Kiona was focused on moving west, hoping that with it, she left behind the weird interactions she’d had. Surely there had to be some normal wolves In these lands, right? Perhaps her parents were right, and she was best off by their side… except she couldn’t believe that… even with the hunger, with the weird wolves, with all of the questions that continued to burn in the back of her mind as anxiety manifest wondering if she’d made the right decision. Even with all of that, she was confident in every paw she placed. She’d come across the borders of a pack, and one scent had been enough to cause her to pivot, steering away from their borders.

The last thing she needed was trouble with anyone in the area, especially a groups of people… she wondered if they were friendly, or perhaps they were aggressive warmongers. Being along meant she didn’t feel particularly willing to investigate and find those answers herself.

She hummed gently to herself, following along the weak scent of a herd of deer that had to have passed through at least a day prior. At least, she hoped the prey would lead her in the right direction… or at least land her in a place where she could lay low for the rest of the winter. It was only a few more months, right?

No, things were going to look up. She was determined that this would be true. Her mother had always told her that wherever there was a will, there was also a way. Perhaps her mother hadn’t quite expected Kiona to take it so seriously… but she had. She’d brute force her way to an answer that appeased her, of that she was certain. Her ears perked up when she heard the voice of another. She’d been so focused on the scent that she’d missed the wolf on the wind, her head turning, a light wag of her tail though there was a healthy dose of caution written on her features.

“Just food… I imagine we all are right about now, right?” She offered, a gentle and more friendly lilt to her tone. The scent of a pack was strong on her, and as a result she had little doubt that reinforcements were close by if the woman chose to call for them. The last thing she wanted was to be on the run, hence her avoiding pack borders to begin with.

“My name’s Kiona… but my friends call me Ki.” She offered in addition, a stale trail leaving disappointment… she only hoped that the conversation with this woman would not leave the same.

Ki was set at ease as the woman’s tail mirrored her own. At least she was not standoffish… or overly curious about her. Kiona felt unnerved by either reaction, and so the middle ground that Magg walked felt… comforting. Perhaps she was normal, or at least more normal than the other wolves she had met.

She mentioned the pack, and Kiona fought to keep a frown off her features. She knew the woman was of a pack, her scent was clear enough… but the thought of having to compete against a group for food felt daunting. “I’ve been trying to follow them, but they’ve been moving faster than I can keep up.”

Her stomach rumbled, and Kiona fought the urge to ask the woman to share. She owed her nothing, and Kiona felt like she might get run off if she were to even ask. “You are fortunate.” She offered simply. The very fact that she could stand the confines of a pack rather than the freedom of roaming. “Perhaps the herds will make their way back here… I cannot imagine them braving the mountain in the heart of winter.”

Kiona struggled in moments like this… knowing how much easier things could have been had she just stuck it out with her parents, at least until March passed… and yet her parents had ‘plans’ for her come the season, and she wasn’t certain she wanted to stick around and find out what that would be… not when she had a feeling it would violate pack law. The rules were clear, and until her second birthday she’d be ineligible to take a husband. Few others had received an exception to the rule, permitting the season one first fell into heat… but she had little desire to find out if her parents would push the issue.

Her life had been planned out for her, which had only stoked her desire for independence. As she mentioned north or south, Kiona hummed. It told her enough. It told her that the range was smaller, and would not extend a path that would take years to travel per say. It suggested that she had been on the other side. She wasn’t certain if it would be a good idea to travel across, or to stick on the side that had potential hunting partners.

The warm smile, at least, set her partially at ease, blinking as the woman admitted that she’d meant to offer. “I… really?” It didn’t stand to compute. “You don’t want anything in return?” She asked again, needing the clarification, once more in no uncertain terms even though Magg had clearly defined she was not looking for anything in turn.

It felt unreal, even as she stated it again, asking what Kiona felt had to be a rhetorical answer. It didn’t stop her maw from parting to answer it, though the words died in her throat as fire coursed through her veins. Her stomach rumbled again as if in answer.

“I… cannot thank you enough.” She offered softly to her in return, nodding as though that would be enough answer, moving slightly closer so Magg might lead the way to the food, her tail swishing just slightly faster than it had before in her wake.

“Your pack… what are they like?” She asked, hoping it not too invasive of a question. A part of her wondered if all the packs were like her own… or if her family and those who lived near them were just the outlier, marred in archaic traditions and a need to settle things through blood and teeth.

“Why did you decide to settle with them? Was it the winter?” Curiosity ached in her bones, bleeding into the question as she asked it.