The Heartwood Branching out

Not at all!

She heard the soft tread of footfalls before the stranger made himself known more clearly. Her ears perked and her head turned to look in the direction of the approaching wolf as she stopped along the riverbank, eyeing the grey-hued stranger and noting his decidedly friendly demeanor. A little flutter of nerves stirred in her at the thought of competition for food--she'd already proven herself an unworthy adversary in combat--but Mitanni didn't back away or hunker down, though she did sink just a little into a more prominent crouch. It was just her nature to be cautious that way.

Even so, she returned the wag of his tail with one of her own, letting it sway against the backs of her legs, and managed a thin smile as he asked about the river. Her amber eyes darted back down toward it, double checking, before she returned her gaze to the grey wolf and shook her head. "Not so far," she admitted, and was grateful suddenly that she didn't have positive news to give. It would have only made her more of a target.

Considering the direness of the situation, however, she shifted a little, licked at her lips, and with a tilt of her head returned the question. "You?" It was probably silly to think some stranger was going to offer her any assistance with her self-appointed mission--it was every wolf for themselves now--but it was exactly those unfavorable conditions that made her desperate enough to ask.