Colibri was quietly toiling in the community garden, pulling weeds from where they sprang unbidden. Saul's witchhazel plant was nestled at the center of their plot, and Coli had been making frequent trips into their pine forest to sniff out new herbs and useful medicinal plants, trying to populate the garden for their pack. So far it was still a bit sparse. She knew she would need to travel further than their territory alone to find everything she wanted, but she was more reluctant to venture outside the safety of their borders now that she was no longer a loner. It was safe here, a luxury she had not enjoyed for many seasons.
The tranquil silence was broken by the sound of a howl, a commanding voice resonating from the border. Coli's ears fell back apprehensively, glancing in the direction of the village to see if anyone would answer. Her packmates were often out and about, though, wanderers by nature, and it seemed this warm afternoon they were otherwise occupied. She stood, brushing the dirt from her knees and palms, and reluctantly set off towards the edge of the pack. The call was not one she recognized, so it was unlikely to be Emmanuelle, Cassia, Eclipse, any of the females she wanted to see. As she drew nearer, she was surprised to see the shape of a covered wagon drawn by a horse. She had never seen such a thing before, since she had not been informed of the trader's previous visit with Lilin and the Stormbringer brothers. Was she looking to join them, with all her possessions? But the call had sounded so dominant...
Smoothing her long mane flat, Coli took a deep breath, trying to steel her nerves before emerging from the pine trees to greet the stranger. "Hello there, you've reached Vinátta's borders... May I help you with something?"