"So, let me get this straight," Aqua quizzed with a raised eyebrow, "our quaint little hamlet is snugly tucked in the furry embrace of the Wolf Kingdom, cheek-to-jowl with the Lunar Kingdom, the briny deep, and a forest that's more mysterious than my sock drawer? And beyond that leafy enigma lies the Scrap Lands, right?"
"Indeed, Your Howliness," Maria confirmed with a nod. "We're card-carrying members of the Wolf Kingdom, though our relationship with the Lunar Kingdom is frostier than a snowman's handshake. To the south, we've got the sea, where the fish are as friendly as the taxes are high. Westward lies the forest, a green curtain hiding the Scrap Lands. It's a no-man's-land, once ruled by a king so evil, he'd tax your shadow. Now it's a free-for-all, with monsters and misfits throwing wild parties."
"And what sort of RSVP-only monsters are we talking about in these Scrap Lands?" Aqua inquired, leaning forward.
