It has been a turbulent year for the wolves of Secret Woodlands, starting out harsh as Danica foolishly decides to challenge Aideen for the rank of second, only to run off when she proves unsuccessful. As it becomes clear that the young mother is not going to return, Nina takes over caring for Daniel. But, perhaps weakened by his mothers abandonment, the boy contracts a bad case of pneumonia and despite the best efforts of both the healer queen and her apprentice, the boy succumbs to the illness and is put to rest in early fall. More pain arrives in the form of Ash and Narimé showing up at the borders, announcing that Whisper Caverns has fallen. Nina willingly opens her home to her brother and his family, and Ash joins along with his youngest children, while Narimé and Yuka cross the mountains, on a secret mission from Nina, to spy on Broken Timber Pines.

Meanwhile, Nineva finds herself unable to settle in the Thickets and runs off, leaving her father and siblings even more broken. And while the entire pack does its best to locate the lost Hervok, it takes many months before Ash finally reunites with his daughter, learning that she has found a home in Grizzly Hollow. A small glimmer of light is however gleaned when Aideen befriends the Hollow's medic "Merlin" and later an alliance is struck between the two packs with the facilitation of a herb and information exchange.

In mid-fall a family is reunited as Mirren's brother Nios and sister Vaeta join Secret Woodlands and meet their niece. The joy is brief however, when Mirren's continued search for Kite proves fruitless, and he decides to leave with his daughter. In lieu of this, Miccah who has been handling the leader responsibilities on and off, takes on the post in full, settling in well besides Nina, unlike the last time they shared the throne.

As winter falls upon the Thickets, an unusual calm settles over the Woodlands, their wounds slowly healing as they go about their daily business. Ash's adopted daughter Belladonna comes upon the pack and joins along with her son Duckweed, and the two are integrated well. Rayne also makes a surprising return, and despite the hard feelings surrounding his disappearance, he is allowed back into the pack. Nina, feeling the previous hard years starting to weigh down on her, seeks out Aideen and divulges a wish to pass on leadership, to spend her senior years more peacefully, and the second begins training to take over her post come spring.

With the arrival of spring, a puff of fresh life seizes Secret Woodlands. With Nina's approval, and largely the support of the rest of the pack, Aideen ascends to leadership, and with her mate by her side, the new queen embraces her responsibility wholeheartedly. Such in compliance with pack law, Miccah and Aideen finally consummate their mateship and bring a litter of three pups into the Woodlands; Cináed, Flair and Enia Athesila. And the future looks bright for the pack once more.