Before the mammoth could reply, there was a loud rumbling in the distance. Ilara could just make out a cloud of dust. As she strained her eyes to get a better look, the cloud grew larger, and the rumbling became louder and more distinct.
“They will be expecting me I suppose,” the mammoth said.
“Expecting you?”
“The herd. They don’t like when I go missing. Particularly mother.”
“My herd doesn’t like when I go missing either,” Ilara nodded sympathetically. “Particularly mother.”
They looked at each other with a look of quiet understanding. Then the mammoth slowly turned and lumbered off.