Haunted Wood see no [more] evil

His mother could not hear him; he had made sure she could not when he had left her side to sever his infected eye, but there was no place for that logic in his frantic state. He pressed himself tight to the tree, as if he could merge into its trunk and be sheltered by it. The fox shouted at him, and with another incoherent scream he threw his head forward, snapping his teeth in a futile attempt to defend himself. The rest of the fox's words fell on unlistening ears, as he was convinced that he was going to die. Truly, since the bear attack, there seldom had been a moment that he did not believe death was imminent.

His mother could not hear him; but someone else had. He heard the crash of the brush around him as another wolf (he registered this much) charged in, snarling at the fox to leave him. He turned his eyeless, torn face into the tree trunk, flattening his ears and willing it all to be over, for him to be back at his mother's side, to be safe.

The wolf spoke to him, and at first he did not respond. He could not even tell if the fox had gone as he turned his face toward his guardian. He was still gripped with fear, and his muzzle crinkled in distrust at the wolf. But something urged him to trust, and, stuttering as he trembled, he replied first with his name, "S-s-s-swift." He lapsed into silence for another moment as his ears twisted erratically, trying desperately to hear everything at once, and he breathed noisily through his nose as he attempted to do the same with scent. "There's bears!" He bark-squeaked, remembering they were out there somewhere. "I need Mom! Bazi!"