The boy released his hold on Hudson’s jaws and the man stepped back, his muzzle wrinkled in disgust. He raised a paw to brush the spit from his skin, his eyes still narrowing into slits. Every part of him wanted to go back in for me, to try his chances and put the kid’s face down in the dirty. But he reminded himself that he hadn’t eaten in who knew how long and, therefore, he was weaker than normal and still trying to push off the effects of whatever the humans had done to him. It was better to try and scavenge somewhere else than let his pride get to him. “Hope you choke on it,” he said with a snarl, spitting at the ground in front of him before turning and trotting off, his tail still curled over his back.

Fade