Ryan and Istas have been dating happily for quite some time, and now it seems that they're ready to take the next big step: marriage. But what is normal for a tanuki is not for a waheela, and before she can make a lasting commitment in Manhattan, Istas must return to Kugluktuk to conclude her affairs in the world where she was born. From the urban sprawl to the white wastes at the top of the world, Istas and Ryan will travel to answer the question of who she is and where she truly belongs. For no member of her family has ever gone into the thaw and remained there, and for the waheela, born as they are to the cold that never ends, a happy ending may seem to be impossible. However this goes, it will be an ending.