The Wildwood dead leaves and the dirty ground

(not a problem, mine aren't too great either. shall we wrap up in the next few?)

An amused chortle would slide past her dark lips at Sibyl's choice of adjective regarding her homeland. Remy couldn't be certain what exactly was said of Alaska by others, but she didn't figure 'interesting' was the first word to come to mind, though interesting it truly was. It seemed a little more vicious up there than it had been so far in the lands of Relic Lore. She couldn't tell if she was thankful yet for the amount of safety she received in the varying territories. Perhaps she'd just been lucky all this time; who knew what dangers lie within these lands? "<b>Certainly interesting, and very far indeed. But, liveable, if you avoid the moose, bear, and falling icicles,</b>" she quipped, the humor evident in her voice even though she basically <i>had</i> just listed the big three dangers, barring humans and their guns. Remy had a little experience with the filthy, naked poachers in her time and while it had been an unpleasant time she was left with minimal scarring. She couldn't imagine her tiny companion facing such disastrous wonders - she even found herself hoping the red-eared female would never have to deal with it.

There was the tiniest hint of sap on the wind characteristic of the Cedar tree that soon approached the two females. Though she couldn't see it yet, Remy was certain that the thick, lush foliage of the growing Wildwood would soon begin to disperse into the spacious growing patterns of the Cedars, where one could walk easily and sight wasn't impaired by the vast amount of tree trunks growing around every corner as they were currently. Sparing a glance in Sibyl's direction, she decided she might as well approach the question she had been bouncing around her mind all that day. "<b>I haven't brought myself to another pack since leaving Alaska. Would you suppose there's room in Grizzly Hollow? No wolf can last alone forever.</b>" Grizzly Hollow at the very least sounded quite strong and all that - you know, grizzly bears and what not. The decision didn't necessarily have to be made immediately, but it was just good knowledge to have for the coming weeks.

<span style='font-size:7pt;line-height:100%'>Sure, that sounds good :)</span>

Right ear turned towards the pale wolf, Sibyl snorted a laugh at Remy’s reply, just beneath that a thinly veiled look of apprehension. She had seen all three of those things before, but she could only imagine the gargantuan proportions they reached in the land of giants. The black bears she had seen around home were big enough, bears any bigger than that were a horrifying thought. Sibyl sent up a silent prayer that Relic Lore wasn’t home to enormous beasts, either. She was farther north than she had ever been in her life and she wasn’t yet sure what was normal up here. Yet given her own size, it wasn’t a difficult feat to be classed as ‘enormous’. She flipped her ear forward again, watching the path ahead with her typical caution.

Sibyl noticed that it had gradually become easier to traverse the forest; trees and shrubs had begun to appear more sparsely, yet still managed to hide most of what she had always known as the wide open sky. Old decayed leaves coating the earth from last fall gave way to browned needles, and the heady scent of cedar bark and resin drifted on the air. She felt lifted, as they had not become lost again, and must be nearing the edge of the cedar forest. This had to be the right place, a place she would come to call home just as much as the southern plains were home. But something felt off. She peeked up at Remy, accidentally meeting the wolf’s emerald gaze. She quickly jerked her eyes back forward, just as Remy began to speak again.

Sibyl listened, again with one red ear directed at Remy. Was there room in Grizzly Hollow? She wasn’t sure. They had let in a useless heap like Sibyl after all, so she figured they must not be bursting at the seams with wolves. But she hadn’t seen anyone from the pack for days, and there was still the idea that perhaps the white wolf had played a cruel joke on her, giving Sibyl membership to something non-existent. Sibyl shook the thought from her head. She wasn’t the kind of wolf to double guess other’s intentions. She trusted that everyone meant what they said and said what they meant. But still, the question still hung in the air, unanswered. The off feeling. She had realized what it was. When she inevitably went galloping off into the heart of the Hollow territory, would she be leaving Remy behind, standing forlorn at its border? As the odd day had worn on, Sibyl had grown used to, and maybe even fond of the large she-wolf. It didn’t sit well with her to leave Remy behind with no home of her own. Finally she spoke up, <i>“You know, I really couldn’t say. I haven’t seen the place yet.”</i> A little wag worked its way into her tail, and she turned her head to beam up at Remy, looking much like a hopeful pup. <i>“It’d sure be nice though if you could come with! Miss Jaysyek is a nice lady; I’m sure you could take a look. Maybe there is room enough for you?”</i>

(Feel free to reply then archive, or just archive if you want :3)

The closer they neared the Cedarwood Forest the slower her pawsteps became, as the border's scent was becoming more and more overwhelming. In it she could smell something similar to what Sibyl's fur carried - it must have been the lead female's scent, if that was the only Hollow wolf she had met so far. At the very least it both gave Remy something to go off, should she indeed return in the future, as well as notified the two females of their success. Well, here Sibyl was - home, with proof that it hadn't been some ghostly wolf's cruel joke on the small she-wolf. And whether or not her smaller companion knew it, she had proved herself to be a wolf of good heart and good use. After all, Remy wasn't still in a ditch now, was she? A red ear flickered in Sibyl's direction as she spoke, at first a little uncertainly and then with more force. The crooked smile that edged its way on to her face could not be hidden. She certainly was eager to please, a wonderful quality to have. The dark tip of her tail twitched as she considered the offer. Jaysyek? It was a name she would have to remember.

"<b>Sibyl, I cannot say it isn't sorely tempting,</b>" the large wolf began, dipping her head in the bronze wolf's direction. "<b>But, I will not go near a leader's borders without a gift in return for the welcome.</b>" Which was true enough; as a wolf who believed in a high standard of <i>honor</i> she would be required by herself to honor the hostess, even if she did accompany one of their own at the borders. Remy had made it a point to herself to make no promise. Many a soldier did, oftentimes the promise to return, and failed to uphold it. And she would much rather be a woman of few words than a woman of many that were untrue. Though she <i>did</i> have the intention of coming across the Cedarwood forest once again, she did not want to put Sibyl's heart into something that could ultimately fail. Still, she allowed her smile to evolve into a grin, turning to face the other female and dipping her head politely. "<b>It was a pleasure being in your company, my friend. I wish you luck with Grizzly Hollow.</b>" And it was an honest endeavor she had spoken - a far more heartfelt departure than she had given Ash at the very least.

But then she would lift her head, turning away from the borders and once again venturing toward the growing Wildwood. "<b>Until we meet again,</b>" she called over her grey-dusted shoulder, taking a final glimpse at the peculiar company she had grown equally oddly fond of. After their journey she had the confidence to assume she'd be alright now. Their travel had left the Mackenzie Valley female with enough satisfaction to lift the dead-end feeling she had been fostering as she roved the lands of Relic Lore. Mission completion was successful.