Boartusk Heights the goodbye is the hardest part

Up, up, up. There had been a time, when they were very small, that their mother had helped them climb what felt like an infinite ascension. Thinking back on it now, it had probably not actually been quite as high as they thought. But it was the feeling that they remembered.

These heights were beautiful, and not unlike the ones that they'd had to climb back home. Perhaps their trek up these peaks was even easier than the mountains beside Carroch Valley, or perhaps they were just bigger now and the alpines didn't seem like such impossible things to climb anymore. 

They took careful steps, hops, and leaps on their journey upward. Lio was not a mountain-dweller, and felt the need to be extra cautious, because they were woefully unused to this type of terrain. But the view from the top would likely be worth it. 

But as they reached the zenith, it became clear that they were not alone in their wanderings. Interesting markings adorned his fur, touched gold by the sun, and Lio paused several meters behind him. 

"May I join you?" they asked, hoping not to startle the stranger.