Though it was Autumn, the wind that fluttered through the trees was warm. Over the last few days, the northern regions had seen little rain and the cloud cover was minimum. Some may have believed it to be summer still if it weren't for the leaves turning brown and beginning to fall. Seasons were still a bit of a mystery to the pup, but she would enjoy the dry days while she could because from what she had heard, rain was not fun at all. So, while staying within the confines of the roped-off area provided by her parents, she wandered the edges. Her nose was pressed to the dusty ground as she snuffled between bushes and plants.

While her mother's garden was full to the brim of a wide variety, there was a particular one that was common to these parts that she didn't have growing. Mama had mentioned it was dangerous and rare which made it all the more enticing for Ursa to find! Jewel Slipper, a pretty plant that was delicate and didn't enjoy the colder weather. Which meant she only had a little time before it would go away! Seen by her tail that was stuck up in the air, waving about happily, Ursa continued to search the outer edges of their safe area for the elusive flower.

This nice autumn day finds Zion outside the family den; her pale, round, puppy form digging in the dirt and leaf castoff in a spot a little way outside of the roped off boundary. Nose is pressed into the overturned dirt and her gray legs are slowly become coated with the earthy brown that surrounds as it is obvious that the girl is searching for… something. Since the accident with her brother, the small girl has taken a rather keen interest in the healing art that her mother practices and, as a result, has been searching for some of the herbs that her mother uses to refill her stores. That is why she is beyond the boundary, digging with all the fervent intensity of a blood hound tracking its quarry, when a sound tickles her ears. Zion lifts her muzzle from the small hole she has dug, some stubborn dirt still clinging to her black nose. Lavender eyes search in the direction of the sound and she spies the white and blue form of her sister Ursa working her way toward her, inside the boundary line. Her sibling’s tail is flagged and waving happily and Zion’s own tail cannot help but begin to wave behind her. Stepping out of her hole, the pale girl turns to slip back into the roped off area so that she can greet her sibling when the dirt that has been riding on her nose is suddenly pulled into a nostril. Eyes round in surprise as the earth suddenly clogs the airway and, very suddenly and rather violently, Zion begins to sneeze. They are so forcefully, that her entire body quakes and her eyes slam shut. “Achoo! ACHOO! AH… AHHH... ACHOO!” The sounds boom out from such a small creature as her body attempts to rid the offending object from her nostril. Finally, a large, wet glob of dirt is expelled from her nose and comes to rest on the ground between her paws. Sniffling, snot dripping from both nostrils, the girl raises a foreleg to aggressively scrub at her nose as it continues to itch even with the removal of the offending object. Suddenly, Zion wonders if Ursa had just seen her pitiful display. Tears still leak out of her eyes as she attempts to pry them open and see if her sibling had taken notice of her and the fact that she is beyond the boundary line. More than likely she has but one can always hope… right? "Zion Fatalis"

She is on the edge of the boundary but still obeying the rules. Unlike some of her siblings, Ursa is terrified to leave without her parents. What if it was unsafe out there? What if she was eaten by something? Or got hurt? That fear kept her right on the edge where she could always see the den or the gardens. As long as she was nearby, she was safe, right? Always worried, she continued to work her way around the boundary until a sound caught her attention. While she was adamant to find this elusive flower for her mom, the noise is more important in that moment.

What she sees is her sister slipping back under the rope from outside the boundary. Outside. Ursa's eyes widen as her tail lowers and her worry is now evident on her face. What if Zion had gotten hurt out there? Even though it was obvious from the dirt on her sister's face that whatever she was doing was harmless, they didn't know about any of the big creatures that lurked in the shadows... "Zi-" her voice is cut off when her sister goes into a sneezing attack.

Ursa's fur stands up for a few seconds as the cacophony of her sister sneezing echoes around the clearing. Blinking rapidly, she closes the few feet between her and her sister as the glob of dirt lands on the ground. "Zion, are, are you okay?" The puppy's soft vocals are tender and caring as she reaches up a paw to help wipe away Zion's tears. "Were...were you outside the rope?" She asks more out of curiosity than anything. If Zion thought it safe out there... maybe they could look for the flower together...