Jade Fern Grove did the stars whisper on the day you were made?

for @Esma

He liked the wolves of Hearthwood! He liked being one of them. There's no great explanation for why he was currently away, but he didn't plan to be out for very long. It was just that his legs were so very long, and his nose was so very sharp! And he needed flat lands to range and interesting scents to poke his nose into!

He poked a whole lotta things on the way. Some mud. A tree. A raccoon carcass. Halfway through, he found himself a pinecone, and then his nose was occupied sniffing the dust-and-resin aroma that wafted up every time he squeezed his scissor-like jaws.

In the woods, he crouched over the pinecone and chewed and chewed. Snap, crackle, pop. It didn't go down easy, but he choked a few bites down with feverish intent before giving it up as a lost cause. Besides, there was a more interesting scent around! Another wolf! He abandoned the pinecone to follow this new trail, hoping to find something less pokey than a pinecone at the end.

As soon as the scent grew strong, he stopped to give a cheerful holler:

"Hello! Is anyone around?"

And then he stood there, brushy tail swinging in eager anticipation.