“Besides,” Jackson continued, “the Hope pup is settling in, learning the land and how to take care of herself. And it’s different now, isn’t it? The Intuits are more interested in talking to us, exchanging information about the prophet pups, asking what would be helpful for the ones they’re looking after. It’s not just a weekly visit to the trading post anymore.”

“And you’re the leader they talk to.” Simon nodded. “Like Joe is talking to the Intuits in Prairie Gold.”

“You and your Meg showed Others and Intuits that it’s possible to really work together.”

“Not all humans feel that way,” Simon warned.

“Not all the terra indigene feel that way either.” Jackson picked up one of the tennis balls and frowned. “Don’t think you want to put this in with the clean ones.”

“We’ll take those two with us and put the carry sack with the clean balls in the garage attached to the Sanguinati’s house.” When they were ready to leave, Simon called the juvenile Wolves. <Time to go back to Lakeside.>

<We’re not done sniffing!> <We could stay here and help guard the bison.>

Help chase the bison was more like it. Trouble was, the bison knew about wolves; these young Wolves knew just enough about bison to get themselves into serious trouble. And two packs of juveniles with no adults of any kind around? Not going to happen.

<Get in the van,> he growled.

They returned, looking sufficiently chastened. Simon suspected that had less to do with actual obedience and more to do with not being banned from the next outing.

<You’re disappointed that I’m not going to stay,> Jackson said when Simon drove away from the community.

<Yes. But I wouldn’t want to relocate and leave Meg, so I understand why you don’t want to leave the Hope pup on her own.>

<I had an aptitude for holding the human form and for understanding many of the things they use, but I didn’t want to run a Courtyard or even live in one. Not like you did. Now I deal with more humans and human things in a week than I used to face in a whole season.>

<Humans do have a way of sticking to you. Like burrs.>

Jackson laughed quietly. <But a few humans are worth the prickles.>

Simon thought of the way Sam looked when he was with Meg, how much the pup had grown since that first night he’d caught her scent and curiosity had quieted fear. And he thought of how he felt about having Meg as a friend. <Yes, some of them are worth the prickles.>

•••

Meg crumpled that day’s issue of the Lakeside News and threw it into a corner of the sorting room. Then she retrieved it and smoothed it out before placing it in the wire bin she used for the recycled newspapers.