The cabin was cold but silver droplets of moonlight falling on my face through the tiny window caused me to stir. It was a full moon and as I rose up on one knee to peer out the window, I could see that more snow had fallen.

I had hiked in several miles from where I had to leave my car nearly twelve days ago. It was my idea of getting away from it all with nothing but my laptop and some supplies. I needed to write and I needed to get away from everything and everyone in order to do that.

The cabin sat in a clearing surrounded by tall cedars that whistled a lonely song in the wind. As I opened the door, the air was freshened by the wind and the clear sky gave a hollow effect to the night. I was drawn by something out there and with only my boots and a heavy jacket; I stepped into the new snow illuminated by only the moon.

Long ago, I had learned to listen to the voice of the forest. I never felt alone here but there was always loneliness in this place. I fancied it to be the culmination of all the creatures here speaking silently in their minds, telling of their struggles and life and death all on their own. For them, there was no warm fire or shelter except what they made for themselves.

On my last trip here I had seen the white wolf and though our eyes had not met, I am sure he had sensed me as well. I named him Elcaron after the river that flowed far below.

Elcaron had left his tracks in the snow as he had ventured out into the night. They led back to the small burrow where the mother of his pups lay. The pups were six in all and drank of the warm milk she had. Elcaron was restless this night and had left and returned to the burrow several times as if he were looking for something. He licked the snow from his toes and settled in again with his family to help warm them.

I must have walked for some distance. As I turned, I could no longer see the cabin but I seemed surrounded by whiteness. I came to a rock and brushed the snow off so I could sit upon it. I gazed out into the clear moonlit night and there were words spoken in my ear. I did not understand the words but the meaning was clear.