*Navigation -- Tall Grass Plains

Where on earth was she, anyways? She had been out just past Abaven lands to catch some food to make her father proud, and ended up getting side tracked and losing her way. It was the season of her first heat, and she didn't like feeling strange like this. So caught up in her own mind she had just kept walking, and before she realized it she was very, very lost. Ears clung to her skull as she let out a whine, the snow sticking to her pale coat. Civetta wasn't even with her, had the bird been with her when she started this misguided adventure? She couldn't remember, the fear that pulsed within her cutting off most rational thoughts. The young girl looked around with wide blue eyes, sniffling as the tears started to gather in her eyes. Finch had no idea how far away from home she was, or how she was going to get back. The wind had picked up and the snow hadn't stopped, so when she looked over her shoulder she should have known that her tracks would be gone. Tail tucked under her as she let out another loud whine, standing frozen in place. She didn't know where to go, where to even start to get back to Abaven. Finch had never wandered far from home at all, even when Starling dragged her away it wasn't this far. All the smells around her were foreign, and she knew that she was in danger.

This was exactly why the dame never liked leaving home, she knew it was a bad idea! Panic rose in her chest, her breaths coming out in short, quick gasps. Her legs shook below her until they couldn't even hold her up anymore, knees buckling. Finch fell to the ground and let out a loud sob, her body curling into a tight ball in the snow. She didn't care about the flakes that continued to fall on her coat, or the cold that seeped into her very bones. She just wanted to go home...

"Speech"
'thoughts'

Navigation - Tall Grass Plains

The plains stretched out before her filled with impressively tall grasses that rose above the snow, their brown autumn hues standing in triumph over the white that claimed most of Alacritis..  Rœkia had to admit she was rather liking the south.  She hated trudging through snow that almost went over her head.  Wolf soared above her as always, scouting from the sky as she searched on the ground for any place that might house Khat though it was probably fruitless this time a year unless she went much farther south… maybe west.  She was anxious to get her herb stores up to snuff in this new terra but it was proving to be a massive chore. She sighed… pausing to eye the clouds building up above her.  She hoped it wasn't going to storm, she had a mission to complete here and there was no bloody shelter in this place!  Rœkia glared at the clouds willing them to continue south and away from her line of travel.

Wolf suddenly flew down and perched on her left shoulder.  "Rœkia there's someone dead ahead about 20 feet.  A young woman…alone." Rœ raised a brow as she glanced at the bird.  Well someone was either really lost or really confident… or possibly horny?  Rœ's nose wrinkled at the smell of heat.  Oh boy...  The grass began to wane in height, the snow and wind having managed to bend some of it and before her stood a pale and clearly frightened woman.  Oh… now wasn't this interesting?  She was taller than Rœkia but clearly distressed and the con woman smelt an opportunity to have a little fun.  "Excuse me!  Miss?  Are you alright dear?"  Voice tinged with concern, brow furrowed in worry, Rœkia quickly fell into the roll of a concerned, wholesome stranger.

"Speech"

She curled tighter and tighter in on herself, trying to make herself disappear. It wasn't until a soft voice called out to her that her ears flickered on top of her head. Her head slowly lifted as ragged breaths left her mouth, pale blue eyes wide as she just stared. Was this smaller woman a ghost? No, no she wasn't dead. She could feel the cold pressing into her body, a huge shiver passing through her form. The woman had asked if she was okay, and with a sob she shook her head back and forth. The larger woman laid her head on her paws again, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. "I'm s-so lost." She whispered, her voice almost lost with the large gust of wind that blew her damp form. Finch shivered violently, teeth chattering together. Fear mixed with the cold winter wasn't the best combination. Finch was usually so afraid of strangers too, and refused to meet the other woman's gaze. But she wasn't too stupid to turn down help if it was offered, Finch had no idea where she was.. She just wanted Starling, or Lark. They would know what to do! Her dad, mom, Shrike, Sparrow! Finch just wanted her family.

"Speech"
'thoughts'

The young wolf would look up at her woefully and sobbed. Rœkia's ears fell to the side. "Oh you poor dear…" She moved to see if the girl would allow her to snuggle next to her to offer some warmth as wolf flew down to land on the snow. The girl admitted she was lost and Rœ took the opportunity to take in the woman's scent. Another pack wolf though Rœkia did not know the names of the packlands and thus could not connect the scents to any. "Lost? Well, I'm a traveller. I've wandered Alacritis up and down, perhaps I can help you? Where are you trying to get to? Do you have a name I might call you, love?" Wolf remained quiet, watching his canine companion work.

"Speech"

The stranger moved to snuggle closer to her, and Finch let out a high pitched whine. It was a mix of fear and unease, but she didn't move away. When the other woman pushed against her she felt her warmth seep into her bones, and let out a soft sigh. She remained tense for a moment before allowing herself to sink into her spotted form. Greedily she wiggled closer to the warmth, pushing away her fears. She knew that she needed to get warm, that she was at risk for freezing out here. The strange woman offered to help her, and Finch looked up at her with wide blue eyes. She was... willing to help her? But she hadn't even done anything, she didn't even know this wolf. But... she seemed so kind and gentle. Finch felt uneasy still, but she couldn't deny that she couldn't get anywhere without help. Finch may be young and afraid, but she wasn't a fool. "M-my name is F-finch, and I w-wanna go h-home. I live in A-abaven. I d-don't even know wh-where I am..." she admitted. She didn't know where here was, or where anything was. She felt so turned around. "I t-think its i-in the East."

"Speech"
'thoughts'

Rœkia's mind was whirling with possibilities. She was an opportunist if ever there was one and already she was sifting through the poisons in her possession and the ones she planned to gather. It would be nice to have a bit of company. She could escort the girl home of course… they just might take the long way around. She smiled gently to to shivering girl. The girl introduced herself as Finch, a wolf of Abaven that she said she thought was in the east. Rœkia nodded and turned to Wolf. "Wolf, my love, can you get a bearing for us?"

"Yes, m'am and miss Finch!" He took to the air, flapping calmly until the winds suddenly picked up and he dove back down. "I have a bearing but it's far to dangerous to travel with this approaching storm. I suggest we take shelter til it moves past."

Rœkia nodded and stood. "Here, why don't we head back to my den. Wolf is right, you're a long ways from Abaven and if we try to travel now we'll get caught in the storm for sure. I have a spare den not far from here, just a bit this way." She started to move, pausing to see if the girl would follow her.

"Speech"

Finch blinked up when she called out to wolf, and for the first time she noticed the magpie that had come with the stranger. So Finch wasn't the only one with a bird friend! Oh, but where was Civetta? She had no idea where her tiny finch friend had gone, and missed her terribly. Blue eyes watched the bird , and it was then that she realized that only she had shared her name. Oh how ride of her, she hadn't even asked. But it was so hard to focus, so hard to considerate when she was this cold and scared. "W-what's your n-name?" The young girl stuttered, leaning in closer to soak up her warmth.

Inner thoughts were scattered when Wolf flew back down, apparently there was a storm coming. She looked to the stranger with wide eyes, did that mean that they couldn't go home right now? Finch whined, but nodded slowly when a den was offered. She was cold, but she just wanted to go home. She understood that the woman was just looking out for her, she would never get anywhere in this weather. "W-what's can I g-go home?" she asked with another whimper, shivering as she pulled herself to her paws.

"Speech"
'thoughts'

Rœkia let the girl press into her to share warmth as the girl asked for her name. "Oh? Did I not introduce myself? I'm so sorry, my name is Maggie. Maggie Ravenseye." The arrived soon at the entrance to Rœkia's makshift den just as the wind began to pick up harshly, ice pellets raining down from the sky. Wolf flew quickly into the den and Rœkia moved to slip in after him, moving slowly so that Finch could slip in first.

Once settled she turned to the other with a gentle smile. "We'll leave in the morning, the storm should blow over by then and we can travel in the light of day. Try to get some rest."

"Speech"

Her name was Maggie, and she had a Magpie friend. Just kind of like how Finch had a finch friend! She smiled softly and nodded her head, following closely beside the spotted woman. Soon a cave came into view, and the bird was the first to flap in, and Maggie slowed down to let her slip in as well. Finch was thankful to get out of the storm, walking into the protection of the cave. It felt strange here, it wasn't home and she didn't like it. But she understood that the weather was too bad to travel now, and she had to respect that. So when the female told her that they would leave in the morning and to rest, she nodded her head and settled down on the ground. She was exhausted, so much had happened in so little time, and she just wanted to get home. As soon as her baby blue eyes slipped closed, all she could see was her family. Whimpering softly she tried to settle down, until finally the darkness welcomed her.

-exit Finch via sleep-

"Speech"
'thoughts'