It wasn't long after Alivia set foot in the forest that the oppressive heat began to weigh down on her. She was happy to have not brought along with her Stepper, her mouse colored mare,  for the floor of the forest was riddled with underbrush and concealed roots that could have broken her treasured steed's ankles. However,  underneath her armor,  Alivia began to sweat: so much so that she pulled a red ribbon from somewhere up her sleeve and tied her auburn hair back. "Blast this cursed heat." The woman growled as she pushed aside a vine as thick as her wrist.<span style="font-style: italic">And curse the man who thought he could get away with this.</span>That,  Alivia did not say aloud.  Saying the Grandma Reed was dead would make it real and some small part of Alivia hoped it wasn't. The larger,  more rational part of her brain knew it was,  however,  and it drove her further into the forest until she came to a cabin she knew well.<br/><br/>"Matt! Open up!" Alivia yelled as her fist pounded the door over and over. Alivia wasn't paying much attention and almost hit a broad shouldered, graying man as the door opened and he appeared. There was a considerable frown on the man's face and large bags under his eyes.  A deep furrow cast his blue eyes in shadow. "Been drinking again?" An almost cruel smirk pulled at Alivia's lips as her hands went to her hips. "What is it with fur traders and alcohol?"<br/><br/>"Not just fur traders." The man's voice was gruff, sleep from moments before still slowing his tongue. "All men drink,  because women like you drive us to it." His tongue may have been slow, but his wit was razor sharp. "What do you want Alivia?" The bulky man rubbed a calloused hand over his face,  a sigh escaping from behind it. "I'd like to have one peaceful day off before getting back to work."<br/><br/>Pushing past the man,  her head barely clearing his shoulders,  Alivia sat upon a crudely made,  yet sturdy,  stool,  a frown pulling her face down. "Grandma Reed is dead. She was murdered last night." Her brown eyes were upon the man now,  a fiery anger barely hidden as she told him of the details. "I'm looking for a fur trader named Wolf.  I'm sure you know of him?" Matt huffed at the name.<br/><br/>"Wolf,  you say? Yeah I know him." Alivia stood,  but Matt motioned for her to sit back down. "But he isn't a violent man. Sure a drunk and bloody fool, but he isn't violent."<br/><br/>"I just... Need to ask him some questions. Do you know where he lives? What he looks like?" Alivia kept her voice steady,  but her mind was racing with plans as Matt told her what he knew.  She thanked him and left, leaving behind advice to sleep and drink plenty of water.<br/><br/>Wolf lived roughly 2 miles west of Matt's home and Alivia had no intention of waiting to find him. Easing the blade from her scabbard, she headed west.