Lucky drew back, trembling. Bruno’s eyes had lost their glazed, dead look, but he didn’t stir from the ground, and his weak breathing was still a horrible hacking rasp.

“What was that?” whispered Bella. “Lucky, what did you do to him?”

Lucky shook his head. “The sickness had to come out of him, and that was the only way to do it. Old Hunter told me the secret. I never had to use it until now.”

Daisy looked stunned. “But what—what would it have done to him?”

“It can kill a dog,” said Lucky. “But not if he spits it out. Haven’t you heard of this?”

The others exchanged embarrassed glances, and Lucky sighed. “No,” he said. “Your longpaws would just take you to that vet of yours, wouldn’t they? The longpaw-healer?”

“Yes.” Mickey seemed dazed, too. “It’s a good thing you were here, Lucky.”

Bella nuzzled him gratefully. “It is. Or we’d have been giving Bruno to the Earth-Dog along with Alfie.”

“Bruno’s still very sick,” Lucky pointed out, as Bruno tried and failed to lift his great fierce head. “We’ll have to take care of him for a while.” He added quietly to Bella alone, “And Martha’s leg is still healing. Which means we should not be doing any difficult traveling, anyway.”

Bella whined in agreement. “That’s true. But what made Bruno so sick?”

“It must have been the water he drank.”

“I was afraid of that.” Bella’s head dipped for just a moment, but Lucky’s litter-sister was not going to be sad for too long. She picked it up again and addressed the Pack. “Everyone, remember you mustn’t drink the river-water. It is still not safe for dogs.”

The atmosphere was subdued as the others slowly dispersed to investigate their new, temporary territory. Lucky wished there was something he could say to make them all feel better, but what could that be? Without him, they would not have a chance of surviving at all. As long as they needed him, he would have to stay.

However long it takes, he promised himself.

“Lucky! Bella!”

Daisy had wandered away, unwilling to watch poor Bruno’s agony, but now her bark was urgent.

What now? thought Lucky, as a thrill of fear rippled through his skin. If they were under attack, with Bruno so sick and vulnerable, and Martha injured, they were in big trouble. . . .

CHAPTER SEVEN

Lucky’s tense muscles sagged with relief as he turned to see Daisy’s head sticking out of one of the caves. She looked a little excited but unafraid.

“Look in here, quick!” she barked. “And bring Bruno. There’s clean water—really clean. There’s a sort of bowl in the rock, and some rain has gathered.”

“Well spotted, Daisy,” said Bella. “Now let’s get Bruno into the cave. You too, Martha. You need to rest that leg.”

With some difficulty they managed to drag Bruno’s limp bulk into the cave; his claws scrabbled on the cave floor as he tried to help them, but to little effect. Once inside, they managed to roll Bruno onto his belly so that he could lap at the pure rainwater. Only when he and Martha had drunk their fill did the others line up to do the same.