The boy was cooperative at least, and besides the walk wasn't long. He aimed for a stretch of tree line and a familiar hillside, then the low overhang of stone and packed earth that would be livable at least for a night. He ducked inside, shaking the worst of the rain from his fur with one efficient shudder, and moved to the far side of the space where a shallow nest of dry moss and folded hides waited. His foggy eyes moved back toward the entrance then, toward the small, sodden, enormous-eyed creature he'd drawn in out of the storm and for just a moment something softened in his weathered face.

Come here, he rumbled gruffly settling himself down You're going to catch something sitting in wet fur. Let's get you sorted out first, then you can sleep if you're tired he mused, waiting to see if the boy would settle in next to him.

Can you speak, boy? he asked then, giving a slight tilt of his head. I'm going to need to know a few things eventually,

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