If there was one thing that Asteraia had more of than Diveen, it was flowers. Even in the cool fall afternoon, the flowers were still blooming strong. I loved the bright yellow and pink petals that seemed to cover the plains! My favorite thing to do was roll through the colorful fields, coating my dark pelt in pastels. They smelled so good too! Laying on my back, gazing up at the clear blue sky, I took a deep breath and smiled as the sweet scent made my head spin. I didn't care if my brothers didn't like this place much. Mom and Dad seemed happy and I was happy too. Uncle Halcyon and Aunt Aster had even promoted my parents, saying they had won some kind of fight. Well of course they had! Mommy was the strongest wolf ever and Daddy knew how to make others feel better when they were sick or hurt. I felt pride in my family and I showed it by walking around with my head held high and my tail sticking, just like my uncle.

Today, however, I was enjoying my time by myself. That is, until I saw a lone figure hobbling by themselves by the eastern borders. Ears twitching, I took a timid step forward. That was where the big water was. I had only been over there once, when Daddy had taken us to show us the pack land. He had said to never go there without an adult. I liked the big water and the soft sand next to it. I had been wanting to go there ever since our first visit, but my parents had been too busy lately to take me. But… that wolf looked like an adult. They were bigger than me, which meant they were older, right? By that logic, I wasn't breaking Daddy's rule if I was there with them. With a bark, I left the flower patch behind me, bright petals still clinging to my fur.

It didn't take me long to reach the sandy place, though I was tired when I finally got there. My legs were still small and my paws hadn't grown in yet, making walking awkward sometimes. Sitting on my haunches to rest, I gazed around for the adult wolf. Oh! There they were! A gust of wind blew sea and the wolf's scent towards me. She was a girl, from the smell of her. Other than that, I didn't know who she was. She didn't smell bad and seemed to be nice enough. Once I was ready, I darted across the sand, giggling at how it tickled my paws. "Hey there, pretty lady! Did you want to come see the big water too? I like it a lot. It sounds so pretty!"