On that particular day Dwin had not intended to wander away as far as she had, but eventually curiousity won her over. Along the way she had decided that it had been a long, long time since she had met Dee last and, why not go all the way to Moonglow and see her. It could well be that there were little nieces and nephews already there or on the way. 

So - that's the short story of, how she made it as far as Silverlight terrace that day and first caught a familiar scent, then a familiar face there. "Hey!" she called out to the young wolf she knew she had met before, but just could not quite put a name to the face yet. "You look good. Frankly speaking, I never expected you to make it through the winter," she told Cassidy smiling and looking down at him with tail wagging. 

"I am Dwin - just in case my name has escaped your memory just the same way yours has mine," she introduced herself again.

"Well, in that case - congratulations on making it, The Wolf of the Wilds," Dwin told him, smiling and made something like a respectful bow. "The best months of the year are yet to come," she told, looking around at the first green grass and blooming flowers here and there. It was still a bit cold and at times she felt as if the season itself was dragging its feet and being inconsistent in, what it wanted to be this year. But maybe it was Dwin's own lack of resolve, when to make that big move, that gave an impression that the time was passing by very slowly. 

She let the remark about her beauty slide - sure, it was flattering, but she had never been the one to look for confirmation of her own value in other people's eyes. "So - tell me, where did you go and what did you see? Who did you meet, after all?" she asked. "I've been cooped up in my corner of the woods all winter long, seeing the same people and faces."

"Well, I don't know, what kind of rock-melting hot summers you got, where you came from, here it is nice and pleasant. You can bask in the sun, if you want. It is especially great, when its right next to bodies of water. And then you can lounge in the shade of the trees. Plenty of those here too," she listed all the things she had enjoyed during the summer.

"So you are telling me - The Wolf of the Wilds - that you were bored out of your mind out here in the winter?" Dwin feigned disappointment and rolled her eyes for added effect. "Well, I am planning on heading out myself. Was not that lucky the first time around, maybe the second one will do the charm," she told. "So - are you heading in any particular direction or with a certain goal in mind?" she asked. 

"Not sure either. I would like to give the mountains another shot. I definitely want to see the ocean again. A-a-a-and... just let the stream carry me and wherever I land, I will be fine," Dwin explained. Though she had promised herself to have a detailed plan and be better prepared than the first time, she now realized that besides the basic skills, there was very little she could do to affect the circumstances and events that would meet her along the way. In other words - she would deal with the problems in the order they would come in. And not worry about them too much in the meanwhile. 

"I think I would also want to run into an old hag I have not seen for an eternity. But she has a knack of just appearing in my life. Or me in hers. Last time I saw her, she was on the prowl for the souls of innocent men to seduce, and my wonderful being was the last thing she wanted to deal with," Dwin referred to @Towhee , wondering, whether the crone had achieved her goals and was now nursing a litter of puppies, each of which having a different father. 

"Yeah... just don't let those wilds too close in, otherwise you might find yourself sloshing around in cougar's belly on your way to become part a building block of that beast and the fertilizer, whatever is left you afterwards," Dwin grinned. 

"And just to correct you - a hag - does not mean old people only. A hag is a title, a job and an honor as well," she pointed out. "I am - in fact - a hag myself - and you are lucky today or... in fact... overall, because I like you. Had it been anyone else, I would have considered a curse or a hex," she spun the tale, smiling, a mischievous twinkle in er eyes. 

"Every 10th frog you hear singing in the ponds and swamps has once been a man that has crossed a hag - so be warned," she finished.

"Born with a talent and one in the making," Dwin replied proudly with a cheerful smile. "Truth to be told, I have not yet learned all the intricacies of transfiguration magic - so, if I tried to turn you in frog, I would achieve making your fur in greenish tint and you would be speaking in croaks, ribbits and peeps," she told. "Unless that is something you desire, of course. A wild adventure of sorts?"

"Good company will suffice," she replied. "So - where are you headed to? We could share our path for a while, if you would like?"

"So, your goal in life is to become a mouse?" Dwin teased the young fellow, tilting her head to the side and offering him a toothy grin. "Well, I cannot reveal you too much secrets - who knows, you might become a hag yourself and then, what will happen in the world? It will be a total mayhem!" she laughed. 

"Well, but I won't mind telling you some things, that cannot hurt anyone," she said, beckoning the young fellow to follow her. And then they spent next couple of hours in friendly banter.