Emberwood oh father, tell me, do we get what we deserve?

Ameline intended to pay Swiftcurrent a visit, but by the time she reached the borders, she found herself in a groove- travel had always suited her well, and she had a renewed peace of mind now that she had enough members to mind the borders in her absence. So she swept past the pack's borders, and roved further North, into a place she realized must be appealing to the medic, Arlette; all manner of shrubs and plants, brown or leafless in the winter, grew in abundance. It made her wonder why the gardener had an interest in scouting the Valley for herbs, but perhaps there were plants that grew in one terrain, and not in another. 

To her knowledge, the woodland was not claimed hunting grounds, and while it was pack-adjacent, she saw no harm in pursing the trail of a flock of partridges that had left behind little feathers, and a scattering of tracks. The birds, it seemed, caught wind of her before she could get close- and took to the limbs of a spruce. What she found ambling along in their wake, though, was just as interesting. 

A porcupine. 

Not necessarily a target worth the work, but nevertheless a source of entertainment. A creature that could do little more than grind its teeth, puff up its quills and amble along was a plaything for a spirited creature. Ameline circled it, chuckling as it bared its frighteningly orange teeth, and gritted them together. Piggy piggy porky pig, She teased as she circled the creature. It continued on its way, toward one tree and then toward another, when the agile wolf blocked its path. She toyed with the creature, goading it and taunting it until she lost interest. 

She should visit Swiftcurrent before night fell, and then head back to the valley. 

She made her way toward a stream, guessing it was the same body of water that the pack made its home around, surprised to find a young-looking fellow (he couldn't be any older than this year's batch of children) at the banks. She chuffed a greeting, and scouted the area to see if he might be alone.