It’s those big Nora-like eyes. That did it for sure.

But no, really. He’d be remiss to just leave it alone, especially after that first meeting. And why was it all alone, anyway? He couldn’t sense any other creature within their immediate vicinity.

And he knows what it’s like to have nowhere else to go…

“Only if you want to come,” he tells the creature as Nora turns back to the tree. It…seems to understand him well enough, if its bobbing its horn in their direction can be construed as a nod.

And when Nora asks, the name comes to him immediately.

He smiles, offering it his hand. “You can stay with us, Magnolia.”