Sorry I haven't been writing this, if you wanted to see more. I'm not the most inspired these days.

Late August-Early October

The dogs were finding it impossible to breathe for the humidity that night. Yet tonight was the night when three appointments were due by Sterling. Kyra waited in her instructed spot for the assembly, examining her paws.

A flash of silver and Sterling was in the center of the crowd. "It has come to my attention that there's a soldier deserving a promotion in our ranks. Lilah, to me."

Kyra looked up to see a massive brindled-and-white bitch striding over. Her coat was sleek and glossy, with muscles rippling and flexing underneath. Lilah stopped in front of Sterling and dipped her head low.

Sterling's black eyes were empty as she spoke to the soldier. "In your most recent battle, you protected some healers from a black bear. It's not many dogs who are capable of fending off a bear with no assistance. And now that you've recovered, it is time to promote you to master."

Lilah shifted, and for the first time, Kyra noticed four claw-scars that must have been from the bear. A thrill ran down her spine and tingled in her paws.

The soldiers' masters came forward to stand just behind Lilah, ready to receive her. The pack leader went on: "With the approval of her guild, this pack acknowledges Lilah the soldier as a master of her trade. Now face your dogs, Lilah."

As soon as she did, the soldiers swarmed her in a barking, wiggling frenzy. Lilah was borne along through the pack's camp by a flood of dogs as muscular as she.

"Close your mouth, Kyra," croaked a retired dog. "Not a good look."

Kyra shook out her fur, embarrassed. Turning her eyes back to Lilah and the soldiers, she was struck with a wild longing for that kind of camaraderie. All in good time, she reminded herself. She and Brigitte were here to get officially recognized by the guilds tonight. They weren't just pups anymore!

"Brigitte," Sterling said.

Kyra felt Brigitte tremble. She scrambled into the open in front of Sterling, her tail thrashing. Several of the pack snorted.

"With your consent you have been placed with the healer guild, and Saffron will train you in their ways."

The yellow bitch whined and trotted forth, wiggling with glee. Brigitte wagged her tail, falling easily into place at her side. There seemed to be general approval, though Kyra caught a muttered accusation of Sterling's nepotism. As Brigitte and Saffron melted back into the crowd, Kyra waited.

"Kyra."

Oh God.

"With your consent"—bullshit—"you have been placed with the huntsdog guild." I'm here because my father is the lieutenant. I have noble blood, too noble for the ruffians and flower sniffers. Isn't that right, Sterling? "Drake will train you in their ways."

WHO?!

Again there were murmurs, this time of Kyra's great privilege. She whipped her head around, eyes bugging, as Drake emerged from the huntsdogs. His fur, sleek and wiry, was chestnut-and-white roan. Every feature of his face from jaw to nose seemed perfectly angular. His amber eyes seemed to cut all the dogs to their very bones.

There was no instant chemistry, as Brigitte had seemed to feel for Saffron. Kyra was deeply intimidated. Perhaps this was proper for a dog of Drake's status, just under Mulberry.

Drake bristled, growing impatient.

Kyra forced her legs into action and walked with him. The pack's tension eased, but not completely.

"That is all." Sterling turned away, leaving her dogs to mill about.

The huntsdogs congregated, with Kyra included for the first time. She looked at her new master. He certainly was an important dog. Everyone was in her ear about how lucky she was to have him!

The soldiers appreciated Lilah just as much—maybe even more. They were being rowdy, barking, and tail wagging. It all seemed so much more natural to Kyra, not at all like the affected niceties offered to Drake. She wanted very much to be near Rose as usual, but that would be a breach of etiquette considering her age and new status.

They were not with the party long. Drake brought Kyra to her new den, where a nest already waited for her. "You'll need to be well rested for your first sessions," he told her. "You'll be more active than ever. The first phase of any training is physical conditioning."

Kyra wagged her tail. "So you'll make me run laps?"

"And I'll make you swim."

She gaped at him. "I've never been in water like that."

"Close your mouth. You look like a coyote. Learning to swim will make you strong and swift." Drake turned away. "But tomorrow we will see all the hunting grounds."

In her nest, Kyra nosed her shoulder. The muscles felt soft. She knew they didn't ripple when she walked as the grown dogs' did. How much swimming could get one to look like Lilah? Though she suspected enormous muscles were not the "elegant" look desirable for a huntsdog.

Brigitte slept beside her. At least she had some comfort in the new environment. Sleep followed suit.

Training began with difficulty, but Kyra adjusted with the aid of Drake-enforced consistency. As she grew stronger, he adjusted her regimen. Hunting was often a slow process, with more time spent tracking than killing, but oh! how exhilarating it was to make her kills.

On a cooler day, as the trees were starting to flush orange, Kyra and Drake loped behind a marking party of soldiers.

One of the soldiers, a blue-merle dog, looked over his shoulder at them. "How many caches have you made in this trip now? I lost count."

"Impressive huntsdog you're turning out to be," Lilah added, to Kyra.

OH. MY. GOD. "It's Drake's good training," she said. Stay humble.

"Don't I know it!" Drake lifted his muzzle, not humbly.

Well, damn.

With nose still in the air, Drake tensed. "Canine blood."

"Just canine?" demanded Lilah. "Dog? Coyote?"

"It smells mixed," Drake growled. "Like a coydog. Or a fight between a dog and coyote."

"Please let's go break it up, Lilah," one of the soldiers whined. "My claws are itching."

"We're here to mark," said Lilah. "If we have to go out of our way for this, it isn't worth it."

"Can't you tell it's near?" Drake's eyes were practically bugging. "We should go now! It won't take more than a few leaps."

"Even the huntsdogs are raring to go!"

"Then let's make this quick," grunted Lilah, bounding away. Her underlings followed, yapping their glee, and Drake stayed close to Kyra. Her mouth felt dry and she shook for fear of what they might find.

This won't have a time jump. It will pick up where we left off.