Crossing the land bridge before had seemed fun and exciting; now, it was with a sense of relief, with some shame mixed in, that she padded along the sandbar back to the island. Her encounter with Vaati had made her incredibly homesick, but the run-in with Iliksis had put more fear into her than she'd ever admit. He was out there--still sick, still hungry. And he knew she was alive, now. She knew it would not be the last she would see of the dark wolf.

As for Vaati, well. . .there was no doubt that the war had changed him. Maegi didn't know whether their paths would cross again, or if she even necessarily wanted them to. He would always be her brother, but she chose to remember him as he was, not for the rogue he had become. The noble Dark Master--not the solitary savage. They were, perhaps, better off without each other.

Her paws reached the isle, and she went a little farther before collapsing in the shade of the treeline, feeling utterly overwhelmed by the events of the past days. Her bicolored eyes watched the waves, trying to find peace within the gently rolling shapes. When that failed, she looked at the sand, focusing on the intricacies of each grain. And when that, too, did not bring her comfort. . .she stared blankly ahead. She dare not close her eyes, for the nightmares she would find in the darkness were worse still than the bleakness of this summer day.

What came next? Maegi had always planned to return to the dark woods when her body and mind had healed from Skullchaser's attack. And she knew she must, eventually.

But why leave behind a good life here, throw caution to the wind and risk a poor reception at the place that was once home? Iliksis lurked on the mainland; he would find her again. And as for the Blackfeather wolves. . .none but Moonshadow had come to find her, not even Kove, who she thought loved her unconditionally. Nor Nyx, or Relmyna, whose pups must be old enough to fend for themselves now. No one she considered family had cared enough to search. The bald fact prickled at her, disturbed her memories of the place.

Coelacanth loved her, she knew. So did Venninne, even though she was away, and Mou, too. She had friends--Reed, Droman, Driftwood, Rokig. . . And even though the incident with Lainie had tainted this place, slightly, the horrors on the isle paled in comparison to what she had seen and experienced in the woods and the mountains.

No, perhaps it was better to accept that the sea was her home now. But it was a hard truth to swallow, and tears came to her eyes as Maegi thought of it, staring blankly ahead. All had changed--and she was powerless to reverse the effects of time.

This wolf, she did not know, and his presence interrupted the maelstrom of thoughts rattling around inside her skull. He was tall and broad, and smelled of places other than the sea. She thought him a trespasser, and she rose, a little unsteadily to her feet, lips curling back to reveal a slight snarl, wrinkling her ivory muzzle.

"Who are you?" she demanded, tail thrashing behind her. The memory of Iliksis was so fresh in her mind that she found herself more on-guard than usual. "What are you doing here?" His eyes were kind enough, but she was smart enough to know that kind eyes did not guarantee safety. What she did know was that he was over Undersea's borders, and he was a stranger to her.

Her snarl did not fade until he shared the title; his name meant nothing to her, but the fact that he knew the islanders' word for a newcomer meant that someone had allowed him entrance. She relaxed, if only slightly, her fur flattening once more. "Did Stockholm let you stay here? Or Coelacanth?" She wondered if Seelie was well enough to greet newcomers on the beach.

Maegi shook her head at his offer. "Not hungry," she said shortly. "Thanks, though." She sat back down, shifting a bit on the sand to make herself comfortable. She could read wolves fairly well by now, and this fellow seemed the type to be into a long conversation. She might as well settle in and prepare to let him ramble, with all the affectations of a good listener.

She had wanted to pick apart her dilemma with a trusted friend, but maybe this was a blessing in disguise. The distraction from her own problems could prove a good thing for her psyche.

"That's Coelacanth," she informed him coolly. She wondered how he had managed to forget her name so quickly; was he just unobservant, or stupid, too? Maegi found it hard to tolerate those who failed to absorb even the most vital yet simple information about their home. Nevertheless, it was rude to walk away now.

She nodded slowly at his comment on the island, taking in the beach, her eyes drifting over the waves. "It is quiet and peaceful," the girl agreed. "Not much really goes on here." Compared to the trauma she had been brought up in, the island in comparison was boring. Most would consider that a blessing, but in her more impulsive moments, Maegi craved a little bit of action, even if it had the potential for harm.

"Where'd you come from?" she asked Sockeye, looking back over at him.

She had to admit, there was a comforting drawl in his voice that put her at ease. Maybe it was that, along with the way he carried himself, confident but not cocky. So many wolves put up a front--this guy did not. He was inquisitive without being nosy, friendly without being annoying. She gave the barest of smiles at his remark, shaking her head.

"Sorry. I'm Maegi. And it's kind of a long story," she added, looking out toward the waves. "I'm not from the island, but I'm here now." There was a lot in-between, things he didn't need to know. Perhaps he would pry. . .she hoped not. Maegi appreciated how low-key he'd been, so far.

She dipped her muzzle at his kill, instead. "That's a nice fish," she said, the faintest note of amazement ringing in her tone. "Did you catch it yourself, or get it from the cache?" If the former, she'd definitely have to make friends with him. She had been learning from Rokig, but the man had disappeared, much to her chagrin.

She laughed, the sound without much humor. Sure, if one wanted to simplify things--yes, they had the same story. Maegi doubted very much, though, that the man had gone through the same hells she had, faced the same enemies she had. Still, this was his way of ingratiating himself to her, she knew; she would not pick apart his words, though she might want to.

"Nice," Maegi answered, mildly impressed. "I'm okay, though. Thanks." Truthfully, she didn't care much for fish; the taste was much too salty on her tongue. But since that was the local cuisine, she had gotten used to it--but she had gotten into the habit of only eating when she was very hungry, and not anytime else.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at him. "So what do you do?" she asked. "What are you good at?" Her mental fog was beginning to lift, the earlier anguish dissipating. She was grateful to Sockeye for the distraction, at least.