Svala enjoyed the idea having a bit of company with her while she travelled. She crossed the stream that split the Rock Garden off from the Firefly Lake. The ground here was green and lush with grasses and it didn't take long to arrive at a beautiful lake. Evening was starting to fall by the time they arrived and fireflies were out en masses. "Ah, such a nice view!" The lake was clear and pristine, reflecting the sky above. Around her frogs were singing their choruses, making for a wonderful evening just on the cusp of summer. Svala gazed at the clouds in the water then up at the sky above. It was mostly blue, except for the streaks of clouds gliding through the sky. They seemed to be heading southwest to northeast and she watched the leaves on the trees to confirm. Good, maybe the rain would miss them after all. "Talk" "You" Think

Hanako felt the same way. She stuck close to Svala's side as they pushed east, taking a moment to enjoy the feel of rushing water over her paws before they continued on and eventually arrived at the lake. It was relatively small, curtained by reeds and greenery as though it was trying to remain hidden from the world. As the sun set the lake surface was set alight, oranges and yellows smeared across its surface like an oil painting, each colour meticulously placed as though it was all part of some grand design. Part of a picture far bigger than Hanako or Svala could ever realise.

Approaching the lakeside Hanako dipped her paw in to test the water, it was still warm from the heat of the sun but she knew that within a few hours it would be far cooler, no longer comfortable temperature to take a dip in. She then turned her gaze to the foliage once more and sniffed the air, wondering what sort of creatures and critters laid hidden within. For an ambush predator this lake would be a great place to hunt, plenty of cover with water to lure in all sorts of potential prey. But even as a wolf Hanako still felt as though this place held lots of promise, the water looked deep enough to house a variety of fish and with all the plant life about she knew there was an abundance of bugs for said fish to eat.

"So pretty!" Hanako agreed in chorus, her eyes wide with awe. "Do you know why they're here?" She then asked with a curious tip of her head. Did they just gather cause they felt like it, or was there a deeper meaning to it all?

Svala watched the fireflies as they flitted about. There were so many there had to be hundreds just flying about like little glowing stars. She glanced to Hanako and shrugged at the girls question. "I'm not for sure why. They do glow like that when they're trying to attract mates. It does seem like a nice territory with plenty of food and water." She glanced about at the territory as she padded around the lake. The water was crisp and clear and there were large amounts of grasses and trees. The temperature was good, warm though a bit humid but perhaps the bugs liked that more. So far it was calm, there was barely any breeze which was good for the bugs. Even if there was there were enough trees around to act as a windbreaker. "It really is nice here in the east. Where do you live Hanako?" "Talk" "You" Think

Hanako watched, the lights of the fireflies reflecting in her eyes as she hummed at her adventuring companion. It seemed a little strange that they had to glow to attract a partner but she supposed their tiny bodies weren't half as pretty as hers. If she had weird spindly legs and a cylinder-ish body she'd probably have to rely on her other charms too. That thought made her smile a little as she eyed the mud dirtying her paws, as it was the mud wasn't too thick or churned up but a good bit of rain would soon change that. She then noticed there were various tracks smushed into the mud, some made by hooves and other left behind by paws. The scents were long gone, worn away by the elements, but it was clear to see that this place was frequented by creatures from all walks of life. Prey and predator alike. She brushed off her paw on the long grass

"The south." Hanako said, wondering if Svala had ventured down that way yet. "It's so lovely you should head that way sometime if you already haven't. The ocean views are breathtaking." She sighed dreamily.

This place was well and truly lovely in its own way but didn't carry the same allure as the open ocean. All that wide open space and the sense of freedom that came with it.

Svala chuckled as a frog turned to stare at her for a moment before diving into the lake with a plop. She could see a cloud of gnats buzzing over the water and a blue heron wading into the water farther down the lake's shore. The sun continued its downward climb. She could see the tops of the trees swaying in the breeze but over all the trees and bushes formed good cover from the wind. She was glad to see it looked like the rain clouds were going to miss them. She turned to Hanako who stated she was from the south. "I'll keep that in mind! I plan to slowly work my way south. I'm thinking of visiting the Rustling Thicket next. So far I've only seen the Algoma prairie. It was quite lovely and full of prey. I'm surprised, but glad, a pack hasn't claimed it. Are you headed south by chance? You're more than welcome to travel with me." "Talk" "You" Think

"My pack's back that way and I probably shouldn't be away for too long. So yeah, I'd love to!" She chirped with an eager swish of her tail. The more she explored, the better and this way she'd be hitting two birds with one stone. Clever right?

She watched the suns reflection dance across the reflection of the lake, the ripples the frog created causing it to wriggle and crease. Before long the sun would set and the moon would take it's place, both on the lake and in the sky. She wondered how different this place would look at night, with stars dotted across the water's surface. Would the long grass take on a silvery sheen? Or would it be too dark out to see well? She pursed her lips as she daydreamed, creating idyllic images in her head since reality wasn't quiet as exciting, in all honesty. She breathed deep again, taking in the distant salty sea air before she turned to Svala once more.

"We could head off now, if you don't mind travelling at night?"