Sun Mote Copse And played that Stevie Wonder song a couple thousand times

She was sorely tempted to warn Kiwi when she saw her daughter moving in too incautiously, though Wildfire knew experience was the greatest teacher. She winced when the expected happened: the porcupine wielded its tail like a club covered in spikes, a quill sinking into her lip. The porcupine chattered its teeth threateningly, a surprisingly loud noise, and Wildfire made no move to go after it when it retreated.

Instead, she turned her attention to Kiwi, frowning sympathetically. "I could call Corinna—have you met her yet?—but I'm pretty sure there's nothing we can do but wait for it to work itself out, otherwise we risk doing more damage. It's like a splinter, only worse. I'm glad it's only the one." She sighed, wishing there was more she could do. "We could ask her about something for the pain. Is it bad?"

Once the girl answered that, Wildfire couldn't help but muse, "It's kind of like a badge of honor. Speaking of that..." Since the porcupine had effectively foiled their hunt, she motioned for Kiwi to take a seat, then folded her slim red haunches onto the cold, snowy ground. "I'm going to have a council of eight: two Sovereigns, two Regents and four Honorees. I may have told you this already. Anyway," she continued, sucking in a breath, "I was hoping I could make you an Honoree, with plans to promote you to Regent when you're a year. And maybe one day, you can take over for me as Sovereign. What do you think?"