Inara had to admit that she may have been over-romanticizing the whole “free and living alone in the wilderness” thing.
When left out in the harsh light of reality, suddenly the idea of freedom out a midst the trees and forest creatures gained the very real feeling of the sting of insect bites, mud and dirt and little pieces of grass stuck where no Maker-fearing particle of nature should have ever gone, and unbearable heat that could not be abated even by the little wisps of breeze that blew through the trees, the smell of something dead lingering and not knowing whether it was, indeed, something that had passed or a plant that was, for some reason, meant to smell like that.
Ah, and the misdirection.
They had only gone away from camp for a moment, just a moment, and already they were spinning, dazed by the irritating fact that trees looked so very much like every other tree, everywhere, all the time. They had been stumbling over roots for what seemed like hours now, she and her pretty little blonde Warden partner, led astray from their camp hopelessly and desperately hoping that they did not run into any particularly aggressive Dalish or worse before they managed to find their way home.
And the sun was sinking down. Their time was ticking away, the forest coming to life as the light faded, shade by shade. It was getting colder, and Inara was beginning to quiver, something she told herself was due entirely to the temperature.
”Are you sure you know where you’re going?” she asked him again, lips tugging hard at a frown.
”Yes, yes. I figured it out. Moss grows on the West side of trees, right?”
”How would I know that? Why does moss know directions?”
”It’s not — moss doesn’t know— ah, Maker.”
Inara did not like the woods.
Simply curiosity, there was nothing more to this trip, this time.
That is at least what Sylvana had to remind her self of, next
time she would shift back approach those who had entered the
forest, ask for an explanation of what is was they intended to
do. It was not too much to ask for, was it? A few simple questions.
Nothing more nothing less, unless they meant harm then it was
something else entirely.
Silently she slunk through, careful eyes watching and ears perked
ready to listen out for any disturbance that would occur. Leaning in
to sniff at the pot over the fire, she recoiled immediately. Either it
had not been washed or had been left to long to cook, the wolf
let out a sneeze before wandering over to inspect another part of
the camp.
The next part being one of the tents. Curious things, did all others
sleep in those cloth homes? Sparing once last glance about, she
poked her nose through a small opening. It smelt empty, not a fresh
scent but there was one nonetheless. Then came her head, it must
have looked to anyone. A wolf being stuck in such situation, all of
her grace lost in this moment, all because of a simple tent.
It was now she had wished that she had come to inspect in her
human skin, with her bow, perhaps posing as a simple hunter
passing through but it seemed like a poor time to think of such
regrets. Syl let out a huff before trying to shake herself free, it would
be ideal to remove one's self from being stuck before trying to
shift. In times past, it did not end well. That and it would be a little
awkward to meet, with out a scrap of clothing to cover oneself.
Also an act that had not been received well.
It seemed all she could do was try and pull herself out, or push
herself all the way through. Unless she wanted to be caught, but
with the trouble she was having it might be the only way.