Ankyra Sound VIII. Standing in the back door crying, now you're going to need a friend.

The salty ocean air blew against her face as Sugar approached a stretch of trees and decided to stop and rest for a while. She had been traipsing north along the coastline the past few days, still hoping to find Penn and Fennec, her movements slowed a bit by a fresh wave of grief. She felt extremely weary as she padded beneath the leafy canopy, eager to seek out somewhere cool and shady to catch a nap.

As she looked for someplace to settle, the unmistakable scent of blood threaded through the sea breeze. Sugar stilled, tilting her pink snout into the air to assess the smell. Without being aware of it, she began moving toward its origin. Her little white paws carried her to the forest's far edge on a sharp bluff overlooking a strand of beach below. Her ears thrust forward, picking up on the sounds of voices, though she couldn't see anything from up here.

Sugar crept carefully down the side of the cliff, skulking onto the beach toward a sort of grotto. Her black eyes squinted as she took in the scene unfolding inside. There was quite a commotion, centered around a dark figure sprawled on the sand. Even from back here, Sugar could see the blood, though she couldn't make out the two babes. She wondered if this was a small pack, perhaps attacking an intruder. She naturally wanted to render aid, though she hesitated, fearing danger. There were four wolves moving around in agitation, not counting the injured one (and the pups she didn't realize were there)...

Make that three, she thought as one of the larger, white wolves disembarked. Sugar's gaze tracked his movements for a moment before returning center stage. They didn't appear to be in attack mode. She made up her mind when the other pale figure hastily left only to return with something green in his mouth.

Standing up straighter, Sugar's tiny toes dug into the sand as she shouted, "Hello, I'm a medic! Do you need help?"