Inna was glad for the snack that they had found, she hadn’t realized how hungry she actually was till she started eating. The excitement over meeting her new companion had been enough to cause her to not notice. She supposed that even though this hadn’t been a lesson in hunting she had learned something anyway. She didn’t know if she would ever need the things that she had learned on this outing but she felt that if she ever did she now had that knowledge. She tilted her head to one side in confusion as Nightingale spoke. Then the woman repeated what she had been trying to say, “Oh, well that’s good for us then,” she said cheerily. Then Nightingale went on to explain why the Lynx would not be returning, “Do Lynx leave marks like we do?” she asked so she would know what to look for in the future.

While Nightingale continued to eat Inna tried not to disturb her with too many questions and instead tried to imagine what it might be like for her out on her own. However those efforts turned out to be just like her attempts to imagine what winter might be like. So finally she’d asked about how long her friend had been alone. Inna shrugged, “More than a few days I supposed,” she replied. Then she was a little shocked to hear just how long, “That is a long time to be by yourself,” she stated. Inna didn’t think that she could go that long without seeing her family. She saw them every day and had her whole life, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to not have them in her life. She nodded when Nightingale said that pack life was better. From what she had learned about life as a lone wolf she had to agree, “Do you still need to be on your own?” Inna asked quietly.

Inna was curious about the lynx that Kite said had killed the leftovers they were having. She’d never seen one before so she couldn’t even really picture what it might look like as they spoke about it. It seemed at first that Nightingale wasn’t sure what she meant at first but then she answered the question that had been asked. “That’s good to know then,” said Inna thoughtfully, “I suppose it wouldn’t be a good thing to come across one unexpectedly?” She said as more of a question since she wasn’t really sure how dangerous they were but she thought that there had to be some danger where they were concerned since it had killed the animal they had found.

Even though Inna couldn’t imagine being away from her family for very long she thought that it must be quite the adventure being one your own for a little while anyway. Nightingale’s words about how a wolf needed a pack sunk in and though she was still learning a lot about life she did understand how important a pack was to a wolf. It was especially evident to her as she had seen how a pack could bring down larger prey than just a mouse or rabbit. “You don’t think that it is possible at all for a wolf to live on their own for longer periods? I mean if it was necessary?” She asked though she wasn’t sure what circumstances would making it necessary. “I don’t think that it is silly to follow a feeling,” she stated when Nightingale spoke of her feelings toward joining a pack just then.

Inna had gathered that being alone through the winter wasn’t something that was recommended especially with the shortage of food that her mother and the rest of the pack seemed to be worried about. So when Nightingale declared that she would have it figured out before winter had truly set in Inna was relieved, “That’s good I would hate for something to happen to you,” she stated, “And if you can’t find another you should come back this way. Mine isn’t far from here,” Inna suggested.

Nightingale’s words about the lynx only served to confirm to Inna that the creatures were in fact dangerous and that they should be avoided. However it was good to know that the chances of running into one weren’t very great. “I will remember that,” stated Inna, “Hopefully I won’t have the opportunity to come across one.” Still she could not know what the future would hold for her so she couldn’t know if she would ever come across one but if she did she now knew what she should do. Though she did have the advantage that she had a pack that could help her should she ever come across one.

Inna took what the woman said concerning living alone thoughtfully. Though she didn’t plan to leave Hearthwood River for more than a few hours ever she felt it was still good information to have. Though it was probably something she would have figured out eventually it was best that she knew it a head of time. “So if I am going to be making a long journey the best time is the summer,” she commented hoping that would show Nightingale that she understood what the woman was saying. Then when Nightingale started to open up about her dreams Inna was a little surprised that the female would share something so personal with her after all they had only just met. Inna listened closely because this was something that was very important. Inna did feel a little bad that she didn’t know more about dreams and could help Nightingale with her dreams and maybe finding the feeling that she was looking for. “I understand wanting to find that feeling. I’m mean why wouldn’t you if it makes you very happy. Do you remember anything about the dreams? Maybe a scene that looks familiar or something of that nature?” Inna asked thinking that sometimes the dreams she’d had in the past she’d remembered some of the places from them being places in her packs lands. It could help Nightingale find what she was looking for.

Inna had offered for her new friend to take refuge in Hearthwood River for the winter if she was left with no other options. She wasn’t really sure if it was her place but she wouldn’t leave a friend out in the wilderness to starve. She could talk to her mother when she got home and hoped that she would be understanding and not too angry that she would allow Nightingale to stay with the pack if she needed to. Inna nodded when asked if it was an invitation. “Yes, I wouldn’t want you to be stuck out here with nothing. I will have to of course speak with my mother but like I said before she’s understanding so I think it will be alright. All you would have to do is come to my packs borders and call for me,” she told the woman. At least that was how she thought it worked, that was how she hoped it worked.

Nightingale was very helpful with information about Lynx, she’d given Inna a good idea of what the creatures were like. The only thing the ebony pup needed now was to actually see one so that she knew what it was she should be avoiding. “So what exactly do they look like and are they easily out run?” She asked thinking that if it was best to get out of their range then they hopefully were easy to get away from. Inna also thought that if Nightingale could give her a description of the animals then she would at least have some idea of what she was looking at in case she ever did run into one.

The more that her new friend said about winter Inna knew that there was no way to tell what the winter would bring for her and her pack. Still she had to have faith that her mother and father would get them through whatever might come. A word that Inna didn’t remember ever hearing had been mentioned as Nightingale went on, “What exactly is a blizzard?” Asked Inna as she tried to decide exactly how that word made her feel since she wasn’t sure what it meant. Speaking about Nightingales dreams was a topic that was something that Inna actually found interesting. She thought them to be mysterious things that could be very hard to understand and her friends seemed to be particular mysterious. Inna looked down at her paws not really sure what to say that might help Nightingale to find out about her dreams. ”It’s true it may not even be here,” agreed Inna, “But if you don’t try you will never know for sure, right? At least if you check the possible places and find out that it’s not any of them you can then be sure if it’s another place or not.” That seemed the most logical thing to Inna at least if she checked Relic lore first she would know for sure if her dreams were outside of these lands.

Inna smiled brightly when Nightingale said that she would take her up on the offer of joining Heartwood River. Since her friend was determined to have a home before winter became too bad Inna was sure that she would be seeing Nightingale again. “Brilliant, I will talk with my mother and let her know to be expecting you. Perhaps if you haven’t found all the answers you are seeking before then we can try to find them when winter is over?” She suggested.

As Nightingale tried to describe a Lynx to her Inna tried to imagine what they looked like but she couldn’t. It was due to that remembering the scent became more important just as her friend emphasized. “It doesn’t seem to be a scent that would be easily forgotten,” she said hoping that was indeed the case. Nightingale confirmed they weren’t good sprinters so running did seem to be the best option. However her friend mentioned another name that Inna didn’t recognize, “Cougars?” She questioned wondering if they looked and smelled like a Lynx. After all Nightingale did mention Cougars in relation to them. Inna hadn’t realized there were so many dangers outside of her pack lands, many more than she had previously considered before she had undertaken this adventure. She was glad to have run into someone so knowledgeable about it and could help her. Part of her didn’t like the fact that there was still so much to learn.

Another example was what exactly a blizzard was and as Nightingale described that to her Inna knew that she wouldn’t like it if one did happen. “So it’s like a rainstorm only with snow instead,” she reasoned, “It doesn’t sound very pleasant at all.” Her imagination was already going wild as it formed a picture of a blizzard in her mind. “Do blizzards happen very often?” Inna hoped that they didn’thappen very often at all because from the way it sounded she would be stuck in the den during them. Inna also hoped that Nighingale decided about joining a pack before a blizzard hit.

They spoke about dreams once more and Inna felt bad for her friend because she couldn’t decipher her dream. She couldn’t imagine what it was like to be bothered by a dream like that. “Exactly and I hope that one day you will know.” She hoped that Nightingale wouldn’t get discouraged and give up trying to find out what the dream was trying to tell her. Inna felt from the way she’d talked about it that it was very important for her friend to find out.

Inna was happy that Nightingale had agreed to join Hearthwood River. She was sure that her pack could help her friend and she would be safe through the winter. She didn’t want her friend to go through the winter months alone and though she didn’t know how she could help nightingale find her answers she had suggested finding the answers when winter was over. Her ears perked at Nightingales question. Inna didn’t have to think about her answer, “Of course I will help you. I’ll do whatever I can,” she said confidently. She didn’t want to let her friend down even if she wasn’t sure what she could do to help. However once winter was over Inna was sure that she would be bigger and may be able to offer better help then.