There was a hunger in her-- borderline starvation. The wraith needed to know. She needed to experience. She needed to see. It was enough to drive her out and into the world around. Cy's ankle had healed up well enough. The girl must not have done too much damage to it after all. Inoki's splinting had held up well, and if she ever saw the woman again, Cyanide would need to express her gratitude. For now, there were more important things on her mind. More than anything, the girl needed to get to know Boreas and every damn thing it had to offer. The briar wasn't the most inviting, but Cyanide was up for a challenge. Her gaze was bright, intense as it trained on the thicket itself. The thorny vines seemed to knit together and form a wall. Curiously, she took it all in. Inhospitable as it was, it seemed that they offered plenty of protection for the creatures that lived within it, especially the birds. The birds... she could hear them everywhere. For now, the wraith skirted the briar patch, looking for a way in that wouldn't catch her too badly. Exploring wasn't always comfortable. If it was, everyone would do it. Nah, she was tough enough for this. Cy could handle it.

_________________________________________________________________ She had been exploring more recently to curb the feeling of being a homebody. At first, she'd been given backlash about going out alone. It made sense and at times, she agreed, but there wasn't a luxury of bringing someone from the pack with her every time she left. Thankfully, one day, when she had been out wandering, she'd come across a bobcat in need of help. After healing the poor guy, he had agreed to stick around with her. Traveling with him now, Audra felt safer. The feline was practically the same height as her with crystal encasing his canines. "I don't think this place would be good to explore," he rumbled in his graveling voice as piercing yellow eyes glanced over to her. "We have to if we want to get to the prairie on the other side," she replied in turn as she turned her face to get a good look at him. He had noticed her blindness and tended to walk on that side of her to help keep her from running into or tripping over things. Looking ahead now toward the mess of a bramble forest rising over them, Audra had a feeling they would be small enough to slip through. As they approached, she noticed the large thorns poking out from various places. Pleased with herself that she'd brought her medical pack with her, a commotion off to the side caught both her and Mack's attention. A girl with inky black fur was also peering into the briar as if she were looking for a way in. "Audra, please not everyone is your friend," Mack hissed as his ears flattened. With a flick of her tail in his direction, the petite healer already was making her way over to the larger wolf. "H-hello -there, d-do you need h-help?" She asked as her one honey gold eye glittered in the afternoon sun and a smile was softly kissed upon her lips. _________________________________________________________________ A  U  D  R  A

The wraith wasn't sure what to make of the briar patch. Maybe she really was better off jumping down into the sea and swimming around. Still, it was a long way down... and if Cy was going to learn everything about this place, she'd need to conquer the briar patch as well. It was so... sticky. No, like, literally sticky. Filled with prickers and thorns. What had she even gotten herself into? Fine. It was fine. She wasn't scared, nope, not at all. She wouldn't be deterred. Cyanide pulled together as much resolve as she could muster, and was about to dive in head first when she heard a voice. Her head snapped around in the direction of the sound-- shit, was she really that on edge? The girl that Cy found was a tiny thing, one that matched the timid stutter. Cy's gaze was intense as she took in the woman... the woman asking if she needed help. Would she ever admit to needing help? No. Hell no. But was she glad to see that there was someone else out on what seemed to be a doomed mission? Absolutely. "What the hell do you make of this place?" Cy gestured broadly with her muzzle, taking in the whole of the briar patch. Her tone wasn't necessarily unfriendly, but the wraith wasn't exactly used to being open with others either. While it wasn't a yes, it was certainly more a yes than a no. Right. Too proud to ask for help, but Cyanide certainly needed it.

_________________________________________________________________ When the other girl's head snapped around to look at her, Audra's steps faltered. The bobcat at her side bristled, anticipating an attack. When it didn't happen and instead the wild obsidian girl gestured toward the briar patch, Mack calmed and reset his expression to his typical one of utter boredom. Still quite frozen, Audra waited a moment as she swallowed back her initial nervousness. "I-it c-can be dangerous," she murmurs at first as her golden eye moves over to stare at the intimidating growth of thorns sticking out everywhere. "B-but we m-must travel th-through to get to th-the plains," her own head tilted toward a small path that was barely noticeable. "M-Mack can sh-show us the w-way, b-but you'll h-have to b-be careful," the stutters doesn't fade, but she's used to it by now. Flicking her one-eyed gaze back to the girl, she waits another moment to see if the girl would accept accompanying them through the forest of prickers. _________________________________________________________________ A  U  D  R  A

She faltered-- oops. Cy came off strong sometimes. Nah, she seems to be doing alright though. That, and the big ol' cat at her side didn't seem too bothered with her antics. Alright, cool, no harm no foul... or at least, that's what she considered. Right, they needed to get through the massive bramble patch to get to the plains, she wasn't wrong. Cyanide sighed heavily, dramatically. "Yeah, you're right." She hadn't even noticed the path-- the girl was perceptive at least. "Have you done this before?" Cy's tone had become more conversational, nodding to the stranger. She was slight, lithe, and would have an easier time navigating the prickers as they sprung up around. Still, the only way forward was through. The wraith moved towards her, only now realizing just how extreme the height difference was. "Think I'll fit?" It was a rhetorical question, really, because the only way she was going to make it through was... well... through. Cy chuckled incredulously to herself. Still, the exploring was worth it. What's life without a little adventure?

_________________________________________________________________ Audra considered the girl's question as she approached the brambles. Noticing that the girl also got closer, Audra glanced over. Everyone was always larger than her, that she was used to. Whether the girl would fit or not was a different question entirely. Glancing from the girl toward the forest of prickly stickers, Audra thought about it before nodding. "I-it will be d-difficult, but not im-impossible," she said as a small smile formed on her lips. Looking over to Mack now, the bobcat huffed with a displeased expression before moving forward to start their trek through the brambles. "S-stay close and watch out f-for the sh-sharp stuff," Audra called over her shoulder before following Mack into the small opening. While it wasn't tiny, it also wasn't large enough for an average-sized wolf to find in comfortably. The other girl would possibly have to crouch most of the way if she didn't want to get covered in a bunch of cuts. "I h-haven't gone down th-this path before, but a s-similar one," her voice is quiet as her eye stays forward on the path before them. _________________________________________________________________ A  U  D  R  A