Jade Fern Grove you are alive and are dying

her path wound towards the marsh, but even before she sank her paws in to the damp loam of the wetland she knew she did not want to be there. it would aid her in removing the scent of the grotto from her, but that was not a thought within her mind - she only wished to find safe passage southward, and perhaps in that time hosannah would find something to fill her empty belly.

the famine was doing wonders to her figure. had she been a more self-absorbed entity, she might have felt pretty because of how slender her body appeared; but she was not faring well. having been born with such a thing and rackish figure, the lack of food only hollowed her further. the sharpness of her face was made all the more evident, and her ribcage begun to show. the knobs of her hips would be visible before long, and hosannah knew that she was running out of time.

Scowling, Minna stalked toward the creature in the marsh. Multiple failures today yet set her on edge. First, there had been the promise of a hare, a teasy feast for her and perhaps Liri. She had failed to catch that, but then went on to forget the location of the herb store she had hidden somewhere in the territory. Then, to top of her simply wonderful day, she had had a rather unfortunate encounter with a coyote that had left her with a shallow gash on her shoulder. She had driven off, but failed to kill, the hideous thing, and was seething with frustrtation of that day's failures. 

And now, here was a sketchy looking female, way out by the swamp. Darkness clouding her features, Minna stalked toward the female, tail and ears held high. She made no sound as she approached, stopping only a foot from the female. "You are close to our territory. What do you want?" Of course, she wasn't that close, but Minna was frustrated and upset.

she is alone for only moments before a figure emerges from the damp and the dark; and as they come closer, hosannah feels a prickling of her fur, for she does not like the look of this one. a vagabond with an ego? perhaps. the stranger comes closer without fear, and arches her tail. hosannah witnesses this plainly, and as they speak she is filled with a mixture of emotions. mirth, for one thing, bubbles forth and catches behind her clenched teeth. irritation is another, but she resists lifting her lips. the stranger carries the scent of aaron, and her words - though false - bring a smile to hosannah's worn features.

no, i am not, she corrects swiftly, perhaps too sharply but hosannah is tired and her hunger is wearing her thin. you are one of aaron's wolves, as i am. i am returning to him — and the forest of the roses is still days from here. but she still wonders what this rose is doing off of the vine; has aaron sent this stranger out in search of her? it is doubtful. more likely, this girl is doing what hosannah herself had attempted. her smile broadens across her long snout, and she adds, i have been far to the north, but there is nothing there, so i return. perhaps they could walk together for a while? hosannah knew she had not freed her body of the scent of reek or the others, so her tale could only hold up for so long.

Minna deflated as the female spoke. She said she was one of the pack, and she had knowledge of the alpha and their territory, so she did not dispute her claim. Her tail lowered slightly, and she dipped her head in apology. "My apologies, ma'am. This famine has tested my temper once to often, and I am sorry my frustration spilled over." She offers the female a small smile. "Would you return with me to the territory? I'm Minna" It would be nice to hear of this female's travels, Minna was a sucker for adventure. She wondered how far north the female had gone, probably much farther then she had ever gone, Minna not liking to cool tempuratures very much at all.

they had similar thoughts but alternate motives. the girl is contrite as she reacts to her information, and hosannah smiles kindly. it is the kind of expression one might imagine upon a mother's face as they look upon a scorned child; there there, the expression says, everything is alright.

i would appreciate the company, she comments in regard to the girl's question, but then modifies the message slightly. however, i feel we are both of better use to aaron if we are apart. i will walk with you — perhaps just for a while? — but in this desperate time, you would serve him better on the hunt for something of sustenance. and the sooner the girl returned to whichever duty she had been distracted away from, the better. hosannah did not have the patience to keep this charade going for long. so caught up is the seer in her manipulation, she fails to introduce herself.

Minna nodded, agreeing with this female and glad she could walk with her for a while. She doesn't seem to mind, or perhaps didn't notice, that the female has not introduced herself. She began walking in the direction of Rosings, assuming that the female will follow. "What was it like, in the north? Do packs live up there? I've never been very far north, though I do hope to go one day." she eagerly asked the other. She glanced up at her with bright honeyed eyes, waiting excitedly for her tales.

the seer nodded as she walked. i encountered at least one pack wolf, but i am not sure how far north their range is. many have been traveling far in order to survive, again she did not outright lie, and so it was easy to make this comment. the two of them had gone far themselves, and she hoped minna would go ever farther, at least so that she wouldn't arise suspicions. it is hard to survive in our forest home, but i imagine it to be even more desperate where there is only ice and snow. but perhaps that was what made the northern wolves so hardy? hosannah remembers being told of the north, at least enough to identify a beast of the frozen lands by sight, and she wonders how many of them follow raas; perhaps they have their own name for him.

Minna could not imagine living among snow and ice her whole life. She did not mind the snow, but too much was most definitely not fun. She kept steady pace with the female, contemplating a life up north. Surely, she would not survive long, someone would probably shover her into an icy lake, or something like that, and the marbled female would freeze to death. She was quite happy here. She dipped her head in agreement with the female's words, listening attentively. 

At that moment, she noticed a faint oder. It smelled of wolves, of multiple wolves, and odd smell...her step faltered as she inhaled deeply, but as the breeze changed the odor disapeared. She glanced around with amber eyes, trying to catch the odor once more. She glanced at the female. "I thought, for a moment, I scented something odd. Pack scent, and yet there are no packs here that I know of.." She resumed her previous pace, curious. She would not catch the scent again, but still she wondered at it.
"Anyway, what of the landscapes to the north? I have heard tales of giant mountains of ice and fields of ice and snow that go on for miles, all year. Is it true?"

there are infidels everywhere, she corrected hastily, her tone spiced by her sense of righteousness, but then she was quick to remedy the strangeness of her voice. i would not be surprised if i was followed, or if we were being watched by some cretin in the dark. alas, we are safe together. but this comment may only lead to this girl staying with her, and hosannah had other places to be. she would have to correct her hastily spoken words, and this would take some thought.

she was pleased when minna began to ask other questions though, and glossed over her own ramblings without further issue. such a description is correct. there is ice and stone, mountains, and hardly any green. it is a hard place, much unlike the blackfoot forest. i did not go so far north to see the great ice sheets, but i imagine they would not be far from where i encountered the pack wolves. it is far safer to the south, where we have made our home. at this she smiled, and looked to the south, then to the girl. do you like it? the forest.

At her comment of infidels and spies, Minna scanned the surrounding area quickly. She had responded quickly, hastily, and somehow that did not seem just to Minna. She ignored this however, and listened with rapt attention as the woman spoke of the north, however still feeling slightly ill at ease. Her descrition of the north enthralled Minna, and the small girl vowed to journey northward one day. Though perhaps not in winter. 

"I do, it is beautiful. The caves, the mountain overhead, they make for great places to explore. It is a wonderful territory, though I can not wait to see it in full bloom" she said, slightly wistful.

indeed, she mumbles in response, thinking of the forest with all of its foliage returned. briefly hosannah wonders if she will be around when that happens — or perhaps the world is doomed to emptiness? a part of her wishes this to be true; that the green would follow her as she follows Raas. that He would grant it to the land only when she was present upon it. hosannah breathes in the stale summer air, sighing softly. i will take my leave of you now. you wish to explore to the north? as i am returning to aaron, i do not wish to impede your progress. it was good meeting you, minna. although she doubted she would see this girl again.

Minna nods, saying her goodbyes and knowing that she will see this woman again soon. She does want to explore just a little longer, and then she could bring back some for information for Aaron. So with a goodbye and a smile, she turns on her heel and lopes northward, for just a little more exploring.