Lion Head Mesa snapped like twigs

Mountains were not a rarity to Cicero, but this was different. With mountains, you could choose your own path, and here he had to make due with what he got. At least he got the wolf's name, which turned him from a stranger wolf into Akela. Cicero grinned as he was sarcastically called optimist. He did not see himself as negative, for words like these were meant only as a joke, but he understood it could be off-putting to some.

Upon Akela's directions, Cicero turned a bit more to the right. He did not really fear dying, even if it was a more slippery road than he was used to. Cicero had never been in any real danger, so despite his thoughtfulness for his age, he was still the young and brash type of wolf who'd get into danger head-on.

"What brings Akela here?" asked Cicero, though more to pass the time while they climbed than because he really cared. And, perhaps, because it might give him some more insight into who Akela was and what drove him to do the things he did.