"They're not cute. They're little demons." But even as Hild countered the young woman's statement, she grinned, showing just how strongly she felt about squirrels being evil, which was not at all. She would have despised the thing, and tried earnestly to kill it, were it in her garden or somehow in her stores. But as they were, in open nature, they were in the squirrel's domain. It would have been foolish of Hild to expect anything other than competition.

Hild recognized that she probably looked a mess, all things considered. Her hair was wild and free, her dress was kilted up around her knees to give her freer movement as she climbed trees and walked across and through the tall grasses. Her feet were bare. But her eyes were as bright as ever, a light flush on her cheeks as she gaze down with interest at the other girl. Head cocked to the side, she looked like a bird, attentive and curious.

She was quite pretty with a husky, interesting voice. There was a sharpness in her gaze that Hild recognized, the kind of observant gleam that remained even when joking or sad.

"Who are you?" Hild asked in a friendly, open tone.