I had never laid eyes on this place before; its scents were strange yet familiar. Some of the wolves whose odors I had stored in the vault within my head made an appearance here. Most of their trails had gone stale and I knew it would serve no purpose to try and follow their tracks. Ears swivel at the sound of flowing water and I enter a brisk trot towards the noise. As I go, the final small tufts of my winter fur fall from their place on my hide to reveal my summer coat. If those who saw me during the winter months thought I was small then, they would hardly believe how much smaller I got when I lost my winter pelt. The closer I get to the flowing water the rockier the terrain becomes. But it’s as if my eyes are able to spot every foothold and I have no troubles silently passing over the unstable ground.

Before long my blue orbs catch the glare of the sun off the surface of some water further ahead. I move into a smooth lope over the rugged landscape, carefully picking my way over any unsafe footing until I reach the edge of one of many small ponds. A fine mist of water blows into my face from one of the waterfalls filling the lagoons, its spray leaves drops of water hanging from my whiskers and I pleasantly close my eyes as more water soaks into the fur on my cheeks. My lungs inflate with the cool air that surrounds me, and I take the time to enjoy the first days of summer before the heat became a nuisance.

With the sun at its peak in a cloudless sky I felt little motivation to do any more roaming. The beauty of this place held me in its iron grip and so I decided to rest here for the time being. I find a spot close to the pond that is covered in a spongy soil, flat and soft compared to the hard rock strewn ground elsewhere. I lower my tricolored body to the ground and move my dial to rest on crossed front legs. I remain hopeful that some pleasurable company would make its way to me, until then I deserved some relaxation.