Compared to her siblings, Ursa was a homebody. She preferred the safety of the forest. She enjoyed the calm atmosphere that the den and garden provided. Content to work her days away at the tender plants that began to sprout once the hides had been removed from winter. Day after day, she would sing her songs, set her traps, and harvest her herbs. A docile life for a docile pup. On the days that she did venture down to the col where the market lay, she secretly hoped she would come across the boy again. Even though he hardly spoke, she had caught her interest. He was sweet. He had been nice to her. And as much as her mother warned her that she shouldn't socialize with outsiders until she was older, she wanted to see him. To walk the market once more with him as they shared their maple candies.
To her surprise, as she went down to the market, she had seen him. A glimpse of his tail and companion leaving the market and heading east. Though pudgy, Ursa ran to keep up. Nearly out of breath, she was able to bump into him. Acting as if she stumbled, her shy smile and glittering lavender eyes looked at him. There was a question there. A hope that maybe he would stick around. Gurgled words, hemming and hawing, but finally, Ursa had been able to convince him. They could leave the safety of the Col as long as he promised to keep her safe. He was larger, older, and seemed capable of that. At least in Ursa's eyes, he did.
Following him out toward the other mountain range east of the col, she let Erik take the lead. Up the slopes, trying to hide the fact that she was indeed tired and exhausted. Holding the extra weight from those snacks she snuck from the stores at night was beginning to hold her back. Yet, no matter how often she ran or exercised, it never went away.
Finally, they stop as the opening of a mineshaft comes into view. Looking to Erik, Ursa hesitates. What if monsters were in there? As if she wasn't standing right next to one already. Not that she needed to know that. She tries to be brave though. A little adventure would be good for her. Right? Inhaling a deep breath, she walks into the mineshaft. Looking around the dimly lit cavern hallway, she thinks she sees something slither farther into the darkness. Frog? Snake? Salamander? Curious, Ursa nudges Erik to follow her. "Maybe we can catch something!" She says, almost a little too chipper as if she was trying to hide her fear.
