Lion Head Mesa Black and orange stray cat sittin' on a fence

Not much would survive in a canyon such as this, especially as summer came in to its own, but there weren't many options for Stryx or her little companion @Conquest, not immediately anyway. They headed away from the meadow and followed the arch of the sun, clinging to the shade whenever possible, and soon enough climbing through the mesa as the days progressed. The main issue was water - Stryx did not like the idea of this dry desert-like place with all of its sunlight and scrubland, and the main priority was to find a source of water to keep them hydrated and healthy.

Then there was the threat of cougars. Stryx had only ever heard tales of them, she was not exactly experienced in combat with her own kind let alone this mythological predator, and did not notice the strong scent that lingered on the slopes as she hiked; she only knew it smelled warm and dusty with a sort-of lingering, stronger piss smell. She only hoped to find somewhere safe for the night so that her little companion could rest, then they could continue trying to survive somewhere more suitable later.

When the smell in the air grew heavier Stryx wondered if she'd made a bad decision; but she looked back at the tumbling red child and knew she had to remain focused on one course of action, which was to put the child first and keep them safe. Gradually the warm smell in the air of stale dust and dry grass gave way to something sharper, almost metallic, and Stryx knew she'd found something good - over the next rise, a distant lake came in to view. She waited for the child to catch up to where she lingered, then began the descent towards the lake, oblivious to the dangers.