Svala continued her way southward, coming to the edge of the Rustling Thicket. At first glance she wasn't entirely sure how she was going to make her way through the thicket. It was a wild tangle of small trees and bushes that were growing so close together she couldn't even see through them. It might be wiser to go around though as Svala surveyed the terrain she realized that would be difficult. With the river to the west and the mountainous cliffs to the east the best choice was through. But first she wanted to mark the edge of the thicket. Svala paused and pulled out the rolled up piece of hide that was her map. She set it down and took a thin stick in her jaws. She dipped it in a pouch full of thickened walnut ink then quickly sketched a rough edge for the thicket, taking the river and cliffs into account. Putting her things away she paused to assess the weather. It was cloudy now. A sheet of gray clouds was stretching over the sky and the sun could no longer be seen. She glanced at Hanako. "Well, we should find some good shelter in there if it rains." "Talk" "You" Think

Hanako was enjoying their little adventure and was learning a lot along the way. Boreas had such a vast and varied landscape, and though the thicket seemed rather boring and unassuming at first the Wraith knew there was more than what met the eye. She scented the air, noting the faint scent of ozone on the breeze, thus confirming Svala's suspicion that it might rain soon. The bushes and grasses that made up the thicket were thick and dense, so much so that she imagined she'd barely be able to see a few feet ahead within the shadows and greenery. Hanako hummed in acknowledgement, a little distracted but not to the degree where she'd be rude enough to ignore her companion.

"Looks like it might." She agreed with a dip of her head. "Should we look for a spot we can squeeze in?"

Only that she was worried if they did venture forth into the brush she'd get her coat all tangled and knotty, caught in the grabby branches that stuck out this way and that.

Svala nodded. "Yea, let's see if we can find a good place to take shelter just in case." Svala pushed into the thicket, wiggling her way between two trees and deeper into the territory. Birds took to the sky as she moved. Around her were grasses taller than most wolves and growing throughout where all kinds of shrubs. She came out into a small clearing, full of the taller grasses but from there she could see the sky. The wind was starting to blow, she could see it in the way the tops of the trees were moving but with the thick brush the air felt still where she was. The clearing seemed like a good place to mark so Svala rolled out her map again to mark it, drawing a little circle, not too far from where she'd marked the edge of the territory. "This is a nice spot for a picnic or hunting small game." "Talk" "You" Think

Following suit, Hanako squeezed into the gap, grimacing as the branches tugged at her fur like needy hands. All vying for her attention. It was darker within the thicket, but near impossible to move around silently given that she was surrounded by foliage at all angles. Every movement she made resulted in something shifting, rustling, and she realised that whilst the thicket might hide her form and scent the same couldn't be said for her sounds. By the time she emerged from the greenery a few leaves clung to her coat and she shook them off as quickly as she could manage. She glanced over her shoulder, taking in the sight of her form just in case any stubborn leaves remained. There all better. It was only then she noticed the clearing, a nice little space with grass that went up to just below her knees. Long enough for little critters to hide in and feel safe but not so long that it proved an issue for a wolf to get around in. She sniffed and scented the air, noting that it felt a little more crisp here, free and unburden by the tightly packed thicket.

The thought of having a picnic here was lovely, hidden and secluded. Romantic, Hanako thought.

"Mmm, though bringing the food through the thicket might be a chore."

Svala chuckled and nodded at Hana's comment as she put the finishing touches on her map. "Yea, that's a good point. Small game would be doable but a deer could be difficult." Svala rolled up her map and moved forward to continue their little adventure. Overhead she could hear birds singing and fluttering. There were also the sounds of small prey scurrying about in the undergrowth. When they reached the edge of the southern territory Svala stuck her head out and looked at the clouds again. Was it going to rain? So far it seemed like the weather could go either way. A thin sheet of gray clouds stretched across the territory but so far none of them seemed dark or swollen enough to unleash a deluge of rain. Though it might be another matter later in the night. "Still, it's a pretty nice territory. It seems like a good place to get away and…" Svala paused as she noticed the entrance to a wolf den. She sniffed about but it had been long abandoned. "Hmm… looks like a pack once lived here." "Talk" "You" Think