On the line

she watched the coal-doused wolf, noticing the heavy scarring on his strong-featured muzzle. he supplied an answer politely enough and she was delightfully surprised by his cordial mein. it was not often a wolf, of any variant, engaged in genteel banter.

"on several occasions." the coywolf spoke smoothly, wading from the heady waters towards a rotted root that festered on the embankment. "blackfeather woods was supposed to aid my pack during war." her expression darkened and her voice soured with bitterness. "alas, my pack is no longer -- and blackfeather never showed."