By Sharon Go  (c) 2002

Though Flamedancer would have preferred to stay with the Holt, she couldn’t bear to be parted from her family again.  She and her sister, Sweetflute had worried about their oldest sibling since the Humans had attacked their original Holt.  It had only been recently that Daggersharp and his recognized mate Snowbear, and their cub Chip had been reunited.  Flame had gone along with the family group in hopes of getting used to the changes in the relationships between herself and her elder brother, Daggersharp.  Though he was overprotective and wanted only her well being, she felt he was being critical and resented it.  A twinge of guilt followed the resentment, he was only making up for lost time.

         She was overjoyed when they headed back for the Holt, she liked having the safety, and companionship of the pack.  When the rain started to fall heavily, Daggersharp had found a sheltering cave.  It was quite strange, there were candles lighting the interior.  Furs and herbs hung from the roof of the cave.  Flamedancer examined the furs, and found them to be of  good workmanship.  Some of the plants had recently been harvested and hung to dry, but She couldn’t tell how long ago it had been.  Prepared herbs hung within easy reach for cooking, or healing.  None of them could figure out if the cave belonged to an individual, or a Holt.  The only thing they were sure of was that no Humans lived in it.  The rain let up, and it was time to move on.

         They lived off the land the hand of days before Silverstreak, Flamedancer’s bond wolf, sent, :scent, home territory:.

         “Silverstreak is telling me she can scent the markings of the Shadow Wolf territory.” She told them all. 

         “I recognize the stream from our arriving here,” Flame said as she looked around the landscape.

         **Snow, we have returned,** Flamedancer open sent joyfully.