Lion Head Mesa I found something in the woods somewhere.

Heading towards RHC, but crossing by Blackfeather Woods territory and landing in Lion's Head Mesa.

After a run-in with a bear and an impromptu swim across a few rivers, Njal needed a rest. He was more than exhausted - but he had done more in the past two days than he'd ever done before. On one hand he felt tired and sore, but on the other, he felt young, he felt alive. How strange it was to feel so awake and spirited at his age. His journey in to the south was very different from when he went north, with bundles of screeching kids. The glacier had been a welcome sight, a beautiful sight, and once the family had stopped to rest, things seemed idyllic --

Njal caught himself before he lingered too long on those thoughts. He hadn't reminded himself of those initial good days in such a long time, only dwelling on the failures and the ruin which plagued their little family; it felt dishonest to remember the good days, those fleeting moments before he lost it all. Thankfully, he found himself within the fringe of a dark forest. The scent of wolves wasn't so strong in the area, but he detected something familiar - something that reminded him of Fox's invitation.

Was this the caldera? Perhaps the forest draped across a mountain and he simply could not see it in the murk. He thought to howl and alert Fox to his presence - but that thought fizzled and died as soon as he emerged on the other side of the tree line, and was faced with an open expanse. With a squint to his eyes Njal could study the horizon; he turned his head and saw the nearby mountain range (remembering briefly that the Sunspire was in that direction) and then turned his snout further westward - and he thought he could see something rising in the distance.