Dove looked behind her and noticed that Bee was not there. She hesitated for a moment. "Stay there, children," she told them. Then she went back for Bee and carried him by his scruff in her mouth. "Go back to nurshery," she commanded Gerbil and Squirrel, following close behind them. Dove trembled with fear as she cantered swiftly beside the pups, Bee still swinging gently in her gentle jaws. Man-scent hung heavily in the air. The foul smell of their dogs and foreign wolves tingled in Dove's nostrils. She could see the clearing now, the wolves gathering there. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her foot, and she fell into the musty leaves with a thud and a "Umph!" She dropped Bee lightly next to her and examined her paw. There was a nail, rusty red and driven hard into the pad. Pain signals were being sent to her brain. "Go, Bee," she said, weakly. "Go with the pups to the clearing. Find someone - Hawk, Falcon, Osprey, Beavertail - someone, to take care of you. Tell Osprey I am hurt."
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Squirrel licked his mother once and whispered, "I love you, Mother." Then he gathered Gerbil and Bee and made his way through the trees to the clearing, where he could now clearly see Tiger howling. On his short legs he galloped up to him breathlessly. "Tiger, sir," he gasped. "My mother's hurt, in the woods just a little ways off. She told me to tell Osprey. Gerbil and Bee are following me, but Bee's hurt, too."
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Sandpiper's throat grew dry and her heart thumped thunderously. She was sure that it could be heard miles away and she tried to quiet it.