Her eyes followed the direction of his muzzle for a moment, before she turned her attention to her paw, gnawing at the matted fur between two toes until the ice loosened. Her ears twitched attentively as he continued to speak, brow furrowing as she pondered; Odd name… Though she supposed Secret Woodlands would seem rather strange too, to new ears. She wasn’t sure what a cove was, but the ‘fallen tree’ would have to be quite impressive for a pack to choose it as a landmark. Looking back up at her guide, and beyond him towards the mountain ridge, she thought: I suppose I’ll get to see for myself!

The fiery shewolf actually smiled the younger male, letting her tail sway lightly behind her. “Flair.” She replied, even giving her head a slight tilt as she flicked her eyes down across her side to signify the name’s clear relation to her bright coat. It wasn’t something she usually took so lightly, but Chan’s easygoing attitude inspired her to relax as well – a bit like she’d felt around her sister, when they were still young.

Giving her shoulders a shake, to show she was ready to move again, she said: “I’d like to see your lake, Chan!” Whether his intention or not, he’d managed to spark her curiosity about this mountain home of his. And a ‘lost lake’ did sound like a fitting place to visit for someone born in the Thicket of Secrets.

Word count: 243