The Mountains loomed stark and tall, seeming to grow nearly straight out of the ground at their feet. For as far as could be seen, there was only one way through the mountains for every creature that didn't have a bird's wings or the sure feet of a mountain goat. As the Queen's advance party approached the fiercely-guarded territory claimed by the Highlanders they occasionally saw herds of goats and sheep or the odd hunting party. The Highlanders were well-known for their fighting skills but they also had a proud tradition of hospitality. They welcomed the Queen and her party, warily but with respect, and helped speed her through their lands. Ansel suspected the Highlanders were motivated more by their desire to not share their pastures and hunting lands than by hospitality, but he kept those suspicions to himself. The fortified city of Renshaw guarded the far end of Sun Valley and straddled the best easternmost pass through the Starlit Mountains.
