Quintin devoured the meat and stared at his best friend.  "Come on!" He encouraged, and his yelp was muffled by the meat.  "It's good!"
    Aleu just sat there, staring at the meat.
    Max put his paws up on the table. "What's the matter? I thought you said you were hungry."
    Aleu simply stared at the meat in silence.
    Max followed Aleu's gaze. "Ah. I see."
    "What is it?" Quintin asked.
    Max looked at Quintin. "I think your friend is... a non-carnivore."
    Quintin stared at Aleu.  "But.... You HAVE to eat!  You'll die!" He wailed.
    Aleu looked away. He couldn't bring himself to eat another animal. Not since he was small.
    When Aleu looked away, he saw the last person he wanted to know about his problem. Clara.
    Clara walked over.  A poker face.  It was hard to understand what she was feeling...
    Aleu silently watched Clara. He knew his secret was out. There was no way he could deny it. This was why he had wanted to stay away from wolves, and why he had not eaten when Tess had offered food.
    Clara padded over to Aleu.
    "I know it's harder for you, Aleu," she sighed.  "But, this time, you must eat.  You need the energy."
    Whining, and trying not to taste it, Aleu gently picked up a piece of the meat. He held it in his mouth and looked at Clara, waiting for her to look away so he could spit it out.
    Clara's earth-colored eyes burned into Aleu's pelt.  She didn't look away.
    "Do you want to die?" She growled.  "And ruin our lives, since you, our best friend, aren't here anymore?"
    Aleu spit it out anyway. "I can't eat this, Clara! Do you know how long it's been since I've eaten meat? I was six months old, Clara! I couldn't force myself then, and I won't now!" Kicking the meat onto the floor, Aleu turned his back on Clara.
    "I just can't! She doesn't understand," he thought. "None of them do."
    Clara's eyes teared up and tears fell down her cheeks.  "Suit yourself," She sniffed.
    Tears welled up in Aleu's eyes. "If only the humans could understand. I could tell them- no. I'll just have to hope they get a clue. That's all I can hope." Aleu retreated inside himself, a survival tactic he had picked up during his childhood. He could only just feel his stomach, asking for solid food. He ignored it.
    Clara padded over to Quintin.  "How was your meal, love?" She asked.
    Quintin squeaked.  "It was yummy!  I feel so much better!"
    Clara nuzzled her son.  He nuzzled back warmly...
    Aleu saw Clara nuzzling Quintin. He looked away, and more tears flowed. The sight brought back memories, memories of his mother, memories he wanted buried deep.
    Max looked up onto Aleu's table. It was empty.
    "Will Aleu be okay, Mommy?" Quintin whined quietly.
    Max sniffed the table. "He... was here, wasn't he?"
    Clara didn't pay attention.
    "I hope so, little one."
    Max looked for anything else that was missing. "Ma'am, either we have some big rats, or he took the meat. It's all gone, every piece!"
    Clara ran away from Quintin.  She trembled.
    "Aleu, have you eaten this meat?!"
    There was no answer. Max put one ear to the floor, then reported,"I can hear him! He's walking. This way!" Max ran through the open door and turned left.
    Clara looked as if she would explode.
    "ALEU, WHAT IS IT?"

    Aleu heard running footsteps. He started to run, as well. He carried the meat in his mouth. He had already choked down one piece, and stopped himself from trying to spit it back up. He couldn't deal with being watched eat, and trying to eat another creature at the same time.
    Clara howled.
    "ALEU?!?!"
    Max stopped and sniffed the ground. "He stopped here, and there's traces of fresh meat juice here. I think he just wants to eat alone." Then, Max continued running. "But I'm supposed to make sure he doesn't leave the building."
    "Who are you talking about, Max?!"
    Max stopped. "I'm in charge of all the wolves we take in, until it's safe to release them back out. Most of the others have already been released, but there's the four of you and one other who are here still, for medical attention." He looked at Clara. "I think Aleu knows him. He was right behind you last night, while my humans were trying to save Aleu."
    "Who.is.him?"  Clara growled.
    Max was afraid. Clara was threatening him, and he didn't have his tranquilizer collar. "I- I don't know his name!" Max stammered. "All I know, he's bigger than Aleu, has black fur, and needs a major attitude adjustment!"
    Clara gasped.
    "Father!  Aleu's father!"
    Max backed away from Clara. "That's his father? There's almost no resemblance!"
    "Because he's evil!" Clara howled.
    "Then it's a good thing he's not allowed to wander free. He's kept locked in a cage, or else he might hurt someone." Max's ears shot up. "Did you hear that?" There was the faint sound of someone half-choking. "I bet that's Aleu!"
    Clara told Max,"Stay here, and guard Quintin.  I'll go help!" She dashed off.
    Max nodded, and watched Clara go.
    Aleu choked on his piece of meat. He had, in his haste to get the eating over with, forgotten to chew.
    "Aleu!" Clara screeched.  "What's wrong?"
    Aleu flinched and looked up at Clara. He had been so busy trying to get the meat either back out or farther in, that he hadn't heard her approaching. He tried to tell her that he was choking, but his throat was clogged and he couldn't talk. Little black sparks filled the edge of his vision.
    "Aleu!" Clara screeched.  "Lay on your back!"
    Aleu obeyed. It wasn't exactly like he was in a position to argue. The blackness crept toward the center of his vision, all too quickly.
    "ALEU!" Clara yelled.  "STAY AWAKE!"
    Clara positioned herself, and slammed her shoulder against Aleu's chest.
    The piece of food stuck in Aleu's throat flew out, and Aleu gasped for breath. As soon as he could breathe normally, he scrambled to his feet and made for the nearest exit.
    "Aleu!" Clara jumped in front of him, blocking his run.  "Where do you think you're going?"
    "Dang it," thought Aleu,"I forgot she's faster than me!"
    Aleu hung his head. "I was... leaving?"
    "Why?" Clara growled.
    Aleu shied away from Clara. She was using the same tone his mother had used when he was in trouble. To this day, that tone sent shivers up and down his spine.
    "Because...um..."
    Clara sighed and closed her eyes.
    She used her old tone.
    "Because why?" She asked lightly.
    "Because... I was going back to the room?" Aleu's eye twitched like he always did when he lied, but he tried to hide it.
    "Aleu..." Clara sighed, sadly.  "Why were you running away from me?"  She choked on the last words.
    Aleu sighed. "I don't know. I'm just- so confused. I was walking to meet you, and then next thing I remember, I'm in a human's building, with some pups that I somehow know the names of, hooked up to humans's machines, and having dreams about another pup..."
    "What was the dream about?" Clara asked.  "And who was it?"
    Aleu tried to remember. "I don't remember the pup's name. But I remember that she was talking to me. She wanted me to do something... can't quite remember..."
    Clara bit her lip.
    "The pups are safe," She breathed.  "Tess, Quintin, Lilly, and Sapph are here.  They're with Max."
    Aleu shook his head. "Tess. That was her name. She wanted to know if I wanted a mouse to eat... I told her I wasn't hungry..."
    Aleu pushed past Clara and rushed back the way he had come.
    "And?" Clara pressed.  He wasn't making sense!
    Aleu started to sway. His energy was still low, he hadn't had a chance to digest the meat he had eaten.
    "I-I don't know... It's so fuzzy..."
    "Aleu, look at what you've done to yourself!" Clara howled in agony.  She saw the faint shine in his eyes ebb away, and his feet looked like the would give way any