Things had been okay, but Hallo still had a distinct melancholy about her. It never really went away, instead ebbed and flowed as the sea. Everything was okay. Everything was alright... why did she feel like this? There was no joy in feeling like this. Most of the time, Halo was able to hide it. Still, her thoughts had been mostly of her parents. They really just hadn't wanted her, and that was why she'd been booted from their band. The long and the short of it was simply and entirely that they didn't want her. How messed up was that? She moved out to the weeping woods once more, remembering to bring along a borrowed satchel this time. It was the same one that Lia had used the day they'd set up her den. Halo wiggled it on before setting off, with cannabis on her mind. Her gaze was keen and careful, eyes on the rich ground. Though the day was sunny, she was grateful for the cool shade from the trees. It kept the heat off of her shoulders, and away from Halo's thick coat. She was trying not to get too incredibly wrapped up in her own thoughts... but it was hard. The healer was in her own little world, seeking out the leafy green plants, and trying to not let the grey get too bad.

Inoki carried with her a black seashell that had a hint of what looked like a blue-green sheen on its surface when the sunlight reflected off it at just the right angle. She had found it on that strange black beach, and decided it was worthy to carry around as a small token to remind her of it. Her paws took her from the beach all the way into a small grove where the water ran warmer than normal, and she considered hopping in for a quick splash to warm her up. It wasn't cold out, but it would feel nice regardless. She walked along the edge of the water, looking for a deep enough spot where she could be fully covered, but shallow enough that she didn't have to swim and could just lay on her side or stomach. Her search was interrupted by the sound of something walking nearby, rustling the foliage where they walked, and she instantly abandoned her search to ee what was making the noise. To her surprise she found another wolf who seemed very focused on something, with a satchel wrapped firmly around their smaller frame. It only took her a few moments to realise that the wolf was Halo, the woman she had met not too many days prior. What a coincidence! Inoki let out a woof around the seashell in her mouth, wanting to alert Halo to her presence. It was so nice to see a familiar face again, especially one as kind as Halo, and she found herself moving closer to the other woman without too much thought. Her tail waved excitedly behind her, showing just how happy she was to see her again. "Hello! I didn't think we'd meet up so soon again!" Her words were muffled slightly by the seashell, but she felt she was able to enunciate well enough for the other woman to understand her.

Maybe cannabis wasn't the only thing that had drawn Halo out into the woods today. She considered as she wandered, wondering if there was anything she could pull for dye. The chokecherry made for a nice red, one that would only get deeper as the season progressed. They were still fairly young, and the ones Halo had used the day previous produced a very light, vibrant color. Maybe she'd find more that were a bit more ripe, and they'd be darker. Halo also thought for a moment, considering what her mother had used... flowers, but which ones? Well, if she happened on any, she'd certainly pick them. There were also the chestnuts, the tough hulls from the nuts, that produced such a nice peachy color. They were a pain in the butt to open, sure, but if she had the time it could be worth it. A woof-- oh! Halo's eyes fell on the source of the bark, lighting up as they did. She bounded forward, tail wagging happily. This was just what she needed to clear some of the grey filter that she'd woken up with. "Inoki!" Her tail wagged in time with that of the darker girl, moving to a friendly space quickly and easily. "Me neither, how are you?" Halo was filled with questions, though she didn't want to overwhelm the other woman. Though it hadn't been so long since they'd met, it seemed so much had changed in Halo's life. The tenderhearted girl had found a home, she'd made new friends, she'd set up her den and planted a garden, and she'd even started helping some of the others within the pack. "Are you looking for herbs in the woods? Do you want help? Do you want to look together?" It was hard to really filter herself. Halo would allow the excitement to pick up. "Your shell is pretty," it didn't escape her notice that Inoki had something she was carrying in her mouth. It really was neat!

She was glad to see Halo was just as happy to see her, and resisted the urge to simply rush up to the woman and envelope her in a hug. She didn't want to scare her away too quickly, but could hardly contain her happiness at the sight of a friendly and known face. "I'm good! Did some exploring, found some interesting places, met a bunch of other wolves." Inoki grinned around the seashell, and took a few moments to gently nuzzle Halo's cheek with her nose, picking up some scents of others on her fur as she did so. "What about you? Meet any new wolves yourself?" It seemed too fresh to be from a chance encounter with another lone wolf, unless she had just met them, and Inoki was veyr curious as to what the other woman had been up to. A laugh bubbled up from around the seashell at the myriad of questions thrown at her all at once, lifting a paw up towards Halo's chest to try and calm her friend down for just a moment so she could get a few of her own words out. "I was actually looking for a nice spot to bathe in the warm water, but if you'd like to search for some plants I'd be happy to!" At the mention of the seashell in her mouth Inoki did a small dance with her front paws in excitement, glad to see her friend also thought it was pretty. And to that, an idea popped into her mind, and without any further thoughts she blurted out her own question, tone full of sincerity. "Thank you, do you want it?" For a friend she'd happily offer it over as a gift, not even needing to do a trade for something else in return, as even though she also liked it a lot, she wanted to do something nice for her friend.

Halo returned the grin easily, tail wagging so hard it basically shook her whole body. It was nice to have a friend out here, especially one that was around her own size in the land of giants. "Tell me about all the places you've seen! I want to hear everything!" She was excited, truly. It was so incredibly comforting to have the presence of the other girl. She too, gentle nosed at her friend's face, covertly checking for any injuries in the process. Truly, Halo was a worrier. "I've met so many, I was taken in by a pack-- the Armada, they're just over the stream that runs through the woods, and by the hot springs," Halo gestured in the direction of her new home. She really had met so many new faces, it was hard to keep track. Halo made a mental note to ask Sirius or Mortis if Inoki was allowed to come visit. As Inoki's paw made gentle contact with her chest, Halo giggled softly. Her tail hadn't stopped wagging. "We can do both, whichever one you'd like to do first!" A day with a friend was one well spent, and Halo was glad for that. The tenderhearted girl had been putting in a lot of work lately, and a warm bath would be good as well. It would help soothe any sore muscles, and work some of the dirt away from her paws... digging in her garden had left them a bit grungy these days. Oops, it was hard not to look grungy when she was this pale and worked in the dirt as she did. Do you want it? Halo's pale gaze went wide for a moment at the offer. "Are you sure?" It was a sincere offer, and one that came with tenderness. Still, she was always one to double check. Halo resolved to make Inoki something for the next time she saw the girl, maybe a pendant or a friendship bracelet. Something that would be just as lovely as she was. Before they parted ways today, the pale girl would find a way to casually ask her shadowy friend what her favorite color was. Yes, that would be good.

Halo's excitement was infectious, and she couldn't stop her tail wagging behind her rapidly enough to shake her butt even if she tried. "There's quite a lot to tell, we'll be here all day!" She'd been to so many different places and met so many different wolves that it would take a while for her to describe everything in enough detail, but if Halo really wanted to hear everything then she'd happily oblige. It'd be like one super long story. "Oh, that must be what I smell on you." Inoki had wondered at the varied scents on her friend's fur, so a pack made sense. Good for her, she would do well in a pack setting. Inoki grinned so widely she almost dropped the seashell at her friend's idea to do both, and she nodded eagerly. "I like the sound of that. Why don't we do some searching first, and then relax in the water afterwards as a reward?" Business then fun, although she did quite enjoy the search for herbs, plants, and other oddities. Halo seemed surprised at her offer, even going as far as asking if Inoki was sure she wanted to give it up, and she nodded. "Yea! I don't have anywhere to put it while I travel, so you can keep it safe for me! A little something to remind you of me when I'm not here." She would've attempted to put it in the satchel Halo carried around her shoulders, but she wasn't quite sure how to open it without using her jaws, so she simply motioned with her muzzle towards it, hoping her friend would get the intent behind it.

"That jus means we get to spend all day together, then!" Halo grinned softly. There was something comforting about the presence of a friend in this big, wide world. The grey was still here, but she felt better, safer with someone by her side. Nothing could be done to stop the tenderhearted girl from enjoying her day, if she had anything to say about it. And she did-- she had plenty to say about it. She said, rather emphatically, that she would have a darn good day. So it was, and so it would be. Some searching, and then they'd go for a swim in the hot springs. Halo liked that idea. "That sounds perfect... are there any plants that you need right now? I'm mostly looking for cannabis, especially if I can pull it up with the roots still intact," Halo explained softly. "I have a garden started by my den, I'm learning what grows well in the soil here," she was really quite proud of that garden, and the plants that had begun to take root within it. Inoki did want her to have the shell, and if the tenderhearted girl could have blushed, she would have. It was a tender gesture, and she was grateful for her friend. "Thank you," the words were quiet, feeling a bit shy as she looked at the girl. Oh-- right, yes. Halo tugged the satchel open so the pretty shell could be tucked away safely. "I'm going to fill it with lavender and keep it in my den," the words were soft, gentle from the pale healer. Two things that would make her think of her friend often, two things to bring her comfort when she needed. That seemed extremely fitting, at least to her.

Spending the rest of the day with Halo sounded like a good day well spent to her, and she was just as happy that her friend accepted the shell as a gift. Inoki took a moment to gently press her muzzle against Halo's cheek at the shyness of her friends response, wanting to reassure her that it was alright, before gently placing the shell safely inside the satchel. "That sounds perfect to me," she said with a grin, liking the notion of filling it with some lavender. Perhaps she'd so something similar with another trinket when she eventually found a place of her own to stay in. As for their plans that day, she looked at Halo with a thoughtful expression. There weren't any that she could of think of that were important she try to juggle to carry around without some sort of satchel of her own to store them in. Hmm, she'd have to get one for herself, that way she wouldn't be as limited in what she could carry around during her travels. "Not at the moment, and I wouldn't be able to carry much of it with me anyway. But I'll help you look for some Cannabis!" Inoki had never used it herself before, or on others, but she knew enough about it that it could be used to manage pain. And as for the garden, she was very interested in seeing it for herself, but it would most definitely be within the pack borders and she didn't want to get Halo in trouble by trespassing. "You'll have to show me your garden one day, with permission from your alpha of course," she said with a grin.

Inoki's cheek on hers was comforting, and the pale healer was glad. She bumped her muzzle against her friend, smiling softly. They were comfortable with each other, relaxing in the company. It was nice... it was a nice day. That sounds perfect to me, Halo's tail wagged at her haunches as the shadowy girl gave her input. Really, the tenderhearted girl is incredibly soft as she regards her friend, and as they plan their day together.

The satchel, though borrowed, made her life much easier. Halo would have to find one of her own, or make one at some point. Maybe she could track down some extra leather in the Warlord's crafting stores. Her raccoon friend could help her with the sewing, and she could hopefully create something that could be used to stash all sorts of things. Crafting was hard, but Halo was getting better at it. It was also nice to have her friend with the more dexterous fingers... the friend who still needed a name, but that would come in time.

"Thank you," there was a light and a gentleness to her. "There are many warriors in the pack, if any of them get seriously wounded I think the cannabis will be helpful for keeping them at least relatively calm while they're being treated," she mused quietly, leading the way with quiet steps. The ground was rich and spongy, and Halo's gaze on it was careful and keen.

"I would love to!" The idea of showing Inoki her garden and her den, it was wonderful. "I'll ask Sirius if it's okay, I think it should be," Halo smiled excitedly, her tail wagging. "I know it's a long way until winter, but if you still need somewhere to stay when it gets cold, maybe you can come spend it in Armada with me?" It would be like a sleepover! Inoki could help with healing and things within the pack, and she could stay in Halo's den, and they could learn things together. Maybe Inoki could teach her about poison making too? There were so many possibilities. "If you would want to, that is. I can ask Sirius about it next time I talk to him," she was excited about the prospect, though.

Her gaze was careful, processing each of the leafy green plants around them. The cannabis would have to be around here somewhere.

"Halo"

It warmed her heart to hear Halo speak so fondly of her packmates. It seemed she was making friends here, or at the very least had good enough relations to be comfortable with them. Inoki had no qualms about helping strangers out when it was needed, but Halo was much more shy than her. "I'm sure they'd appreciate that very much," she said lightly, already glancing around at the greenery around them even though she was sure no cannabis would be right there ahead of her. She could only guess Sirius was said alpha of the pack, and Halo seemed to think highly of him. Packs weren't exactly Inoki's thing as she preferred being able to go wherever she pleased, even if it meant she wouldn't have the security of having others to watch her back. Her eyes widened at Halo's offer, stunned to the point of not speaking, until finally she made a soft noise, clearing her throat. "Oh! Uhm, I wouldn't want to impose on Sirius, I'm sure he doesn't need any more healers or fighters in his pack, even just for a short season. " Faced with a rock and a hard place (not wanting to hurt Halo's feelings by saying no, and being stuck in a pack for an entire season) Inoki kept her words vague, neither agreeing with or going against her friend's offer. It was a sweet gesture, really, but she would need to think it over before coming to a decision. Although... spending more time with Halo was a very tempting idea. "But I think you should ask him first before we do anything else, I wouldn't want to get our hopes up only to have him say no," she continued on, giving Halo's shoulder a gentle bump as she moved past her to begin searching for the cannabis. Inoki knew it was a leafy green plant, but it had been a while since she last laid eyes on some, so figured she'd ask her friend for a bit of a refresher course as they searched. "What does it look like again? And where exactly should we be looking?" She turned to look back at Halo over her shoulder, a wider grin on her face now as she prompted her friend to focus more on the herb hunting. Healing 1/3

Though introverted and shy, Halo is keen on making new friends. She doesn't really like the idea of getting by on her own. While more capable than she really expected herself to be (heck, she'd made it to Boreas in one piece), the girl thrives when she has company. Awkward company was better than no company, and she could hope that others felt the same way. Mortis at least, enjoyed her presence. Basilisk as well, though children aren't quick to pick up on social discomfort. Audra, tucked away in the Hallows, who'd been wonderful to go searching for white willow trees with. Halo thinks too, of Alarr-- though not friends yet specifically, she certainly hoped she'd cross paths with him again. Even with tense relations between packs, something Halo was new to navigating, he had been kind with her. There were so many names, so many faces, and they all swam in her head.

Soft gaze trained on the ground at her feet, she looks for the plants. As soon as they found a patch, they wouldn't need to look much farther. It grew this, and spread like weeds. "I'll ask him, and you don't have to stay for any amount of time I just..." she trailed off for a moment, distracted, sniffing at a plant that could have been boneset. No, Halo shook her head to herself, just an imposter. "I worry about you in the winter, where the prey might be scarce, and when it's cold and dangerous," the tenderhearted girl admitted quietly. "Sirius says it doesn't get too bad in the winters around here, and that the north is worse, but you never know." It was all she'd say on the subject. Halo knew that Inoki could take care of herself, that she was perfectly capable and competent. It was more in the things outside of their control, like the movement of prey and the particularly bad storms, that worried her.

Plants were much easier to talk about, and much easier to think about. The shadowed girl's bump to her shoulder makes Halo smile, and her tail wagged loosely at her haunches. "They're um, they're kind of ugly," Halo giggled, thinking about the far prettier flowers the cannabis would grow beside in her garden. Heck, at this point she was starting to consider splitting the flowers she grew for dye (and because they were pretty) into a separate bed. "The flowers are, at least. The leaves are very green and grow in clusters of five, and the edges of each leaf look spikey," Halo's voice was quiet, gentle. "There are a few things out here that have similar leaves, but they all have prettier flowers," she couldn't help but smile softly as they walked and talked. The best company, after all, was the company of friends.
"Halo"

She listened as Halo spoke, one ear flicked backwards even while stepping away to search a nearby bush. The fact that Halo cared so much about her wellbeing was strange, and it made her feel a little weird, but in a good way. It didn't matter that those fears were unnecessary as Inoki felt confident in her abilities to survive the winter on her own, as she'd just head further south where it wasn't as cold and snowy. There were always workarounds if one searched hard enough. But it was the thought that counted. "I appreciate the concern, but this won't be my first winter alone," she said with a half grin, briefly turning to look over her shoulder at Halo. She'd survived one, and she'd survive the next, and the one after that. Her brows raised at Halo's giggle, finding the sound of it quite infectious, unable to help a soft chirp of her own laughter. "Gotcha, ugly green plant with spikes here I come." It sounded easy enough to distinguish from all the other green plants around, but she wouldn't be against it taking a while to find. That just meant she could spend more time with Halo. Her paws took her further forward, arcing in a half-circle with her nose almost glued to the ground. An internal mantra repeated in her mind as she searched: ugly, green, five, spikey. She found many green plants, some spikey, some vaguely ugly (though what determined how ugly it looked?), but none with five leaves. Her search brought her haphazardly back over to Halo, and she softly touched her wet nose to the other woman's forepaw with a grin on her face. "Hmm, not green, leafy, or spikey. And certainly not ugly!" Inoki looked up at Halo through her eyelashes, resisting every urge in her body to offer up a wink. "Guess I gotta keep looking," she said as she stuck out the tip of her tongue again, tail wagging softly behind her, glancing up at Halo for more than a few moments before finally averting her gaze and stepping off to the side. She didn't want to push her luck too much, and the cannabis wasn't going to find itself. Healing 2/3

Halo was strange, so that checked out pretty well. Still, strange isn't always a bad thing, so she's happy enough with that. "I just want you to have somewhere safe to go if you need it," she spoke in earnest, looking to Inoki once more. Ah, she'd drop it though. She didn't want to make Inoki uncomfortable. It was true, sometimes she could get a little intense about things. That was okay though. She just... cared.

They move together, browsing the plants. The laughter that hangs between them is soft, gentle. She's grateful for the presence of her friend, the comfort of it all. Comfortable, all of it. Halo can't overstate how nice it is to have company that was this easy. With Inoki she didn't feel like a burden, didn't feel like a bother. It was a rare feeling for her. No, she's no intrusion here. They can just enjoy sharing space with each other.

As Inoki's nose found her paw, Halo looked up softly. A grin played on her face, and it's mirrored in her own. She giggles as she's identified as something other than the plant they were after, her tail wagging. The pale healer stuck her tongue out in return, closing her eyes and pulling a playful face as she did so. It was a charming, endearing gesture on her part. It's playful, and she's in an incredibly giggly mood. Ah yes, right, they had herbs to find.

With a little more looking, Halo found a soggy patch of dirt, a space that wasn't beneath the cover of trees. Focusing on the ground beneath her feet, Halo's eyes finally set on the plant. "Over here, I found some," she was excited, and maybe a bit breathless, looking up to find her friend. It would be neat to show her how it grew, and what the whole plant looked like, as well as what parts to pick. Right, healers sharing what they know, it's important after all.

"Halo"