Bramblepoint Self-appraisal

Dash crumpled into a diminished underdog, Steady literally LIFTED him off the ground like a rabbit, and Mason felt his heart pull. Was this all his fault? Steady better let go! Mason couldn’t be responsible for someone else getting hurt.!  Especially not someone who had tried to help him so readily and who had been so nice.
 
Thankfully some of his words seemed to be getting through to his Uncle. Steady dumped Dash unceremoniously on the ground. Seeing that his mentor was no longer fully intent on blood-lust, Mason skittered forward to nuzzle Steady swiftly under the chin, in both deference and thanks. He had also conveniently positioned himself between the two other men.
 
Mason knew about stranger-danger, but Dash had seemed nice enough. Unless there was some odd feud between the two darker wolves, Mason was pretty sure that Steady had just been worried for his safety.
 
“It’s okay, look, I’m fine.” Mason struck a silly pose to show off his fine-ness, but the scared tone in his voice was still evident to everyone. Mason turned his back on Steady (he had nothing to fear) and reached out to gently touch Dash with his nose. “Are you okay?” he asked breathlessly, hoping that Dash didn’t simply turn tail and run. Was Mason going to be too much drama to ever get a friend?