Vale

Moving through the grasses, you come across a brownish-speckled cream she-wolf. Evanthe slackens her movement beside you, brightening a little.

"Vale!" she acknowledges the she-wolf. Vale nods to her briskly and narrows her eyes at you. She doesn't look outrightly hostile but simply untrusting. Her orange eyes burn into your fur, making you shrink a little.

"Who's this?" she asks, her voice blunt. You dip your head into a submissive gesture, hoping that she knows you are no harm. Suspicion glints in her gaze, but her bristling fur relaxes a little. 

"A friendly explorer," Evanthe replies calmly. "Much like you."

Vale tilts her head a bit, then nods again. She slips past you, headed towards the camp. Your eyes follow her until she vanishes over the rise.

Evanthe turns to you. She flicks her tail in the direction Vale disappeared. "Vale is our scout," she barks. "Scouts discover new territory. We've seen the lands from the riparian woodland to the desert. The one place we struggle to uncover is the thick rainforest."

The image of Vale flickers in your head once more. She looked like a wolf who could take on any challenge, even the rainforest.