originally, the promise was i'm going to stop leaving home. it took two days of remaining stagnant within the borders for this to become i'm going to stop leaving home.. eventually.

there were things within the emberwood that required the scout's attention but they weren't urgent enough to warrant a pause in scouting. bhediya could take a trip around the entirety of the teekon and it still wouldn't fill the caches. hunting wasn't her job; remembering this allowed her to justify such frequent absences.

until @Ibis was healed, bhe wanted to keep as much distance as possible. it was important to take precautions when faced with a potential outbreak, she thought. before leaving, the elder found @Kavik and told him about her plans. only for a day, she'd assured him before crossing their border.

the original plan had been to venture back to maegi but the evidence of a new settlement in the mountains stole her attention. bhediya remembered the blanchards in the cave and wondered if this might be their doing. after a moment's contemplation, the scout tilted her head and called for an audience.

it was the foreigner who approached with effortless strides. their pleased expression rivalled one another with bhediya wearing a grin that spanned her face. you've settled in, i see, the scout mused, i'm happy for you all.

uaine gorsedd would soon have their own claim confirmed. the anxiety was apparent. i didn't get your name last time. it was an embarassing fact to admit, but one that she thought she ought to get out of the way. this wouldn't be the last time that they met and calling her "the lady with the accent" would only work for so long.

we're getting there, she laughed. they'd been doing surprisingly well, small stuff aside. i was hoping that we'd beat you guys in the race, though. it was a slight jab made in good humor. worried that andraste might not be as amused, the scout coupled it with another childlike giggle.

it was okay, bhediya said. it felt rude to admit that this wasn't meant to be her ultimate destination, especially with the warm welcome she'd received. instead, bhe chose to say, i've been meaning to come and check in on everything. we aren't too far apart so it isn't a hassle. it took less than half a day when the skies were clear, but the scout worried that things would become much more difficult once the shift in seasons ended.

standing at the border and making small talk was great but bhediya was growing tired of the routine. andraste's offer was quickly accepted with a fervent nod and an excited tail wag. the vale was its own area in and of itself, so being able to get a quick peak inside was a beyond attractive idea.

assuming the pair began to move, bhediya thought to speak. can you tell me more about your pack? she asked. they'd had a short conversation back in the cave but what really interested the scout (the really gritty details) hadn't yet been discussed.

it must be an arctic thing, the scout thought. they all seemed to move so quickly while maintaining an almost unimaginable poise. short-legged bhediya envied her purebred counterparts most when travelling beside them. moonspear? she repeated. her voice was quiet, the question meant to go without a response.

the idea of a sanctuary was a new one to the scout. most packs focused on themselves and their own well-being with little regard for outsiders. bhediya wondered how the dynamics of such a pack might work. as they continued along their path, a myriad of scents began to gather. how many live here? not wanting to seem overly intrusive, she followed up with, you don't have to tell me, actually. i'm just really interested.

thirteen alongside, so fourteen? it certainly gave the impression of a thriving group. andraste was probably telling the truth; it was silly to lie about something so trivial, especially to a potential ally. bhediya wanted to assure the sylph that it was all in the name of business but that was false, at least to a point. in truth, the scout needed some the companionship of someone not of the opposite sex.

we're doing okay, she replied, a prideful grin threatening to appear, just trying to network, i think. there were only two other packs in the valley that bhe knew of. easthollow wanted nothing to do with her and awol had taken care of lost creek, so her only option was to travel outside. bhediya wondered what ibis might think of her striking up alliances on her own.

one could understand the plights of learning a new language. it wasn't long ago that bhediya had been through the same trials, though the years of speaking in the common tongue rid her of any accent. she waited patiently for andraste to catch on before offering an empathetic giggle. good, good. of course, this would have to be shared with the rest of the council before anything was finalized.

there was surely more to be talked about, the scout thought. do you know any other groups around here? the faint scent of a border lingered at the southern end of the mountains. when crossing for blackfeather, she thought to stop by but found no one to be home.

the scout listened with a ranger's intent. the goal was to travel to every border that the wilds had to offer, but bhediya knew that this was but a pipe dream. packs frequently rose and fell; to see them all would be a presently unattainable feat. still, she logged the directions being given and thought that she might someday put them to use.

so you travel, too? probably, she thought. thus far, bhe hadn't met a single leader without some degree of scouting experience. we could take a trip together! the suggestion was only meant to be taken somewhat seriously as they likely both had full plates. i haven't met the, uh, the 'diasporans' yet, so maybe we could make a day of it.

it was a date, then. bhediya had hoped for a more concrete answer, but the one given was good enough. she gave an affirming nod of her head and let the subject be.

they were beginning to run out of topics. rather than scraping the barrel for whatever was left, the scout decided that it might be time to end their interaction.

i'm going to dismiss myself, if that's okay. but i'll definitely be back. ​they'd made it decently far during their walk but the scout was confident she knew the way back. it was nice seeing you again. bhe gave a polite nod and turned back toward the border.