Clang! Clatter! Bang! Rattle! "What's all that racket?" Toby wondered. He and Luna peered around the corner to see several dogs knocking a paint can around. One of them was Pete.

"Since when does your brother—"

"Half-brother," Toby corrected her.

"To-may-to, to-mah-to," Luna answered tersely. "My point is, since when do he and his creeps play kick the can?"

At that moment the can bumped against a crate and popped open, dumping out a very dizzy-looking wolf cub. The pack of dogs quickly converged and tried to squash him back into the can. "Hold on a minute!" yelled Toby, breaking into the group. "What's going on here?" The dogs looked at him scornfully, then resumed trying to stuff the protesting puppy back into the can.

Luna forced her way in, shoving several of the bullies aside. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

Pete eyed them angrily. "Just having some fun. What's it to you?"

"It doesn't look like he's having fun," answered Toby, pointing to the cub.

"Ah, butt out," snapped one of the dogs.

Toby tried to take the cub, but the dogs stopped him. "Stay out of our business, shrimp," ordered Pete.

Toby felt a sudden pressure on his back as Luna leapfrogged over him and the other dogs, snatched the cub in her mouth and took off running. The pack of dogs followed close behind, barking and snapping. "Luna!" he yelled, taking off after them. He saw them round a corner and knew immediately what to do. He ducked through an alley and came out the other end ahead of Luna and the cub. "Luna!" he called. "This way!"

Luna dashed to him and together they sprinted away. After several twists and turns, they managed to give Pete and his bully buddies the slip. At last Luna set her passenger down. "Are you okay?" she asked.

The cub panted. "Yeah, I'm okay," he said. He looked back and forth between them. "Thanks, whoever you are."

"I'm Toby, and this is Luna," said Toby. "What's your name?"

"Loki," answered the cub.

"What are you doing in Nome, Loki? I mean, you're a wolf!"

Loki nodded. "Yeah. I got separated from my mom and sort of wandered into town. Then those jerks started picking on me and the next thing I knew they had me inside that round thing and were kicking me all over the place."

Toby growled. "Leave it to Pete," he muttered. "So, do you have any idea where your pack is?"

Loki shook his head.

"Do you have a place to stay?" asked Luna.

Another shake.

Luna looked at Toby with a sparkle in her eyes. "What should we do?"

"I don't know." Apparently, Toby missed the message. "Your owners probably won't take him in, and I'm not sure how Charlie or his folks would feel about me bringing home a wolf cub."

"Sorry," Loki interrupted. "But my mom told me never to go anywhere with strangers."

"You got a better idea?" asked Luna.

"Listen," said Loki. "I don't trust anybody except my pack, and certainly not anyone who lives around humans. That's how we wolves are."

"Loki, I know you're scared, but you have to trust us. The other dogs in Nome aren't so nice when it comes to wolves. Those punks who were bugging you before don't quit easily."

"And how would you know?" Loki asked defiantly.

"Because I know them; a little too well," answered Toby, not wanting to divulge his relation to Pete. He softened. "Look, will you please just listen to us and then decide whether or not to let us help you?"

Loki agreed. "I guess that sounds fair."

"Alright," explained Toby. "If you want, I can show you a place where you'll be safe from those goons, and you'll have food and water until we can find your pack."

Loki raised a skeptical eyebrow. "And you're just doing this out of the goodness of your heart? What's in it for you, pet?"

A small, friendly smile tugged at Toby's mouth. "Just call me the Good Samaritan." Loki gave him a befuddled look. "Never mind. The point is that I want to help you get out of trouble. And hopefully stay out of it. Pete's picked on me before, and I don't want anyone else to have to put up with him."

Loki rolled his eyes. "Right. And I suppose you two just happen to be the only dogs in town who don't hate wolves."

"For your information, I admire wolves very much. And Luna has some very good reasons not to hate them."

The cub scoffed. "Such as?"

Luna gave the cub a no-nonsense look. "I'm part-wolf."

Loki considered. He'd always regarded dogs in much the same way humans might regard gorillas: Similar in shape, but inferior overall. "Is that even possible?"

"Well, let's see. My dad's quarter-wolf, my grandpa's half-wolf, and my great-grandmother was full-wolf. You do the math."

Loki shrugged. "Okay, let's pretend I believe you. So where's this place you were thinking of?"

Toby and Luna looked at each other. AHe could stay with my grandpa, suggested Luna.

Toby shook his head. "I don't want to bother him. Besides, no offense, but he getting kind of…" He leaned over and whispered in Luna's ear. "Old."

"What are you two talking about?" pestered Loki. "I thought you knew a place I could stay."

"You can stay with me," answered Toby.

Loki backed up. "I don't think so."

"There they are!" yelled a voice. The trio looked up to see Pete's pack running in their direction.

"On second thought," Loki yipped, "let's go!"

Toby snatched up Loki and the three of them dashed away from the rapidly approaching pack. "Do you always have this many enemies?" asked Toby through his teeth. If he'd known then what he would know later, he might have taken some warning from the fact that the wolf cub didn't answer.