From the Journal of Aframos Longjourney, Pilgrim
With notes by Avos Torr, Scholar of Rheve Library
Skyday, 15th Cycle, Seventh Year, 81st Turn
Twelfth Day in the Trees
Souja has made a complete recovery. When she is not riding in my pack, she is exploring everything around us and otherwise making a complete nuisance of herself. Occasionally, she cries out to be rescued from dangerous insects or suspicious leaves, but she is otherwise fearless. Today, in fact, she made her first kill.
I was still half asleep when I heard a small commotion in the corner of our campsite, near my pack. I wondered what had happened, when Souja marched up to me, something in her mouth. She proudly dropped her package at my feet, and I found that she had caught a rat1. It was much smaller than she, but I am still very happy for her. She is a hunter in her bones.
I found more evidence of people today. Where the path met a river, someone had constructed a wooden bridge. It was too narrow for me to use, and I had to wade across, but it was heartening to see that someone else used this path.
Souja rode on the top of my head, huddled under my hood. My head would have looked very strange had there been anyone there, seeming much larger than it really is.
We were soon across, and Souja jumped down and began to clean herself, as though the river or my hood had offended her, and she needed to wash them away.