I hadn’t forgotten about her, the she-wolf that I had shared that somehow magical afternoon in the snow with this past winter. Attila, my newfound friend, with whom a relationship seemed to blossom like the first spring flower from the snowmelt. When I had left her that day, it had been with an open invitation. My home was open to her; she was welcome to visit me whenever the desire struck her. Part of me had hoped she might come to stay with me, to become a member of Spirane. But I would never force such a thing upon her. No, if she wished to join my pack, I would let her be the one to bring such a topic up. But it had been two seasons since I had seen her, and I wondered what had become of my friend.

Quietly I lapped water from a small spring fed pond in a dip of the mountain’s eastern face. I quenched my summer thirst, breaking the stillness of the water with my tongue. I glanced up across the water, watching a mother mallard and her ducklings as they plopped into the water for a midafternoon swim. I smiled, watching them for a moment, before turning away from the pond and jogging into the nearby woods.

I was headed back towards the large, flat rock that served as my throne to enjoy the afternoon with a simple sun bathe. It was one of my favorite places to spend my time, and also an easy way for my pack to locate me if they needed to speak with me. As I traveled along the well worn path through the trees, I suddenly caught a waft of a scent on a zephyr that drafted through the trees. I stopped, lifting my head and perking my ears to the east. My nostrils flared and I inhaled deeply, hoping against hope that my mind was not playing tricks on me. Her scent seemed almost tangible, like I could reach out and touch her from this very spot. And I knew this was not some joke of the wind.

Setting off at a lope, I crisscrossed between paths, my nostrils flaring intermittently to scent her out. Finally I broke through a line of foliage and I was practically upon her. I danced onto my toes, excited at our reunion. My tail wagged ferociously out behind me as I pranced around her, circling her a couple of times before moving forward to greet her. I rubbed my shoulder against hers, and then circled her again. Something about her presence made me feel young again. “Attila! You’ve come!” I could hardly contain my excitement, so glad for my friend to be here to share in the beauty of my home with me.