In the past few months, Moonfeather has sprouted up very much so like a weed. Every day her legs seemed to be a little longer, her beautifully elegant face growing into oversized ears. Nearing her second birthday, she was becoming quite the stunning young lady. But the one thing that did not change, no matter how tall she grew or how plush her pelt became in these winter months, was her innocence. Despite the many changes in her world, she went on loving everything about life. Just as she had in her first winter, she reveled in the beauty that the layer of snow and frost cast across the land. Only now, a year old, she could venture further from the den site and appreciate even more of this striking world that she was a part of.

More times than their father liked, Israfel returned home with the scent of the freelands rife in his pelt. Her daring brother had explored far more of Moladion than she had even dreamed of, but she did not mind. After all, there was still so much of Spirane to explore, and she wished to treasure each piece of nature that she encountered, to learn of its place and purpose in the world. And always, no matter where she roamed, she had a constant companion and guardian. Even now, as she trotted down the mountainside towards the southern borders of her home, Kutcha glided overhead. His constant shadow weaving back and forth across Moonfeather’s trail made her grin and glance upwards at him every so often. The raven would croak at her and dive, swooping over her head and then continue onwards. The yearling raven seemed just as excited about her plan to explore beyond the confines of the mountain pack as she was.

Of course Kutcha had wings, and he had seen much more of the world than Moonfeather could ever fathom, but he generally remained in close proximity to his charge. For him, it was just as exciting to see her step beyond the bounds of her homeland as it was for her to do it for the first time. They had grown up together, Kutcha brought to her as little more than a fledgling by Orba, the raven who had been Moonfeather’s grandmother’s familiar. As Orba had been MoonGlow’s connection to the spirit world and the shaman trade, Kutcha would become the same for Moonfeather. But both were still young, and had much to learn about the world. And so, today they would learn a little more, together.

Crossing over the unfamiliar scent that marked the borders of Spirane, Moonfeather picked up a lope and headed for the river. Though she was still slightly disproportionate, she moved with a grace that she had been born with, one that would only further develop as time passed. Still, her maw hung partly open in a grin as she glanced up at her raven friend, tongue lolling from her mouth to slightly counteract the beauty of her presence. Lowering her head once more, she slowed to a jog as she came to the riverbank. Winter’s chill had frozen much and more of the water in Spirane, and it was no different here. A thick layer of ice covered the river, though as her ears pricked forward she found she could hear the rush of water beneath the surface.

Jogging further downstream, she spotted a large, flat boulder that was lightly dusted in snow and jumped up onto it. Circling once, she sat down and as she did Kutcha circled and alighted upon the bare branch of a bush that grew next to the rock. He warbled at her, perhaps keen to keep moving and exploring, but for the moment Moonfeather was content to sit and take in the beauty of the landscape that surrounded her.