Hoshor Plains inside your mind

Present-dated! Valiant has brought Ludovic out with him.

The howl was unexpected, after finding the land so empty in recent months. Valiant was cautiously optimistic as he helped back, and he began leading Ludovic away from the trail and off toward the stranger.

"Let's be cautious," he warned the boy, but his tail waved in reassurance. "He's probably just huntin', same as us."

He'd heard there was a white elk running through the area, and he and Ludovic had been tracing different trails all morning in search of it. It had been slow going, with little reward, so a break to meet someone new might be just what Valiant needed to make the trip memorable for the boy. Plus — it wouldn't hurt to have another adult around, if they could convince the man to come and hunt with them. Either way, it would be good instruction for Ludovic.

He did not know that Angel Oak had recently given a poor impression of the pack scent that they carried.

"'Lo there," he called as they drew nearer to the howler. "Lookin' for anyone in particular, or will we do?"

He did his best to keep himself between Ludovic and the stranger, for the moment.