Wapun Meadow but you see, it's not me, it's not my family

Zombie knew, now, that she was doomed to be abandoned over and over again.

Both her belly and hope had been filled by the woman known as Alo, and the yearling allowed herself to believe that she could finally call someplace home. That she would not run—not this time—and her body, mind and spirit could finally heal. She patrolled the territory diligently, holding on to the promise that Alo would teach her to hunt—that Alo would teach her to live as a wolf was meant to.

It soon became clear that the leader of Ookaan truly had no interest in those that chose to follow her. She was difficult to find, if at all, and her scent began to fade. Before much longer, it disappeared from the meadow altogether. Zombie had been thrown into a feral rage, stalking through Wapun Meadow—but never leaving it—until she was too exhausted to do anything but sleep. When she woke, the cycle repeated herself.

After furiously digging at the entrance of an abandoned (though she didn't realize it was so) rabbit warren to no result, Zombie exhaled—hard—and sat. Her sides heaved slightly with the effort, and her electric eyes surveyed the abandoned meadow with contempt. With winter coming, she knew she should move on... but to what? Another pack that would abandon her when she needed help the most?

It was better to starve, to lay down and die... and so she lay on her side, silently willing the life to leave her body.