The giantfur watched, but made no move to get closer. Lucky started to speak in a soft, gentle voice. “Daisy, when I say so, start taking small steps back along the rock wall, away from the giantfur. The same goes for you pups—just very small steps. Not yet,” he warned, as he saw Wiggle panic and turn to run along the side of the rock. Wiggle froze.

“Only when Lucky says so,” Daisy confirmed. Standing alongside her, Lick dipped her head in acknowledgment. Even Grunt was silent.

“Omega and I will take small steps back too,” Alpha said, not taking his eyes off the giantfur. “Nothing sudden that could alarm him.”

Lucky gave a nod. “Just give the signal.”

The giantfur was still glaring between Alpha and Lucky. He lifted one forepaw.

“Now!” urged Alpha.

“Remember, small steps!” Lucky whined, struggling to keep his voice quiet. He and Alpha started creeping away from the giantfur. Daisy took her cue to shuffle along the wall, Lick and Wiggle following her. Grunt made no move to withdraw. He seemed rooted to the spot, his little body rippling with tension.

The giantfur watched as Alpha and Lucky retreated. He seemed to have forgotten about the other dogs by the rocks. He lowered his muzzle and licked his paw, sucking off every last speck of amber liquid. After a moment he dropped down onto all fours with a thud. Then he turned toward the forest and started plodding away.

“He’s leaving!” whispered Lucky, his body flooding with relief.

Alpha wasn’t so quick to celebrate. “Not if your Fierce Dog stops him. . . .”

Grunt was stepping forward, barking: “Get out of here! You’re no match for dogs! The enemy never wins against a true warrior!”

Lucky could hardly believe what he was seeing. The pup had obviously taken the giantfur’s retreat as a sign of weakness. “No, Grunt!” he yelped, but the little dog ignored him.

“See what happens if you try to come back!” Grunt was barking.

“Silence, pup!” Alpha snarled.

The giantfur stopped in his tracks and spun around, his eyes fixed on Grunt. He rose onto his hindpaws once more, flexing his claws, then lunged over the pup and roared so loud that the whole world seemed to rumble with a curious thunder. Lucky dove toward Grunt and dragged the pup away from the giantfur.

“Let’s get out of here!” he barked, not caring how loud his voice was now. “Run to the camp! Go!”

“This way!” Alpha barked to Daisy. He bolted around the rocks and she ran after him, glancing back to make sure that Lick and Wiggle were close behind. They scampered this way and that through the rocks, and wound their way back into the forest, disappearing between tree trunks and thickets of green foliage.