in awhile, as there was hardly any scent of wolf or other wild creature. A small hole in the ceiling showed where it had caved in slightly under some animal’s weight, and a slice of moon in an ink-blue sky shown radiantly through it.

Taya stepped slightly closer as if its beauty were contagious. “Wow is right.”

“It must’ve been an old hiding place for wolves during war or something,” Copper mused.

“Or something.”

Taya took in the silver moonlight that seemed to fill the place and saturate it with its unearthly glow. As Copper watched, Taya seemed to turn almost silvery, too, and her moonlit bath transformed her into the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his life.

Her eyes fixed on every lit corner of the cave, and even those blue eyes seemed brighter, more alive. She looked back at Copper as if shining. “It’s so…” And then all of a sudden she was Taya again, shaking off the moonlight, dousing herself once more in the anger that kept her alive. “Listen to me going all mushy. Let’s go, before this place gets to me even more.”

Out of nowhere a pang hit Copper’s heart like a flaming arrow. The Taya he had known ever since the Northern Fights was not the real Taya; that was her anger, burned and boiled and poured inside a dog who didn’t deserve it. He wanted the real Taya back, the one she had been just a moment ago, the one who knew happiness and had a heart of radiant silver instead of cold stone.

Copper met her as Taya was padding back the way she came. She looked up at him with eyes like a dull mirror, reflecting nothing. “What are you doing? Let’s go!”

“Taya,” Copper started, stammering a little, “Look, Taya, it doesn’t matter if Steele’s your father–”

“What do you mean, it doesn’t matter?” Taya shrieked, “It’s mattered my whole life! It ismy life! If I wasn’t Steele’s daughter, don’t you think I would be somewhere else other than in a musty old wolf cave in the middle of a war, with my father lurking just outside, and standing here yelling at the son of my father’s enemy who’s suddenly starting to talk stupid? I don’t think so!”

“I meant it doesn’t matter to me,” Copper continued, starting to get a little impatient.

Taya stared at him. “Why would I care if you don’t think it matters? Everyone else thinks it does,” she spat. Her legs trembled with rage. “Just because of Steele, all my life I’m going to be a dirty, stupid, ugly, lying, angry–”

Copper swooped down and kissed her. It was sudden, short, but surprisingly sweet. He stepped back and readied himself for the blows. But Taya didn’t move. She was shocked.

“Most beautiful, gorgeous, independent, strong, smart, and again most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.” Copper continued her rant, but in a much gentler tone. He watched as Taya tried to emerge from her astonishment.

Her stunned face gradually formed into wonder, and she stared at him. He stared back.

The words came pushing up his throat and onto his tongue. He didn’t know if this was the worst or best time to say them, but before he could debate they came tumbling out: “I love you.”

Taya blinked. “What?”

“I love you.” Copper doubted she had ever heard those words said to her before. He hoped she took them without offense.

Her face twisted into suspicion. “Do you really mean it, or are you just doing this to get me to shut up?”

Copper gaped in surprise, but then he started to laugh. He couldn’t help it. No matter what he did, Taya always took it the wrong way. There really was nothing he could do but laugh about it. “No,” Copper told her, “I really mean it, Taya. Why would I lie to you after everything?”

“You’d be surprised,” Taya muttered darkly. Suddenly she stepped sideways and tried to edge past him. “Get out of my way.”

“What?” Copper gaped at her. He cut her off and tried to look in her face. She ducked her head and mumbled something between clenched teeth. “I’m sorry, Taya, but–”

“But I can’t trust anyone,” Taya cried, “No one wants me. No one could ever want me. You might think that now, but you just wait. I’m too much for anyone. Why would you want a demon like me?” She glared at him.

And now Copper understood. She didn’t want any more pain in her life. She hated herself so much she thought everyone should. Copper could hardly imagine the depths of her tormented being. She made his heart whole and cracked it, too.

She sprang forward, and he cut her off. She tried again and again, but he still refused to let her pass.

“I don’t see any demon,” he said softly, “I don’t see an angel. All I see is Taya, perfectly imperfect.”

“And all I see is that hole that I want to get through,” she snapped, “So I can get away from you!”

The words were knives in his chest, twisting, deepening the wound. He took a deep breath. “All I want to say is that I love you. Why do you have to make it so darn hard?”

“Because it’s a lie!” Taya screamed.

Copper looked at her. It couldn’t have possibly come to this.

Slowly he stretched forward and leaned his head against her neck. She was as stiff as steel, and he nuzzled her softly before retreating back.

Her face looked lost, her eyes wide and clear, like the moon. Her legs trembled, and she groaned as pain rumbled up towards the surface and crashed through the anger that had been keeping it from her heart for so long. The pain lit her heart on fire, and it shone out through her eyes. She suddenly let out a tortured shriek and fell against Copper, sobbing as if her soul was being ripped apart. Copper understood. He let her cry, scream, shout, whatever it took. After feeling nothing but anger for such a long time, for her it was like being in a dark room for years and then stepping out into the fierce sunlight. It hurt, but Copper told himself it would be worth it for her. He told himself over and over.

Taya was gasping for air and shaking so hard Copper thought she would collapse. “I hate you, I hate you,” she whispered.

“Now you’re the liar,” he told her.

The hidden cave was still, filled to the brim with fighting emotions. Copper nuzzled Taya tenderly, and she tentatively nuzzled back. They stayed like that for a long time, when Taya finally stepped back. Her eyes strayed to the hole in the ceiling. A shadow flitted across her face. “Crap.”

Copper looked up quickly, and a hand of ice grabbed his stomach as he saw the moonlight become brighter as a head pulled away from the hole in the ceiling. The sudden brightness blinded him for a moment, but the silhouette and the flash of blue as the light caught the eyes was unmistakable: Steele was watching them.

Taya tore away and galloped back through the opening she had made in the cave wall. Copper spun around and followed her, but they were met outside the cave by a mix of angry and amazed wolves and dogs. Taya barreled past them all and ran to the cave entrance, where she froze, her eyes scanning the horizon for any more signs of danger.

Copper’s eyes strayed from her to Balto, and when he saw his father’s face he almost felt like a troublesome little pup again.

“What were you doing in there?” Balto said sternly.

“Nothing!” Copper answered indignantly, “Taya just found it, and…look, it was nothing, okay?”

“It’s like a wartime hideaway,” Chase said, examining the small cave.

“The pack that lived here before us must have made it,” Aniu offered.

Copper brushed past his father and caught sight of Ketch standing behind Chase at the edge of the crowd. “Ketch! I need to talk with you.”

Ketch’s ears went up. “What about?”

Chase whipped around, and her eyes narrowed. “Yes, what about?”

“Nothing you need to know about,” Copper retorted. He pulled a startled Ketch over to the side and turned away from Chase, who watched suspiciously. “I know this is really sudden,” he began quickly, “But I need your help. Steele saw me and Taya in there just now. And Chase once went over to his side. We need to protect both Taya and Chase from him.”

Ketch blinked. “…Okay. How?”

Suddenly it hit Copper. Ketch was one of the street dogs. Ketch had been on Steele’s side long before Chase. Was he trustworthy? Copper searched his face, and Ketch took a step back, wide-eyed.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Copper took a deep breath. “How far are you willing to go to protect my sister?”

“I would do anything for her. Anything.”

“Does that include switching her loyalties if you switch yours?” Copper asked accusingly.

Ketch glared so hard, Copper felt like a huge wave had slapped him in the face.

“I hate Steele,” Ketch said coldly, “How could I ever go back to his side after what he did to Chase?”

Copper was surprised at the ferocity in Ketch’s voice and eyes. He lowered his eyes and nodded. “Alright. I’m sorry.”

An interesting thought sparkled at the edge of Copper’s brain: Could Chase have found more than a friend in Ketch?

He forced down a small smile as he felt Ketch’s eyes rake his face.

“So what’s the big plan to protect them?” Ketch asked quietly.

Copper glanced back at Chase without turning his head. She was struggling to barge over and investigate, but Dusty was holding her back. Good old Dusty. Copper breathed a prayer of thanks for his brother’s trust and respect of privacy, and looked back at Ketch. “I want you to watch over Taya for me.”

Ketch’s eyebrows flew sky high. “What? Why?”

“I…” Copper blew out a flustered breath. “Listen, Steele saw me and Taya in there, but I don’t know how long he had been spying or if he could even see us very clearly; it’s pretty dark in there. If he sees you with Taya, he might think he just saw wrong and that you and Taya are a pair instead of me and Taya.”

Ketch frowned doubtfully. The look cut Copper to the quick.

“I know it sounds stupid,” he hissed, “But I have to protect Taya any way I can! Steele can’t know she’s with one of Balto’s kids! If he does, anything he was planning to do to her would be made ten times worse! He would kill her; I just know.”

Ketch nodded vigorously. “Alright, alright, okay!” His hazel eyes darted over to Chase. “But…I don’t want