I am a thief, Noble mentally repeated as Sahalie cried out for her. The sound came through the tight press of black ears. This young pup didn't want her, not really. She wanted that other wolf, that Zera. Still, it was hard to not feel terrible as the little girl continued to search for her. The dejection was obvious and it made the rain seem all the more colder.

The yearling hesitated, watching as the girl shuffled along the dark borders. She wasn't sure why she had bothered staying, and was even less sure why she was not leaving right this very moment. There was nothing she could have done if the girl had become lost or injuried. Sahalie was more familiar with the territory than the adult and Noble would have been the exact wrong sort to alert any pack wolf. But, after several very strained minutes, Sahalie had come back.

Noble apprehensively followed the arc of something falling several lengths away. In the dark and with the girls anguish so evident, Noble had not noticed the squirrel. She searched through the wet, dark ears twitching at the muttered parting words. It took several moments before her  nose pressed into the sodden squirrel. Her eyes flew up in shock, had the girl meant to toss it to her? But Sahalie was gone now, the forest was wet and lonely once again. Perhaps it was appropriate that Noble not thank for the gift, wasn't she a thief after all? There was no sound as the yearling reached forward and carried the offering away from the Oak Tree Bend borders.