Maybe she should have started from the outside edge of the maze. Or maybe from the hut? She wasn't sure anymore. The pup knew the maze was large but had no idea it was this large. Even the little notches in the bamboo made from Usagi weren't helpful. Every corner she looked around, there seemed to be a different marker made by a different wolf to keep their bearings. Looking up didn't help her either as she tilted her chin back far enough that she nearly fell over. Bamboo stalks as green as her older brother's eyes loomed over her, hiding any sun she could use for direction. "Mum? Dada?" The squeak of Rheum's voice barely made a noise as she continued down a path. If she were anywhere else, she would try to use scent markers to find her way back as mama had shown her. But this deep into the maze, the whole of the pack's scent was everywhere. Worn dirt paths beneath her paws quickly faded any prints as a breeze loosely filtered through the stalks. Trying not to be afraid of her impending doom, Rheum continued to follow the paths and choose random directions as she scouted through the maze. She had to come across someone eventually, right? SPEECH

"Rheum?"

Sayuri had been admiring the Maze, her direction within it to be precise else she'd become lost. She heard the girl's voice rise, wondering if she had become disoriented. Rising to all fours, she made her way to where Rheum was wandering. "It is Sayuri" she chirped, her friendly vocals making their way to the girl "do you require assistance, finding parents?" She tilted her head at the child, wondering if she was looking for them for a reason.

"I am not doing anything" Sayuri continued clearly for her "mayhap I may help?" She smiled reassuringly. Surely one of her parents had to be around here somewhere. The koi woman had hope, else she was just as lost as those unfamiliar with the Maze. Stepping closer, but not too close, she waited for a reply of some type. It was quite true; she was doing nothing in particular. Perhaps this was a good chance to get to know the budding healer.

"Speech"

Disoriented by the swaying stalks looming over her head, she was startled slightly by Sayuri's approach. The hair along her spine bristles as she skitters back a few steps. After a moment, she recognized the koi lady she had met before. Rheum's tail wags behind her as she smiles up at the woman. Being in the company of an adult put her worry to ease as she gives her head a shake. "No, I'm nah ready to go back," she chirps back as she looks around the path they were standing on.

"I was tryin' to explore the maze, but I got lost," her mother's accent slips out a bit as she tries to articulate more adult sentences. "I would like to keep explorin' if you're not busy," she inclines her head to the left in question before taking a few steps farther down the path she had been following. "This is the right way?" Rheum asks as she continues to examine the bamboo surrounding them. She could see why uncle Hattori wanted this place to be their home. Even she lived there and was able to get lost. Intruders surely wouldn't be able to find their way into the deeper areas.

Explore Bamboo Maze 2/3

Hmmm.

So the girl wanted to explore the Maze. Sayuri wagged her tail slowly. "That is way to my den" she began, having a subtle idea "we could decorate it, when one is tired from walking" she gave a thoughtful hum "I have not made it mine. Would like it to have, ah, some personality?" A pause "we could collect shells from Bay, and lotus flowers - they are favorite."

Sayuri would like to decorate the front of her den. That is what she was getting at. When Rheum was tired of walking she offered to do this with the girl. Nevertheless, she allowed the girl to lead the way and walked with her. To her den or not, Sayuri was offering to go with her in a subtle and considerate way. "One must be tired of the Maze and Bay, yes?" she considered too "it is a big world out there."

"Speech"

Rheum enjoyed that Sayuri was patient enough to spend time with her. Compared to her siblings, they were always too busy doing their own things to spend time with her. She wasn't a fighter like Usagi so they didn't have much in common. And Kuroo tried, but all he ever wanted to do was fish! Ugh, stupid boys. Pleased she had found a friend in the koi woman, Rheum's tail wagged happily behind her as she looked toward where Sayuri was pointing. As she glanced in that direction, she began to recognize the worn path toward Sayuri's den.

Listening intently before she started to wander in the direction of Sayuri's den, she nodded. "I haven' seen much outside of the maze or bay. The maze is so large, there's so much to explore!" Rheum chirped happily as she looked up to Sayuri. "D'you think uncle Hattori will make a map one day?" The pup asks curiously as she follows Sayuri. "I thin' decoratin' your den would be fun when I get tired!" Truthfully, she was a lot more tired than she wanted to admit. Having walked around the maze for the first half of her day had been a lot of work!

Explore Bamboo Maze 3/3

"Indeed, it is."

She agreed with the joyful girl. Sayuri followed after her, content to watch and see if anything was amiss and listen to Rheum-chan's words. It would not do them good if a tiger had sneaked into the land and caught them unawares. Especially such a young girl as Rheum-chan! Sayuri would lay her life on the line for the pups, she already decided on that.

Uncle Hattori though... "How about you?" Sayuri suggested, smiling "I can assist" she offered "I have paint and scrolls in den" She had already obtained writing materials long ago "charcoal too" Pups liked to paint, but she did not want to clean up little paw prints in her den all night! "I know land touching Maze and Bay; so it can be a good start."

She did not want little Rheum to think she had to back away from a challenge in favour of men doing it first. The girl was bright, so Sayuri had hope that she would indeed make a map. "Kuroo-sama is... big brother, yes?" she continued "Usagi-sama too?" The brothers were always together, and it made her happy that they had family here.

"Speech"