Swiftcurrent Creek A branch became a blade of dignity

A better creature might have viewed Mahler's reaction and been hit in the chest with a mallet of guilt, but not Wylla. Her tail twitched back and forth as she watched him crouch and then scuttle away, all the while pinning her ears high over her head. It wasn't that he had done anything to wrong her, but he was the unfortunate specter who was now taking the blame for it simply by being here. Wylla was as illogical and unthinking as they came when throwing blame around. As long as the crosshair wasn't on her or her brothers, she didn't care who got hit by stray bullets; Mahler was the unfortunate victim of redirection.

She stared coldly at the spot he had disappeared for a short while, then stooped to collect the remainder of her rabbit. She found a place somewhere near the creek to bury it, marked it with a quick scrape of her paws for a pack mate to enjoy, and then retired to her den with an ear in her jaws for Tiercel's amusement.