Hushed Willows the rocks in the hills are covered in gold

His ears pinged up, and so did the rest of his body a half-inch or so, like a cat that has just seen a cucumber stalking up behind it. A scolding little cackle was softened by the wheeling of his brushy tail, but he still showed her his teeth in a wide gape just for a moment. This was not wolf language, and Dusty Rose did not mean to threaten except in jest.

"You oughta announce yourself," he grouched, but his tail had not stilled, and there was a coyote grin on his face. "I'm burying treasure, as it happens. When we thaw out, the kids can hunt’m up. We'll tell 'em they're dragon bones."

He smacked the bone with his paw, sending it skittering into the shallow dish.

"Whatcha up to, Shady-girl?" he asked her, glancing over to shoot her a smile as he began scraping dirt back over the bone. "Time for another dance lesson?"