through all the pain and the sorrows

Lacking the motivation to hunt, Koda had returned to patrolling on his own. The long walks gave him a lot of time alone, too much time. The more time he passed alone, the more negative his internal dialogue became. The gray wolf didn't realize it, but he was starting to slip into the gray fog of depression.

A rustling ahead grabbed his attention. Someone was on the other side. 'Another intruder?' He groaned to himself. He'd dealt with Raissa at the border the night before. Was Dante's pee not strong enough to deter these loners?

Thinking quickly, Koda ducked behind a tree and waited. Soon, a little nose poked through the undergrowth and scanned the area. After she decided it was safe to come out, the intruder emerged, parking her butt just inside plateau territory.

Koda stepped out from behind the trunk. "Hey!" he shouted, hoping to scare the little wolf. "You get your butt back over that border!"