//------------------------------//
// The Sun-Drenched Sands 
// Story: Re:) Lupa's Quest: The Wolfmother's Path 
// by Ringtael 
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The Sun rose over the horizon, spilling its light onto us and waking the ones who couldn't bury their face in someone's fur. In other words, Krel and I were awake for a while before the others. We both agreed that being beds was awful for the simple fact that you were obligated to stay still while creatures were resting on you, no matter how still and awkward your limbs felt. Still, I had it worse as the Lulamoon had chosen my pelt as her preferred resting place, though I couldn't blame her after the look on her face when she smelled Krel. She did comment on the fact that he and Foxy were, indeed, smelly creatures, which had been amusing at the moment and long into my restless slumber. It was mostly amusing because she shivered occasionally whenever the wind blew, and Krel was far warmer and softer than I. How the Ponies are the choosing beggars every time, I'll never know. Master was one to put up with it, I myself have always laughed. In any case, it was not my problem as Krel was warm and I could bear his scent for slumber.

In the breaking dawn, I found it worthy of my time to ask, "Friend, are you well this morning?" I asked, not truly interested in whether or not he was.

“This is where our journey shall begin in full,” Krel said slowly. His answer was enough to know his opinion.

“True enough. We have the Lulamoon and two small predators to assist us. The omens are good for now. I hope they continue throughout the day.”

Krel harrumphed. “Your paws are already blessed, Wolfmother. There is little for you to fear.”

“Those that fear nothing are doomed to die by that which they ignore. I may fear little, but I am not without my moments. There are things that walk this land that even the Wolfmothers would rather ignore.”

“Such words are uncommon from you. Walk freely, bitch, for I watch your tail,” Krel assured me.

I puffed a breath through my nose. "Surely you hope that my tail would wag as freely as I walk."

He chuckled himself. "Of course. What bear would deny an opportunity with his mate?"

"... You know you have chosen poorly, Krel. It is not brave nor advisable to stay this path."

“... Thank you for coming to me. I would have been remiss if you had left the Broodmother’s domain without me.”

His meaning was lost on me. Another one of Two-Leg tendencies; Speaking in riddles. “I knew that you would come with me, though I was wondering why you didn’t show up to the Gathering Tree. Perhaps you found yourself a she-bear?” I asked, though I'll admit I waited on his answer to decide his fate.

He snorted. “No Zgon she-bear would take a male that has no territory. I may have a reputation, but without land in the Everfree, my chances of having offspring are slim. Even then, you are aware of my opinion of them.”

"They are your own, Krel."

"I was not raised to be one of them."

"The Pack cared for you. We taught you to hunt as a bear to the best of our abilities-"

"But I was brought to adulthood by wolves all the same, Nashoba."

"Even then, seeking a bitch as a mate would go over poorly. Your offspring would be-"

"I am aware."

I yawned, satisfied with his falsehood. “Even then your offspring would be lost between two worlds, regardless of how the Pack raised you. Perhaps it is for the best if you wait to find a mate?”

“Waiting is all I can do,” Krel said. His disappointment was clear, but it was necessary. As a Wolfmother, I was obligated to take a mate of my own kind, though Krel had no such compunctions. He knew of my reasons but he was still stalwart in his approach. I found it endearing.

I nuzzled his muzzle. The male would have been a perfectly acceptable mate if her were of my kin, however, if we were to breed, our offspring would be reliant on the Broodmother or never leave the Everfree. I would never allow such a crutch to form for my own pups. “Worry not, friend we will find someone for you once we return. As Wolfmother, it will be my first oath after swearing to guard the forest.”

Krel huffed. “There is no need to guard the Forest anyways, but I appreciate your offer, even if I wish it were different. When we return, I believe I may ask you to assist in my own mission.”

“My fangs and claws are yours,” I offered.

“And so are mine.” Honey stretched, nuzzle my stomach quite pleasantly. “Give me a place to make a den in your territory and I’ll help scare off anyone dumb enough to try and mark it!”

Krel chuckled. “You are fearsome, Honey. I will give you your den.”

“Alright!” Honey cheered. I suppose finding a den that you could keep on a bear’s territory is a valuable thing, especially as a smaller Zgon.

“So where are you thinking of making your mark?” Foxy asked from under one of my paws. “There aren’t many prey-rich places left in the Everfree these days unless you're willing to kill to claim and keep.”

“There are lands that the Pack have preserved for those who would have little luck of their own. I myself would choose to remain relatively close to the Broodmother,” Krel explained.

“I will advocate for you all the same. If nothing else, should you share your lands with me-” I tried to say.

Krel interrupted with, "You already have territory and guard the Two-Leg's ruins. Asking more of you than your voice is not the way of the Pack."

Foxy scoffed, coughing a little before he said, "As if Nashoba would care."

“With Nashoba you shouldn’t have too much trouble! If she can’t talk her way into getting you some hunting grounds, then we’ll fight the Manticores for a slice!” Honey declared.

Honey’s words were rather foolish, but then again, the badgers are a short-lived, violent species. “You say that now, Honey, but the only Manticore you were ever able to fight off younger than you.” Foxy chuckled.

“Yeah, so? We take the small ones, Krel and Lupa take the big ones!” We all had a laugh at that.

“Accursed animals! You’re so warm, but why must you be so loud!?” The Lulamoon complained.

“Whiny bitch,” I growled.

“Moody she-bear.” Krel puffed.

“Silly kit,” Foxy added.

“Can we just eat her now?” Honey asked.

“Not yet.” I told her. "There may come a time, but for now the Mare is more valuable alive. We will deal with her for the time being."

The Lulamoon groaned and started shifting around, finally allowing me to rise with her as she dug through her things for more food. She found some and said, "Trixie guesses she should thank you all... Trixie is grateful that you have shown her that there is food for her in unlikely places."

I nodded to her, but said nothing, eager to get moving for the day.

The Trixie Lulamoon saw that we were waiting for her to eat and was curious as to why we were being patient. “Alright you animals, it’s time for me to go. Run along now.” She said, shooing us away. I strode up to her and started pushing her along, her hooves skidding across the stone. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Stop!” She cried out before I ceased my actions and the Lula moon wagged a finger at me. “Bad dog! Very bad dog!”

I gave her a bored look and sat down, yawning again. For some reason, dealing with the Lulamoon made me rather tired, though my muzzle didn't itch. That much, I should say. I waited for her to start moving again before swishing my tail, inviting Krel to join myself, Honey, and Foxy. The Lulamoon expressed some discomfort when we started following her down the other side of the Wolf Mountain, but there was precious little she could do to dissuade us, and she would not lose us easily. The Magic in her horn was too meager to get her far from us, but she didn't appear to want to leave us anyway. We kept a small distance away from her, stopping when she did, and speeding up when she actually did try to leave us behind. Much of the day was spent playing her silly games until she found a resting point halfway down the mountain. Unfortunately, that resting point was a cave that reeked of Cougars, but she didn’t notice the smell. I had the rest of my small pack wait outside while I went in after her, only to find that she’d been cornered by a mother and two of her nearly grown cubs.

I growled to a peak once and their attention went from the Lulamoon to me. These Cougars were Zgon, through and through. Speaking with them was an obligation, even if they were cats. “Sister cat; offspring. Allow this meal passage and I will find you another.”

The mother laughed at me. I don’t like being laughed at. “Foolish mutt, there are three of us and one of you. Take our prey if you dare, but do not assume to bargain with us.”

Her cubs mewled their disagreement, the instincts of the young telling them that I was far more dangerous than their mother. “Listen to your cubs, young mother. You will not find peace on this path.”

“But I will find a full stomach. I may despise dog meat, but I’ll deal with it when I’m waiting for you to digest!” She snarled.

The Lulamoon cowered against the cave wall as the Cougar prepared to lunge, but I was faster than she could ever hope to be. I snatched up one of her cubs by its scruff and flung it deep into the cave while pinning the other one beneath my paws. I held my teeth at its neck until the Cougar mother back away from the Lulamoon.

“Wait! Wait! Do not slay my cubs! We will cease; the matter is done!” The mother pleaded.

I looked at her and took a paw off of her cub and it remained still in hopes that I wouldn’t decide to eat it. “Why not? I would like a meal as well and I have a Pack to feed. Offer me one of your cubs and your life will be spared.”

The Cougar glared at me. “You ask me to choose between my offspring? They have already lost a brother and a sister!”

“And now one of them will lose the last of their siblings. I offered you your chance, young mother. You rejected it. Do not assume to bargain with Nashoba of the Everfree.”

The cougar mother looked deep into the cave and saw that the cub I’d thrown was limping towards us, and the cub under my paw was breathing weakly. Much longer and it would die of suffocation, but its brother would die since it could barely walk. The cougar mother had a clear choice, though it was one no mother should ever have to make. Such is the way of the wild.

“Since when do the Zgon eat each other?” She pleaded, the foolishness of her own hypocrisy not lost on me. “Are there not enough Kendani in your lands?”

“My journey takes me far beyond my own lands. Your time grows slim, young mother. Choose.”

The limping cub yowled in pain as it ran forward. “Take me! Take me, and let my sister live!”

The cougar mother stood by as her son placed his head under mine. “You would give your life so your sister would carry on? I find this quite noble.”

“No. I will give my life for my children. I will be a better meal for you, sister wolf.” The cougar mother bargained.

I took my paw off of the female cub and watched her scamper over to her mother’s side. “Say your goodbyes, then. Never let it be said that the Wolfmother has no mercy.”

I allowed the cougar mother to bathe her child one last time before she came to my side. “You are much larger than I thought you were.” The mother said softly.

“I hear that often.” I trotted over to the Lulamoon and gently took her arm in my mouth.

She squealed like a sow and tried to get away from me, so I cut her off with a harsh growl and started pushing her toward the mouth of the cave with the Cougar mother following behind me. Once the Lulamoon realized she wasn’t being eaten, she cheered and hugged me before running out of the cave, leaving me and the Cougar mother to follow more slowly. Once we were outside the cave, I posed a question to the cougar mother.

“Young mother, what is your name?” I asked.

“We of the mountain call ourselves by our favorite places. I am High Ledge on Summit.”

“You will be called Summit.” I abridged. “Summit, I offer you two choices.”

Krel, Honey, and Foxy looked on in mild interest as she said, “I’m listening.”

“Join me on my quest in my stomach, or join me by my side. I have use for another skilled hunter, one that can climb the trees.”

“At the end of this journey, will I return to my cubs?” She asked.

“If you so desire. They may be beyond your care by the time you return," I replied.

“I accept this. I will join you, Wolfmother.”

I wasn't surprised that she knew of me, even if she couldn't know my face. Satisfaction found its way into the result. “Good. The bear is Krel, the badger is Honey, and the fox is Foxy. The Pony we are following is called the Lulamoon,” I explained.

“I will do my best to remember these names, and I swear on my spirit that I will not betray this chance you have given me. It is your right to take my life as the Alpha whenever you so choose,” Summit pledged.

“Great, Nashoba gets us another mouth to feed and it even talks like her!” Honey complained.

Summit growled at her. “I don’t even know what you are, but I’ll eat you.”

“Try me, trollop!” Honey hissed. "Your fangs will be deliciously crunchy!"

Summit recoiled. “... What?”

I whacked Summit with my tail. “Honey is tougher than all of us. I suggest you leave her be.”

Summit was visibly disturbed from being threatened by something less than an eighth of her size, but she let the matter go nonetheless. The Lulamoon had been standing by, carefully watching Summit as I introduced her into the pack. As were finishing with the conversation, I trotted forward and started pushing the Lulamoon down the path so that we could hurry and get a move on. Krel allowed Summit to put Foxy and Honey on his back, but we were soon to be off the mountain with the Lulamoon guiding the way.

The Lulamoon was painfully slow, but she had finally allowed us to join her on her journey to Place-Where-Moon-Touches-Equus without qualm, so she no longer spent any time trying to avoid us or lose us. Instead, she allowed Krel and I to walk on either side of her with Summit following close to me as we made our way further down, but night fell as we’d already lost too much time. Summit took the lead and we tried everything to get the Lulamoon to grab her tail. It took me putting her arm in my mouth and leading her over to Summit’s tail for her to get the idea.

Two-Legs are dumb. And night-blind, but mostly dumb.

We found another cougar's cave further down the mountain, but this one only had a single, old male in it. Summit and I took the battle away from the Lulamoon since Ponies are weak, pathetic creatures, and the pack feasted on whatever we could eat, though Summit abstained for obvious reasons. Some cats actually had the wherewithal to not eat their own kind, though it was of little consequence to me in any case. Summit and Foxy went after hares while Krel, Honey, and myself all fed from the old male. The meal was not good, but it was enough to keep us going and we had a place to rest for the night. Summit and Foxy took turns watching the cave’s entrance since they could both see through the darkness more so than Krel and myself, though it wasn’t as if I couldn’t have done it. Summit still preferred to take my watch, and I was happy enough to allow her to do it.

The next morning came and Summit was exhausted. She barely had the energy to stretch, so Krel offered to carry her until we could find our next meal. Cats are notorious for being lazy, but being a mother had given Summit more hours of the day than most cats had, and even then it wasn’t as if Krel and I couldn’t carry her. I’d seen many cats wake up hissing and striking at a well-meaning creature, so I was confident that having Summit around was still an overall boon as she'd risen with no issue. Honey was a little annoyed by it, but she couldn’t complain since Summit had eaten less than she had so far and had been crucial in helping us find a way down the mountain that was faster than the normal path.

Unfortunately, this meant that we were about to take on the worst part of the journey: The Sun-Drenched Sands. I’d been there before when I was younger, and everything about the place was simply awful. It was hot, there was little water, and the very ground hurt your paws. I was eager to get that particular leg of the journey over with, but when the Lulamoon strayed from the sands in a random direction while following her magic, I couldn’t help but think that things were going to get much worse.

I was proven correct hours later. We slogged through the desert, spotting the occasional desert fox that was always happy to share a watering hole with us, though the water was often far too little to sate all of our thirsts. The Lulamoon had brought enough water for herself in her bags, so we didn’t need to allow her access to the limited supply that we could find, but finding her after going to get a drink was often difficult. More than once, Summit, Foxy and I struggled to track Krel’s scent and more than once, it was Honey’s scent that led us back to the Lulamoon. She’d been taking wide, arcing paths that lead into Krel’s scent, which was the only reason we’d been able to get back on track.

When Night fell, things were far easier. The Lulamoon set up a tent for herself and the Pack stayed outside to enjoy the cool night’s breeze, though we huddled close when the Moon rose high. The temperature difference was incredible and lethal, as was the case when we saw a desert hare lose his burrow. He quickly became a meal for Foxy and Honey, though they hated eating in front of the rest of the group when they knew that another meal was unlikely to be found. The next day was one that would have to be filled with hunting.

When the morning came, we forced the Lulamoon back into her tent so we would not have to travel during the worst hours of the day. Luckily, between my Master and the Broodmother, they had taught me how to write, and I did so in the sand to explain why we were staying put during the day, hiding in the shade of the dunes.

‘SuN hot. NiGhT cooL. TrAvEL NiGht.’ I wrote out in the sand. The small letters were the tricky ones, but it read okay to me.

“You- You can write!?” The Lulamoon exclaimed.

I nodded to her. “You say that as if I hadn't just done it”

Krel snorted. “Two-Legs make stupid observations. Like Honey.”

The badger in question chomped his fore-paw, but made no progress against his thick fur. “Shut up, you overgrown... Thing!”

“I can’t believe a dog knows how to write… I guess if you could speak, you would have done so by now. Can you tell me why you’re following me?” The Lulamoon asked.

‘mAGic’ I wrote in the sand.

Krel and Honey shut up for a moment to listen to the Lulamoon’s reply. “Magic? The Great and Powerful Trixie has plenty of magic! Is there any you want to see?”

I nodded to her and she started showing us pretty spectacles that would have been more interesting if Foxy and myself could actually see more of the colors. Krel said that some colors were strange ones that he hadn't seen before and Summit just shut up and watched in awe, seeing as how a cat's eyes always see more than what lies before them. It was entertaining for the time being, but it didn't change the fact that it was still hot and the desert bugs were not filling. In any case, it’s common knowledge that not all Zgon see the same colors the same way, but that made our observations about the Lulamoon’s Magic all the more interesting. We filled the daytime snoozing and talking about her tricks while trying not to get too close to one another. Summit and Krel had no problems sleeping all day, though Krel did occasionally complain about the lack of good things to eat. Honey chose to waste energy playing with my tail, but when the Sun finally fell, things were back to business.

The Lulamoon shivered as we walked, so Krel, summit and I stayed near her in a tight huddle as we walked along. It was far better than trying to travel during the day, though it did mean that we came across a Two-Leg town when no one was awake. The Lulamoon found an inn like the one my Master and I had stayed in when we went to the Gryphon lands, so the rest of us went to go hunt some livestock that would hopefully be nearby. Foxy and Honey stayed with the Lulamoon since we’d offered to bring them back some of our kill, thus we went off to find something the Two-Legs call a ‘farm’. Foxy and Honey had to sneak their way into the Lulamoon's company as the inn didn't allow 'pets', but it was of little concern.

It didn’t take the hunters long to catch the scent of filthy sows on the breeze, so Summit and I followed Krel since he was the slowest among the three of us. Sadly, Summit's strength ran low and she was the one lagging behind, so it wasn’t the fastest thing to get there. However, once we did, claiming a sow as one of our own was no task at all. I jumped the enclosure keeping them all inside and crushed one’s skull while it slept so we wouldn’t wake the rest and be caught. It was a nice, fat meal, so Summit had to get her paws dirty with me so we could drag the sow over the fence. Krel took care of the heavy lifting once we got over it and we dug in, filling our stomachs with much-needed flesh, though Summit complained about the unclean taste of pigs. I was quite fond of sow flesh and Krel would eat a stone if it was less crunchy, so neither of us addressed Summit’s reluctance to eat our kill. She complained until I mentioned that I hated cat flesh but had eaten it twice in order to make it as far as we had.

There was no more complaining, though I did not mean my words as any manner of threat. Cat's are pussilanimous and sensitive. 

We stayed in the fruit orchards around the farm so that we wouldn’t be caught by the locals and I had Krel travel to the town in the night to make a scent trail, then had Summit take off as soon as he returned since I would surely be fastest. I proved myself correct, and with a triple-lead all heading to the same place, it was unlikely that either of our pack would let the Lulamoon leave without us. We slept with full stomachs that night, and we actually urinated for the first time since coming off of the mountain, so that was nice. Such common things are often ignored in daily life, but the Zgon were well aware of the value of temporary relief. Not only was it a moral boost, it also provided a brief moment of respite, much like some fruits from the Everfree.

What wasn’t nice was the fact that the Lulamoon stayed in the Two-Leg town for two weeks. Krel, Summit and I had to cull our consumption of the livestock around the town to the occasional Kendani every few days, but it wasn’t a terrible thing. We were used to only eating every so often from our time in the wild, and though Krel and I had lived a comfortable life among Two-Legs for some time, we never allowed each other to become too comfortable unless we wanted to lose our rights to enter the Everfree Forest. It would be foolish to let our fangs grow dull in the days of peace, so we'd kept to the forest during the Gatherings to make use of the place. Such a valuable place was not so easily given up, so we took our breaks to rejoin the wildness of the Forest as often as needed, and that had hardened us plenty for the journey.

While the Lulamoon tarried and made our journey stretch on, either Foxy or Honey stayed with her so that we would not lose her, but our fears were groundless. She often came to visit us in the orchards at night while accompanying one of the pack, bringing us sweet things to eat and the occasional pet snack. They tasted terrible, but refusing a gift is rude; something taught to me by my Master... I missed Max terribly, but I was used to spending time away from him. The male was his own to be sure, even if he tolerated far too much to be a true leader in my eyes. Perhaps his flawed kindness is why those who see him respect him at some level? Despite his asinine nature and attempts to appear unintelligent, Maximus truly was a mind like no other. I would have sought him out as a mate should he have been an option, but having him in my Family is far better. There were many qualities to my Master that I found quite noteworthy, and a good number of those qualities were not good. However, most of them showed that he was worthy of following. Worthy of protection from himself. Granted, I might havewanted to eat him at some point due to the fact that he never shut up unless he smelled unhappy, but still. We ate the treats despite their taste, the reminder of our home being enough to push us through the bland pieces. Though it was nice that the Lulamoon cared for us, none of us truly understood why we needed to follow her or what we were to learn from her. It would still be a shame if we had to eat her, but she was potential lunch all the same.

When the third week began, we set off further into the Land of The Brave, though now I led the way instead of the Lulamoon. She corrected our path with magic from time to time, but the Wolfmothers before me were able to walk freely with me. Foxy could sense them. He was the only one other than myself. It was easy to mutter my answers and questions, learning of the Wolfmother's histories from each of them in time, finding no merit in picking a favorite tale. I kept a good pace for our Two-Leg, Honey, and Foxy, so we didn’t have to rest terribly often. It was nice to not have to carry anything, though it still took us five more days to cross the desert. On the third day, we’d found a dead Two-Leg that I didn’t recognize and made use of his corpse as sustenance, though we made sure that the Lulamoon was far away when we did, just in case she found fault with the ways of the wild. It was better than leaving him to rot, and the horned creature was not terribly decomposed anyway. Two-Legs... Truly pathetic creatures, especially to die while alone and seemingly prepared, but there are always exceptions to the rule. For example, my own mother, Asena, spoke highly of her Companion. Many of the Wolfmothers were said to value the ones they imprinted on, though that may be due to the nature of a Wolfmother's Companion. Many were said to be strong beyond their station, and the Guardians were nothing if not the same. In any case, to be chosen by a Wolfmother is nearly equivalent to being told that you will succeed, though my conversations with Celestia would have told me so in any case.

On the final day of our continued trek through the desert, the sand ended and the soil began, bringing shrubs, moisture, and more scent trails along with it. Prey was still an issue, but there were more leads to follow in the forest, so I had Foxy come with me so I could find my way back to where we broke off from the group. I cannot track my own scent, so I needed Foxy to provide some musk for me so that we could hunt as we pleased. I ended up stalking a deer from sunset until moonrise, but I managed to get it in the end and dragged it back to where the rest of the Pack were sleeping. We ate well that night, and I even got to eat the heart of the deer after some well-done claw work from Summit’s skill set. Unlike the days before, the Lulamoon did not attempt to make her tent at all and had taken to using her sleeping sack and our warmth as her bed. She was exposed to our feeding and found no fault with it, even coming to us as everyone but Honey finished with their fill. The Pony was learning to accept the wild in time, though her fondness for the small cacti with the stems was... Interesting. She ate them at night was exceptionally friendly afterwards. They seemed to ease her mind at most times, but the first night we spent in the forest, she wept.

It had started with a few choked sobs until the tears came in earnest and it was clear that there was something in the Lulamoon that hurt her. Perhaps it was the pain inside that reminded me of my Master. Perhaps it was her own insignificance and the desolation Two-Legs felt in the wild. Maybe the cactus was a cursed fruit and she was a fool for consuming it? There was no telling, but even then her weeping turned to knickers and brays that did none of us any good. Krel attempted to comfort her, though Summit and Honey could have not cared much less. In the end, Krel and I watched over her until she stopped, waiting for her to find some peace.

The dawn was coming when the Lulamoon started muttering to herself. Occasionally she would deny guilt in some action. Often she would beg for mercy from her mother. The Lulamoon would speak of her father in happy tones before weeping and leaving whatever tale she was spinning to rest away from the misery she found herself in. Again, I was reminded of Max and his attempts to run from his pain, only to be wrought with it when it found him from another angle. The same was likely true for her... 

If the Lulamoon made it through the journey, then I would take her to Max. He would know how to help her.

The Lulamoon was slow to rise, but Summit and I forced her onto Krel and we moved on. She rode like she was prey being carried to his cubs, but she eventually came to walk on her own hooves. We came across another settlement deep into the forest, but this time it was not one of the Two-Leg’s places. Instead, we’d come across Naga, the Chosen Tribe and the race that helped bridge the gap between the Zgon and Two-Legs from long ago. The Lulamoon was welcomed into their society as a guest, but I and the pack were halted from entering. A tall Naga female barred us from coming near her den. We were only a few days travel from the Grand Lake at this point. “Wolf. Bear. Cat. Fox. Badger. Why do you seek entry into the Naga lands?”

I stepped forward from our group. “Naga. I seek the Path of Ascension, as is my birthrite.”

The Naga leaned away from me. “You? You are Nashoba? Descended niece of Fenrir?”

I snorted. “Do not utter my uncle's name lest he come. I am Nashoba, and I will travel these lands freely.”

The Naga bowed low, her snout coming close to the soil beneath her tail. “My apologies for waylaying you, honored Wolfmother. Please, call upon us and my kin will hunt for you and your pack as needed.”

“There is no need. Tell us where to hunt and we will gather our own food. It would not do for the Wolfmother to keep company that cannot feed itself.”

The Speaking-Snake rose and held her hands up in a gesture of peace. “I meant no offense, Wolfmother. I will show you myself where prey is plentiful.”

“If you have time, it would be appreciated,” I replied. “We do need to keep an eye on the Pony Two-Leg we brought with us, however. She is my guide on the path.”

The Naga seemed confused. “Her? Truly? But she is just a petty magician with cheap tricks!”

I nodded. “The Watcher of the Everfree told us to seek her out, and so we have. She is not terrible, though she does not know her own importance. I trust you will keep this information close to yourself.”

The Naga bowed again. “Of course, Wolfmother. Is there anything else you may need?”

“Oh, oh! Don’t forget water!” Honey cried from underneath me.

I looked up to the Naga. “The Arid Desert is dry. Water would be nice, but food is nicer.”

“It shall be provided since the nearest viable source is so far away. Come, I will show you our hunting grounds”

She led the way as she said she would, and luckily the hunting grounds were not far from the edge of the Naga settlement. Fresh scents of all sorts told us that delicious Kendani laced the land, freely and plentiful. I heard my pack draw a collective breath and release it, all of us prepared for a meal of our own choosing. Honey immediately started rooting around for grubs and various other insects while Foxy climbed trees and stole eggs. Krel snacked on berries and foliage because bears are strange creatures, and I took Summit around to teach her how to hunt deer and other faster, four-legged prey. There was even a boar in our path, though Summit elected to slay a deer for herself. I would have preferred the boar, but Summit had made the effort and had done well. As little as I like cats, Summit was one of the good ones.

 Once we’d all had our fill of our chosen meals, we came back to the Speaking-Snake settlement, located the Lulamoon, and settled in for another respite while she performed her tricks for the Serpents of Knowledge. It was unfortunate, but there was too much time for us to do little other than hope that she or the Naga would tire of her tricks