The aging grullo sabino moved softly through the jungle, feeling completely at home among the lush canopies and the shadows they cast. In his youth, he had roamed the Ridge—a Bear King with a large harem, he had fathered many offspring and lived a life of contentment. Now, Paradise resembled that Ridge, leading him to wander among twisting vines, ferns, and to explore every corner of his new domain.

A smile spread across his whiskered lips as he spotted a pair of vibrant macaws perched high above. They squawked loudly to each other, their calls reminiscent of a couple in love. He paused to admire them until they took flight, soaring deeper into the jungle as though they preferred not to be observed. With a soft sigh, he decided to venture farther today than usual; the need to stretch his weary legs urged him toward the western edge of Paradise.

As he passed through the jungle, an unusual silence enveloped him, but a sudden snap of a twig made him stop in his tracks. His bone-white face turned toward the sound, where a small voice emerged from the shadows. "Who's there?" she asked. A smile curved his whiskered lips as he cleared his throat, responding in a deep, warm, and friendly tone.

Why don't you come out and see?

Casually he flicked his tail across his hindquarters, his ears attentive atop his head and his glacial eyes warm as he waited for the girl to step from her hiding place.