Verdigris Ravine we both knew it was true

could one be coyote without a wry sense of self? qiao listened with a canted ear. the tribe spoke of promising prospect: coyotes banding together in the face of the elements, ungovernable save for their own order they placed there.

it would have appealed to the old crone save one provoking thought: no hierarchy.

that would not do for qiao, who thrived on order and in turn, sought to subtly work the underpinnings of authority wherever she settled. if your tribe becomes a pack, who leads? s'ari was given the full benefit of her attention, from fluted ears down to the perfect way her wind-whipped pelt shimmered smoothly in the moonlight.