Zuko sat on his favorite rock as he watched Snowfire and Fleck return he jumped down and greeted them.

"Ash was lucky to stumble upon a den of rabbits and managed to kill three. There over there," He pointed with his muzzle to a pile of half eating carcasses. "You can eat if you're hungry."

"Yumm." Said Snowfire and trotted over to the carcasses, with Fleck following. Zuko watched them go with a creeping sensation crawling over his spine. He turned around and thought he saw a movement in the bushes.

Zuko motioned for Ash to follow, and they both crept into the woods. Zuko saw a movement, and throwing all precaution to the wind, pounced on it. There was a terrified squeal. Zuko let go and studies the little wolf before him. He was not in his pack. The little wolf was white, save for red splotches over his body. His left ear had been cut to ribbons, and he was limping. Ash growled behind him.

"What are you doing on our territory?" The little wolf, a couple months old, whined pityingly and backed up into the tree.

"I was walking through…My parent were caught by hunters a long way off, so I was left alone to fend for myself!"

"What happened to your siblings?" asked Zuko

"They all died!" moaned the wolf. His eyes darted left and right quickly, as if he expected a grizzle to pop out of nowhere. "Two were also taken by the hunters, and the one I traveled with got attacked by another wolf."

No matter how much Zuko felt pitying the little wolf, he couldn't. And no matter how much he knew he should attack it, he couldn't.

"You have to go." He growled. "Follow the stream and it will lead you out of our territory. Don't look back, or we'll come after you."

The wolf nodded and took off after the river like a lightning bolt. Ash looked at him. "Why didn't you teach that runt a lesson?" he asked in a high pitched voice.

"It was a cub!" Zuko growled. "I wasn't going to attack it because it became lost in our territory. It looked half starved as it was." He turned around and started walking back to camp. "It isn't going to last much longer any way."

Ash growled and charged him. Zuko swung around at the last second and dodged him.

"You've become too soft, Zuko." Ash growled. "I challenge you for leadership of this pack!"

The camp went silent as they waited to Zuko's answer. Zuko stood tall and looked over at Ash.

"I accept your challenge."

The two wolves made a clearing in the center of camp. The other wolves stood around it, watching with nervous eyes. Zuko waited for Ash to attack. He knew the wolves fighting style. He attacked without mercy, but had a weak spot that only he knew about.

Ash snarled and lunged at Zuko, teeth bared. Zuko ran into him headfirst, and they collided in a fury of biting and scratching. Ash dug his claws into Zuko's side, and ripped out tender flesh. Zuko kicked Ash off of him, and pounced. He bit his neck, immobilizing him. Ash scratched with his paws, scoring marks on Zuko's Muzzle. He hit Zuko's lip, which made him let go, then grabbed his side fur. Ash tore viciously at the skin until Zuko slid under him and bit his left leg. Ash whined and let go. He fell to the ground, with Zuko on his back. Zuko was snarling, blood oozing from his face and side.

"Ash, you are banned from the pack for three days for fighting a pack leader and losing. Fend for yourself outside of our territory, and if you enter, I will show you that I am not soft.