Lore: Director Löwe and her adjutant discuss a recent Sabbatical.

Director Löwe doesn't mean to be rude to Isolda here. To the Director, information is empowerment. If she were to pack on a few pounds herself, she would want to know.  Fortunately, little differences like this one will quickly pass, never lasting more than a few moments.  Isolda and the Director have worked together far too long to hold a lasting grudge, one against the other.

In the lore of Wolfremica, the Wolfrim must take a mandatory Sabbatical every seventh year.  The Cleft (subterranean stronghold) will become overcrowded if this is not the case.  Any other year, one may come and go as one pleases.  Many take their Sabbatical in an Arrangement of Familiarity: A Wolfram and a human agree to a contract.  For the Wolfram, this contract may take the form of companionship, temporary employment, or taking the role of a service animal. For the human, no less than room or board is required, and they know it is in the best interest of all involved to offer additional compensation. As the advantaged party in the arrangement, a human must be strictly vetted before they can enter into an Arrangement of Familiarity.

As Isolda is the Director's adjutant (a high-profile and demanding responsibility) at the Cleft, she prefers to take her Sabbatical to retreat to the wilderness.  She uses the term "foraging" in this comic because the Wolfram are primarily herbivorous (and, in fact, opposed to unnecessary violence against other creatures), and she is particularly fond of a sweet and starchy root she finds in the area she chooses for relaxation, though she does balance her diet with other vegetation.