Wild Berry Meadow Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful

It felt like a rare show of trust when the wolf walked right up to him — he wondered if it was the smell of the moon wolves on his pelt that put her at ease, or if she was simply a trusting sort of creature. He did not consider that it might be something about him in particular that allowed her to let down her guard.

"Pleased to meet you," he said, almost automatically. The manners that his Aunt Sunspot had drilled into him wouldn't allow him to say any differently, but he meant it, today. "I'm Valiant Morningside," he returned, his introduction a little short, perhaps, as he tried to determine what had caused her laughter. Even with the creeping sense that it was him, he couldn't help but smile in response. He tried to hide this wish a slightly bash glance at his paws: Was there a bug on his toe? No? Just a trick of the light.

He lifted his head when that excuse ran itself out.

"Those mountains?" he asked, pointing his nose up at the Sunspire range. The opposite peaks — the barrier mountains — were still alien to him, but he knew the sunspires well enough.