• "Yes! This is the track I have been searching for!" Terra nearly jumped out of her skin as a boy her age, maybe fifteen or so, came out of the bush practically bouncing. She saw him examine the track then he seemed to notice she was there.
    "Hello," he began. He seemed to notice her alarmed expression. "What? Did i scare you? I'm sorry it's just that I have been wanting to see this track for a while."
    "What track," said Terra finally regaining her composure.
    "This wolf track of course. Don't tell me you haven't heard them out there."
    The truth is she had, but she just didn't pay much attention. That was another thing she wished she had picked up from her mother. Her mother was great with animals. Terra was not in any way.
    He was still staring she noticed, probably waiting for an answer. "Yes, I have heard them." She paused. "It's just that... I'm not so good with animals."
    "Oh, well I then I seem kinda weird to you huh?"
    "What! No, of course not." She seemed flustered. That was an odd thing for someone to say. "Why would you seem weird to me?" She gave a nervous laugh.
    "Well I just guessed by the way you were looking at me. It was like I was some king of unknown species."
    "Oh." Had she been doing that? "Well, I'm sorry."
    "No, it's okay really. People do that all the time. I get used to it. Usually, once I explain what I'm doing they understand." He looked up for a moment, thinking for a moment. "Why are you in the woods anyway?"
    "Oh, I was just taking a walk, and I didn't pay attention to where i was going and wandered in. It's okay though," she added, "I live near here. I know my way out."
    "Well maybe you would like to be accompanied home? Just in case the wolves come to get you." He looked at her laughing.
    She laughed too. "Okay, I guess that would be fine."
    "Great."
    On the way home she notice that they had been talking and that it seemed very natural. As he dropped her off by her house, she wondered. Could she have made, without meaning to, a friend?