Great Bear Wilderness intaka yakha ngoboya benye

"Something wrong" didn't even scrape the tip of the ice-berg that was the extensive laundry list of "things wrong" with Belharra's faculties. She fancied she even detected that very thought as it marched across the red wolf's face, pretty as you please despite the little smile that accompanied it. She straightened up, her gaze suddenly flinty.

"Oh no," Belharra clucked in disapproval, eyes narrowing. "I've got a bit of sense in me yet, I played that trick often enough I know what happens next." He meant to lure her, maybe even to snatch at her neck as she dove for the snake. She was hungry, but not that hungry. She had lived long enough to know, maybe a bit too intimately, what happened next. Puffing out her chest and standing straight, Belharra shook her head. "Ye's get better luck gettin' blood from stone, I suppose. I'll just be on my way." Belharra made painfully obvious motions that she was going to leave - whether he even understood was another matter.