The sound of paws crunching over earth caught Lucky’s ears and he leaped up, ears cocked. Something was creeping through the long grass by the bank of the lake. The rhythm of the pawsteps was unmistakable: It was a dog! Lucky puffed himself up to his full height. His eyes shot to the pups, who were still playing a couple of long-strides away. He made a silent oath that he wouldn’t let anything happen to them. Even if the Pack wouldn’t let him back in, he’d escort the pups as far as he could. If danger was coming, this time he would be ready.

CHAPTER TWELVE

The long grass parted and a small, fluffy, white head appeared.

Daisy!

She barked excitedly, spinning, bounding across the grass, and leaping in the air.

“Lucky! Lucky! I knew you’d come back! And you brought Mickey, too!”

Lucky felt a burst of happiness. He bounded toward her with Mickey at his side. “Daisy!” he barked, his tail thrashing the air. “We thought you’d all left!”

She lowered her head as Lucky and Mickey leaped around her, giving her delighted licks. “I’m so sorry,” she whined. “We should never have let you go. . . .”

“We came back, but you’d disappeared!” Mickey told her.

Daisy raised her head, her eyes sparkling. “They said you were gone for good, but I knew you would come back!” she barked. “I just knew—” Her happy howl died away as her eyes settled on something behind Lucky and Mickey.

Lucky spun around. The three pups were watching.

Daisy whined and took a step back. “What are they doing here?”

Wiggle trotted up to stand beside Lucky, but did not take his eyes off Daisy. Lucky greeted him with a lick to the nose.

“I can smell fear. . . .” Wiggle whined. “Just like Mickey when he first met us.”

Mickey heard him and took a step toward the pup. “I’m not scared anymore,” he soothed.

“But you were at first,” Wiggle barked. “Why were you scared of us?”

Mickey looked to Lucky, who was thinking about what to say. How do we tell them that their parents were killers? Grunt seemed to know that he was a Fierce Dog—but did he understand everything that meant?

The larger male pup trod past them toward Daisy, who backed away. Her fear scent wafted on the air.

Grunt growled: “It’s because we’re getting bigger every day. Soon we will be huge, just like Mother and the other dogs in our camp. Then no dog will dare to challenge us.” Although his voice was thin and high, Daisy shrank, her tail clinging to her flank.

Lucky felt a shiver run through his body. So he does understand, he thought.

“Lucky,” Daisy whined, staring hard at him, “did you steal Fierce Dog pups?”

“It wasn’t like that. We brought them with us because we had no choice,” he answered.