Pine trees that touched the heavens, songbirds that flitted from branch to branch, and a breeze that sent a chill down my spine in anticipation; there was much and more to see here, and it was so different from the home I had grown up in. But something about being here just felt right. I suppose that made sense; Mom and Mum talked about how what you were born of was a huge part of you. And so some part of me felt just as at home here in the mountain air as I did in the den I’d been born in. My eyes roamed over the landscape, returning to things I’d already looked at, sure I’d missed some important detail. A single ear flicked to the side as Mana flopped to the ground, but I paid her little mind. As my vision panned back and forth across the scene before us, the motion of an approaching wolf finally glued my eyes in one location for longer than five seconds.

I did not anticipate how stiff my legs went, how wide my eyes grew in an attempt to discern something about him from this distance. This was it! This was him, my father, and I was about to meet him for the first time. Blinks came in rapid succession as he finally reached us, and that first word caused a flush to rise in my cheeks. When his eyes moved to Mana, I quickly looked down at my paws, then back up at him as his eyes came to mine. We were almost the same color grey! I didn’t realize it until now but I had begun to quiver, excitement and nervousness boiling over. This was no way for a huntress to act! I had to be able to still myself in any situation. When he looked to Mom, I closed my eyes for just a second, doing my best to focus and calm the heck down. He’s your Dad; stop being so nervous! I thought to myself. Miraculously I somehow managed to still the vibrations that had begun in my legs.

Now Mom was saying something about how she wanted to stay for a bit, and Los was having a good winge about that. My nostrils flared as I huffed a bit of hot air out, and with that I was abruptly totally relaxed. I stepped forward towards my father, mimicking Mom’s motion towards him. For a moment I wondered if I needed to offer some kind of supplication upon our arrival. But the thought was fleeting, after all, we were family to not only him, but to the Queen here as well. Turning towards Los I puffed air through wrinkled nostrils at him. “Whatever, Los! You’re not the only one that wants time with Dad.” The word felt strange on my tongue, but I liked it! “Besides, do you see how big this place is?!” Surely it would be just as easy for the three of us to give Mom the slip here as it was at home. But as my green eyes looked back to Sleekwing, a girlish smile pulling at my lips, I thought that maybe I wouldn’t really have much of a reason to run off anyways.