"Okay, I'm ready. Misty are you--- Oh no!" Jumper yelled out as Misty's nose streamed more blood. The illness was completely gone, but her nosebleeds still come and go.

Jumper looked around frantically, grabbing some dead leaves, pressing them to her nose. Even after the bleeding stopped, his paw lingered a little longer. The concern in his eyes melted into kindness. Misty noticed his brown gaze. The warmth in her pelt made her muzzle burn. She looked away quickly.

"Are you okay?" The brown wolf asked, tenderness in his voice.

She nodded, still not meeting his eyes. "I'm fine." Without another word, she continued up the slope that led to her normal scout post, her best friend at her side, offering help when needed. Misty kept her gait, trying to look as fine as possible. The stinging in her nose was gone, but the afterward tang of blood still coated her throat.

They made it to the top, Misty slumping down beside a tree, leaning against it for support. Jumper came next to her and lightly draped his tail over her back, letting her know he was there for her. Dark gray clouds hung over the forest, ready to unleash a storm. The air tasted wet and storm-like on the she-wolf's tongue. A short gusty wind ruffled her fur and gave her a sharp chill. Jumper pressed his pelt closer to hers for warmth. She didn't move away, laying her head on his shoulder.

After a while, the sun began to sink on the horizon, causing the cold air to drop even more. Misty must've fallen asleep, she opened her eyes with a wide yawn. She found herself on the ground, lying comfortably under the tree. Once her vision cleared, her eyes focused on a brown blob a few feet away. It was Jumper. He had taken up watch when she drifted into sleep.

The she-wolf sat up and stretched. Jumper's ears twitched, and he turned his head to face her. A friendly smile came to his muzzle. Misty was strangely tired, even though she had taken a who-knows-how-long-nap.

"Feeling better?" He smiled softly.

"Yeah. Thanks." She gazed around, noticing the orange, blue, and pink rays of sunset. Their shift should be ending anytime now. Her best friend must have been thinking the same thing.

"Rose and Sapphira should be here any minute." He angled his ears in the direction from where the she-wolves would be coming from. As soon as those words were spoken, the two emerged over the hillside, relieving them of their post. Misty and Jumper dipped their heads as they brushed past Rose and Sapphira to head down the steep hill.

They headed off towards the creek, wanting a drink of cool refreshing water. Once they arrived, Misty bent her head, and lapped up so much, she thought she would burst. A small wave came, and splashed her across the face, making her suck in water.

She sat up and sneezed three times in a row. Jumper howled with laughter, eyes shining with amusement as he slapped the ground with one paw. Misty snorted, trying not to laugh herself. She shook her face to fling droplets of water spattering on the ground. Her tongue swiped up the water that clung to her muzzle.

Jumper flashed her a sweet look. He came up to her and wiped a drop of water off with his paw. Misty licked the remaining droplets of water off.

Snow fell softly against the earth. White flecks of different shapes blended into the she-wolf's coat. The wind was soft like it would be in Spring, even though it wouldn't come for a quite a while. A small herd of elk slowly made their way across the hills that rose and fell. The gray clouds hung low to give the atmosphere a chillier feel.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Her friend asked in a worried voice. His fur was fluffed up against the cold.

She nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'm sure." Which was true. The aches in her body were gone. And the dizzy spells had left as well. The nosebleeds were the only symptoms she had that reminded her, that she had been deathly ill.

Twigs snapped from behind them. Misty whipped her head around to see what was coming. Jumper pricked his ears and lowered to the ground, ready to spring in action. The she-wolf stood straight and tall, glaring into the brush that hid their attacker.

A gray blob was moving around. Then it emerged, a pair of wide innocent brown eyes stared back at them. Misty sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Isaac, what in the name of Lifeless Forest are you doing?" Jumper asked in relief, padding over to meet the gray wolf.

"I was hoping we could all hang out or something. Like when we were younger." He twitched an ear. "When was the last time we actually did something, that involved us just having fun?"

Jumper and Misty exchanged a glance. When was the last time the pup-hood friends had done anything together? Just for the heck of it?

"You have a point." The green-eyed she-wolf admitted, waving her tail. "What did you have in mind?"

Isaac scraped a paw over the dirt bashfully. The air above him was laced with embarrassment, tinged with hope. "What if---" He cut off and shook his head. "What if we went to the 'Secret Den'? Like when we were little?"

Misty's jaw dropped. She hadn't heard of the Secret Den since she was a pup. Jumper and Isaac had taken her there so she would take her mind off of River's death. It became a thing they would do every night. They went and played tons of fun pup-like games. It would also serve as their meeting place if they wanted to tell each other a secret.

That den had been through fearful Spring storms and bitter Winter blizzards. It has been their comfort and their place to keep one another company when they needed it. Secret Den was a special place to hold their fondest memories of fun and joy.

Misty averted her gaze to her paws. "I would feel silly. We haven't been there in so long."

Isaac grinned and gave a small bounce. "It will be silly, but we'll get to have a great time. Together." He looked at Misty and Jumper in turn. "What do you say?"

"Let's do it." Jumper wiggled his shoulders. Then he paused when he realized that Misty hadn't said a thing. "Misty?"

The female wolf howled with laughter. "You think I'd say no to the Secret Den?" Her breath fogged as she exhaled. "What are we waiting for?" She playfully nudged Isaac's shoulder, then darted off in the direction of their pup-hood memories.

~ ~ ~

Paws thrummed the earth as the three wolves returned to their dreams. The snow crunched beneath them as they raced across the snowy hills. They kicked up snow as they ran, the wind buffeted their fur, the taste of the air was cool and refreshing.

Isaac's gray pelt turned silver, flashing and sparkling along the way. Jumper's tongue lolled as he leaped over logs and weaved around trees. Misty's green eyes glowed brightly, they were like an eerie light twinkling, emerging from the darkness of the night sky.

They slowed, as a stonewall grew nearer. The snow stopped, allowing the moon to sparkle and shine freely. Owls hooted and creek water rippled softly over the stones and pebbles.

Misty gazed in awe at the place she and her best friends had come to love over time. Fallen trees were highly stacked to hide the majority of the den. Otherwise, it wouldn't be so secret.

Jumper gasped and ran a paw over the smooth exterior wall. It faintly gleamed, reflecting the shine of the moon. His eyes widened like he wasn't sure whether to believe this place still existed or not.

"Do you guys remember where the entrance was?" Isaac sniffed the snow-covered floor.

Misty tried to remember. Deep in her bones, she knew she could find the gateway to paradise. She let memory guide her along the wall.

"Hey, guys." She started as she looked at the stone wall. "Do you remember that we built this?" Gesturing to the wall, the gleam in the male wolves' eyes grew. "We were just pups then."

Jumper nodded, still transfixed with awe. "Yeah, I do. I can't believe we actually, created all of this." He spun to take in more of the scenery.

"I can't either." Misty's cousin brushed his fur over the stone, shivering at its touch.

Misty envisioned where the opening that led them inside was.

I remember!

She bolted alongside the enclosure, the blood pumped in her veins, sending excitement throughout her body. Then, there it was.

A small tunnel, just large enough to squeeze a yearling in.

"It's uh...." Isaac trailed off.

"Too small for us." Jumper concluded, tilting his head quizzically.

"Are you sure a groundhog didn't burrow through here?" Issac inhaled the air to be sure of what he was saying.

Misty rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm positive." Even she looked at the tunnel in astonishment. Were they all that small once?

"How do you suppose we get in?" Jumper asked, scanning the barrier.

"I'll try." Misty blurted before Jumper's words left his lips.

The two glimpsed at her in confusion.

"Are you serious?" They asked at once.

She didn't answer them. Pushing past them, she lowered to the ground. Snow brushed her belly and she winced as it hit her. Tenderly, she crawled forward, entering the tunnel slowly.

She shoved her hind paws into the dirt in order to push herself in.

"Misty! What in the world are you doing?" Isaac's half-amused, half-shocked voice reached her ears.

"Maybe I can---" She grunted. "---make the---" Another grunt. "---hole bigger for you guys." The sides of the tunnel squeezed her flanks, forcing little breath to reach her lungs. It felt like forever, but she finally pulled out into the open air. She thought breathing never felt so good in all her life.

Once she was settled, she stuck her muzzle back into the place she just came out of. "Okay, I made it as big as I can. Jumper, you're the next smallest, you go next."

The reply she got was a brushing sound, then claws scraping dirt as he crawled through. Jumper grunted and pulled himself out beside Misty. After another moment, Isaac crawled out behind them.

Misty exhaled, white puffs of air drifted away into the sky. Suddenly she felt like a pup again. Her paws had a mind of their own. Adrenaline surged her veins. With that she took off in a run, never feeling so alive before in her life.

Zig-zagging in and out of trees, charging through the snow, becoming one with the world. She yelped when Jumper touched his muzzle to her fur.

"Tag! You're it!" He darted off in a pup-like manner, laughing and flashing his sweet, friendly smile all the while.

Misty snorted and pelted after him. Legs pumping, heart pounding, she chased after her friend.

~ ~ ~

They played for hours before they finally wore themselves out. The snow quit falling, parting the clouds to reveal a full moon. It shone brightly, with the little stars twinkling from the dark sky above.

They caught a fat rabbit and split it between the three of them. It's sweet flavors melted into Misty's mouth. It was still warm and savory, which felt wonderful in her belly.

They now lay on their backs, gazing up at the stars. Pointing out constellations, and trying to count the stars.

"I've missed this." Misty breathed after a long silence.

"Me too." Jumper's brown eyes were laced with sparkles.

"Me three." Isaac yawned deeply.

"I wish we hadn't forgotten this place." Misty sighed, voice full with regret.

"Yeah." Isaac's brown eyes traced the stars, lost in thought.

"I want my pups to someday have something like this." The she-wolf meant every word.

Jumper turned back over onto his belly. "So would I. Perhaps we'll pass this down to our pups."

Misty faced him in confusion. "Our pups?"

She could just see his face getting red under that fur. Heat radiated off his pelt. "No-- I...I...I...I meant... With different wolves!"

Misty laughed softly and nudged him. "I know what you meant."

The embarrassment turned to relief. His eyes were wide.

"If I do have pups someday," Isaac started. "I want to name one Brave."

"Brave?" Misty and Jumper asked at once.

Isaac looked at each of them in turn. "Why not? I want my pups to always be brave."

They nodded.

"I want a little female pup to be called Clover." Jumper stared at his paws.

"You don't want a son?" Isaac asked.

"Oh, I do! I want the female to be called Clover, and the male to be called Hurricane." He tightened his paws. "Just like those bad storms by the sea." He gazed at Misty. "What would you call yours?"

Misty thought long and hard. If she would ever name a pup, she would call it River.

"River." That one word escaped her lips softly, so soft that Jumper and Isaac almost didn't hear.

Jumper's eyes glimmered. "After your brother."

Misty only nodded.

He placed a paw gently on her shoulder. "River would love that."

Tears burned her eyes. She wiped them away quickly before they could notice.

"What about after your parents?" Isaac questioned carefully.

Misty stiffened, digging her paws into the ground as she rolled over onto her belly. She glared at her cousin, who flinched back in shock.

"Why in the world would I name my pups after two wolves that didn't give me the love and care I needed?" She tested. "No, I will never, ever, treat my pups like my parents treated me." Even though they didn't ask her that, she answered it anyway.