Waterfowl

In Farstep's world, there was no room for undue aggression. The wolves he had grown up with would attempt to kill a trespassing enemy alien regardless of that alien's allegiance, for no pack was known to band with another pack there, but they didn't often wander outside their range to harass wolves in the outside areas. To do so invited injury, and eliminating a wolf that did not directly concern them had never been worth the risk.

He therefore reacted predictably negatively to the other male's approach. He knew instinctively that it was not uncommon for a lone wolf to be given a chance by the opposite sex. Though they would have danced the dance of dominance all the same, in the end, he would have conceded to a bitch. However, Njal's hefty build belonged to a male wolf, and Farstep interpreted the other's approach as aggressive. There was a natural competition between same-sex wolves even in neutral lands, which would have explained why the lone wolf stiffened and raised the volume of his growl.

But he was cut off suddenly by a scent on the wind. He was upwind of Njal, which necessarily placed Majesty upwind of him. Nostrils flaring, the lone wolf stiffly turned himself to stand perpendicular to the slowly approaching Njal so that he could seek out the second wolf and determine its status without leaving himself entirely unguarded.