Serpent Lake to the town of agua fria rode a stranger one fine day

Who could say whether Alyx's shade-lounging ennui was the product of long days of travel, or the inevitability of disappointing her family when she showed up on their doorstep with no news? She herself certainly didn't know. The flat top of the caldera in the distance beckoned her, but she would be content to lay there for another full day, if she had a choice. She supposed she did, at that, but getting word back to her family that she hadn't successfully found her mom was pretty important.

Heaving a loud sigh, Alyx rolled slowly to her feet, gave her pelt a shake, and took a moment to limber up. If she had to make her way home, she could at least engage in a chase for the hell of it. Those pronghorns didn't look terribly busy. She sloshed across the stream, swimming the deepest part, and gave herself a quick shake on the opposite bank before abruptly charging the small herd without so much as a sidelong look at the nearby reeds.

She was completely oblivious to Val lurking nearby when she whooped. The pronghorns sprang away, directly toward her concealed friend, with Alyx in hot pursuit. She wouldn't dare try to actually catch one — she just wanted the thrill of the chase.