Lily was feeling good enough, at least, for small excursions outside the territory, these days. Her ankle had healed to the point where she could walk without much added effort, though a small limp would always remain, and running still pained her slightly. But she was going a little stir-crazy, even with the heady presence of Vilkas at her side, at Bracken Sanctuary. Everyone was wrapped up in their own drama; she needed to explore, to find new places.

She made her way slowly across the strip of valley between Broken Boulder and the compact mountain range, coming to a halt just outside the towering, icy peak, looking up with some wonder at its immense height. A bit tired after her voyage, Lily sat down, panting slightly from the heat, her dark pelt having soaked up every ray of sun it could possibly capture in her short time out in the open.

Eventually, she lay down near the entrance to some caverns, and although it intrigued her, Lily left it be, for now. She didn't have the energy to go wandering around in strange tunnels--just coming here had tuckered her out enough to deplete the curiosity from her, at least for now. Perhaps at another time, but for now, Lily was content to watch the sun climb in the sky, high and hot.

A pale form appeared, looking a bit territorial. Lily scrambled to her feet, trying to catch her breath as she fixed her posture into something submissive, eyes forward but not quite meeting the woman's gaze head-on. In her exhaustion, had she missed the smell of borders? She was usually more careful than this. Her mouth quirked in worry, still struggling for words--but at least she had them now, when she needed them.

"S-sorry, am I tr-trespassing here?" Lily asked, teeth chattering a little with nerves. "I wasn't aware. . .th-this place hadn't b-been claimed, last t-time I was here." The stranger had green-yellow eyes that bored into her like nothing she had seen before, and any sense of self-composure was gone. Now she'd done it; now she was going to fuck things up for the Sanctuary for real.

To her utmost relief, the woman seemed kind enough, and not too aggressive. Her gentle voice whistled through Lily's ears, and the dark sprite relaxed the slightest bit, taking a deep breath before speaking again. "S-sorry," she said again, trying to keep composed. "Uh. . .B-Bracken Sanc--Sanctuary. Just n-north of here."

She cocked her head, giving the woman a long look. Searching, in the least hostile way she could. "What g-group are you with?" Lily queried, eyes drifting up the mountain. "I d-don't remember anyone b-being here, l-last I came."

The girl took another inhale, breathing in the woman's scent. There was nothing familiar in it; it must be a new group, come to settle in the taiga. Lily hoped that they were friendly. The last thing the Sanctuary needed was a pack prone to violence or disarray settling right on their doorstep. She did not relish breaking that news to Ali--not in the least.

She mouthed the word along with the border guard; it tasted quite unfamiliar on her tongue, but she liked it. It reminded her of the homeland Vilkas had told her about, and she smiled, slightly, even more at ease now. Lily nodded, and at the query, took more time than usual to think over her words before spitting them out.

"Uh, w-we're open to anyone who n-needs shelter," she explained, hoping the definition would suffice. "We're all f-friends. We f-found each other while w-wandering. . .we decided t-to make a home together." And things had not gone quite as planned.

That was okay, though--they had made it. Lennon be damned, they had survived.

"I'm Lily," the girl said, her smile growing broader. "And y-you?"