Otter Creek I never thought coyotes essential

Truth be told, Sunspot hadn't thought much of Wildflower since the last time he'd seen him. He hadn't because he couldn't; because he knew that if he did, he would never stop thinking about him, and he would never stop mourning his absence. So he just didn't. Wildflower was gone now, and so too was the part of Sunspot which had thought he might love him.

Until the day that changed, and the scent on the wind told Sunspot that this chapter wasn't quite finished yet — or at least, it wasn't meant to be. He had a choice in it still, he knew that.

Thing was:

Wildflower had left.

And of course Sunspot knew why. Family and all — but no, more than that, he knew why. Wildflower had seen more of him than perhaps any other wolf alive, there was no denying that. Only through indirect bits and pieces, sure, but these days Sunspot was half a stranger even to his favorite sister. No one else had stayed long enough to see how he had changed; how he was still changing; how miserable he was even then. He couldn't ask them to.

He'd never asked Wildflower to stay, either. He'd only hoped that he would want to — but he didn't. Surely there was nothing else to say.

Still, something drew him forward. Something about the moment reminded him of their first meeting — but different in so many ways. This time it was Sunspot who was wary, who kept his distance even as he looked over Wildflower from afar to assure himself that the man wasn't ill or injured.