[continued from the thread Step by Step,  she and Arisha are definitely tresspassing]

It felt like she had padded through the sand for hours. While her paw pads certainly weren't blistering they were still as sore as hell. The dampness of the dirt underneath her feet was a welcome change, and she wished she could simply melt into the cooler mud. Such desires would never be fulfilled however, there was a lot more to think about.

The border scent had begun to feel increasingly familiar, but it took her a bit to finally figure out why. It was the same smell that had clung to Lachlan's coat, which meant this was the soon to be disbanded pack he had informed her of. Maybe the lands were abandoned already? Maybe the pack was to disorganised to patrol their borders? Such hopeful ideas would be shaken off, she had to prepare for the worst case scenario.

Now well across the border, Abby set the pup down by the lake, marveling at the sheer amount of green that surrounded it. It would've been beautiful if it weren't for the looming sense of danger that had settled on her. She kept close to the child, making sure she would be able to protect the small girl if they were caught.

It wasn't hard to tell that Arisha had been asleep most of the time that the woman was carrying her. It was comforting to be in the embrace of another, such was a reminder of how her family used to care for her, and Arisha savored it for however long she'd be able to have it. Her eyes began to open when she felt herself lowered to the ground, and with a stifled yawn did she begin to blink, gazing around. Before her was what she had found herself dreaming of the past two days, the water was plentiful and the temptation was gnawing at her. Her dry throat urged to forward and with a lick to her lips did she take a few tentative steps away from the woman who had brought her here. It didn't take Arisha long before her tongue lapped out and the cool liquid reached her throat. Her tail began to wag behind her slowly, and she found herself gulping down the liquid until she felt like she couldn't swallow another drop. Plopping herself down on her rump in the shallow parts of the lake, she turned her head back with a small smile splayed on her lips, looking for the woman. "It's so good!" She couldn't help but to exclaim, taking in a few more gulps before she pranced around the water, enjoying the cool feel on her pelt.

The pack had grown mostly quiet over the passing days. The wolves that decided to leave Lirim had moved out, Torin was preparing his family for the handover and move. Aranea herself had started to think about where to go next. She heard of a pack out in the east that helped the sick and wounded and she felt like it would have been the perfect place for her. At least to put her skills to use everyday. Every pack she had been in she felt rather useless or at least out of place. She helped the Eclipse Empire with her healing knowledge but the wolves of that culture seemed a little off to her. Not that Aranea really cared, she wasn't one to judge or dwell on the religious type. The scent of an intruder would make her on edge especially due to the fact that she knew the pack was dwindling and that they probably wouldn't have the means to protect each other if it came down to it. She wandered to the scent, stalking for a few moments as she observed a woman with a pup in her mouth. Seeing the pup take a drink of water. She watched the woman more, she seemed a little on edge which who wouldn't? And she got the sense that the woman knew she was trespassing. She would eventually run up the courage to start approaching them, if anything else see if they needed help. But she sensed the pack smells of the woman and the different scent from the pup and it made the hairs on her back bristle. Had this woman stolen the pup? Aranea wasn't a fighter in the slightest and it wasn't something she was planning at all. But she had a very defensive nature as she come up to the larger woman, perhaps the hidden motherly instinct. The only thing she could hope was that Torin or someone would be there to help her if she needed. "Can I help you?" It was a rather rude offer, but she wasn't sure what else she could do as Lirim was trickling apart around her. Walk "Talk" Think

Grey ears snapped at the sound of the other's approach and her head followed shortly after, ready to fend off an attacker. Her normally skittish nature had swiftly turned defensive and hostile, her options limited from the usual "run or give up". She glared at the smaller wolf, her stare almost unblinking, as she moved between the stranger and the pup so she could shield the girl from harm if she had to. "Don't need any, thank you." she replied, matching the woman's hostility. She wasn't a fighter either, but she reckoned she could take the older wolf if worst came to worst.

The fight or flight response faded enough to allow critical thinking, and Abby suddenly remembered that being rude to another pack wouldn't look to great on her record in the future, regardless of their state at the time. The stranger hadn't attacked yet, which gave the mottled girl enough time to explain herself and avoid unnecessary bloodshed. "I'm Abilene, of Fireside." She decided to use her proper name, which seemed more appropriate given the situation. "I found this pup in a dried lake to the east. She needed water, so I carried her here. I'll be escorting her back to the range in a moment." She stated the facts, voice level.

Oblivious to the potential danger around them, Arisha was in her own world with the lake at her paws. She had no idea they had trespassed over any land, nor had she any idea of what type of consequences could come forth from it. She was only thrilled to have her thirst fading away and her body cooling down from the water at her toes. It wasn't until the words of another and the rustling of movement came that Arisha's attention was pulled from the water and switched to both the woman who carried her and another new woman. Licking a few stray droplets off the end of her maw, her ears tilted forward at the words given out. Looking to the one who carried her, she watched as she neared closer and maneuvered in front of her in a protective way. The mention of help caught her attention though, and while the two adults kept talking Arisha was already thinking of anything she wanted- not understanding what the true depth of the situation was. "Help? She questioned out behind the legs of the one who aided her, before her ears tilted forward more and gazed between the two of them. She was about to ask for food or aid with finding out where she was, but then the mention of where the one who carried her, Abilene she learned, spoke of a place they'd be going. "Range? What's that?" Innocently asked as gold eyes focused in on her, her stomach flipping slightly at the thought of having to make another big journey again.

The woman would meet Aranea with the same amount of attitude that she gave and Aranea of course was offended by it. Lirim was still here regardless of it's future circumstances and no normal wolf would just waltz into a pack unless they meant harm. But she was considering the reasoning she gave for entering the pack and though it was something that the pack usually wouldn't let go, she wouldn't go to pursue any violence herself at least. "It'd be wise to consider waiting at the border next time, no matter the urgency." As the pup poked out from the woman's legs, Aranea's attention would turn to her and she felt a gut wrenching feeling that she didn't understand where the two of them were going. But she didn't have the means to take the pup herself and felt like she was in no mental condition to take care of her right now. She flicked a presumptuous look the Abilene before looking down to the young girl with a generous smile. She reached her paw out to make a space around her own legs, welcoming the pup if she pleased to come to her, "Are you okay, darling?" It was hard for her not to take the innocent little girl from the paws of the stranger, but she couldn't think of where she would take her if she did. "Do you know this lady?" Walk "Talk" Think

Frustration boiled beneath the mottled girl's skin. It felt like the woman was purposely ignoring what she was saying to fit her own narrative, and the with the assumption rose familiar anger. All she wanted to do was take the pup and run, but there was a heavy risk that came with that choice. So she stood stiffly, visibly agitated.

"Didn't think there would be much to defend by the time I got here. I heard the news." She stated flatly. Even though her voice was level, the hostility still bubbled beneath. She didn't have the time nor energy to deal with this right now.

The other wolf addressed the pup and there was another surge of anger. She wasn't hers, but she certainly wasn't the stranger's. She'd let the pup greet her if she wished, but the mottled girl refused to let her harsh glare soften. If this woman tried anything, she wouldn't hesitate.