“That’s the thing. It wasn’t only the earth that was scarred and altered,” whined Mickey miserably. “It has changed the dogs who walk on it.” He sniffed the ground. “Earth-Dog, what happened to you?” He pawed the ground a moment and sighed, turning his shining, dark eyes to Lucky. “I was wrong to leave the Pack and come back here. I realize now that we have nothing left but each other.” Mickey tilted his head. “Lucky, I’m sorry I was so unfriendly when you arrived. It was those horrible longpaws, and you took me by surprise, that’s all. I’m glad to see you but . . . why are you here? Did you leave the Pack too?”

Lucky looked away, beyond his friend, to the dust that still swirled around the broken home.

“I had to go, Mickey.” He shivered when he remembered how Alpha had thrown him out. None of the dogs had stood their ground against the half wolf, not even the Leashed Dogs. He didn’t want to talk about that now.

“I know, I know, you’re a ‘Lone Dog,’” Mickey barked. “But you relied on longpaws as much as we did. With them all gone, maybe there’s no place for Lone Dogs anymore? The Pack is our family now. We need to go back, Lucky. We need to tell them that we made a mistake.”

Lucky swallowed, his throat dry. He was happy that Mickey was ready to leave this place of death and decay. Mickey would be safer in the Pack. But the dogs would never allow Lucky to come back. He felt a sad weight on his chest.

“You’re right; this is no place for a dog anymore,” he said. The city was poisoned. Nothing could live here for long.

Mickey was gazing at him, a twinkle in his brown eyes and his tail thumping the ground. “It’s not that far, Lucky. We both made it in good time, didn’t we? If we hurry, we could even be there by next no-sun.” He rose to his paws, panting.

There was genuine cheerfulness in his face. Lucky couldn’t remember the last time he had seen it. He’s so happy because he doesn’t feel lost anymore. He’s finally accepted that his longpaws have gone. I can’t tell him now that the Pack forced me out, not yet.

Lucky rose to his paws. “If you really want to go back . . . well, I’ll come some of the way with you.”

Mickey barked excitedly, licking Lucky’s ears.

“I can’t rejoin the Pack, though,” Lucky added quickly.