The seasons were changing and Mordecai could feel it in the air and see it reflected on her coat. The sunbleached tips of her mane had darkened and were nearly black and her coat had grown shaggier in preparation for the coming winter months. This would be the first Frostfall she would spend outside of the safety of the Dragon's Throat, where even in the dead of winter the temperatures were bearable. She had thought a few times of returning to the red sands, but then she would think about the freedom that she gained by being on her own and the idea seemed ludicrous. Herd life was too stifling with their rules and laws and alliances. The dark girl relished in being able to do whatever, whenever she wanted and treat others however she wanted without having to worry about causing a diplomatic incident.

So she spent a good deal of her time searching for a place that would be comfortable to weather the impending ice and snow storms that would come with Frostfall. She had only been in the Deep Forest for a few days, but she thought that it had promise. The thick canopy that the trees provided would block out a lot of the snow, or so she thought. And she also thought that the trees being clustered so close together would help to cut down on the icy, bone-chilling wind. She had yet to thoroughly explore any of Helovia's other regions, but she was already doubting that she'd find anything better that wasn't a herd land.

Her head lifted and she looked toward the canopy once again, thinking that it would also serve to hide her from anyone flying over -- not that she was hiding from anyone, she just didn't like to be bothered most of the time. She rather liked her solitary existence. The dark woman snorted softly as she continued to pick her way through the forest, her cloven hooves swiftly and easily stepping over fallen branches and, occasionally, the left over bones of some predator's meal

Ahead of her loomed a huge tree with a pool of water nestled near it's roots. If she hadn't thought the forest had been perfect before, she certainly did now. Protection, food, and water -- all essential to live. Mordecai stepped toward the pool, coming to a stop at its bank, her head lowering as she drank.