Kirastasia felt amazed by how drastically—and how violently—the entire world had transformed in only a few hours. Munashii Gekko was no longer Munashii Gekko . . . it was Wudubearo, a name that whispered itself into her mind like something she’d always known but somehow forgotten. And while the pack that Milo ruled still looked much the same, what with its vast forest and gentle shade and soft moss, it too had changed. The paths Kira had started to memorize no longer existed. New trees and tumbling roots had swallowed the den she and Kahlan shared, so that both she-wolves were forced to seek rest in different beds. Granted, Kira had only slipped into Kah’s room one time . . . but she was still sad she could not return to that quiet place. Their last conversation had gone so poorly there—and now there was no way to overwrite those harsh memories with fresh ones.

With a regretful sigh, the snowbird waltzed out of Wudubearo and into the surrounding woods—a long stretch of trees that populated a majority of New Blossom’s incredible terrain. So far, Kirastasia had seen the lonely barren horizon of the Waste, the proudly rushing waters of a river that dividing the land nearly in half, and the foothills of the recently born mountain chain. Each trip had taken at least a week to complete; first she had to endure the trip out of Wudubearo, and then she had to satisfy her curiosity about each new landmark she discovered. Queen Milo would probably prefer that the fishnet punkette remain home more often . . . but Kira had always possessed a restless, wandering soul. Sitting still in one spot—even if that spot were “home”—made her pelt itch. Besides, what if she managed to find something truly wonderful today? The forests surrounding the pack always smelled rich with the signs of bountiful prey, and strangers to Blossom appeared to wander through more and more often. New things excited her. She wanted to unearth them all!

Early morning sunlight shimmered over the patches of her pale fur it could reach between the branches, coloring her snowy coat golden. Kira wandered frivolously through the woods, allowing her sensitive nose to guide her toward myriad fascinating paths . . . until one in particular snagged her attention. “Oh, how lovely! Another girl nearby.” Giggling, the striped dancer licked her jowls and set off at a faster pace, bounding with effortless grace over fallen logs and thin trickling streams glittering their way over the forest floor. This stranger’s scent did not strike Kirastasia as threatening in any way; although, even if it had, the reckless creature still probably would have attempted to make contact. With her bountiful bodacious frame, Kira could easily hold her own in any violent situation, though she’d never truly needed to. “Come out, come out, wherever you are~!”