The ocean had scared Esma in the beginning. It had seemed so big, so strong and endless at the first glance that it had taken her many attempts to approach it and not jump back in surprise every time waves touched her paws. Step by step she had dared to walk so far as to have the water touch her knees, then elbows and in a moment of recklessness she had allowed her paws to leave the safe and solid ground and allow the water carry her. But just for a moment, because it is not easy for a forest wolf to befriend and trust a completely different element. 

While waiting for John's return she had dared to wander further and further away, until one day she did not know, how to get back, and when she eventually found the very same place, all scents and traces of wolves, who had been there once, had disappeared. She had expected to feel fear and anxiety, but she felt calm instead. Esma reasoned that, if John's god wished so, he would find her again. Like he always did. 

In the meanwhile, she filled her time, digging through debris that the waves had brought ashore, picking up pieces of fish and crab and seaweed to keep herself fed. And after that she would bid the endless waters goodbye and move onwards. 

John's god worked in miraculous ways it seemed. One moment Esma had been all on her own on the beach and in the next the kind man was standing there and addressing her. Her face lit up and she padded over to him and greeted with the sincerity of someone, who is glad to see an old friend. She had never really understood, what John's mission had been in the first place other than that it had been very important. Therefore she did not hold any grudge against him now. Esma was a person, who mostly lived in the present moment. Past did not bother her and future was a very abstract term. 

"Your god rewarded his faithful servant," she told him, but the intonation of the latter part of the sentence was asked almost like a question. "I am happy to see you being well too," she said. "No, I do not think I need anything. I am good."

Right, children! Esma nodded eagerly, remembering now John explaining her, how they weren't actually his by blood, but by relation, friendship. Silence fell between them, having no other details of their names or background, Esma did not know, what else to say. She smiled apologetically at him and looked down at her paws.

Before the stillness grew to awkward, she looked up and decided to ask: "What is your next quest?"

Need him? Miss her? 

Esma tilted her head to the side, while she tried to understand, what John had meant by that. She caught the emotion welling up in him, there was a yearning in her to somehow help with that, change it. Yet she realized that she did not fully comprehend, what he had meant by those words. Need how? Miss - why? It was as if they were listening to a piece of music and both of them heard different things. It was almost as if... John was capable of hearing more tunes and harmonies than she did. 

Not wishing to present herself as incompetent, she simply nodded and appeared understanding. Even though John had always been kind to her, she suddenly wished that he liked her. She wanted to impress. And there was fear that by some blunder due to her lack of experience and incompetence, this would change. 

"Return where?" she asked, because of all the things he had said, this was the easiest for her to ask.

John's next statement confused her a little. Safe from what? There was no imminent danger Esma was aware of (she cast a quick glance around) and, if in the past unknown had scared her, now abstract concepts of formless danger did not make any sense to her. Still - besides this she picked up, what was the most important here. He cared. This made her smile. It was a nice feeling to mean something to someone. Whatever that meant. 

"This Rivenwood - who lives there?" she asked, because as much as she enjoyed John's company, he had implied that there were other wolves around. And being an introvert on the far end of the spectrum, she was wary of people she did not know well. 

John painted a beautiful picture of, what seemed like a happy family with friendly people all around. And part of her heart yearned to go with John and meet them all. It would be the easiest thing to do, the smartest. There was another voice speaking to her, reminding, why she had set out in the world on her own. To seek, where her god was. While she was fascinated by John's devotion to the spirit he had chosen has his own, she was not sure, if was just as appealing to her. 

"I will think about it," she replied after a long pause. "I will find you, when I have decided," she added, so that the man did not lose hope entirely.