Heather
*Juna came to sit down at the edge of the wooded trees from the Salvanian forests where the tree line met open fields before going out much further to where it would inevitably reach the capital. The sun had casted a golden glow down on it, signifying that it was near the time for it to set with the cold winds of winter notifying those of how frigid it will be once it did.

A bow sat strung around the Canifor's torso with a quiver of arrows sitting just along her spine where she laid hunched over what it appeared to be an animal. To any that saw, it would look to be a Jackal, while the Canifor a huntress. However, she had no intent of hunting Jackal, instead him being a companion of hers. She lightly ran a hand along his side in a sort of rub, grazing a small cut that had formed on his flank. It didn't appear much more than any other tear nor lethal in any way, however, the Canifor seemed troubled.* 

"Please... Please heal..."*She seemed to murmur half to herself. The Jackal seemed to gaze up at her, most likely tired from whatever tasks they were trying to do earlier. He didn't seem very bothered, though he could pick up concern in his owner's tone. For what it was, the animal wasn't sure, only that she seemed to carry worry with her.*
Mike
*Alethea walked down the path where there was wooded trees at where a tree line was present. She saw the open fields, hearing the birds chirp and migrate to different places. It seemed she was having some trouble locating the capital, but she saw open fields which followed something that looked like it. As she walked further, she started to seeing the sun setting. Seeming to be as if it was time to find some sort of shelter before it got dark.* 

*After walking down the path, she saw some sort of silhouette in the distance over what appeared to be a Jackal. The Kemonomimi tried not to make and noise, but she did so anyway. Footsteps came up to them, and the Doctor arrived. She saw the Jackal laying down on the floor, while the Canifor was deeply concerned for it. However, by quick examination, the Jackal wasn't in much trouble. Alethea started to speak in a very light, moderate tone.*

"That Jackal doesn't seem to be in much pain, that cut needs to be covered in cloth and treated with medicine so it doesn't get infected. Also, you should take it somewhere safe, that blood might attract something bigger from those woods nearby."

*Her tail could be seen, and her fox-like ears were poking out. The Kemonomimi stood there looking at the cut in quiet observation, and she seemed to be concerned for the Huntress's safety as well since it was getting dark.*
Heather
*Juna had nearly jumped in surprise at the approach of the woman, taking a moment to grow lax once more in realization that it was just another person. Maybe she expected it to be some kind of predator or someone else entirely. It took her a good while to come to realize what the woman was talking about, casting a glance between Alethea and the Jackal.*

"Oh... Right... Right..."*She said in barely a murmur after finally realizing that the woman was just instructing her on how to help her Jackal.*"Yeah... That's... Probably a better idea..."*Something about her tone, seemed to come off as more disappointed than need be at the idea of patching her Jackal up with a cloth. No one knew that was simply a sign of defeat in the Canifor's eyes. She had moved her hand away from her Jackal, once more seeing the cut still there despite her efforts and eventually she decided that maybe she should just take it as a sign to just go and cover the wound before any predators came like the doctor mentioned.

Her ears flicked up towards the Kemomomimi, taking note of her appearance and wondering what had brought her over here, well besides the scene before her anyways.*"I'm sorry... I'm not on your land am I...?"*She'd ask, most likely from repeatedly having to make sure she wasn't crossing into someone's territory. It was strange how it had never been much of a problem when she'd gone out hunting while growing up. Now it had gradually became and more of an issue, something else to worry about on top of cold, her jackal, and trying to hunt for food in the winter.*
Mike
*Alethea heard her response, it seemed rather normal or disappointed. The doctor was a little confused, but she did wish she had some sort of medicine to treat it.* 

*Her eyes laid on the Jackal again, then the woods. The woman was concerned for all three of them, and it was clear through her facial expressions. Staring into the woods repeatedly, she hoped there was no predators nearby that stalked them in the distance. After hearing the Canifor speak again, her eyes glanced back at the both of them. The question the Huntress asked the Kemonomimi peaked her interest for a moment before she responded back.* 

"I have no land, I'm merely a Doctor that travels throughout these territories peacefully, nothing more. But now, I'm trying to find some sort of shelter since it's getting dark. And I should probably purchase medicine and some food since I am quite hungry. But before I make a move, do you know any place that has shelter and where I can locate medicine at? If so, I may be able to help that Jackal."

*Her tail started to sway back and forth smoothly since she was curious to know her response.*
Heather
*Juna would give a small pat on the Jackal's flank which seemed to be a sign for him to get up to which he'd do after a moment of shaking himself off a bit. Standing up to her full height, she'd gaze over towards Alethea. Her gaze remained lowered as she typically did around people she seemed shy of, but at the very least she seemed relieved that she hadn't accidentally crossed someone else's land.

With the questions she was asked, Juna would eventually look back up at the doctor in a look of only slight confusion. Maybe she was new around here like the Canifor once was. If that was the case, Juna couldn't really blame her lack of knowledge.*"The closest place would... Most likely be the Capitol but... You probably won't hit it before nightfall... They will have everything you need... I'm not sure of any place closer..."

*Her ears lowered slightly, seemingly tired for a long days work.*"There's my camp for shelter but... I don't have any food or medicine there currently..."*She'd add with a bit more hesitation. The Jackal would pace around Maevette, sniffing around her in investigation of who she was.*
Mike
*Alethea watched her stand up, her gaze seemed to be disconnected. Which seemed rather normal since she didn't know her that well. Continuing, she listened to her answer and thought of an action to take. Before responding, she looked at the Jaskal directly, slightly smiling before looking back up in direct contact to the woman standing infront of her.* 

"Hm, well, I guess I should take shelter at your camp then since it's way better than nothing at all. And besides, I think they like my company already. Also, before we head off, what's your name? I'm Alethea, Alethea Fern if you want to be exact."

*After she responded, she looked down around her only to see a Jackal pacing around her. She assumed the Jackal was trying to know who she was, or perhaps wanted something from her. Either way, it was quite nice having company once in awhile. Her tail seemed to fluff up a bit, Alethea took that as a sign she should probably head there immediately. Goosebumps formed on her skin too, it was getting colder and colder as the sun set. Hearing crickets in the distance made it seem that the night was to follow.*
Heather
"I'm Juna..."*She'd say, rubbing at her arm absently to generate some warmth to it.*"Juna Carse..."*As always, her full name sounded unusual off her tongue in not being used to saying it often. However, Alethea had given her full name so it was only courtesy to return it.*"We should get moving... The nights have been getting much colder lately and... It'll get harder to start a fire..."

*'Or impossible...' Juna wanted to add. It was hard for Juna to prep her camp to be ready for the harsh winters, but she thought it rude of her to bring the doctor back her friend's house without permission. This would simply have to be the next best thing. With a tilt of her head, Juna would gesture for her to follow as the Canifor began to walk off towards the large forest sitting just beyond the fields.

Seeing his owner walk off, Jace would let out a huff of air, swiftly following after her with what seemed to be little issue. The injury was most likely not bothering him too much, but the cold probably wouldn't make it any better when it came down to it. All the more reason to move with haste as the sun threatened to make its disappearance soon.*
Mike
*At first, the cold air was a little concerning, she hoped that they could start up a fire in time so that they could receive proper warmth. Or maybe there was some sort of blankets or clothes back at camp. Who knows? She just had a bit of faith there was gonna be something there at the camp or wherever they were going. There was no guarantee about that though. Alethea just marched with them, and looked ahead at the direction to which they were walking towards. Alethea's nervousness started to tick up once more, but she concealed it within her mind.*

*The woods. A place she heard bad rumors and scary stories about as a kid. But she didn't want it to interrupt the main goal, so she just gulped it all down and kept on walking forward. Carrying her leather backpack, she looked further down the path they were taking as the Jackal followed Juna with not much of an issue.*

"Well Juna, nice to meet you then. Let's hope nothing bad happens down the road before we get to destination.."
Heather
"It's nice to meet you too..."*Juna would make her way through the forests, passing through rather easily with her ability to see in the dark. Her Jackal had ran off ahead, most likely checking out the path for anything worth exploring. It seemed like the Canifor was very comfortable in the woods, despite her eery silence. Her ears remained raised while every now and then she would pause to re-assess where she was before continuing again.*

"It won't be much..."*Juna would say to break the silence while she thought back to the state of her camp. She'd be surprised if it was even still altogether after all the time in the winter. It had been a while since she's visited it after traveling to Lymia and even longer since the winter had hit. The Canifor wasn't even quite sure if she'd be able to follow the sound of the Brook if it turned out to be frozen over, but still she continued.*

"You... Said you were a doctor...?"*She'd ask in question.*"That... Needed to purchase medicine..."*The second part sounded less curious than her initial tone of voice as if she were coming into realization of something from asking.*
Mike
*Alethea quickly followed along, trying to hop over any branches that could make a noise from a quick snap. She could also see through the dark with her ability and looked behind herself every now and then. Her mind was alert and anxious, but the Huntress gave her a sense of comfort since she seemed like she knew what she was doing. However, the Kemonomimi decided to keep quiet so that she wouldn't awaken anything nearby.*

*After walking though the forests, she noticed the Jackal was gone which didn't bother her too much. Besides, they are known to be intelligent creatures capable of quick adaption throughout their new environment. When Juna spoke breaking the silence, she had hope that they'd be there quickly before she knew it herself. While continuing, Alethea heard the question Juna asked and decided to respond.*

"Yes.. I'm a doctor, and I do need to purchase some medicine on my travels just incase anything bad happens while I'm on this trip.. Oh.. And I'm an Apothecarist, meaning I prepare medicine and sell them to whomever needs it. But I sadly don't have the equipment for it.. And I need a proper place to work at, meaning, I'm for hire currently..."

*She whispered very quietly while she walked carefully throughout the forest with Juna while staying perceptive of the environment around her.*
Heather
"...For hire...?"*She'd ask in a confused tone.*"Right... Of course..."*She wasn't anything like the blind healer Juna had met long ago, one that could heal wounds with but a simple touch. Maybe she was the fool to think a doctor she randomly met would have similar capabilities when she herself couldn't even remember her own.*"Sorry... I feel as if I may have forgotten something..."*She'd say, walking further out through the forest.

Juna felt bad for seeming disappointed, maybe she should accept that this person was willing to help which was more than what some would do. Juna knew that well, all too well and the thought caused her to take a deep breath to bat away at such horrific images.*

"Are you new to Salvania...?"*She'd eventually ask. It was strange to find an unprepared doctor roaming around the wilderness, but like she said, she was for hire so the thought didn't surprise Juna so much. She doubted the blind healer was much different, except she had a gift to aid her. What was her name again? It started with an E or so the Canifor thought.*
Mike
*She heard Juna for a moment, rather confused about why she sounded off. Almost as if she hoped for something different, Alethea was trying to piece it together from the information she gathered in her head currently. Following the Canifor, she moved very quickly and swiftly, trying not to slow down. Her mind went straight to being keen again, as well as sniffing through the area making sure to detect anything strange or at least trying to. She then spoke in a soft, quiet tone to respond to the Canifor's question.*

"Yeah.. I'm new to Salvainia... I bet you could tell since I wouldn't be wondering around like an idiot. But anyways, I'm trying to look for a job that could perhaps aid civilians or help people in general, since I really hate seeing things get hurt..."

*Alethea kept looking around in the dark, and watched her back before continuing on. From her observations, it didn't look like much was in these woods. She didn't want to assume the worst but she did hope Juna didn't have any bad intentions since she put some of blind faith in her since the start. In the back of her mind, she wondered where the Jackal ran off too, or maybe he found the place before they did. Who knew really? She just wanted to find shelter immediately before anything snuck up on them.*

"Uh... Are we getting any closer?.. I don't want to be rude or anything, but it sure does feel like this place was farther then I thought..."

*The Kemonomimi sounded like she was completely clueless, but still followed behind her regardless.*
Heather
*Juna tried to offer a hidden smile, somewhat hard to see in the dark.*"I figured you for a potential traveler..."*She'd say in defense of the Doctor's wanderings.*"Many people like to move from place to place... There's always... Something new to see..."*Juna would carefully step over an exposed tree root, now finding herself more familiar within the area where she had once left Jace hidden while she went to find food.*

"Watch your step."*She'd warn, venturing further. At the Doctor's mention of wanting to aid people, Juna would continue.*"Many people are in need of doctor's... I've seen many get hurt without the help to aid them... Many who didn't make it... So so many..."*The Canifor would have winced at the thought, but it happened so often that Juna was most likely used to it. At least she should have been, but it would always come as a shock to her in the moment.

With Alethea questioning if they were getting close, Juna realized that she was just making small talk and decided to focus what was ahead.*"Yes... We're quite close actually."*Even without the sound of the brook to aid her, she had grown accustomed enough to the area to remember the terrain, it was almost a trip back down memory lane for her. Almost. 

Hopping over a small dip in the earth, the Canifor would eventually gesture out towards a dark clearing ahead of them where the bare trees had parted themselves just enough to make room for a camp. Jace was already there, darting around the familiar area as he anxiously sniffed at the different bits of wood lying around the area. If there was a camp there, it was hard to tell, especially between the dark and snow.*
Mike
*Her tail caught on to some leaves along the way due to how bushy and fluffy it was. So, she dusted some of the particles off of her tail whilst they kept moving. Furthermore, she wanted to get closer to the camp so that she could finally have a moment of rest. Which was something she didn't get to have in quite awhile now. Listening to Juna, she understood what she was saying and saw a slight smile while they moved. The only reason she saw it was due to her enhanced vision, but she only saw it for a second before they kept venturing out farther into the woods. Almost tripping on a rock, she caught herself and it luckily didn't make a lot of noise. Noise loud enough for only a tiny cricket to hear anyway.*

*Alethea understood the woman, and nodded with the intention of thanking her when she warned her. The mention of doctors and how people passed away without seeking medical attention in time, it truly devastated her deep within the Kemonomimi's heart. But she had to stay strong, and so she continued moving further down forth.* "Yeah.. I wish there was a way to save them all..." *She mumbled under her breath with a quick sigh to follow her voice.*

*Quietly, she also hopped over the small dip in the earth that Juna passed too after be told they were close. Poking her head out to see a clearing that lead to a camp, she slightly smirked with joy. Seeing the Jackal at the camp, she knew her assumption about where he was at was accurate enough.* 

"Well, it's quite cold.. And I hope that camp is big enough for the three of us. Now thinking about it now, if there is big enough wood around here, we could create a fire. But that's if the wind won't blow it away roughly first.."

*She was trying to think critically of what to do in this type of situation as she laid her fingers on her chin. There had to be some sort of way to provide them warmth, and if they didn't, then she'd only hope they could pass through the night without suffering victim to hypothermia then.*
Heather
*Juna picked around what remained of her camp, coming to walk upon a strange lump jutting out of snow. Carefully, she would brush away at the white surface with her boot coming to uncover her old stick tent or what was left of it anyways. With a sigh, she'd turn to face the center of the area where the campfire once was and where currently, Jace decided to lay down at.*"I may... Be a little low on wood... I didn't expect for there too be this much snow when I returned..."

*Sticks or not, with the snow covering most of the materials she had used to keep her camp going, it had managed to make them much too wet to start any real fire out here. Maybe she could get Jace to help with digging out some of the snow to build a blockade from the wind. It would be a grueling task, but at least it was some kind of shelter. After all, it helped her through last winter.

Only when she had glanced back at Alethea, did she come to feel a bit guilty. Juna had promised a shelter, but right now it seemed like they'd have to cave in their own and Juna wasn't quite sure just how accustomed the Kitsune was to the outdoors. She was a doctor, but did doctors usually have survival skills? The Canifor wasn't actually sure.*"...I'll get to work on the shelter..."*She'd say, continue to scratch along the snowy surface with her shoe. Of course her hands were an option, but by the time she'd be able to dig out a hole big enough for them, she'd already have lost all feeling in them.*