two were on the path.

Then it struck her - just a little bit further and we'll reach it. We. The word entered her ears and found its way into the cells of her blood stream, invigorating her step without her even realizing it. Her subconcious craved for something - love, acceptance, attention - and whatever that was it had been satiated by the easiest slight of pronoun. He'd already made himself a suitable friend by disregarding her lack of social skill and made himself even less of a stranger through that inclusion. Fiora felt her haphazard grin growing more and more permanent with each step she took, turning her cheek to regard him from the side of her stare as they walked.

"So are you scouting for your pack? Or are you like, super strong, gonna take down your very own deer dinner?" Was she flirting, or was she just making bad jokes? Fiora really didn't know either way. He was a handsome guy, for sure, but having had basically no interaction outside of her home life she couldn't be sure if it was the boy or the attention that she was diggin' so hard. Whatever it was she wouldn't split hairs - it made her very happy any way.

The humor in his expression lead Fiora to be incapable of discerning his confusion and she continued to grin boldly, completely overlooking his own social inhibitions. "You're right. That might be a lil' too crazy," she agreed, happy to be on his side. Though she probably would've gone sprinting into a deer herd if he'd suggested it. She was so enjoying having a real friend for the first time - however unconventionally and flimsily forged their partnership was.

Regularly she would have frozen when asked about a pack, given that she was finding herself far too insecure and lonely to keep it up as a rogue wolf. But his company had been soothing enough that Fiora could take the question in stride. "Nah, I'm on my own." She said, somewhat proudly as if she were a high-functioning independent. Then, not wanting him to think she was anti-social or incapable of being a team player (the truth of that still yet to be determined) she added, "I just really haven't found the right fit, you know?" Not that she'd done any looking. That made her sound like she'd been working at a goal. What if he asked her what she knew about this place? Quick, Fiora, cover it. "I sorta just rolled in and everything's all new. Are you from around here?"

Swift like the wind. Got damn. Personally she was impressed with her recovery, her pale blue eyes shining as her jaws clicked to a close; this was really a great day for her ego.

The tawny she-wolf nodded as he spoke a little about himself, responding, "It's nice that your mom is still around. Mine was kind of a bat." She grimaced in a way that was to imply her candid recount of her mother's spirituality was a joke, but there was a certain sadness that threatened to rain from her cold blue eyes. On the hunt for her older sister her mother had never been that engrossed. Which made sense, of course, because her older sister was only her half and that half did not come from her mother. Still, the ways of the healer were misunderstood by Fiora and her full sister, and she never felt close. A blink would cover herself from revealing anything too whiny. Who cares, after all. They were far and she was here; that's all that mattered.

Fiora was a little bit jealous that he got to settle down somewhere with his family, and in Magnolia Glen - which sounded nice, 'cause she did like magnolia trees - but she was quick to disregard the subject not only because he asked her a question further, but because timelines are wonky and I'd rather not deal with it (lol sorry). Truth be told she was caught off-guard. She didn't want to tell the truth for some reason, perhaps because he might think her shy or lazy or incapable or any combination of the three. But at the same time she liked his company, and didn't want to lie to him either. The dilemma was all to irritating for Fiora to hash it out in her mind, and swallowing her pride she decided to try honesty.

"No, I haven't really wanted to get close yet. I'm too much of a loner to approach a pack." She said, trying to prevent her voice from showing that she was displeased with herself for that. Too nervous to approach and too proud to grovel, Fiora just couldn't get close to them yet. "Did you see many before you found yours?"