“Somewhere in this cosmos was Miyax; and the very life in her body, its spark and warmth, depended upon these wolves for survival.”

The novel opens dramatically, describing Miyax lost within the harsh, barren North Slope of Alaska. The vastness of the landscape is stressed by calling it a “cosmos.” The narrator also conveys the precariousness of Miyax’s situation, suggesting that her life depends on the small chance that the wolves will help her find food.  

“They become restless, then crazy. They run in a frenzy until they die.”

Miyax recalls her teacher discussing lemmings, the small rodents whose populations can boom to huge numbers. Lemmings’ allegiance to following their group is so strong it can even lead to their death. For example, if some lemmings start to cross a body of water that is too deep or too wide, many might die because the group will blindly follow the dangerous behavior. Later, Miyax will hunt lemmings for food. Yet the rodents also point by contrast to the incredible independence of Miyax, who refuses to follow the ways of other people. 

“She wanted to get up and run, but she gathered her courage and pranced closer to him. Swiftly she patted him under the chin.”

Miyax watches the wolves for some time, trying to observe their patterns and understand their behavior. Through patience, she comes to realize the social cues and expectations of the wolf pack. Miyax then uses that knowledge to approach the wolves carefully. She is motivated to bond with them because she depends on them to bring her food.