The Heartwood thief

The other wolf did not quaver beneath Peregrine's heavy stare, speaking in an easy, unaffected southern drawl. He almost felt he'd made a mistake in his snap judgment, though he was too stubborn to admit it, even to himself. This same stubbornness of spirit made him hold his tongue at the strange remark about being scared, though as the pale beast began to retreat away into the forest, Peregrine broke character and called out after him. He couldn't help himself.

"What do you mean, 'if you was scared'? I legit don't know what that means. Scared of what?" Unsure whether the other canine would acknowledge him or simply continue on his way, Peregrine paused for a moment, puzzled, vaguely annoyed and muttering under his breath.