Gyrfalcon's Keep Don't sneak up on a danger noodle

Saoirse made sure to get a lungful of the wolf's scent as they started moving, half of her focus on navigating without falling over and half concentrating on his voice. She mouthed the unfamiliar word, snake, and took his advice to heart, for future reference. That's great, then.

She was content to try and follow whether he spoke or not, but doing so definitely made the journey easier. Coming up with an answer to his question, though, well. That was more complicated. What could she possibly say? The only thing she had going for her at the moment was a flight of terror she still couldn't see the end of, and telling someone that...yeah, no. Essie did her best to keep the hesitation from her voice, affecting something cheerful and bubbly when she replied, Just exploring, really. My family lives much farther north, and animals can be scarce there. We're in the middle of relocating. She didn't even lie, really, which made her feel better—she would just avoid mentioning who 'we' was.