Blacktail Deer Plateau I've loved and I've lost

Finley felt a tingling warmth in her chest as the old wolf turned to her and smiled that gentle smile of his. Something about being in his presence made her feel like a little pup again, snuggling up at her grandfather's side on quiet Summer evenings. It was rare for her to feel the pang of nostalgia and the ache of missing home, but she felt it then in his presence, as short-lived as it was.

Dandy as always, Fin replied when asked about how she was doing. The Blackthorn rarely had a down day. Once every great while, she would be moody and sullen for no reason whatsoever, but she kept to herself those days. Other than that, it was glee and excitement besides the occasional irritation that came naturally when interacting with boys.

I found this really neat pinecone, she said as a second question was posed, speaking eagerly like a child proudly showing off a new treasure, I played with that for a while. Longer than I should probably admit... but then I heard you going by, so I thought I'd visit. Are you up to anything special today?