Swiftcurrent Creek playing house

Something wasn't quite right. Bazi might have swallowed Haunter's fictional tales like a suckling pup, but Ferdie's lies were the kind that she noticed. He was distant, and moved as though something pained him. Bazi often left for long-distance missions in the early hours, and today was the first time the pair had interacted whilst they were both fully awake in quite a few days. They had barely made a wolf-sized dent in the earth when the older wolf stopped - at the sight of his pitiful smile, Bazi jumped out of the pit and padded closer, ears folded back.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her sweet face marred by concern. "Have you hurt yourself?" Youth and inexperience made her assume that physical pain was the most likely source of his discomfort.