琼·克雷格黑德·乔治

Kapu suddenly pricked up his ears and looked toward the Avalik River. With a swing of his tail he bounded down the embankment and trotted along the shore to meet Willow Pup Julie.

“Kapu，” she called. “Kapu， Im back.” He knew why she had come. He did not take time to adjust to her presence but let her scramble up the embankment to the playground.

“Ee-lie.” She dropped to her knees. “The little pups are sick.”

She picked up listless Tiny Whimper. Silver and Aaka watched intently. Willow Pup Julie whimpered wolf pup talk and stroked the little head. She held one limp paw between her fingers.

“Kapu，” she said， “I must take the pups home， all right？ I will feed them rich milk from bottles. When they are strong， I will return them to you.” Kapu stared into her eyes. He understood her intent by the mothering tone in her voice. He did not take the pup back， nor did Silver come for them. Julie tucked fragile Tiny Whimper into her parka and glanced at Aaka and Sweet Fur Amy to see if they objected. They did not reach for the puppy. Their alpha had not， so they would not. Kapu was beginning to direct the behavior of the pack. The pups would go with Willow Pup Julie. Although they responded to Kapus wish， each individual quickly expressed its feelings. Aaka walked to Kapus side and nuzzled his chin. Sweet Fur Amy took a deep breath of Julie in through her nostrils and relaxed her tail and face. The pups were in loving hands. Silver lay wearily on her side， and Raw Bones slunk off to the top of the embankment， put his head on his paws， and rumbled a protest from deep in his chest. Zing， the loyal beta， kept his eye on the disgruntled Raw Bones， whose rank was about to sink to an all-time low without the pups.

Kapu was close to achieving the highest form of wolf government—leadership that holds strong individuals together but allows for personalities and feelings. Kapu was close to greatness. He lifted his head high.

Feeling the pack was with her， Willow Pup Julie put No Growl into her parka with Tiny Whimper and pressed them close to her body.

“Theyll be all right，” she said， locking her gaze on Silvers golden eyes. The mother looked away. After a moment she turned and looked unblinkingly into Julies eyes. “Trust” was the message. With a soft whimper of affection， Willow Pup Julie walked down the embankment to the rivers edge and strode off along it. Released from ice by the sun， the water chortled and leaped beside her， accompanying her happy song—“Pups， little pups， little pups.”

卡普突然竖起耳朵，朝着阿瓦里克河方向看去。他甩了甩尾巴，大步跑下河堤，然后沿着河边小跑着去迎接柳树娃朱莉。

“卡普，”朱莉喊道，“卡普，我回来了。”卡普知道朱莉为什么回来。他没有来得及问候朱莉，就让她爬上河堤来到狼群的家门口。

“哎呀，”朱莉跪到地上，说，“小狼崽儿们病了。”

朱莉抱起无精打采的小啜泣。银白和阿卡在一旁专注地看着。柳树娃朱莉一边抚摸着小狼崽儿的头，一边呜呜地学狼崽儿的叫声。朱莉握着一只无力的狼爪。

“卡普，”她说，“我必须把狼崽儿带回家，好吗？我会拿瓶子喂他们好奶水。等他们长得强壮了，就把他们还给你。”卡普盯着朱莉的眼睛看。从朱莉慈爱的声音里，卡普明白了朱莉的意图。卡普没有夺回狼崽儿，银白也没有跑过来抢夺。朱莉把脆弱的小啜泣裹到自己的大衣里，又瞥了一眼阿卡和香毛艾米，看她们是不是反对。她们也没有过来抢夺狼崽儿。她们的头狼没有这么做，她们也不会。卡普已经开始主导狼群的行为。狼崽儿们会被柳树娃朱莉带走。他们顺从了卡普的意愿，但每一只狼也都很快表示出自己的感情。阿卡走到卡普身边，用鼻子蹭了蹭他的下巴。香毛艾米用鼻子深吸了一口朱莉的气味，然后尾巴放松了，脸上的表情也放松了。狼崽儿是交到富有爱心的人手里了。银白疲惫地侧卧在地上。而生骨偷偷溜到河堤高处，头趴在前爪上，胸腔深处发出咕噜声，表示抗议。津，忠诚的副头领，盯着心怀不满的生骨。……