The pale glow of the early morning sun made its way up the slopes of the Sawasawa Mountains, igniting the swirling mists below, from which foothills rose like islands in a lavender sea. Upon the highest of these hills, a lone goat sat in contemplation.

With tired eyes, he looked down on the other goats. Several were peacefully grazing in the pastures below; many others were still asleep, safe knowing that they were protected here from any harm. The passing years had only made his love for these goats grow. They were his family, his clan, and each was special to him in some way or another. Only one goat was missing.

From his vantage point, a movement in the depths of the valley caught his eye. He started as he glimpsed a small silhouette emerging from the fog, moving toward the secluded pastures where the clan slept. Though his home had known peace for years, he remained vigilant for any sign of danger. However, as the figure approached, he could make out a little pair of horns upon its head. A fellow goat! Perhaps a visitor, or a stranger passing through? Or maybe… An exciting thought crossed his mind, but as soon as it did, he shoved it aside. There was no good in getting his hopes up.

But his disbelief faded when he saw that his initial hope had come true. This was indeed the goat that was missing all this time. Ignoring the aches in his legs, he bounded down to greet the little goat, barely more than a kid.

"My young one!"

The smaller goat smiled shyly and gently rubbed his horns against the larger one. "Hi, Mei."

"You're back! And you're alive! I don't believe it, Kan, you're actually still alive! Let's get you back to the others. Everyone will be so glad to see you!"

Side by side, the two of them walked, the small goat, Kan, and the elderly goat, Mei. How familiar this all was, thought Mei. How many years ago was it that he had been the one to come back to his clan, unsure if he would be accepted again?

Returning all those years ago had been one of the hardest things Mei had ever done. Many goats had taken Mei's departure as a betrayal of his kind, and argued he had no place with them any longer. Others had rejoiced, like his grandmother who had insisted that he be allowed to stay. Mii and Tapu too had been delighted to see Mei once again, and urged them to accept him back. One argument in Mei's favor was that since his last departure, the goats had not once had to deal with the ravages of hungry wolves. After several days of intense deliberation, it was decided that Mei would be permitted to live among the clan again.

Ever since his homecoming, the other goats had noticed a change in Mei's personality. He was no longer the happy-go-lucky goat they had known before, but had taken on an air of someone much older. This change soon endeared him to the other goats, even the ones that had been hesitant to trust him again.

Grandma, Mii, Tapu… They were all dead now.

Today, Mei was the oldest goat in the clan. Despite never having sired kids of his own, he had taken on the role of a father to the younger goats, who would come to him for support and guidance. This was the Mei who had raced down that morning to meet the younger goat, Kan.

The two goats headed up the trail until they came upon a hidden glade where a small group of early risers had congregated. A female goat's eyes lit up when she regarded the two newcomers. She darted over to Kan and nuzzled her son tearfully.

"Kan! My baby! Where have you been all this time? When you didn't return after the storm, we were sure something terrible had happened to you."

The others eagerly gathered around Kan and Mei. When the commotion had died down, Kan related his experience of the past few months.

"When the downpour hit, I needed to find somewhere fast to keep my fur dry. So without thinking, I made my way to the first shelter I could find - a hole in the ground, just big enough to fit me snugly.

"But I wasn't alone in the hole. No, after climbing in, I smelled something funny. I suddenly realized that I had entered the burrow of a fox, and that fox was right behind me!"

The other goats were shocked by this development, as foxes were known to attack and eat small goats. But what Kan said next was even more astounding.

"The funny thing is that the fox never attacked me. In fact…He told me not to fret, that he was scared of storms too."

Disbelief showed in the eyes of the other goats. Kan, looking smaller and less confident than before, hesitated before going on.

"We became friends that night."

Several goats bleated in astonishment.

"But what about every other night since then?" one asked.

Kan stood timidly goats interrogating him, as if he desperately wanted to escape. Mei eyed him with a look of encouragement. Reluctantly, Kan continued.

"Well…you see. He needed my help. He had lost his family, and er, he needed me." Kan struggled to find a way to explain. Finally, shaking his head in resignation, he said, "I was gonna come back."

Mei felt warm affection for this brave little goat as he listened to his tale. How similar to his own experiences with Gabu! Once again, a predator and prey had defied nature and become friends against all odds. This was how the world was meant to be, he thought. No fighting, no fear. But he recognized that such a world could never be reached in this lifetime, at least not entirely. All animals had to eat, and some animals ate other animals. No amount of love could change this harsh reality. But could there be another world out there, where love reigned supreme? Mei had a feeling there must be.

Mei thoughts turned to the owl that had once helped him move on, so long ago. Was that owl still alive, and did it still think about him, wherever it was? Surely, they would meet again some day, and Mei would tell it all about the wonderful life he had led since coming home.

And at last there was Gabu. Brave, kindhearted Gabu. No amount of time could weaken the passion that burned in his heart for the wolf he loved. If anything, Mei was surer than ever that one day they would walk together again.

To Mei, it was becoming apparent that he did not have much more time left in this world. His old joints ached more often as time went on, and his fur had gotten more shaggy and matted. He knew that there would eventually come a day when he would finally lie down again and leave this world behind for good. Where he would go next was anyone's guess. But wherever he went, he was sure that Gabu would be waiting for him.

The dawn light now bathed the sky in gold as the new sun spread its rays across the land.

Life went on. He regarded Kan, his heart bursting with pride.

"Come child. I'd like to tell you a story."