It wasn't easy escaping Pete's gang a second time, but even that was a cakewalk compared to getting Loki inside the house unnoticed. "Stop squirming!" Toby hissed.

"You're carrying me wrong," Loki growled back.

"You know," Luna offered, "he could stay with me."

Toby shook his head, accidentally shaking Loki in the process. "No, I agreed to look after him, and I will."

"Well, I think I know how to get him inside." Toby looked at her. "How many people are at home?"

He thought for a moment. "School's not out yet and Nolan's at work, so that just leaves Shenoah to consider."

Luna smiled. "Okay. I'll go around the back and distract her. Wait till you hear me bark, then get inside and hide Loki."

Toby nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

The plan worked flawlessly, at least as far as it covered. Toby got the cub up to Charlie's room and hid him, giving a brief list of ground rules. "Okay, kid. We can't let anybody see you. So don't make any noise or come out of hiding unless I give the all-clear."

That part went well, as did Loki's supper. A mouthful of food brought up by Toby proved to be enough, although he complained that it tasted terrible. It wasn't until bedtime that he became difficult. "Can't I stay up a little longer?" he pleaded.

Toby shook his head. "Bedtime is bedtime. And that means now."

"Please?" begged Loki. "My mom lets me stay up later than this."

"Well, just for the record," Toby pointed out, "I'm not your mother. Right now, you have to go to sleep."

"Oh, okay," whined Loki. He looked around. "Uh…"

Toby let out an exasperated sigh. "What is it now?"

"Where do I sleep?" asked Loki.

Toby paused. He hadn't considered this problem. "Well, I usually sleep on Charlie's bed, but I guess you can't sleep there."

"How come?"

"Duh. We can't let the humans know you=re here, remember? You'd probably get sent to a zoo or something."

Loki whimpered. "Please?" he begged.

Toby shook his head. "No. You'll have to sleep under the bed, I guess. Just pretend it's a cave. You like caves, don't you?"

Loki snorted. "Yeah, caves with other wolves in them."

Toby shrugged. "Well, we're a little short on wolves right now, so under the bed will have to do. Here." He pushed a pillow under the bed and nudged Loki in after it. "That's your bed."

Loki whined, but then he lay down on the pillow and went to sleep. Toby watched him for a moment before he heard the door open behind him. "What're you looking for?" asked Charlie's voice. "Did you bury a bone under there?" Toby didn't answer; he just hopped up onto the bed. Charlie slid under the covers, and Toby curled up on top at his feet. "Goodnight, Toby," yawned Charlie.

Toby softly woofed goodnight.

"Goodnight, Toby," added Loki.

"Goodnight, Loki."

There was a long moment of silence. Just as Toby was about to drift off, Loki=s voice piped up from under the bed. "Why do humans live in houses?"

Toby shrugged. "Because it's too cold outside."

After a pause, Loki asked, "Why is it too cold for them?"

"Because they don't have fur."

"Is that why they hunt animals?"

"Partly. They also hunt them for food."

After another pause, Loki asked, "How come they don't have fur?"

"Goodnight, Loki," said Toby with great finality.

The next morning, Toby was awakened by a shriek. Oh no, he thought in a panic. They've found him! He dashed into the living room, where the scream had come from. Of the wolf cub there was no sign. Instead, there were pieces of cloth and feathers strewn all over the place.

Shenoah turned on the dog. "Toby!" she scolded as he enter the room. "Just look at this mess! You should be ashamed!"

Toby sniffed one of the scraps of cloth. It was a piece of Shenoah's favorite pillow, and it bore the distinct scent of a wolf cub. He scanned the rest of the room, surveying the damage. A small table holding a porcelain figure of a deer had been knocked over and lay on the floor in a dozen pieces. A large chunk had been taken out of the couch, and Charlie's old crutches―fortunately no longer needed―were covered with tooth marks.

He started toward the couch, hoping to sniff out Loki, but Shenoah seized him by the collar and dragged him toward the front door. "Stop right there!" she snapped. "You've done enough damage already!" And with that she threw him out the door and slammed it behind him.

Toby tried to reenter by the pet flap, but apparently Shenoah had anticipated such a move and placed something against it. Toby growled. When I get my paws on that kid…

"What's wrong, mom?" asked Charlie, dashing into the room just as his mother slammed the door.

"Your dog is what's wrong!" Sharon replied angrily. "He destroyed the living room last night."

"What?" Charlie was aghast. "But Toby would never…"

"Oh, he did. See for yourself." She picked up one of the scraps of pillow. "This was a wedding present, and that beast ripped it to shreds."

Charlie shook his head. "Toby would never do anything like that," he said in Toby's defense. "I know him. He's no mad dog!"

"Well unless you think there's a wolf or something sneaking into the house at night, I'd say all the facts point to that mutt of yours."

"Toby's not a bad dog!" Charlie insisted, stomping out the door. He flung himself down on the steps next to Toby and sulked. Then he slowly patted his dog on the head. "It's okay, boy. I know you better than that."

Toby whined appreciatively. At least someone around here believes me, he thought. He stood up and scratched at the door.

"No, Toby. Mom says no." When Toby continued to scratch, Charlie cracked open the door. "Mom, Toby wants to come back inside."

"Not on your life, buster! That dog is not coming through that door until he's ready to shape up!"

Charlie thought for a moment and grinned. "Come on, Toby." He led him around behind the house, where a stack of wood was piled high against the back wall. "Come on, boy," he urged, scaling the logs and reaching his bedroom window. "Mom said you wouldn't be coming through that door, but she didn't say anything about the window."

Toby climbed up and Charlie lifted him through the window. "Now stay in here and don't make any noise," the boy instructed as he closed the window and climbed back down the pile.

He needn't have worried. As soon as Toby's paws touched the floor, the dog began to sniff madly. "Okay, Loki," he growled. "I know you're in here, so come on out." Whimpering, Loki crawled out from under the bed with his tail between his legs. "Loki, you are in so much trouble."

"What'd I do?"

"What did you do?" Toby repeated, convinced he was hearing wrong. "You destroyed the living room, got me thrown out and you want to know what you did?!"

Loki whimpered. "I didn't mean to destroy the house. It just…happened."

"It just happened," Toby repeated, almost exploding with anger. "What is the matter with you? How can I look after you if you won't let me? Now listen, I want you to go back under the bed, and don't you dare come out until I―" He was cut off by an odd gurgling sound. "What was that?"

"I'm hungry."

"Well, tough. You can just go without food for a while. I can't show my face downstairs." Loki nodded and crawled under the bed, but as his stomach growled louder and louder, he began to whine. Toby caved. "Okay. I'll try to sneak into the kitchen and get some food, but if you move, you won't get a bite."

Loki nodded, and Toby crept out the door. He snuck downstairs and into the kitchen. Shenoah was still busy cleaning the living room, and Toby seized his chance to run over to his bowl and grab a mouthful of dog food.

"Toby!" yelled Shenoah. "How did you…? Argh." She stomped over and snatched up the dog. "I don't know how you got back in, but when I say out, I mean out!" With that, she heaved him out the door and into the snow.

"Toby! Are you alright?"

Toby turned and groaned. "Hi, Luna."

"What happened? I saw you get thrown out." Toby filled her in on the morning's events. Luna shook her head in disbelief. "Whoa. So he's getting you blamed for his trouble?"

"Yeah. I never should have let him badger me into going downstairs to get him some food."

"Let me give it a try," offered Luna.

"No, that kid needs to learn his lesson. Maybe a little hunger will do the trick. It's not like he'll starve to death."

Regardless, Luna stomped determinedly up to the door. After head butting it several times, she managed to open the pet flap. But no sooner had she entered than Toby heard yelling from inside. A moment later, Luna found herself thrown out as well. "Sheesh," she muttered, dusting herself off. "What a grump."

"I hope the kid starves," muttered Toby under his breath.