Blacktail Deer Plateau In the viney darkness I find

His ears fall flat as he hears his mother's words behind him, reprimanding his initial remark to the stranger. He lowers his head apologetically and turns to Solveig as she draws up beside him. "Sorry," he mutters under his breath, loathe to disappoint his mother, but his tail tip flicks indignantly. He was only asking a question!

She introduces the stranger then to their home, speaking of a pack that Arrax had not heard before. First Yellowstone, now Moontide! How many other packs were near their home? He is puzzled at the mention of more moon villages as the man responds.

However, all his questions fall to the wayside when the Moontide trader mentions a hunt. Arrax's ears fly up and his tail waves excitedly as he looks back up to Solveig. So far, the Cairn children had only been allowed to observe hunts, but he was getting taller and stronger by the day! Surely he could help.

"A hunt!" he pipes up loudly, blue-gold eyes boring into his mother, silently pleading: let me participate in this one, pleeeeeease!