Lion Head Mesa things replace things

Once upon a time, Maegi had never wanted to set foot outside the woods. And sure, she still preferred to remain within the trees, against the backdrop that was so familiar to her. But the flight to the Bypass and the subsequent trip back had given her a little taste for adventure, and so, the girl put a tentative foot outside their southern border, wondering what new things were close by to explore.

Though it was cold and blustery, the snow-blanketed expanse was much better camouflage for her white pelt than the darkness of the forest, and she slipped clumsily through the plains without any creature giving her much notice, if any at all. Soon she came upon an expanse of rock, breaking jaggedly above the prairie. In the distance to her left, she saw a towering mountain, and even higher peaks beyond that.

It was truly a very wide world, outside Blackfeather Woods. And she'd barely seen any of it.

Hobbling through the rocks, Maegi kept her black nose low to the ground, wondering if perhaps prey lurked in the nooks and crannies here. Kove had taught her a little about hunting, and she was getting better at it; might as well practice, right?

Before she could pursue the scent of a vole she had picked up, movement ahead distracted her, and her bicolored eyes shot up, narrowing as she tried to make out the shape. It moved, transforming into a dark wolf with bright eyes, bathing in the light of the sun. She cocked her head curiously, limping boldly up to the rock where the stranger lay and peering intently at its face, wagging her tail in wordless greeting.