Shadewood I ain't plastic, call me classic

No answer forthcoming from the first two, but a third cub arrived, around Alyx’s own age, and supplied an answer. That wasn’t a word Alyx had heard before. The name of the pack who lived here, she supposed, though it could just as easily be the name of the brightly coloured speaker. Solaire was more intense than the other cubs. Her sharp voice made Alyx flinch.

She sucked in a slow breath to prevent any coughing, then answered, my name is Alyx, my mom’s name is Niamh, my dad’s name is Phox. I’m from the Firebirds pack in Sun Mote Copse. This was delivered with the wooden quality of a memorized script rather than her own genuine voice. When she was younger than she was now, she’d been taught all these things in the event she ever got lost. She was most assuredly lost now.

When Valravn rushed forward to tag her, Alyx winced at the atmospheric whiplash of the situation she found herself in. On one side, Solaire with her grumpy-looking face and impatient manner. On the other, two pups scampering away, inviting her to play. In the end, Alyx was still a kid, and despite her soggy and very dirty appearance, their invitation ignited a child-like wonder in her heart. She was drawn to them. They weren't judging her for how she looked and they weren't being harsh toward her. Even Chacal, whose mere appearance made Alyx feel indignant about her own.

But when she got up on shaky legs, she chose Solaire as her target, lifting a trembling forepaw to try to tag the red-brushed juvenile and pull her into the game as well, maybe shake some of that ugly sourness from her face.