Lion Head Mesa thirty-ninth

Sunspots had a hard time keeping her fur from standing on end. For the first time in his life, he felt anger clouding his submission instinct.

If he could, if there were no more wolves around him and if he had been braver, he surely would have attacked Zaahira. However, his own fears and instincts that he had developed as a puppy prevented him from doing so. He had never scratched another wolf, and he wouldn't start today.

At the same time, however, his loyalty to Khaba (a loyalty he had ultimately broken due to fear) kept him from tucking his tail in front of those wolves. Trying to preserve what little dignity he had left, he jerked his tail and looked away rudely, like a spoiled child.

He had no intention of respecting anyone from that place. Khaba had earned the respect of the Sunspots, but no one in this place deserved that respect. However, hearing Senmut's words, the wolf looked at him, unable to stop his fur from standing on end. "I'm still loyal to Khaba, the only wolf that's really worth it" he snarled, noticing his tail twitching in rage.