Low growls broke through the happy moment and the emerald pupils floating in the distance, blanketed in the black between the trees multiplied. She dropped the ration to the floor and nuzzled herself in my waist. I finished off the nip of whiskey and pulled out the service weapon. She backed away again, but I patted her on the head.

"This ain't for you...it's for the wolves."

"Wolves?" she swallowed spit after she said it.

"Lobos."

"Lobos?"

"Stop ...