Redhawk Caldera Gentle one, how kind of you

He shrugged. No clue, he replied. I mean, the name. It's the den my Gramma used when she was here. I have no idea what 'hobbit' is. Just another one of those things that he'd taken for granted.

Killdeer led her up the slope, making sure to slacken his pace to allow her to catch up.

Once upon a time, Caracal had raced up here with young, pudgy Killdeer left gasping in his wake. No longer. The young man took the climb in stride, breathing steadily, his lungs well adjusted to the altitude thanks to Mereo.

Almost there, he told Amalia, glancing back. He recognized the area; it was flattening out, a little.