Did Henbane have any business being quite this far from home with another fresh set of stitches in? No. Had she caught what she could have sworn was her sister's scent on the breeze and followed it, determined to check things out? Yes. There was no talking her out of it, not that anyone tried. Was she starting to think of the den, stuffed to the brim with tiny creatures, as home? Shut up. Shut the fuck up right now.

Hunching her shoulders forward and dropping her muzzle to the ground, Henbane paused. It was an earthy scent, it had to be... no. Carried away with a shift in the breeze, the girl lost track of it once more. Maybe it hadn't been there in the first place. Finally looking up, the mouth of the cave is at least interesting enough to warrant a peek inside. Tentatively, Henbane takes a step in, blinking against the darkness. Somewhere deep at its heart, she could make out a faint bluish glow.

"Speech"

As Mariah roamed the unfamiliar territory, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of familiar herbs, she caught a whiff of a scent that made her pause. It was an earthy, somewhat familiar scent, but she couldn't quite place it. Intrigued, she followed the scent trail, her curiosity piqued.

The trail led her to a cave entrance, and she hesitated, unsure of what she might find inside. Despite her uncertainty, the faint bluish glow emanating from deep within the cave drew her in, and she took a tentative step forward, her senses on high alert.

As she ventured deeper into the cave, the glow grew brighter, illuminating the rocky walls around her. Her eyes adjusted to the dim light, and she caught sight of a figure ahead, hunched over and seemingly lost in thought. Mariah's heart skipped a beat as she realized she wasn't alone. She approached the figure slowly, her voice soft yet cautious.

"Hello?" she called out, her tone a mix of curiosity and wariness. "Are you... okay?"

"Mariah Mendacium"

Hen sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping somewhat. Ow, fuck, right, that was a bad choice too. Cricket was probably getting sick of patching her up, but at least it's good practice? Hen certainly thought so. Right, should get back to them pretty soon, especially if there really wasn't anyone out here for her, right now.

Before she can gather her thoughts, a soft voice startles Hen. Her head comes up, smacking squarely into a mushroom. It rewards her with a faint glow, and protection from the wall. "Fuck-- shit, sorry, yeah, hi." The girl takes a step back, tosses her head-- maybe a bit like clearing an etch-a-sketch. A grin to replace it. "No I'm okay... I was tracking a scent, got a little turned around. Cool cave though, huh?" Dorky grin on her face, tail wagging.

Henbane was doing her best to convince herself that the cool cave made up for the little heartbreaks that came with the mistaken trail.

"Speech"

Mariah couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at Hen's endearingly clumsy attempt to interact with the strange mushroom. Her own nerves, previously wound tight like a coil, loosened in response to the other wolf's lighthearted and carefree attitude. "I have to admit," she said, her tone light and bemused, "this is quite an interesting find." She took a moment to fully take in the faint glow emanating from the mushroom, feeling a sense of wonder and curiosity fill her. "I've never seen anything quite like it."

As she approached closer, Mariah studied Hen's expression, noting the hint of tension underlying her cheerful facade. "Tracking a scent, huh?" she echoed, a spark of curiosity igniting within her. "What were you looking for, if you don't mind me asking?" She paused, a thoughtful expression crossing her features. "I'm Mariah, by the way. Nice to meet you."

"Mariah Mendacium"

Wonder is contagious, and Hen feels at least a little better not being alone down here. If it wasn't just for the cave, maybe getting out and actually... meeting people, maybe that was helping too. Her tail wagged, posture loose and friendly. "Me neither, I think I saw more glowing deeper in the cave, but I dunno about going all the way down there." At least, not with her shoulder in its current condition.

"I thought it smelled like my sister, but hey, I've been wrong before." Something about the autumn, thoughts of her parents, things she isn't entirely sure she wants to grapple with. "Henbane, charmed." It's true, she is, although she isn't the most difficult to enchant either. Easy grin and wagging tail, at least it's salvaged a rough day. Her tone is genuine, and that's all that matters.

"What's a nice girl like you doing in a dark, objectively spooky cave like this?" Hen's giggle is bright... really, she's just unafraid to laugh at her own cliches.

"Speech"

Mariah smiled warmly at Henbane's easygoing demeanor, finding herself drawn to the younger wolf's infectious energy. "Henbane, it's a pleasure to meet you too," she replied, her tone genuine as she returned the friendly sentiment.

Chuckling at Hen's playful comment about the cave, Mariah shook her head. "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure myself," she admitted with a light laugh. "I suppose I just couldn't resist the allure of a mysterious cave and the chance to explore something new." She paused, her gaze shifting to the faint glow emanating from deeper within the cave. "But perhaps it's time I head back. I wouldn't want to get too lost in here."

Standing up, Mariah offered Hen a warm smile. "It was lovely chatting with you, Henbane. Take care of yourself, and maybe we'll cross paths again someday." With a final farewell, she turned and made her way back towards the entrance of the cave, her curiosity satisfied for now.

"Mariah Mendacium"