Larksong Grotto She is frequently kind

The dark stranger stopped with a friendly wave of her tail, and spoke to her, but the wolf had no use for words. She paused in her own advance to look again, acknowledging that she had been spoken to with a grateful tilting forward of her ears but making no attempt to respond in kind. Then she gestured, beckoning, and started again. Her own tail swept through the air behind her. The blue lake waited for them below, but first they would have to brave the treacherous climb down.

The first step of the descent was a small drop from one ledge to the next. The second ledge shone with ice, but only across half of it; a well-placed hop down would guarantee a safe landing. The wolf looked again at her black-furred companion, and noticed that her ruff was pretty and golden as she regarded her. She looked back at the stone below, and carefully made the first drop down onto the ledge. One of her paws caught the ice slightly and slid, but she righted herself without much of a stumble. Again, she looked at the other girl, and this time she was expectant.