set along the pictou river, all welcome
Galilee had lost track of the days that passed since she had left home. Despite the drama that had surrounded her decision to leave, her actual departure had been uneventful. Farewells were made quietly and without fanfare. The necessary blessings were bestowed, and Galilee made some belated but heartfelt apologies. Even her uncle wished her well; if it was partially a gesture of relief, no-one could blame him. A cousin traveled with her to the northern borders, torn between envy and a desire for her to stay. Eventually he too returned home, and Galilee suddenly found herself alone.
And it had been hard.
As a swift runner and capable hunter, the young Aika woman rarely went to bed hungry. She set whatever pace she desired, and other than a sweet ache deep in her muscles, exhaustion never set in. At first, she had relished in the solitude and the freedom to go where she pleased. Then the loneliness got to her. All her life, the clamor of her family's large pack had been suffocating. Now, she had the best stories to tell and no one there to share them with. And since her isolation was self-imposed, the resulting cup was a somewhat bitter drink.
And Galilee saw many lovely, incredible things as she journeyed slowly northward. There was even beauty in the charred remains of the bleeding souls territories, where the ash and snow danced in passing breezes. Instead of bringing tales home to her siblings, Galilee learned to carefully document her progress in a leather-bound journal that she always carried, even while unshifted. It was a poor substitute, but it suited her needs.
Today, the all-black female was fully shifted into her optime form to better climb down off of the Halcyon mountains. Her closely-cropped hair bore no ornaments, nor did she wear any clothing. A satchel hung carefully over one shoulder, pulled up short so it wouldn't get in the way. She stopped for a moment, her gray-blue eyes scanning the landscape of the Pictou river, which she had been following for the last several days. Now on the other side of the mountain, Galilee wondered if she was anywhere near her supposed destination.