The man shifted rapidly to a large brown wolf and approached me on his belly. I held my leg out and felt the familiar tingle as the rough tongue rubbed against me. Soon the pain in my knee was all but a memory.

As the wolf became a man he stood in front of me head still bowed. "I'm glad you got away. I'm so sorry-" he started to say.

I cut him off. "No, I did not listen to you or to Joel. You gave me good advice and I ignored it. You should not be blamed for my bad decisions," I took a breath and continued, "and by...