The oasis was now a forbidden place in her mind. Her encounter in the weeks prior had terrified her enough that it was now considered as dangerous as anything away from the desert that she knew so well. Now that Braith didn’t have access to the oasis, however, there was really only one place for water that she could rely on outside of what little hydration she got from eating cacti.
So, she spent this morning carefully making her way down into the canyon. Since fleeing from the snake-tongued giant, Braith had come to the canyon almost every other day. Of course, she still hunted for her food through cacti, bugs, and the bodies of small creatures that were left to rot or for the vultures mainly in the Badlands, but Braith had no home. She wandered and sought shelter from the heat wherever she could without laying down any claim to the dirt and sand that were perpetually stuck between her toes.
When the sight of the small, shallow river came into view, her pace quickened until she made it to the water’s edge. The small wolf looked around carefully first before she took her time hydrating. Anytime the wind shifted, she tensed. Every time little rocks fell from the canyon’s side, she looked up, ready to bolt. The canyon didn’t have much prey, but that didn’t mean she was completely alone. And if recent experiences were any example, Braith felt as if she was a prime target. She may not have been large in stature and her darker coat warmed up way too fast in the heat of the sun, but she was nothing if not resilient and dedicated to finding the best hiding spots wherever she went.
When some rocks fell from the canyon’s side nearby, her body tensed once more. A larger clump of rocks than normal came crashing down at the canyon’s base. In what she felt was a completely reasonable pace, Braith did what she knew she must. She ran and hid. The shrubs may have been scarce, but there were plenty of hiding spots between them and other larger stones. Braith waited in timid silence as she slowly peeked out from behind the large rock and shrub she settled between and barely took a breath as she waited to see if anything living came to the area in response to the rockslide. Maybe someone had caused the rocks to fall in the first place. Braith didn’t know and, if she could help it, she most certainly didn’t want to get caught by them if she was right. The last visitor she had met kept coming back to her in nightmares. She didn’t want a repeat of that situation.
How long had it been since she'd visited the desert last? Kalathiel wandered rather aimlessly through the scarce shrubs and dry branches that grew out of the cracked, dry earth. Her paws pressed against the hard ground leaving only shallow footprints in the dust behind her. It had been nearly a year now since she could recall arriving in the Realm and though she had travelled many of the territories, it had been some time since her path had brought her through the desert. She hadn't set out with any destination in mind. In fact, she'd spent the last few days in the area and each morning she simply awoke and travelled as she pleased. So today was no different. She padded along, her head and tail low in a relaxed posture as long, lean legs glided over the terrain in a smooth gait. It wasn't until the sound of rumbling and clacking rocks met her ears that her pace slowed to a stop and her head lifted. Large ears flicked forward toward the source of the noise. A rockslide? As the sounds subsided, the air grew quiet once more - aside from the faint sounds of insects and birds in the distance, and perhaps even the brush of the breeze through dry grass. But her curiosity pulled her forward and her paws followed, moving her toward where the noise had come from.
She came sauntering into the ravine, where tall cliffs rose on either side and her eyes were drawn upwards looking for any sign of rocks that may still be falling. Her footsteps grew slow as she meandered, until she saw a trail of loose rubble scattered down one side of the hills. That must've been what she heard. There didn't appear to be any obvious cause, though she figured these things occurred naturally in such rocky terrain. At least no one had been injured.
Though, a trapped rabbit might have made a good snack. Thinking about it, her stomach growled eagerly. All the commotion had probably scared away any prey. She let out a disappointed huff and rolled her eyes in frustration. Now she'd have to go find something to eat. She turned, moving along through the ravine and cutting off from the obvious path to move through the shrubs and bushes.
She hadn't seen the other wolf who was hiding directly in her path. As chance would have it, Kalathiel was headed right for her.
