Sly Fox Sand Dunes Rumor on the street is that her apples are delicious

for sister @Sari!

The time had passed within the blink of an eye. One moment, she was elsewhere. In another, she was here, trekking upon warm, sandy dunes. It was a pleasant feeling, having the sand shift beneath her eager, yet also tired feet. There was so much she wanted to do, to see—but her feet couldn't bear to carry her much farther.

Sleep. Food. Water. Three things she desperately needed, though they were luxuries she could not yet afford.

A fainthearted grumble slipped her dry, cracked lips. Oh, how she wanted to stop here and let the dunes consume her body as she lay upon them. The excitement of her travels would soom fade, and all motivations would be lost. While still with enough energy, Ri'zura had to make quick work in finding a suitable shelter so that she could rest. 

Onward, eyes searching carefully. The first decent place to cross her sights.. that is where she would go!

S'ari was once again among the dunes, remembering fondly her first meeting with Mercedes. But what was that she smelled upon the wind? It was not just Coyote... No... It was... Tribe! she called aloud, in her surprise. Someone from her Home Tribe! She scrambled up to the top of the nearest dune and looked out across the expanse of sand, yip-howling jubilantly. And there, below her, she could see a pale coyote against the sands. She began to run down the dune toward her family, unable to tell who it was from up here, and lost her footing in her excitement.

Suddenly she was tumbling head-over-paws down the side of the dune, but she had done this so often that it didn't even faze her. Tribe! she called again, as she quickly found her paws again. Family!

In a sudden, silence drowned moment, a voice broke through the air. A voice that Ri'zura recognized well. For how could she forget the sweet melody of her own kin!

Sister! Frantic, the pale coyote turns to where the sound had originated. She found the other rushing toward her, and her tail swung with pure delight. 

It has been many seasons. Ri'zura has missed sister! Prancing closer, she embraces her kinmate openly. Fur against fur, warmth against warmth. She has waited so long for such a comforting touch!

S'ari pushed and nudged and gently nipped at her sister in excitement. Ri'zura! It has been many moons! Look at how big you are! She was releasing whines of excitement, her tail wagging so hard it slapped the sides of her body. She jumped up on her hind legs and put her front paws on her sister's shoulders in a canine hug, and then fell over into the sand. What is this one doing here? She looked up at her sister with a mischievous gleam in her brown eyes. Did Ri'zura follow S'ari? All the way out here?

A sense of pride washed over her as her kin complimented her growth. Ri'zura had become a woman in the time they had been apart. S'ari was the first to recognize this.

Ri'zura traveled much.. seen much! But, did not know sister was here, Of course, it had come as a shock. But a pleasant one! 

Learn to heal, She then adds, gesturing to herself with a point of a paw. — but want to learn more things! The ambitious one, as she had always been. A lust for knowledge and a heart of determination had followed her since the day she first found her feet. This would never leave her. Not even now, when a new opportunity was at reach.

Sister live here? A question of astonishment, rather of curiousity. It was clear that she had roamed here for some time, for she seemed so abled here. Beautiful, like home of tribe!

A healer! S'ari repeated, looking upon her sister with approval. This is good. Healers are always needed, yes? They will always find work, which is good for trade. S'ari knows some of the healing arts, enough to survive, but she admits it was never very interesting to her. She only wants to explore, or sleep in the sun. She has no time to study plants. She laughed.

S'ari looked around at the expanse of sand dunes. S'ari supposes she lives... everywhere. She wants to explore all of this new desert! But, no, this is not where she rests her head at night. Her home is there. She turned her muzzle to the east, in the direction the Verdigris Ravine. Others are there, as well. Others that S'ari has welcomed into the Tribe. She has made a new Tribe out here, to protect Coyote, yes? To teach the Ways.

S'ari rose to her paws again, staring at her sister with some intensity. Come back with S'ari. Ri'zura is welcome at the Ravine. Come be a member of this new Tribe. Ri'zura can study her herbs and teach others what she knows, and learn new things--whatever she wants! This is good, yes?

New tribe? She hears these words louder than the others.

At first, she is skeptical, unsure of how she feels of the idea that is replacing their first family. But how could she leave her sister now? They had found one another after so long. Surely it was fate!

Yes— Finally she answers after moments of consideration. Ri'zura will come. Learn.. teach. Help tribe grow. Help sister lead, if she needs. As she felt it was her duty, Ri'zura knew she would do whatever she was able to help. For this was a time of rebirth and growth!

Do not worry, sister, S'ari tried to soothe, seeing the look on Ri'zura's face. We are still members of the Home Tribe. We will always be. S'ari merely wishes to spread the Tribe to this new desert, to welcome new Coyote into its fold! Yes? S'ari is... expanding. She pulled a face at her sister's next words. Lead? Ri'zura has been away from the Tribe for too long. No one leads. S'ari simply... knows the ways of the Tribe, and is bringing new faces together. That is all. All Tribe members lead themselves. And stick together.

S'ari began to make her way east, towards the Ravine. Come now, sister! Let us go!

Fade here? We can make a new thread at the Ravine!

Ri'zura will not worry. Trust sister. She assures S'ari.

Lead. She knows that in some ways, the word means not what it might to others for the tribe. Ri'zura does not desire to change their way. Ah, sister.. Ri'zura means only to help lead by growth. To help gather until tribe full, strong. Perhaps she had said it wrong to begin with.

Ah, S'ari said, nodding as she walked along. Yes, this type of leading is good! We want strong Tribe members, yes? Yes, we will... lead by example, eh? She grinned at her sister, so thankful to have found her here, of all places. The gods were kind this day... which meant they would probably be unkind sometime soon, to balance the scales. But S'ari would not worry about that now. Now, she would merely be happy for all that the gods had given her these past days.