Broken Antler Fen Go ahead, make my day

She didn't know quite to make of his question. She couldn't earn her stripes with the snap of a finger (or the wolfish equivalent of such). She still had quite a lot to learn before Wildfire could consider herself a formal Outrider apprentice. She was just as stumped by his second question. The youngster knew a few things about the trade but it was less about knowledge than it was about experience.

Dimly, she was aware that she was having just such an experience right now. She was both an ambassador (representing the caldera to Kero, even if she hadn't given the pack's name) and an explorer (having incidentally left the territory). She would have to reflect on these things, later. Right now, Wildfire focused on the present moment and the wolf standing before her.

He explained that he didn't know the area's name, if it had one. "Does that mean we can name it?" she wondered aloud, then paused and shook her head. "No. What does a cardinal have to do with directions?" she asked, curious despite her wariness. Then Kero mentioned north, south, east and west and she admitted, "I've heard those words before. But I dunno what they mean, exactly."