Phantom Hollow It's been a little cold and not outside

She didn't know why, but she hadn't expected him to accept. Maybe because she was a stranger or because she was young. But he did accept; he even seemed happy about it by the way he offered her a few wags of his tail. Her tail swished some in response. I do, she replied, standing up a little straighter. I haven't done much defending, she clarified. But I'm willing to learn, and I used to patrol some where I came from. Best not to start this off with him thinking she could do more than she actually could. She was just glad he had taken her offer seriously and not treated her like a child. 

Well, I actually intend to help, so you won't have to worry about that. Maybe that's why he was having so much trouble with other wolves: his packmates weren't helping him defend his forest. Well, she didn't offer something if she didn't plan to follow through. Her mother was always loyal and honest, and even though they rarely got along, she still admired those traits in her. She wanted to be like that, to always follow through. She shrugged at his last words. If that works, then I don't see it as a bad thing, Monarch replied. Maybe half of defending was just acting like you could do something. She wasn't afraid to fight or anything, but it seemed kind of logical to avoid getting hurt if at all possible. 

So how many others live in the forest with you? she asked, curious about who else she would be meeting once she arrived there.