With all the weird shit going on lately, it wasn't unlike Mercy to want to explore.  Red skies, no stars, tremors... but she'd come along mostly unscathed.  For now.  Wandering in the big open world, and enjoying every minute of it.  Wake was... around here somewhere.  Her uncle was useful supervision, at least, useful for her.  More concerned with collecting his herbs and smoking.  Hell, secondhand smoking is basically one of her primary hobbies right now. 

Wandering well away from Wake, Mercy is content to explore.  Let the man have his plants, she'd be wading through the murk and the muck.  It clings to her ruddy coat, leaving her muddy instead.  At least the water is cool, pockets of shade keeping things more than comfortable despite the summer heat.  Taking in the swamp for everything it was, soaking in it.  It's actually pretty nice.  Makes sense that Wake would be looking for herbs here, the damp environment and oppressive humidity should be good for growing something. 

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Mother had told her, in no uncertain terms, to stay far away from the strange land to the west of Avalon's territories. While she had no intention of going against her mother's commands, she was growing restless the longer she was cooped up at home. Her legs longed to stretch out and run, far away from the familiar orchard trees and farmland she was used to. Of course, she didn't intend to go far from home- the ever-looming threat of Abraxas himself watching her every move was enough to keep her in line. She'd be just a howl away, if anyone needed her. Surely her mothers wouldn't notice her missing for an afternoon...

Something about the swampland appealed to her. Already the terrain is so different from home, the air more humid and damp, the ground softer and wetter. Idly Astaroth pawed at a pocket of waterlogged ground, noting how it squished under her paws, pulling away to reveal mud underneath. Though she was quite interested in the features of the land itself, a nearby noise piqued her interest, and her childlike curiosity took over abruptly.

Almost immediately she jerked her head around and searched for the source of the sound. Zeroing in on it, she plodded over the boggy ground, nose twitching as she searched for who she heard nearby. Once she stranger came into view, partially obscured by a tree. Veering around it to get a better view, Astaroth's eyes widened when she realized they were just about her age. "Oh- hello," she greeted her, with a bit of hesitation. This was the first wolf outside of her family and pack that she'd really met, and truthfully she didn't know what to expect.

coded by NachoMumma

Everything beneath her paws is... squishy. The ground, and the swamp around her, all muddy and squidgy between her paw pads. Wading through the murky water, she's perfectly content. Well, perfectly, other than the smell. It's a bit... stinky? Everything smells like damp, like murk. She's picking up a big of the bog monster aesthetic as well, a patch of moss that she's rubbed beneath sticking dutifully to her hip.

Wading out of the water, she sees the girl. Bright eyes going wide, Mercy hadn't planned on bumping into anyone else, much less someone her age. Drawing to her full height, cocking her head to the side, she studies the other girl for a long moment. She looked just as surprised as Mercy had, and not aggressive, at least. Fuck it, we'd go the friendly route. Expression breaking into a confident smile, tossing her muddy head, she doesn't choose violence. "Hey! I'm Mercy, you wanna explore the swamp with me?" Making friends is that easy for kids, right?

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Everything here was so different from home, but Astaroth hadn't wandered very far from where she'd been born, so it was no surprise. This place felt strange and alien, like a different world entirely. The land was so boggy, so damp, so different from the much drier fields back home. It was hard to resist the urge to dig about in the muck, even despite her slight aversion to getting too dirty. She lifted a pale paw, flicking a lodged piece of gunk out of it and away from her as Mercy spoke.

"I'm Astaroth, but my mommy and mother call me Asta," the child explained, like it mattered at all what her family called her. "Have you been here before? It's my first time." Maybe, just maybe, this stranger would have some insight- maybe she'd know somewhere cool they could explore here. Something other than mud and water. Politely enough she returns the smile, knowing manners are sometimes important. Especially when you're somewhere unfamiliar. She was determined to get back home in one piece, and making enemies wouldn't help facilitate that.

coded by NachoMumma