There's only so many things one can regret in a single lifetime. I mean, some people think they can just regret everything, but I don't think so. There are some things you have to be proud of, some thing that you can honestly say you were happy to do and don't wish went any other way. We can't just let everything be bad. To do so would just kill us. If we regret everything, we might as well be dead. I don't regret my decisions, not one, because every single one of them led me to my pack and my pack led me to Cheza. And that- that is not a feat worth regretting.

The light against my eyes woke me up, but it was the chill that kept me awake. I wished everything could just be a dream.

I stood up and shook myself, loosing dew drops and bits of red fur. I took a few wary steps forward, but quickly stumbled back into the alley as two humans passed, laughing with one another, not paying me any attention. When they were no longer within earshot, I stepped out again and started sniffing for food. There were some pigeons nearby, but they were hard to catch and when you missed they pecked you hard and flew away.

I sniffed the scent again, the one like wildflowers. I had smelled it the moment I got into this city, to the place of humans. I also smelled the scent of someone I knew long ago, but I don't like to think about him. He'd been gone for a long time and I didn't expect him to come back any time soon. Or ever, for that matter.

Wandering had been hard, but I endured it as best I could- as best as any wolf could. Come to think of it, the only bad parts were the ones where I had no food, no shelter and no people. I don't know what I'd do without people. They're nice, most of them. Some are mean, like the only man and his cranky dog. Why are they both so mean? Why don't they like me like everyone else does?

The city was waking up. Slowly, like ants from their respective hill, people leaked out into the street. Some were peddling their wares, some were leaning against walls, being idle. I dislike being idle sometimes, but sometimes it is not a bad thing. When you are idle and there are things to be done, then that is a bad thing. But if you are idle in an un-idyllic way- say, you are contemplating something very important to you- then that is alright. Perhaps the humans are contemplating. That would be alright.

My human form isn't as different from my wolf form as a human or a wolf might think. My hair is still red, just a little longer than my fur, reaching to my shoulder instead of just my ears. My eyes have some green in them when I'm human, but that's not much different from their normal gold tones. And my height! I'm likely just as tall as a human as the length of my wolf body. So see, it's not that difficult to see. Of course, I wear clothes as a human and that's somewhat odd. I have a sweater dress that's gray and a hat that is beige and shoes that are black. Humans are lucky, in this way. They don't have fur- except for the patch on their head- so they can be any fur they want and any color. My human skin is very pale.

I wander about as a human, wondering if I should buy anything. Of course, I can't, I have no money, but it might be nice to give someone hope, even for just a moment. But this would be seen as a prank and I have no bad intentions. I decide against it. I keep walking, keep smelling the wildflowers and ignoring them, keep wondering where my next meal will come from. Maybe I can beg the butcher. Maybe he will send me away.

I smell the person I used to know again and shake my head violently, as if his smell is repulsive. It is sweetly repulsive, like the smell of sugar when you've had too much. The humans look at me strangely and I walk off quickly, turn a side road, wait there for the smell to pass. It passes.

I keep going down the side road. There is a group of people there laughing and smiling, but I don't think they have good intentions. I try to walk by them quickly. One of them grabs my shoulder and pulls back in fear. He has felt me as I am, a wolf. I look at him curiously for a moment, then continue on. They will not bother me again, I hope. They talk amongst each other as I leave.

"It was freaky, man. Her shoulder felt like it was fur."

"Tell Tsume, he'll know what's up with it."

I left the side passage. There was nothing for me there.

Then there was the smell again and it intoxicated me, it wanted me to find it. I ran away, as fast as I could, I heard my paws hit the ground furiously, I didn't care if anyone saw me as a wolf. I heard dogs barking as I passed, but they faded as quick as they would come. Some part of me knew I was going too fast. The rest didn't care. That was, until I slipped on something and rolled too many times to count and hit a wall. Then, all every part of me cared about was the pain in my back. I whimpered pathetically. At least the smell was gone.

Another smell entered my awareness. This one was pleasant and much closer to me then the other two smells.

"Hey there," it said, "You've got to be more careful." I looked up. He was shaped like a boy with messy brown hair and goofy, endearing smile. "You know, girl wolves are kind of a rarity now. Would you like to go with me for a while? I smell something interesting's going to happen now." I thought it over for a moment, then nodded. I tried getting up, but my back wouldn't let me.

The boy smiled. He picked me up and carried me. I let my head rest on him. "My name's Hige," he said. "You got a name?"

"Tabby," I said simply and let my mind rest. I thought he was right. The wildflowers smelled interesting. They had to mean something important.

A/N: Chapter's kind of slow, but it does properly reflect Tabby and it does establish time and place well. Plus, she meets Hige! That's exciting! Family reunions to occur soon and all sorts of chaos to ensue soon!