Things had come to a standstill after the famine had died down. He was out of harm's way for the most part, there were some dramas with Kendra, but overall things were stable. He felt a bit stronger after nearly being taken by the famine each day, and he still slept at Damien's den, a thing he was very grateful for.
Today he had gone to the Haunted Wood, feeling oddly at ease there. It was likely its resemblance to Blackfeather Woods; the darkness that the forest held, with an added bit of creepy. Cicero trotted through the forest, keeping his eyes on the floor because he was searching for herbs and mushrooms for himself and Potema.
Brandy was more than frustrated today, as unstable as ever, and absent minded. She wandered far from the Fen that day, grumbling to herself and stalking her way into a creepy forest. For the first time in many months, the copper female felt the trained warrior rise in her belly and demand to be satisfied. Perhaps it was the pent up energy, but it would likely be either a hard lesson learned or a victory to quell the beast.
The famine was over, and life was normal again. The Fen was coming back as thick as ever, and the influx of prey had done well on her muscled frame.
He rustled through some leaves that were left over from last fall, a rare display as the locusts had taken most things in their wake. Yet there was nothing underneath, and a disappointed sigh left his lips as he turned away to look for more elsewhere. So far he had not had much luck, so it was good that they settled in a different dark forest than this one; blackfeather woods had more to offer him than this.
Ears perked up and he lifted his narrow, boy face to look at a female skulking through the woods. She looked angry, and he thought of how she'd have been a possible victim for himself and Kendra if her personality was as fiery as her step.
Yet perhaps she simply had a bad day, and so the patchwork boy turned to look at her and said with a curious tilt of his head, "It looks like there have been better days." There were always solutions to feel better, and Cicero waited to see if there were any that he could assist in.
The copper girl slunk forward until a voice broke through the fog of her mind. Hell, she hadn't even noticed him. This was one of those times where Ambrosia would've scolded her, cuffed her ears with a gentle paw and told her to pay attention before she got eaten.
Her rust colored paws stilled, stopping a couple yards away and steeling her lemon gaze against the bicolored man. He didn't seem aggressive, just curious, and though the warrior within snapped at her insides and pushed her to lunge, no words, Brandy didn't move. Holding herself neutral but a little stiff, she replied in a somewhat forced tone accompanied with a friendly voice.
"Many better days, yes. Also worse. Might be better if I could get some energy out, but a walk works too I guess."
She seemed to hold back, though Cicero wasn't sure why. He was a complete stranger, after all, so there was little need for her to hold herself back. His ears splayed and then pushed forward again briefly as he wondered aloud, "Anything Cicero can help with?" It wasn't that he was offering his help to just anyone who asked for it, but he may as well throw out some hooks in this area and try to get to know the wolves from this area a bit better.
Her sharp lemon eyes didn't waver from Cicero's form, waiting for him to turn agressive in the least bit, prevoke her in any way. Confusion and curiosity were the only things she noticed, though, and for a little while longer she refused to let her instincts control her.
"Unless you plan on fighting me, then no."
It wasn't an energy that would be quelled with hunting, or just plain running. It was all the pent up stress of the past few months settling on her suddenly grownup copper shoulders. Her tongue darted out, licked at her lips in anxiousness.
"No thanks," Cicero said with a grimace as she suggested he fight her in a light-hearted manner. He might've normally accepted this offer, but he was in a weak enough state as things were and so he turned away with a nod of his head. "good luck," he wished her and then started to walk away, back home.