Bitterroot Valley shaken not stirred

His nose quickly retreated, along with the rest of him, as if Luke was a spooked colt. Smash blinked loudly. If not for the distinct features, she might have second-guessed herself. This was not the same wolf she had left behind last summer. Her Luke had been happy, healthy and headed toward a bright future. This wolf looked like a broken husk. If not for the fact that recognition eventually registered on his face, she might have convinced herself it was maybe his evil (or depressed) twin or something...

"Me," she agreed, trying to insert a lightness into her voice to counterbalance this heavy moment. "'Course I came back. I'm not a total piece of crap." There was a gentleness in her voice, an apology for standing him up way back when. Smash paused then, before asking quite directly, "Luke, what on earth happened to you?" because it just wasn't her style to ignore the elephant in the room.