She'd made it to the border before stopping, mud and greenery clinging to the pelt she'd only just cleaned in an effort to rid herself of the mold-feeling. She paused well within the line, glancing down at the mud staining her white pelt but not wanting to crack the scabs around her neck again, and thus held her neck oddly ridged as she peered through the trees. She saw a cannibal in every shadow, heard him in the creek of every bough. Her heart beat a little quicker, before she took a few clipped steps forward and abruptly rushed past the border.
For a moment, she wavered. But hadn't she traveled by herself for so long, without encountering any like the man with the head? And hadn't her mother, though normally filled with terrible advice, once told her to face her fears before pushing her into a pond? Takeing a breath, she stepped carefully a little further into the glade, eyes peeled and ears pressing forward atop her head.
There was movement in the trees, and Poppy fell completely motionless. Immediately she scolded herself for doing so; for hadn't succumbing to surprise last time gotten her injured? But before she could make any move towards or away from the movement, it moved out of the cover of the barren underbrush and revealed itself to be a rather pretty she-wolf. Her tail wagged in appeasement when she noted the nervousness in the girl's voice, for surely if the stranger was as uncertain as she was, she would cause Poppy no harm. "hello," She echoed, chestnut gaze tracing the woman a moment. "I'm poppy," she offered, adding, "who're you?"
hngggg sorry for the wait
Whatever it was--she, Lily amended, it was clearly a she--she could talk! Even more taken aback, her head tilted to one side, regarding the girl with puzzlement.
"Poppy," she repeated. "Charmed. I'm Lily." She drew closer to her newfound acquaintance, black nose twitching as she tried to pick up her scent. She was no wolf, but she clearly lived with wolves; she smelled many of them on her pelt. But she was soft! And cute! She belonged in a fairy tale, not in these woods!
"I'm terribly sorry if this comes out wrong--I mean, I don't want to be rude, but--what are you?" Lily burst out, immediately flushing with embarrassment and regret. Bloody hell, you sound like a moron! she cursed herself silently, shaking her head. "I mean, I'm sorry. . .you just look different. Like a wolf. . .but. . .not," she finished lamely.
The sheepdog's ears flicked forward as she caught the girl's name, blurting without thought, "we're both flowers, then," Small grin curved her muzzle, and already she decided that she liked the company of Lily. She asked too the question that many seemed to ask of her, and her tail wagged in appeasement at the girl's nervousness. She was different in the way that she seemed to feel bad about asking ,and Poppy's muzzle canted a fraction. "it's alright - everyone asks," She was quick to assure the girl, adding a moment later, "I'm a dog - a border collie. we're herding dogs."
The girl seemed relieved to her explanation, and Poppy's oversized ears flicked forward before she plopped into the snow. She was certainly more at ease now, that the supposed threat had turned out to be a friendly stranger. She admitted to not knowing what a dog was, and though Poppy gathered herself to explain it turned out none was needed. The girl continued to ask a question of her, and Poppy dipped her head enthusiastically. "yes - I live in Easthollow, back there," She gestured with her muzzle in the direction she'd come, and after a beat asked curiously, "do you have a pack?"
so surprised was she to learn that this girl's group lived in a cave that she almost interrupted, maw opening to project a "you live in -" before snapping closed with an apologetic look. waiting patiently until the girl finished, and a beat after that, she finally asked her burning question. "so you're cave-wolves?" her head cocked to the side, suddenly immensely curious in the girl.
she brightened after the girl's question, dipping her head excitedly. "I'm new here, too! I lived in the prairie, before here." she paused a moment before replying to the girl's original question, tail wafting behind her. "Easthollow is great! Valette, the alpha, is a little scary but also nice. no one has eaten me, or even wants to."