Iktome Plains she only knows that tonight

there's always someone out there, she'll never be alone
@Pruina

baby steps. each paw placed deliberate and gentle. these plains were not ordinary — no, they were thick, grass so dense you could get lost. something needed to cut them down, but for now iiana tries to not drown in the grass. normally, iiana is a brave girl (maybe) but these plains makes her hackles stand like prairie dogs. one spook, and iiana would experience what it'd be like to fly. shes never been into the hinterlands, nor does she plan to. her pouch, then, is tightly caught in her canines. her teeth sink so deeply into the otter skin who found a second life that surely there'd be noticeable dents in the otherwise fine skin.

but she still had stuff to get rid of. and sure, she could've taken a different path, but it was far too late for a change in direction. that den needed to be cleared out for spring and god-dammit iiana's going to get it done. but all of them were too valuable to just toss out.. and so she set out beyond the plateau. in return, she'll make sure to bring back equally pretty things for all of moontide to enjoy.

With different motives, Pruina slowly walks towards Iiana from the opposite direction. It’s a little cloudy, sun peeks out from those wet and soft pillows in the sky and for today keeps the little nomad company. It’s the one she enjoys the most and the one that makes her the warmest, happiest. Unlike birdies, it never gives up on her.

Focused too much on filling her nostrils with dirt, her legs carry her closer and closer. Her mind has lost the sense of direction long time ago and asked her sensitive nose to lead the way somewhere where the leaves smelled the freshest and grass was the greenest. Ina nodded to that command without any complaints and that’s how she ended up here in this situation:—almost bumping into Iiana.

She smelled a wolf before… a whole pack in the area seemingly but clearly her senses made her a fool this time around and warned her about those as of nothing to be afraid of. Too far, Ina, too far! They said.

Trusting her own body, it is only then that Ina lifts her head up to be met with another wolf. Not too small, not too short, something of her size… probably. Could it be? Who knew if her vision spoke the truth and could be trusted.

a near bump is more like she'd been attacked from behind by an already jumpy woman. through the stalks of grass a yelp rings out, followed by clattering of all that she carried.
who the hell goes there! wild, her body thrashes as she looks for her attacker. instead, she finds a pretty face, and her brows unknit — shame, they could've made a fine tapestry.

her lashes like flapping butterflies, the woman inspects the fine jewel that stands between dancing blades of grass. ..my.. she flusters, and finally gives the woman some space. i'm so sorry- hahah! i thoug-thought you were something else..! with a laugh, iiana scoops up her wares, never daring to break eye contact from the beautiful lady in front of her.

With the same panicky reaction Pruina blessed her in return: I am sorry! I am sorry!! She apologized, squinting and stepping back. Her eyes trailed from side to side, head twisting in addition to meet, to see, to look for someone else around her. Nobody.

Fortunately her scent loss might have been just a result of the distraction as the area exploration kept her body on auto-pilot mode and had her mind swimming in the ocean of pretty daydreams.

Still, she wasn’t sure! She could never be, especially in this particular land she didn’t know! I look for no fight! I didn’t see you! My… My bad!! The pretty lady in front of her kept staring at her but Pruina didn’t notice anything except for the light color or her coat.

She was caught off guard.

you're fine! just be a lil' more careful! iiana assures while moving to a part of the field where the grass is not so thick. she hopes to get a better look at the woman, but also an opportunity has just presented itself to her!

you cooulld.. she drags on with a smile. ..trade with me to make up for it? i have a fine collection of pretty things for pretty ladies such as yourself! and so she unfurls her collection to reveal it to the stranger with a grin so wide it forced her eyes shut.

Ina followed the other pretty wolf and was a little bit shocked by how enthusiastic Iiana was. She bumped into her a second ago and now was supposed to trade items with her as if nothing happened. Not to mention, she heard about traders before; they were quite common but finding one in this area surprised her.

I… A blush spreaded over Ina’s cheeks to the received compliment and she stepped a little closer to take look. It was quite difficult to focus on what she was seeing. Those items were blurry to her and therefore her nose nearly pressed itself to the ground to catch and smell what exactly she was working with.

Bunch of fine items, seemingly of a high price nomads would value a lot. Ina could tell. To her all of them were quite useless… just as much as this rock she has been carrying around. Umm… those are all high valued items, this is just a mere rock… umm… pretty wolf I don’t know the name of. Are you sure this is what you want to trade?

Then a deer’s tail and a cozy pelt she could use as an accessory caught her attention. Was it actually deer’s tail she saw though…? Perhaps.

iiana flinches as pruina inches quite a bit close to the items, only settling down as she watches as the other wolf sniffs at them. thank goodness! i thought i was going to be robbed!

a rock slides over, and iiana takes a look. it was.. a rock. that's for sure. she flashes a sympathetic smile. well, yeaa.. she starts. ..hm. i'll tell you what. i'll let you keep one of my items for a bit; try out whatever it is that you'd like, and then you can pay me back with your own finds. iiana looks to the traveler. really, she'd let the girl take her goods for the sight of her alone was enough to satisfy the trade. but explaining that to the rest of moontide would be a hassle and a half.

Umm… Pruina hummed and lowered her gaze in submission, then raised it up again in embarrassement and apologized to Iiana with puppy eyes she was no longer supposed to carry. … sorry. You were so insistent on trading that I couldn’t tell you I don’t have anything interesting to give you in exchange soon enough.

It felt almost forbidden to ask this pretty wolf what their name was, but Pruina wanted to taste it on her tongue for some reason. They had something in common after all—traveling and trading items. Maybe this wolf was also a nomad and that thought made Pruina a little excited. So she asked once poking the deer’s tail with her paw.

What’s your name? Are you also a nomad? You look like one... very pretty one. A blush took over her cheeks as her lashes fluttered and she dropped the rock on the ground. Those were pretty but for some reason Pruina was forgetting about all the magic mother nature held.

the shy girl dips her head, and her doe eyes send iiana a-fluttering. how precious!

iiana! and you? she smiles.
its fine if you don't have anything today — i'm no nomad, but i live nearby! just by the coast!

she nods to the expanse behind her. my home is on top of that pretty plateau, right over there! there's a village there. iiana returns to the stranger. it's guarded, but my village is full of kind people.

Pruina was a little bit overwhelmed by the energy Iiana was shooting her way and so she took a step back and laid her ears back as well. She looked at the spot her company was pointing to and then returned to staring the girl in the eyes. From this distance it was very hard to see, though the smell of fresh grass filled her nostrils full.

I am sorry, I can’t see that far very well, she hummed. But it must be wonderful if you so excitedly talk about it. My name is Pruina, I have never been in a pack, really. Nice to meet you.

pruina sounds a lot like iiana.. but it's pretty! the blonde giggles at her own observation, nodding vigorously as the black snout speaks so happily about her home.

it's nice. i think you'd like it — anyone with a conscious would like it! unless you got a stick up your... butt. her throat bobs as she corrects her foul tongue. bad! do not swear in front of customers and potential neighbors. you're a trader, not a sailor, so get rid of that tone!

Pruina tilted her head to the side and blinked a few times. The girl spoke warmth to her and she found herself gently smiling upon the self judgment.

It’s okay, Nomads do also have their swear words and… and u-use them quite often. I am not offended… Iiana. I think it’s very cute… She said the name of the young lady with an accent and clearly wrong pronunciation. Then that smile of hers turned into a chuckle and that chuckle became a sweet gentle laugh until Pruina shook her head with amusement.

It was common within her family to speak badly, in slang and supposedly even like those Iiana corrected herself for not being. Never did she hear about that though. Unless you got a stick in your butt… She rephrased, what does it exactly even mean? I have never heard of that before.

How does one become a friend with such a wonderful person…

oh pffft.. nothing, don't worry 'bout it.

besides, i don't like swearing all too much, but sometimes it just.. slips! like a mudslide! but less fun.

but pruina said her name, and iiana could feel her cheeks burn like she's under summer heatwaves already. and for that, she must go.

hm, it's getting late. do nomads have shelters they can sleep under? it might rain too, spring time and all..