into a snarl.

Owl started to step forward, but Bone growled, “Owl, Thorn can wait.  I must finish Blaze first.”

Owl stamped his leg impatiently, then yowled in pain.  He had, incidentally, stamped the paw that Cattail had bitten down upon a thorn bush.  Some of the growls from the Forest Pack turned into sniggers.

“Isn’t it a thorn in your paw, Owl?” Cattail yipped impudently.  The sniggers grew louder, and even some of the Stone Pack began to laugh.  All were silenced when Bone howled once more, and Blaze howled back.  Owl backed into the waiting crowd of Stone Pack wolves and took his place in the circle.

The two males began to circle one-another once more.  Bone leapt suddenly, but Blaze was ready.  He side-stepped and Bone crashed into the ground.  Blaze gave Bone’s hind-quarters a quick nip before darting out of the way.  Bone leapt up, snapping and growling, and charged Blaze again.  This time, he side-stepped with Blaze, and the two collided.  Bone backed away with a loud yip and a whine.  Blaze crouched, and before Bone could prepare himself, Blaze leapt, teeth bared, eyes flaming, and a howl of triumph escaping his gaping jaws.

Bone’s whine heightened into a yowl, then an unearthly gurgle.  He lay on the stony ground, blood leaking slowly from his wide-open jaws.

Blaze stepped away from Bone’s lifeless body.  One by one, the Stone Pack broke the circle surrounding the Forest Pack and walked slowly up to Blaze and licked his chin, hailing him as leader.

“Now, Thunder!”  Thorn was panting with excitement.  “Now, Blaze has won the fight, and I can deal with Owl.”

Thunder nodded.  “Yes, now is the time.  I myself would like to deal with him, but I think you have more right to it.”

“Owl, come out and face me!”  Thorn yelled.  His eyes glowed with the fire of combat.  He flexed his powerful muscles.  But Owl did not answer his challenge.  Cattail looked around.  Owl was gone.

*   *   *   *   *

Owl ran desperately through the undergrowth.  His tawny eyes were wide with fear.  He knew deep in his petrified heart that Thorn was more than a match for himself, and he had been relying on the fact that Blaze couldn’t win.  If Bone had won, he would have had help, but Bone was dead.  He stopped at the edge of Pack territory, and looked over his shoulder.  He could see that Thorn had given chase, but Owl had too much of a head start.

“I’ll be back,” Owl said to Thorn’s distant shape.  “Don’t sleep too easily, Thunder.  I’ll be back, and I’ll bring reliable friends.  I will be back.”  He turned, and loped away from Pack territory, his cry for vengeance echoing in his crusty heart.