Bramblepoint loyalty, loyalty, loyalty

The struggle was too difficult; she could not seem to pin the squirming coyote long enough to place a bite, much less a life-ending one. But the other she-wolf swooped in and deftly struck the fatal blow. The ripe, hot scent of blood flooded Towhee's nostrils as the coyote jerked beneath her, then went abruptly limp. Breathing heavily, the Xi backed off the carcass, ears folding backward as she regarded the carnage for a long beat before glancing up at her makeshift teammate.

She didn't know what to think of the impromptu partnership. Before Towhee could come up with something to say, she sensed the thudding of feet behind her and pivoted to see a worried Raven racing up to her. "Towhee!" her elder sister cried, braking to a halt and nosing the pup even as she eyed the other wolf warily and then glanced down at the slain coyote. "You don't run away like that!" The words gushed out of Raven so quickly that Towhee could only scarcely read her lips, yet she could guess enough from the caregiver's expression and posture.

-Sorry!- she signed quickly, tail drooping. -It's the same coyote that attacked me before!- she then rushed to explain, pausing before gesturing at the blue-eyed stranger and turning to face her. This time, she spoke out loud for the other girl's benefit. "We worked together." There was no particular tone to her words—such a thing meant nothing to Towhee—but there was a bit of a begrudgingly respectful look in her eye as she inwardly marveled again at collaborating with a total stranger and outsider.