Blackfeather Woods the brewing storm

She gave him a watery smile. Maegi couldn't imagine leaving this place. It was all she'd ever known. How would she cope, out in the bright sunlight of the rest of the world?

But Kove was right, she knew. It couldn't be as bad as she'd heard. After all, he'd come from outside these Woods, right? And if there were wolves out there like him, then it might be all right. It wouldn't do anything to relieve the homesickness she would surely feel. . .but it would be okay.

Nodding, Maegi followed awkwardly along, taking three strides to his one. He was silent, and for that she was grateful--because for all the questions bouncing off the walls of her skull, she did not have the words to articulate them.

Nor the fear she still felt.