Wapun Meadow day after day, alone on a hill

The young wolf was eager to get back to his folks in Easthollow, she realized. Miyako shook her head at his offer to stay. "No, I'll be okay," she responded gently, shaking herself out of the momentary funk she had descended into. "I'm mostly over it. It just all comes back sometimes." Her eyes twinkled as she gave him a grin. "I will take that rabbit, though, if you're just going to leave it."

She briefly wondered whether she was making a mistake, turning down Sunny's offer. What if she didn't run into a wolf as nice or a pack as accepting? Miyako was made of tough stuff, but she had never spent a winter alone. She had no idea whether she could handle it by herself.

It might be warmer by the southern coast. . .  But she shuddered at the thought of returning to the sea, salt acrid in her nose.

"You're good to go home, Sunny," Miyako murmured, feeling suddenly sleepy again. "I'm happy I met you, and I hope we meet again someday."