Pine’s ears tipped to the side, face furrowed in confusion at the stricken look on the other pup’s face. Every passing moment Pine grew less and less interested in this person she had found. A ‘princess’ of Diveen. What did she care about Diveen? Why should that matter at all here in the common lands? More importantly, how the hell was she supposed to know who this stranger from a different pack land was? This princess was far too accusatory for Pine’s taste. Self-control kept her from bearing puppy fangs in defense, at least until the princess poked at her prize.

Pine growled and snapped her jaws at Zarah’s paws in warning. The feist she had shown when she was moments from death were far more intensified now that she was well cared for. Forest green eyes blazed in warning, and a silver tipped paw pulled the carcass closer to her.But anger faded fast when a realization came over her. She did not know exactly what her kill was.The pup looked momentarily crestfallen. If she could not tell Big Wolf what she had caught for him, could he really be proud of her? What if it was something completely commonplace that any run in the mill pup could have captured. She frowned at her prize, investigating herself under her paw. It wasn’t a rat, but too big to be a mouse. Once again she was bombarded with questions from Zarah, almost none of them she could answer well.

It is my prize. She claimed proudly, puffing herself up. And it is dead. Her eyes narrowed again at the other puppy. Don’t touch it! I don’t want it torn apart. It is for Big Wolf.