“I’m going to open the pen and let her go, but first I want to make sure he’s going to take his pack far away from here.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“I don’t know.”

The ranger stood at the door to the pen, but did not open it. The wolf moved toward the door. When the door didn’t open, she turned back and circled the pen.

“Come gather ’round me,” said the ranger. “Let’s show the werewolf I have a pack too.”

They all stepped out from behind the woodpile—Phyllis taking a spot to the ranger’s right; Harlan, Tora, and Noble taking up positions to his left.

The ranger looked around. “Where’s Argus?”

“He went out,” said Harlan.

“Where?”

“For a run.”

The ranger was visibly upset by the news, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it. “We’ll deal with him later,” he said. “Right now I’ve got to talk to a werewolf. Any suggestions?”

“Maybe it speaks English?” said Tora.

Harlan shook his head. “It’s only been partly human for a few days. It couldn’t possibly know the language already.”

“And I’m no Dr. Dolittle,” said the ranger.

“What about sign language?” Phyllis asked.

“I don’t know sign language,” responded the ranger.

The werewolf took several steps forward, halving the distance between them.

“Not real sign language,” Phyllis said. “But maybe you could use hand signals and gestures to ‘talk’ to him.”

“Worth a try, I guess,” said the ranger.

He thought for a few moments, then said, “I’m Ranger Brock.” As he said it, he placed an open hand on his chest. “Ranger Brock.”

The werewolf watched, unmoving.

“And this is my pack.” He pointed to the others.

The werewolf’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to understand.

“You,” he said, pointing to the werewolf. Then he pointed to the wolves behind him in the forest. “Your pack.”

The werewolf turned to look at the members of his pack, who had crept up to the edge of the forest to watch.

“So far so good,” said Phyllis.

“I don’t know,” said the ranger.

“Keep going,” said Noble. “I think you’re making sense to him.”

The ranger took a deep breath. “Me and my pack,” he said, pointing to himself and the others, “we belong here.” He gestured to the house, the garage, and the land in between.

He pointed to the werewolf and the wolves. “You and your pack…must go far away.” He raised his bent right arm, then extended it to suggest a place well beyond the mountain. He repeated the motion several times, then, out of ideas, the ranger just stood there.

The werewolf took a step forward.