The Heartwood Why Did It Have to be Thunder?

Unfortunately for Red, Ptarmigan's behaviour was a combination of arrogance and self-entitlement, much of it having little to do with being a purebred wolf. She thought because she was larger (read: equal size if not slightly taller), she was more entitled. She was obviously smarter (in her mind), so she was more entitled. Overall, Ptarmigan thought she was better, and probably would have thought that if it was a huge towering Mackenzie Valley wolf hidden in those tree roots.

That wasn't to say instinct wasn't a part of it. The girl moved back a step or two, peeling her lips further over her gums and growling lowly for the other to remove itself. It would become a game of will, no doubt. The coywolf was safely wedged in the tree roots, although its subtle cries could be heard even out there in the open, while Ptarmigan, exposed to the brewing storm, was determined to get the space the coywolf occupied. Whichever gave in to fear first would lose.