Wild Berry Meadow Por Una Cabeza

She traveled northwest, away from the Woods.  

When she had come here, she'd had grand ideas for what daily life was going to look like.  She imagined meeting friends, traveling, and eventually going to see her father's birthplace.  Reality had fallen far from expectation — while she was glad to have at least @Zephyr as a friend, the incident she'd experienced with Taikon had shaken her and she was no longer sure of much at all.  What she did know was that she was lonely.  At home she had been surrounded by people who loved her.  She was lucky enough to have parents who supported her unconditionally, and her siblings acted as built-in friends (when they weren't antagonizing her).

Here, there was none of that.  And sure, she had chosen for it to be this way, and one day in the future she would return home.  But now she wasn't sure she had been ready to leave.  Her mind was occupied while she wandered, and she was far too close to the pale stranger when she realized he was there.  Looking around, the meadow was clear and expansive.  He must have seen her coming for miles.  Puffin halted abruptly and yipped curiously in the stranger's direction.