1. Cusi often confides in his pet llama, Misti, telling her about his personal problems. Why do you think he does this? Have you ever had a pet that you felt closer to than you did to the people around you? Can you explain why?

2. Why does Chuto at first reject Cusi's decision to return to Hidden Valley?

3. What does Cusi mean when he calls Chuto "father of my heart"? What importance does this speech have in establishing believability in Cusi's return to Hidden Valley?

4. At the end of the book, Cusi takes a life-long, presumably irrevocable, vow to secrecy. Do you think Cusi is too young to make such a commitment?

5. Is there any reason to believe that Cusi will succeed where his father, Titu, failed?