A laugh bubbled out of Kiva before she could stop it. “So it’s not just me.” She tipped her head, amusement dancing in her amber eyes.

“I was worried I’d interrupted some incredibly serious forest inspection.” Her gaze lingered on Serrune for a heartbeat before drifting toward the weathered log she’d climbed down from. The faint scratches etched into its surface hadn’t escaped her notice, though she couldn’t quite make sense of them. “I have to admit,” she said, lowering her voice as though sharing a secret, “you looked very mysterious.”

A crooked grin tugged at one corner of her muzzle. “I was halfway convinced you were about to uncover some ancient secret hidden in that old log.” Her tail swayed lazily behind her, the last of her awkwardness fading away. When Serrune mentioned sneaking up on others, Kiva let out another soft laugh.

“Oh, you’re one of those wolves.” She placed a paw dramatically against her chest before continuing to speak, “The quiet ones always make me nervous. You all move around like ghosts while the rest of us are busy announcing ourselves to every squirrel in the forest.” Leaning forward just a fraction, she added with a playful smile, “I think I stepped on every crunchy stick between here and you.”

Her gaze flicked back toward the markings in the log. “Were you trying to map the area?” she asked. “Because if so, I might’ve interrupted a professional at work.”
There was a teasing warmth to her smile as she glanced around at the seemingly endless stretch of oaks. “I’ve been trying to memorize landmarks, but every tree keeps introducing itself as the same tree.”

She gave an exaggerated sigh before looking back at Serrune. ”So maybe it’s a good thing I bumped into you.” The corners of her mouth lifted again, softer this time. “You seem like the sort of wolf who actually knows where she’s going. I could probably use a little of that.”