Jeanette nervously follows Wolf through the forest covering herself as best she can with her hands until they reach the promised cave. Jeanette sees, much to her relief, a pile of furs and some leather clothing. Wolf sits near the entrance and watches. Jeanette looks at the leather pants and jacket wondering why there is fur is on the inside. She begins working at them to reverse them so the fur will show. As she does, Wolf turns her head to the side the way dogs do when seeing something doesn't make sense. As Jeanette manages to reverse one leg of the pants, Wolf lets out a whimper. Jeanette manages to reverse the two thick garments and puts them on.

Once clothed, she begins to search the contents of the cave and is pleased to find a lighter, some kindling, some fire wood, and a stockpile of food. As she assesses her supplies, Wolf watches with interest. Knowing the sun will set in a few hours and the forecast was for the night temperature to be below freezing, Jeanette explores the area around the cave and increases her stockpile of firewood. But exploring makes her feet sore and the leather against her skin is rough. "Well Wolf, we have enough food for awhile. It should hold us until Cassandra returns. I sure do miss my underwear though. I'm chafing in some tender areas and the clothes are too big for me." Wolf looks back listening attentively while cocking her head.

"Let's get that fire started. It's going to be cold tonight." Jeanette uses the lighter to start a fire in the spot where someone had clearly done so before. She realizes the fire's location is close enough to the entrance to allow the smoke to vent outside but the area toward the entrance has been built up with rocks to reflect much of the heat in the cave.

The sun drops in the sky and the forest grows dark early because of the trees. Jeanette is used to being alone, but there is alone and there is being totally out of touch with humanity. She doesn't even have a watch to know what time it is. Far earlier than she would normally, she takes off her furs and slips in between the furs which would be her bed, in turning them back she discovers that bottom layers are fur side up and the upper ones are fur side down. She slips in between the furs and pulls the pelts over her. She finds herself warm and comfortable. Yet the events leading up to this moment are overwhelming.

Jeanette thinks about Tamsin trying to claim her. Tamsin said that she would protect Jeanette from the other fae, but Jeanette would belong to her both for feeding and for sex. Tamsin had explained that she was a very old and powerful fae and she had proven it by spouting her Valkyrie wings. Tamsin claimed to be three thousand years old, which would make her about the same age as Cassandra. Tamsin was certainly beautiful and part of Jeanette was tempted. But Jeanette had evaded the proposition. Then something happened which Jeanette still could not fathom. She was nearly overwhelmed by doubt and fear. But it abruptly ended and she felt herself being hugged by a weepy Tamsin who apologized and said she didn't want it that way. Tamsin then left.

Jeanette thinks about letting herself fall from the roof, plummeting through the air to that awful sudden painful stop and lying there in agony. She thinks about recovering from her first death on the table at Lauren's and sensing the Quickenings of Grace and Kenzi. Soon she realized she was to be alone in the world potentially for far longer than she ever could have imagined.

As the darkness engulfs the outside world and shadows from the fire play across the sides and roof of the cave, Jeanette's eyes fill with tears and she begins to drift off to sleep. Wolf comes close and lies down beside her.

Sometime during the night, Jeanette rouses partially from her slumber. She looks toward the mouth of the cave. The fire is only a few embers and the full moon has risen, allowing her to see into the forest. Wolf is no longer beside her. But silhouetted in the moonlight is an older woman stretching and moving her naked limber body through a series of graceful motions, her breath visible in the cold air. It seems unreal, like a dream. Jeanette watches silently fascinated and thinking perhaps Cassandra has already returned, yet knowing that this woman is older. She is deeply impressed by how limber and graceful the woman is and how she can go from moving in slow dance like motions to the sudden snap of a punch or kick. The woman then places a few pieces of wood on the embers and a flame begins to grow. To her surprise the woman approaches and slides under the pelts next to her. Jeanette pretends to sleep, but finally asks "Who are you?" The woman snuggles in behind her. "I am Wolf. Go back to sleep. You are safe." An exhausted Jeanette drifts back to sleep thinking she'd just had a dream.