Russet followed behind his leader. He stepped in Ruban's very pawsteps, hoping that someday he could be like his fearless, strong leader. Ruban trotted
along tirelessly down slopes and up steep ridges, all the while progressing toward the destination Russet hoped they would never reach.
    At last they passed by the icy canyon and Ruban smelled the scents of strange wolves. Enemies. Ignoring the border with a sniff of disgust, he went
onward, calling Russet to move faster. He himself was not eager to reach his destination either, but he was not going to waste precious moonlight. He had told
Jingo that he would be there at midnight, and he was not going to break that vow.
    A savage growl split the night and a shadow appeared in the night, its fur bristled menacingly and with teeth that were bared together. The silver
wolf was none other than Jingo's mate, Sylph who was just as fierce and aggressive as Jingo himself. She did not attack Ruban and Russet, but stood still,
growling softly.
    Ruban returned her hostile stare defiantly, refusing to back down.
    Sylph turned around and at last growled, "Follow me."
    Ruban and Russet followed the hostile she-wolf to the heart of the pack's territory to a den that jutted out from the mountainside. Ruban looked into the
mouth of the cave and felt the presence of many other wolves inside. He felt a chill run down his spine when he saw something lying in the shadows. It smelled
of mountain lion, but also of blood and death. There was no doubt that this pack had killed the inhabitant of this den to make it their own. Ruban expected no
less from Jingo and his blood-thirsty followers, but Russet, horrified, stared at the dead mountain lion with a terrified expression on his face.
    "Ruban, perhaps this is a bad idea. Jingo will kill you,. You can't," Russet insisted.
    "Yes, he may, Russet, but I have to do this," he said to him persistantly.
    "But Pack Leader-"
    Ruban whirled around, closing his sharp teeth around Russet's ear, biting down hard until he yelped with pain. Only when he tasted the tang of blood
did he give his deputy one last punishing shake and released Russet, leaving him cowering and whimpering at his feet, lowered down in the snow with submission.
"As long as I am Pack Leader you will do as I say."
    Russet said nothing but nodded with understanding and slowly rose to his paws. Ignoring the pain in his ear he couldn't help but admire Ruban's
courage and was proud to follow him the rest of the way.