Lick gazed up at him, her eyes wide. “Blade caught me and started biting and scratching. Then, from nowhere, the air was white. One moment Blade was attacking me; the next it was like I was invisible! The whiteness covered everything and I managed to escape. I don’t know what it was.”

“Fog,” said Alpha.

Lucky remembered how the mist had covered the land. His eyes shot up. The Sun-Dog blinked down at him—there was not a single cloud overhead. He gazed in wonder. Thank you, Sky-Dogs. . . . You heard me; you sent the mist.

Lick swallowed. “I could hear them following me. They were furious that I had escaped. I rubbed myself in leaves and dirt to cover my scent—just like Mickey taught us.” She threw the black-and-white dog a grateful look and he took a step forward.

“You have been so brave,” he told her.

“You’re my Pack,” she replied. She turned to Lucky, then to Alpha. “You’ve always been my Pack. I am not one of them. I am no Fierce Dog. This is the only place for me, and I’ll do whatever it takes to fit in.”

Lucky’s chest burned with pride. Lick was a remarkable little dog—loyal and resilient. “You’ll let her stay, won’t you, Alpha?”

The wolf-dog watched Lick, then turned his yellow eyes on Lucky. “You really believe in this pup, don’t you?”

“She will be a valuable Pack member,” said Lucky. “She won’t harm these dogs. One day she may protect us all with all her courage and passion. There is nothing to fear in letting her stay.” He cocked his head, holding Alpha’s gaze. “I think you see it too. Don’t you?”

Lucky wanted to beg Alpha to let Lick stay—or to bark and howl, to force the dog-wolf somehow—but he controlled himself. He had to let Alpha come to his own decision.

He hates me enough to cast her out again simply to spite me.

Lucky looked around the Pack. There was only tenderness in their faces as they watched Lick. It would all come down to the will of Alpha.

Their leader raised his muzzle, staring out toward the pine trees. Then he looked the other way, beyond the cave and the forest, in the direction of the white ridge.

There was finality in Alpha’s voice when he spoke again. “We have to move now; we have no choice. The Fierce Dogs will soon come after Lick. We leave today.”

“I can stay?” Lick breathed in a small voice, her short tail wagging hopefully.

“You can,” said Alpha. “We will see if you can be all that Omega has promised. The Pack needs loyal fighters, dogs who are brave and strong. For now, you should rest and clean your wounds. We must depart before the Sun-Dog greets the lake.”