Crispy outside and squashy inside.
What is fish?
Whose teeth are deep into the shaggy black fur at the elk's neck?
What are Father's teeth?
What is the lightning stick?
What is a gun.
Howl
Louder please!
No way am I bowing to that thing. I will get Sharp to tangle with it. Then I will know, and Sharp will have to do the bowing.
What is scheming, sly, manipulative, cunning?
Black as dirt after a fire and a bare patch on her chest.
What is raven?
In less than a heartbeat, who kicks, slicing deep into the meat of Swift's chest?
Who is the elk?
Who is the "man pup"?
What is little boy?
Jump-spin
Good job!
When he is at last by my side, he rests his chin on my shoulder with a deep sigh. Whatever happens now, we will be together.
What is relieved, reassured, connected, safe?
Orange-brown and inches down the insides of the predator in a large speckled lump.
What is vole?
His head drops back to the ground, and darkness swallows him again.
Who is Swift?
What is a noisemaker?
What is a vehicle?
Yip-Wag
Awesome!
This is my home ground. I love every stream and stand of trees. But Sharp always wins, and I do not want to be his following wolf.
What is resentful, jealous, bitter, frustrated?
Skulking in the dark to pick over the scraps and slink away before sunrise.
What is coyote?
He ducks his head and slows to a creep. Father gives him two sniffs and a growl and nudges him away.
Who is Sharp?
What is a sharp tooth?
What is a bullet?
Crouch.Freeze
Way to go!
The men lift black sticks to their shoulders. Something is bad here. I can feel it. The fur all over my body rises.
What is fear, alarmed, tense, anxious, threatened?
The thing goes to a pine tree and nibbles at the bark.
What is porcupine?
It nibbles away at my speed. I have felt it for days and days, ever since I ran from the mountains. It roars up in me, and I am wild with it.
What is hunger?
What is a pup-watcher?
What is a babysitter?
Sniff. Wag. Freeze.
Wow!
I square my shoulders and beat my front paws to the ground to test my strength. I growl as though I am a lead wolf. But there is no one to hear me.
What is lonely mixed with determination?