Toad couldn't remember the last time she had seen the sun. The days had been so dreary that she could hardly stand to remain at the rendezvous point any longer, descending once more to the forested base of her mountain home. The pines immediately gave her a strange sense of relief; perhaps it was the oxygen they released, or maybe the scented oils of their bark, that made her feel calm. Whatever the case, it was as good a day as any to take a walk through the Netherwoods.

For a time, the company she kept was only the squirrels that bounded from the branches overhead to avoid her. Their angry chatter and alarm calls hardly deterred her, but they didn't make for a pleasant afternoon walk.

Toad kept her coffee-coated ears sharp, listening for rustles in the undergrowth of ferns that might suggest a rabbit or wood rat. She was always ready to launch into hunting mode, though without her packmates she wouldn't be able to catch much.

Although Toad kept a lookout for things in front of her, she didn't expect any movement from behind. The brushing sound of branches finally alerted her to the following Ostrega, and she turned around to greet someone that Toad mistook at first for Hydra. The woman called out a gentle greeting, knowing her name already. Toad was a bit taken aback by this — evidently she'd been talked about. This gave her great pride, and her tail wagged swiftly in response.

Yes, you are! She moved closer to the woman and reached out her nose gently to sniff at her, ears bowed and polite. Forgive me, I don't know your name, Toad admitted, offering a bashful smile as replacement. @Jarilo had mentioned to her that his sister had two lookalikes from the same litter, but Toad had no idea if this was Lyra or Alya, and she thought it would be especially rude to attempt to guess.

The black Hydra-sister smelled of moss and pine. Her coat was thick and healthy, her eyes just as sharp and discerning as her sister. Toad knew that they all looked alike, but there were subtle differences in the way Lyra spoke and how she carried herself that made all the difference. The chocolate storyteller followed the motion to walk; she had always had the temperament of a follower and took subtle direction easily. It was the same reason Toad's ears and tail were kept relaxed rather than forward and high.

When Hydra was mentioned, Toad dipped her head a bit and smiled widely with an anxious grin. It pleased her to know that she had left even the slightest impression on her fierce leader, but she worried that Hydra might have said something negative. Toad knew this was most unlikely given Lyra's tonality, but the thought remained anyway.

I love it. The mountain and its paths are majestic, our puppies are growing strong and fierce, and everyone has been very welcoming and kind, she explained, her tail waving softly behind her as they moved. It's strange though, the sun seemed to stop barely a week after I came here. I've never seen it be this dark and dreary for so long, she continued. Surely she hadn't ben the cause of this sudden change in weather. Others had told her that this was indeed very unusual for Moonspear. She hoped it didn't stay like this for much longer.

Toad looked at the sky too when Lyra did and couldn't help but frown. Generally, she was a positive woman and optimistic about the general course of life. The weather had been a recent challenge to that outlook. It was hard to be much excited about anything when every day looked and felt the same. Every day was soggy. Every day was gross.

Toad nodded. She also worried that the herds on and around the mountain would grow tired and move away; she had been trying to track their movements some, but being new to the area, she was a novice at best. I am actually, or, well I hope to prove that I am, she said, offering a small smile. She had no certification or license to show Lyra, but she had been hunting for as long as she had teeth. I'm also really curious to learn more about the Ostrega history — Jarilo said there were lots of stories and things to learn. Your family seems so grand, she said, smiling while looking at the ground and scrunching her brow in an almost anxious awe.

She wanted to learn the stories of the Ostrega to learn and to teach herself. Though her words might have seemed hyperbolic, she was wholly serious.