It was impossible to count the number of times that Isi had gotten lost in the past months. It had all begun a year ago in fact actually, life had finally seemed that it could look up again, and then suddenly everything was torn away from her. She was Isi though, of course she bounced back each time, wouldn't let it get her down but there wasn't anything she could do about that sense of direction she just had to keep on plodding around and something would happen, good or bad, sooner or later. Bad was going to come first. She'd began to hunt earlier, chasing after a rabbit that took her on a path straight into the briars. Rather hungry and unaware of how thick the brambles might get, she continued along this path, soon regretting it however as the brambles did indeed get thicker before she finally pulled herself out free on the other side of the lands. There she stood very much a loser in this game, still hungry and looking somewhat like a porcupine with thorns still caught in her fur and many even having pierced the skin, and leaving behind an array of cuts, scratches and puncture holes that all bled. A part of her wished she'd paid attention in any of those healing lessons, well actually better yet she wished she had a longer neck so she could reach some of those awkward thorns that no matter which way she twisted and turned simply couldn't be grasped. Yeah, was probably better to start with those ones on her legs first and the parts of her sides and back she actually could reach. "Oww!" Came an exclamation as one pricked her tongue, hastily she spat it out, though returned with the same vigour to the next thorn only to make the same mistake.

For Kuwindwa, life seemed to be the same day in and day out. Time blurred together and she lost track, uncertain exactly how long she'd been alone now; several months? A year? It wouldn't be fair to say she was only just starting to feel that loneliness; Kuwindwa was an introvert, but she was also a wolf. The wolf is the pack, the pack is the wolf... she had felt the pressing lack of a family unit the moment she fled. It was safe to say the side-effects of being alone for so long were not good on one's psyche, but somehow the woman managed. She always managed... even if it was only just.

Today, like every day before it, Ku wandered in an aimless direction, concerned with maintaining her cover and ensuring her own survival. However, unlike every day before it, a new sound would greet her listening ears, prompting the woman to freeze mid-step and point her muzzle in a new direction.

There it was again! It was a feminine voice, uttering the simple child-like phrase "ow."

Kuwindwa's tongue flicked over her nose once as she considered her position. She could press on, unconcerned, but her heart clenched at the thought: had she been alone so long she had forgotten her honor? Decision made, she altered course until she neared a thicket stuffed to the brim with brambles. The thorns on them looked like fangs; they would be hazardous even to a wolf with a thick winter pelt, never mind a thin summer coat! Anyone foolish enough to go through there probably deserved at least a few thorns... even so, it wasn't without some small amount of pity Kuwindwa came upon the form of another woman.

Approaching from the side, Kuwindwa made no effort to conceal herself from sight. The stranger was strikingly similar to Kuwindwa, though habit caused her to note that their builds were different: the other female was slighter than the former hunter and warrior... but that didn't necessarily mean much. The second thing she noted was the amount of debris in the girl's fur, the faint tinge of blood in the air and, apparently, the thorns the other woman was spitting from her mouth.

Keeping her distance, Kuwindwa once again was contemplating what she might do... but she had no reason to move on too quickly, and there were some things about her nature that hadn't changed in spite of her cold demeanor. "Do you need help, stranger?" The words are simple, kind, though given Kuwindwa's tendency to mute her own feelings they probably sound strange. Even so, her watchful eyes indicate she means to help if she can, and a reassuring sway of her tail reinforces the intention.

There truly was no part of her plan that had been remotely good. Well the hunting of course was reasonable though at the moment the tiny creature had fled into the brambles, Isi should have just given up and stopped. Even without the irritating thorns navigating through the bushes was just a tad more difficult for a wolf than it was for a rabbit. The smaller animal had dodged through the branches with far more ease and had hit a safe point long before Isi had found the thicker parts of the brambles. Running through sharp stuff with a summer coat in particular was a bad idea. Her teeth began to wrap around the next thorn with a little more care. By now she had realised there had to be some art to avoid pricking her tongue or the inside of her mouth at all and she would discover this mystery! Her concentration fixed upon her uncomfortable new spikes and the wounds they'd caused she wasn't paying any attention to the scents and sounds around her. Another potentially risky move to be honest and one that hopefully she wouldn't pay for, not when she was still struggling with the results of her last stupid move. She would visibly jump with the shock as another's voice met her ears. Head shooting upright she would succeed in pulling the thorn free though failed to do so carefully, once more pricking the inside of her mouth before she spat the sharp object out in disgust. "Stupid thing." She declared, glaring at the pathetic pile she had begun to make. Hopefully she wouldn't forget that was there and step on it later, though the idea to be careful hadn't yet occurred to her and brains didn't seem to be working at their best for Isi today. Her gaze would flick back to the stranger now, recalling of course that she had been speaking to her. Caution clearly played little part in Isi's personality and she wouldn't be wary now, the other had offered to help after all so what was there to be afraid of? Someone else could get pricked removing the damned things and of course reach those awkward ones that she had no hope of removing otherwise. "Sure!" She accepted eagerly. "I think there is a nasty one between my shoulders, I... can't... quite... reach..." She attempted again to demonstrate this fact, the movement only twisting the skin and causing a few of the thorns to be disturbed in a manner that certainly wasn't entirely comfortable.

OOC| If you want me to rewrite this post at all let me know. ^^; I went ahead and had Ku come forward (as you'll read) for the sake of progressing if that makes any sense at all. If it feels powergame-y I will change it and not have her pulling out thorns. xD

The other woman visibly started, her head lifting quickly. Inwardly Kuwindwa cringed; it wasn't her intention to sneak up on the other wolf. She had believed herself to be moving in such a way she might be heard, but clearly the other was rather absorbed... and could Kuwindwa blame her? She suspected if she had been in a similar situation she would have been duly distracted as well.

Only after an exuberant affirmative did Kuwindwa move from her place, and even then she approached with flowing, easy movements that she hoped could not be misconstrued as harmful, even though Kuwindwa herself had been the one to offer aid. While her near look-alike may have been a less wary individual, the former warrior's own guarded nature meant she would act as if any other wolf would be just as suspicious of her as she was of them. Despite this, it was refreshing to have another grown wolf - albeit a younger one - be so friendly and trusting. On the other side of things however, Kuwindwa always wondered how such wolves got by in life putting their faith in strangers. This one was lucky Kuwindwa was not a violently inclined wolf - at least Kuwindwa thought as much.

Given some direction and indication, Kuwindwa stopped perpendicular to Isi: "Be still," she told the other woman - not unkindly - as she stretched toward the stranger, bronze eyes locking on what looked like a rather uncomfortable thorn. "I can see it. Just give me a moment." There was the briefest pause - a hesitation - as Kuwindwa marveled at how easily she'd come within striking distance of a stranger. How long had it been since she'd last spoken to another wolf of her own volition, much less been close enough to brush fur with one? When had she last put herself in a position she might consider vulnerable? If the other woman chose to strike her, Kuwindwa would most certainly be bitten. But the second passed and she stretched her neck so she could reach.

Kuwindwa used her teeth to carefully dislodge the offending thing. If it poked her like it did Isi, Kuwindwa made no sound to indicate as such. Following the other's example, she spit unceremoniously onto the small pile before speaking once again, "I am called Kuwindwa, by the way." It didn't seem right to continue without first introducing herself.