To run, to run … Squirrel Girl ran beside the forest. She embraced the night. The night was her blanket. The moon and stars set the stage. It was time to meet her fox.

After many nights of watching Squirrel Girl, the fox became curious. It did not know what to make of her. As if they had promised, they met at night. The fox had never seen anyone running and dancing under the stars during the dark of night. And so, it sat and regarded her—getting curiouser and curiouser.

Squirrel Girl adored the fox. She awaited the night to run and to greet her fox. And when the trees rustled, she expected fox. But lo and behold, a gray wolf appeared. Squirrel Girl froze but unafraid. Why was that? She thought to run, but she was entranced. Her legs rooted to the ground like the mighty oak. Where was she? She had been running near her home, near the woods. Was it a dream?

Wolf broke the trance and asked, “Did you ring? Did you call for me?”

Girl was taken aback. Wolf’s voice did not rumble. It was more like a melody.

It would not have surprised her if he had said, “Have you seen my cat?”

She really should have dashed, but could she outrun Wolf?

“Did I call? My Wind must have brought you here, but I did not think that I called for Wolf.”

Frustrated, Squirrel Girl called out to Wind, “Wind! Is this your doing?”

Wind kept silent. It did not part with its secret. Wind could be very annoying that way.

“Sometimes you call and not know that you did. Your Wind holds many surprises it seems. You don’t get what you expected sometimes,” said Wolf, “and are you afraid of me?”

“Will you eat me?”

“Not today. Lucky for you, I had just dined,” said Wolf amused, “but don’t fatten yourself in case I change my mind.”

Wolf laughed. His fangs were revealed. How threatening they were. Yet, Wolf was unlike the other wolf. He possessed eyes that were the colors of the forest. In them, Squirrel Girl could see the wild stag running in the wood, running from Wolf. It ran from death. Was there fear? It was a magnificent race—the hunted and the hunter. Their aim was singular. One for life and one for survival. It was a balance.

With the forest eyes, Wolf looked at her. He saw she was thinking. His eyes were filled with curiosity and ease. They looked at each other and could not fathom how they had entered a realm that was not believed to have existed. But no questions were asked. The night was full of the unbridled magic they relished, and the “moment” called to them.