Grouse Thicket over the hills and far away

Easy eyed the man distrustfully as he approached but warmed up at once when he identified himself. She wagged her tail and pranced right up to him, keeping her stance loose and submissive.

"Nice to meet you!" she said brightly. "I'm Tegan's friend, Easy. And I'm lost." Whoa, it was even scarier to admit it to this wolf than to herself. She glanced over her shoulder as if Daddy would appear just behind her to take her home, but no such luck. She'd just have to retrace her steps the hard way and hope that she remembered well enough, or that their scents were still present.

"He got in trouble cos he left to find me and then brought me back home," she explained with a bit of contrition, just in case Eljay hadn't yet heard about this. "But I'd really like to see him before I go, and maybe to prove to Towhee that I'm cool like her."