Blackfeather Woods across the hallowed ground

There were meadows, prairies, forests. They had set off toward towering mountains, but were nowhere near them when they entered Blackfeather Woods. Anxiety crept through Amun's ragged body while black birds crowed at them from the trees. There was a darkness about it all that kept him on edge, especially as markers denoting the pack borders grew stronger as they ventured forth. Jakoul's calm gazes let him breathe, but he couldn't help remembering the last time he had tried to fit in with a pack. He had been lucky to survive that.

As Jakoul called her fellow packmates, Amun sounded his own voice at the tail end of it to confirm his presence. There was a beauty to their harmony; he smiled at her as they finished the song.

When she asked if he wanted to stay, he looked around him. The light seemed dimmer here than outside of the Woods, but the sun still seeped through the canopy. Once the ravens and crows had settled, the sounds of other wildlife stirring in the twisting branches became dominant. "In my old home," he started, "there was only one tree." He chuckled.

"Please let me stay," he rolled over to expose his belly, wiggling rather goofily as he looked up at his new, crow-like mentor.