It had taken her a while but Aponi was making good on her promise to take her daughter's to "her mountain". A place she should have brought Kyna last year when they were within a day's journey of the pack rather than the few it had taken them to get there now. Since that day that the mother had told them the story she had been just waiting until Lila was old enough to make the journey in a decent amount of time. At six months now she was practically the size of her mother, if still a bit leaner than her true adult form would be. Her short life was already more stable than the older girl's had been despite her rather untraditional upbringing.

If an onlooker had seen them they may not have been able to guess that the trio were related, the sleek silver woman with her icy eyes, the larger willowy form of the blonde, and the dark coat of the youngest. The trees they travelled through had lost all their leaves which now littered the ground, softening their step but crunching beneath their paws. Their breath billowed out around them like prized race horses as they made the steep incline up the stone, the first time Lila had been on the mountain that had such a large part of her mother's and her sister's life.

The paths they followed were long familiar to Aponi who moved with grace along them, head held high with the confidence the stone beast had always given her. She was quiet for much of the time once they had made their ascent before announcing that they had reached the Pass, pointing out things like Mapplethorpe's tree and the communal den. She didn't pause for any of them though, her mind already set on their destination. It wasn't until they crested the slope at the top of the waterfall that the mother finally stopped. From here she could see the way the sun reflected off the falls and lit up everything for miles around. Heart swelling with pride she knew this was exactly where she had always been meant to be and felt a pang of regret. She loved her life within the Oaks but when had she given up on her life in the mountain?

Dark blue eyes wandered from one jagged piece of mountain rock to the other. It was huge! A little overwhelming to think they would climb it. From below it looked like it touched the sky. The young lady marveled how not only her mom, but Kyna had lived on it. What would it have been like to be above the rest of the world? Live so close to the sun and sky? See a lone wolf from miles away. A herd grazing without care.

As they ascended, she placed her paws with extra thought. Recalling Aponi's words, and now and again taking a moment to watch her or her sister climb before doing so herself. She wanted to make them proud of her. She wanted to prove she could make the hike. There was something different about her mother here. If in the Bend she had held back, and now she was free. But, the girl could only think it was her mountain after all. Lila did her best to mimic her confident stride. The way her crown was high, and step without flaw. Even though her legs began to burn with work, her heart skipped excitedly. They were here! Together as promised! She would get to see where she had grown.

The further they went, the easier it seemed to be. The burning in her legs eventually subsided. She tried to picture her mother playing her with her friend. What she herself would do if she had free range of this place.It was with thoughtfulness she looked upon the landmarks of the Pass. Where her mother had slept, and her grandfather had perched. There was no stopping for those things. Question knit her brows, but she kept quiet. What was mom going to show them? It had to be important. Oh, it was worth the wait. A gasp fell from her mouth as the waterfall greeted them. She bumped Kyna with her shoulder, before stepping closer. In all her life she had never seen anything like it. It was the prettiest thing, and it didn't look real. It was if it had come from a dream. She nudged her nose to her mother's chin, but wordlessly her eyes sought the falling water's light just taking it in.