Sleepy Fox Hollow Boy of Surf and Sea

A more reasonable wolf would sense the shades of distress in Etienne's response. A more charitable wolf would seek to reassure the boy, see his side of things, maybe even consider the possibility that her child was not infallible.

Wylla was not a reasonable or charitable wolf.

I was not born yesterday, she hissed, unsatisfied with the way Etienne dodged her question and claimed innocence. Others have come to join our pack and not caused tension the way you have. It comes from somewhere. There were other factors to Anselm's recent surliness, not least of all his hormones, but Wylla was not aware of those. She attributed all of it to Etienne by virtue of timing alone.

Before Etienne: Anselm was a sweet, well-mannered yearling. After Etienne: Anselm was a gathering thunderhead. It was not hard to spot the source.

Try again, she demanded.