The black sand was a stark contrast to the white sand beaches of her home by the bay, and for a moment, she actually felt homesick. Morganna was quick to shake the feeling off, they would be returning to the Bamboo any day now and there was plenty new and exciting to see along the way. She still planned to see everything, everywhere she could, she didn't plan to ever be stuck in one place for long.

So for now, she sat, looking out at the frigid water as the sun sank below the waves. As much as she craved the south there was something in the bracing northern wind that felt like home... Why would that be? She wondered. Taking into account the cold, the sharp stunted palm trees certainly looked to be out of place, almost as out of place as she did, sitting there with a mushroom sprouting from her left ear and glow oozing down her front right leg.

"speech"

The Cove was cooler than the Woods, and Warden would maintain that if he was asked. Like, he was used to the Woods. He lived in the Woods. But going down to the Cove had quickly become one of his most favorite things to do. He liked to watch the water, he liked to watch the fish. While it was too chilly to learn to swim, he was already looking forward to things warming up so he could do that too.

As Warden slipped onto the beach, he notices there's someone already here. Someone in his favored spot on the sand, watching the sea. She seemed to be looking at something, or looking... for something. Warden takes a moment to look at her, squinting at the... was that a mushroom in her ear? And... huh? He approaches anyway, coming to plunk down beside her. Not willing to sacrifice his curiosity for the sake of manners, the boy looks at her for a moment. "Are you glowing?" Right, well maybe that was indelicate. Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction would bring it (and Warden) back.

"Speech"

Company was not unwelcome, and in the way of kids, (not that she was much older herself), the direct questions that came from were probably more welcome to the young Archer than the way older wolves like her sister tried to tip toe around her condition. "Jus' th' mushroomy bits," She lifted her oozing leg, "an' when I knock 'em off m' blood gets glowy too." She tipped her ear away from the kid preemptively, "But it really hurts when they come off, like... if I bit off yer toe, so don' even think about it." Her eyes narrowed in warning. She wasn't a fighter at the end of the day, but she would run away really fast if she had to!

"speech"

Though Warden would consider himself less rambunctious than his siblings, he's still very much a young boy. He looks up at her leg as she lifts it, leaning in to sniff at it curiously. It smelled like normal blood but also sorta... earthier? Weird. He'd tell Halo about it when he got back home, though, because it was also pretty cool. "Your leg hurts?" Warden is a curious child, his brow furrowing for a moment before going back to normal.

"I wasn't going to," Warden tries not to sounds too indignant. The boy does bite at a toe on his own forepaw for a moment before wincing and setting it back on the sand. Before them, the sun was hanging low, staining the water and the sky. From the north, a chilly breeze seemed to be sweeping in. It's bracing, but Warden loves it. "Why're you out here, anyway?" Curious, though he watches the sea now.

"Speech"

Morganna had spent a good portion of her younger months being poked and prodded, so the gesture had been reflexive. No amount of saltwater swims or tea baths would keep the growths at bay for long. When he asked if it hurt she just shrugged, "Y'get used ter it." Sure it sucked, but she wasn't going to let it stop her.

When he asked what she was doing out here though, well she wasn't quite sure she knew the answer herself. "M' sister looks at me like I might drop dead any minute, ma tries ter not let it show, but she can't help lookin' at me like she's worried too." It was a morose topic to discuss with such a lovely sunset  right in front of them. The stoney scent of the frigid breeze was bracing, and she drew strength from the stone around her, toes only digging ever so slightly into the sand. "I can't die until I've seen everythin' though, I won' let it happen." Her grin was resolute. "If yer life flashes before yer eyes when yer go, I wan't the scenery ter be pretty."

"speech"

Warden listens quietly as the girl talks. When he'd asked why she was out here... well, it wasn't the answer he expected. Wasn't the answer he anticipated. Though the topic is dark, his expression remained open and curious. The boy doesn't know that he'd nearly killed his mother on his way into the world. He doesn't know just how close he came to growing up without Halo's constant worrying, over-explaining, and insistence that the pups be gentle and kind. Warden can't know. Not yet, at least.

Seeing everything, that's what he can relate to. Her grin relaxes him some, too. "What's the coolest place you've seen so far?" Though she was only a little older than Warden, she'd already been on the big walk up here. She'd already traveled so far, and Warden couldn't help but be jealous of that. "Is that what happens when you die? The whole life flashing thing?" He questions quietly. The boy hasn't thought about death much, but then, he's had no reason to. The closest to death he'd come was watching mom and Wylan care for the sickly bear they'd found in the woods and nursed back to health. What a concept, especially when he's got an entire life to live.

"Speech"

Morganna couldn't offer a concrete answer to the other pup, after all, she hadn't almost died yet, so she just gave a shrug, "Tha's what I've heard anyway. I reckon it'd be more like going to sleep and not havin' a dream...", his other question required a bit more thought though.

"Way down south where we come from, there's a ring of stones tha' all stand in a circle, an' if yer go there at night, they glow... but that sometimes happens ter th' water in th' bay too. Ter get here, we had ter come past a big ol' castle and there was a stretch o' sand connectin' the two lands together. I dunno if I could pick just one..." She finally answered, rather truthfully. "If that's what I've seen, what am I missin'?"

She stood up and moved closer to the freezing waves, stepping close enough that the water lapped over her toes. It was painfully cold, but she didn't pull away, waiting just a bit longer until the digits numbed to the bite, leaving her to wonder what sort of fish lived in water so cold?

"speech"

Warden considers what she has to say for a long moment. Thinking about death, it was... scary. Existential. Was he too young to understand what an existential crisis entailed? Maybe, but also he'd probably have one in a bit anyway. The boy dwells on the thought, at least for as long as his companion speaks of it.

And then she speaks of travelling. His eyes light up, delighted at the idea of glowing rocks. And glowing water. There were so many things that glowed, apparently. This girl, rocks, water, mushrooms? Probably mushrooms. Then there was the glowing wood that mom used as a nightlight in their den. There's so many cool things that glow, and Warden is momentarily disappointed that he doesn't glow too. "My aunt and uncle live in the castle, and my cousins too. I wanna go down there and visit sometime." He remarked, watching the girl carefully. "My mum and dad don't let us wander beyond the Armada, it's so lame." Yeah yeah, rules and the like. Rules were lame.

As she got up, Warden joined her. She was so tough, standing in the chilly water, and he wasn't going to let her show him up. Warden took an extra step into the water, feeling it bite at his ankles. He grit his teeth, a shiver racing down his spine. "What's your pack like?" His head tilted to the side. Mom said they'd come up from the south, something about the other pups' mom being an important healer. The children of two important healers, maybe they had something in common at least.

"Speech"