Botan Brightwit is trying to become an alchemist. But first, he has to pay off his loans, dodge accusations of witchcraft, and brave the mountain pass that leads to the mysterious Shine Clan market, where he can trade for the beautiful (and lucrative) Shine Clan crystals. But Botan knows that these scintillating gemstones have a wonderful (and even more lucrative) secret...Meanwhile, in Shine Clan's lucrative crystal mine, all production has stopped. Fierce howls emanate from the mine, sending all the workers fleeing in terror. Only Sariya, a young girl with an ailing mother, is brave enough to investigate. Deep in the mine, she discovers something that only looks like a wolf...And furthermore, who are those strange men in the unmarked caravans, and why are their teeth so bad?Filled with intrigue, several cakes, crotchety old folks, one reasonably friendly dog, awkward romances, and much more, DEAR WOLF is a wonderful adventure through the wild and mysterious village of Shine Clan.