“Keep her on the run, Lucky,” Twitch yelped, and Lucky twitched his ear in irritation—what did the other dog think he was trying to do?

Some dogs were simply yelping their support for Lucky or Snap—and mostly Snap, Lucky noticed. He let his eyes sail briefly over the watching dogs. The only one not barking or yelping encouragement was Omega.

The little dog just sat on his haunches, watching everything through narrowed eyes—somehow as if he wasn’t seeing the fight at all.

Lucky turned back to his opponent, feeling himself beginning to tire. He had to finish this.

As Snap bared her teeth once more, he was ready; he didn’t want those sharp white fangs in his hide again, but he had to tempt her in. This time, when she leaped for him, he didn’t sidestep her but let her fasten on his shoulder, then whipped his head around to grab the same ear he’d wounded before. Snap howled, but Lucky gave her no time to plead with Sweet. He flung her onto her back and pinned her down with a forepaw to her throat. Her legs kicked and scrabbled, but her claws couldn’t reach his belly.

Through a mouthful of ear he snarled, “Yield!”

Snap yelped with pain and fury, but he released her ear only to snatch a fold of skin at her throat. He shook her. “Yield!”

Very suddenly, Snap went limp, and her tail thudded on the ground behind him. She lifted her paws, letting them hang in the air as she sullenly growled, “I yield.”

The clearing was absolutely silent, every pair of eyes fixed on them as Lucky released Snap and stepped back. The tan-and-white dog rolled onto her paws and struggled up, shaking off the indignity. Her flanks heaved, but so did his. They were both panting from the struggle.

A great gray shadow paced between the ranks of watching dogs; it was the first time Lucky had seen Alpha get off his rock for anything other than to eat or sleep, or to fight. Lucky gave him a wary glance, but the dog-wolf sat down on his haunches beside Sweet, looking from one combatant to the other.

“Impressive,” he rumbled, his yellow eye sparking with fire, “for a City Dog. Snap, you are now demoted one rank. Lucky takes your place as hunter.”

Lucky risked eye contact with his defeated opponent. She was expressionless, and for a horrible moment he thought she might fly at him again, or attack when he turned his back. But after one long, cool look, she lowered her ears and dipped her head.

“I will ask him to teach me some of those City Dog moves, Alpha,” she remarked dryly. “Congratulations, Lucky.”

A flood of relief went through him, together with a thrill at his victory. Lucky let his tongue loll, baring his teeth happily, and lowered his head to accept her lick. “I will be glad to show you a few. If you teach me to move as fast as you can.”