forward out of the circle and glared down at us both. “Seminole, I’m sorry if we caused any trouble-”

“Trouble!” Seminole spat, “You think this is just trouble, like mischief made by two pups? There’s only one thing to say. This is a disgrace!” He turned to me, and I shuddered knowingly. “Aniu! Of all things, a sled dog! What the heck were you thinking?”

‘As I recall, I wasn’t thinking much last night,’ I thought angrily, ‘And probably neither were you when you made Snow Paws your mate.’ I said nothing, knowing anything I would say could get Scout and I into even more trouble.

“That’s it! You’re both banished from the pack!” There was a stung silence.

“Look, Seminole, I know what we did was wrong, but-” Scout tried.

“You!” Seminole shouted, “I don’t want you within five feet of Aniu from now on!” He spun around and marched into the cave, and Scout followed, trying to convince him to let us stay. I was left with my shock and unshed tears, and the unkind, sometimes pitying thoughts floating unsaid in the air from the other pack members. Scout and I were in deep trouble.

Even so, I would never regret what had happened between us that night. I only wish the consequences hadn’t been so harsh.

Scout came to me late that night saying he had somehow gotten Seminole to let us stay a part of the pack. I was glad we weren’t to be Rejected, but I knew that it didn’t really matter; Scout and I would be treated like outcast now more than ever.

“You don’t hate me for what I did, do you?” he asked almost fearfully.

“It was something we did, Scout,” I corrected him, “I can’t hate you for something we did together.”

“I know. But you were the careful one, the smart one,” he persisted, “I convinced you to do it. I just wasn’t thinking…I’d hate to know you hate me, but I deserve it.”

“What we did wasn’t wrong,” I insisted, surprising him, “The pack thinks it was wrong. The world may think it was wrong. But like you said, love is never wrong. We were right to show each other how we feel, and there’s no sin in that.”

He paused thoughtfully, and I sank into silence as I let my eyes wander over his strong form in the semi-dark. Even now, when practically every wolf in the cave could be listening to every word we uttered, I loved Scout more than ever.

“Will I be able to see you again?” Scout asked. Both he and I knew that it was dangerous to be seen together, or be together even when we were not seen. Seminole could make us become eternally guarded and separate us so we wouldn’t have a chance of seeing each other again, or we could be tempted to do again the ‘sin’ that had already cost us our respect and dignity.

“I don’t know,” I murmured quietly, “I don’t think it would be safe to be together. No, we have to say goodbye, and just avoid each other until things calm down.” I swished my white tail back and forth as we stood facing each other with so much emotion in between us that there were no words left to say.

“Could I have one kiss?” he asked slowly, “Before I go and…disappear?”

My surprise turned into a glad smile I flashed shyly at him through the dark. “Yes.” He leaned forward, and I pressed my lips to his, sending an electrifying current of warmth through his body and mine. It lasted for a sweet minute, and then Scout broke away and whispered raggedly in my ear, “I love you, Aniu.”

“I love you, too,” I whispered back, pain stabbing at my heart. This separation and avoidance was going to be hard, as hard as watching my father’s limp, blood-soaked body while accepting that I could do nothing to save him. But I had to do it.

“Scout. Aniu.”

We both froze as a pale shape drifted toward us through the dark. I flinched when I realized it was Snow Paws.

“I’m sorry I have to interrupt you. Scout, could I talk with Aniu privately?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said humbly, ducking his head and trotting quietly over to the other side of the cave to the resting place designated to him just that morning. Snow Paws rubbed one front leg with the other, looking at me. “I know why you fell for Scout. He’s cunning, quick, strong, persuasive. He knows how to make you laugh. You two would be a perfect pair…if he was a wolf.” She stopped for effect. “But he’s not. Scout’s a dog, and the choice you two made upset the balance of pack life. I know what you feel for Scout. I felt it for Seminole, and still feel it now. But you do know the consequences of being a mate…?”

I said nothing. I didn’t want to think about it.

“Pups,” Snow Paws went on, “In your case, wolf-dog pups.” I sighed bitterly. Snow Paws’ voice became low, like the body of an approaching predator. “Now I can’t see into the future, and I don’t know how things will turn out. But I promise you on this old land that I will protect your pups like they were my own. But you will have to figure out what you’re going to do with them. They won’t be wolves. They can’t stay in a wolf pack forever.”

Out of anger and annoyance I did one of the most disrespectful acts known to wolves. I turned my back on my leader and sauntered away, flopping down on the opposite side of the cave from Scout in my own spot. I could almost hear Snow Paws’ surprise, her fuming, and then her irked footsteps marching away. Who was she to tell me how to raise my pups? Right then and there I decided that no matter what, my pups would stay in the pack. They would learn to be wolves, and even though they would be outcasts and half-breeds, I would show them their mother didn’t care about anything but them and their father.

My conscience caught up to me as I was falling asleep, though. I was passing down the same fate I had had as a pup to my own babies. They would be bastards, outsiders, just like me and my own litter all over again, except with dog blood.

I wretchedly covered my face and groaned as I tried to stop the memories of my puphood from coming.

Times changed once again in the pack. I eventually found out I was pregnant, and when I was allowed to see Scout for a second to tell him the news, we were both caught between joy and worry. I could tell from the faint sparkle in his brown eyes that he was happy to talk to me again, and he could probably tell from the twinkle in my eye that I was glad to see him, too. We had been avoiding each other for a few weeks to try and get the trust and respect of the pack back. It was torture, but it finally paid off when one or two wolves started talking to us again, and when Seminole said we were allowed to see each other at sunset everyday, before sleep. We were carefully watched by the other pack members, but we could talk.

Over the weeks my belly swelled and filled out, and it wasn’t long before all I could do was waddle around the pack cave. Snow Paws was even more pregnant than I, and she forgave me my insolence to her and we became friends, complaining to each other and making jokes about our pregnancy.

Then it came time for Snow Paws’ pups to be born. We waited outside the den she had dug and listened for cries of pain, squeals, anything.

One hour passed. There was one shriek from Snow Paws, and then silence. Seminole started pacing worriedly, glancing into the cave every few seconds. Then we heard a strange sound, one no one had ever heard before: Snow Paws was weeping.

Seminole dashed into the dark den, thundering, “What’s the matter? Snow? Snow!” There was quiet muttering from Snow Paws, and a long pause. Then Seminole emerged slowly from the cave. We looked up at him anxiously. “Snow Paws has born four pups,” he announced miserably, “Two are alive. The other two are dead…They were too weak.”

I pressed a paw to my mouth to keep from sobbing or throwing up. Would this happen to me also? Would my pups die as they pushed themselves out of my womb?

The new pups were a boy and a girl. They were named Nanuq and Rora.

Now it was time to wait for the birth of my pups. No one would be obligated to come to the birth except Scout, but I knew Seminole and Snow Paws would be there, and I was comforted.

It was a bright, golden morning. I could feel and smell and see the sunshine through my eyelids. I was blissfully tired, and lay in a free space between sleep and wakefulness where colors and images drifted through my mind peacefully and at random.

Something warm washed my face gently. I smiled sleepily and enjoyed the tender feeling of the wet sponging. But eventually I began to wonder, and my eyes peeked open ever so slowly…and shot open as I saw Scout licking my face with a soft grin. “Scout!” I sprang up indignantly, and he took a step back.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly.

“What are you doing here?” I glanced around wildly. If anyone saw us together…!

“Relax, Aniu,” Scout laughed, “I’m allowed to be over here for a few minutes. I wanted you to know that Seminole’s arranging a special hunt today just to get away for awhile. All the males are invited. Last night he also invited me on the hunt, but he said I should check with you. Will you be alright while I’m gone?” He looked down at my bulging belly. I was due very soon. I’d hate it if Scout wasn’t here for the birth…but he deserved to get away from me and the pack. Staying cooped up wasn’t in