Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst

fear, I knew that they were wrong.
    HuLin’s fear smell had intensified when he moved toward us, but I didn’t miss his quick, sharp glance at the meat we carried. It was still winter, and the humans were all thin from its hungry times. The preyskins they wore against the cold hung loosely off their bodies, and some of them looked like the Vole Eater wolves, who had barely made it through the winter alive. I could tell the human leader was trying to decide whether to run, fight, or to wait to see what we did. All leaderwolves have to face fear if they are to feed their packs, and all wolves must learn to balance the fear of danger with the need to eat. I found it fascinating to watch the human leader weighing the risk of allowing us near his followers and the promise of the meat we carried. The humans were so much like wolves it made the fur around my muzzle prickle.
    Trevegg whuffed very softly and began to trot toward the humans. I followed him. We held the meat high up to keep it off the ground but kept our ears relaxed and unthreatening. The stocky male Tlitoo had tripped spoke to HuLin, his voice much louder than it needed to be.
    “I’ll stop them if you want, HuLin,” he said, a sharpstick gripped tightly in each of his hands. I could tell by the way he stood, with both feet planted far apart, and by the stiff set of his shoulders that he wanted to impress HuLin. I also heard the fear in his voice and the rapid beating of his heart, and remembered how quickly fear can turn to anger. I paused, and Trevegg stopped beside me, setting down the rib bone he carried. I let go of the haunch meat I’d been holding. The young male’s heartbeat slowed. Trevegg and I both lowered our ears and tails even farther, and tried to make our faces soft and welcoming. Trevegg had told me that was the way that adult wolves greeted frightened pups. I didn’t remember that from my own puphood. I had been too busy trying to stay alive.
    When none of the humans raised sharpsticks again, we picked up our offerings and started forward once more. This time, we allowed the meat to drag on the ground so we could keep our heads low. When we got within four wolflengths of the humans, we stopped and set down the meat we carried. The smoke and juniper wolfscent blew across my nose again. I shook my head and sneezed it away.
    The small boy who had been holding the rock darted forward, running until he was face-to-face with Trevegg. HuLin grabbed at him, trying to pull him back. A look of mischief lit Trevegg’s eyes. Before HuLin could pull the boy away, the oldwolf’s tongue shot out, and he licked the child from chin to forehead, and then from ear to ear. The boy shrieked with laughter and Trevegg rolled over onto his back, waving his legs in the air and grunting like a forest pig before shaking himself all over and standing again.
    “Ridiculous oldwolf,” Tlitoo muttered in disgust. “No raven would ever behave that way.”
    Trevegg didn’t dignify Tlitoo’s comment with a response. He shook himself once more, pelting the laughing boy with leaves and dirt. HuLin’s stiffly held shoulders relaxed.
    TaLi stepped forward and placed a hand upon my back. BreLan stepped up beside her.
    “You don’t have to be afraid,” TaLi told the other humans. “They’re friends.”
    I felt a surge of gratitude. We had not had the chance to tell our humans the details of our plan, but TaLi was quickwitted, and I’d hoped she would be able to figure out what we were up to. I could tell that she was a little confused, but she was smart enough to follow our lead.
    “Friends?” the young, stocky male said incredulously. “Wolves aren’t friends, TaLi. They’re dangerous.”
    “They’re not dangerous and they are friends, DavRian,” TaLi said, annoyance making her voice sharp. I had to stop myself from growling my concern. I’d never heard her take that tone before.
    “TaLi!” HuLin said harshly, making the girl jump. “You’re rude to a