Free The Good Dog by Avi

close to the house. Then she went inside, carrying food. McKinley could smell fresh meat.
    As he watched her, Aspen hurried up. “Are you all right?”
    â€œFine.”
    Tubbs came as well. “Oh, wow, McKinley. That was serious.”
    McKinley looked down at him. “Tubbs, I’ve got an important job for you.”
    â€œYou do?”
    â€œIf I understood my female right, I think the humans are having a gathering to talk about Lupin.”
    â€œWho’s Lupin?”
    â€œThat wolf you were asking about. Find thatgathering. No one will mind you being there. Figure out what they are planning about the wolf.”
    â€œMe?” Tubbs yelped, his tail wagging furiously. “You want me to do that?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œOh, wow. Thanks. Well, sure, I think I can. Absolutely. I will. Right now?”
    â€œNow.”
    Tubbs went scrambling down the way, barking with pleasure.
    McKinley turned to Aspen. “I need your help, too.”
    â€œWhat kind?”
    â€œI have to find Lupin. But I’d feel better if you came with me, just in case.”
    â€œIn case of what?”
    â€œAspen, she’s a lot more powerful than I am. She might turn on me. If something happened to me I’d want the pack to know about it. Will you come?”
    Aspen looked into McKinley’s eyes. “Of course.”
    Side by side they began to lope toward Strawberry Park.

15
    M cKinley checked the little house on Fox Haven Way. There were no new messages. With Aspen still by his side, he plunged across the field and up into the hills.
    Aspen sniffed. “Where was Duchess hiding?”
    McKinley pointed his nose toward the boulders. “There’s a place inside all these rocks. Lupin was in there, too. When Duchess came out—here—Pycraft grabbed her. Redburn and Sullivan—with the long gun—were over there. And here”—McKinley smelled the area below the boulders—“Aspen,” he barked. “Smell here.”
    Aspen put her nose down, then looked up. “Blood.”
    McKinley growled. “I bet it’s Lupin’s. It all happened pretty fast, but she ran around here.” He trotted behind the boulders, Aspen following close. “Being out front, I didn’t see what happened. But when I heard two explosions, I took off.”
    Aspen barked. “I’m glad you did.”
    â€œThere’s blood here, too.”
    Aspen drew closer. “Still Lupin’s?”
    â€œPretty sure. The trail leads over here.” McKinley worked his way through the bushes, nose low, taking deep breaths as he went.
    Aspen kept up with McKinley’s zigzag patterns, now and again darting off on her own.
    Lupin’s scent led them higher into the hills.
    â€œShe sure wasn’t traveling a straight line,” Aspen barked. “Think she was heading north?”
    McKinley looked around. “Maybe. Looks like she was trying to cover her tracks.”
    Aspen put her nose to the earth. “I don’t smell anyone following.”
    â€œRight. Redburn was really scared when he got a whiff of her. Unless Sullivan made him, he never would have gone on his own. But I think the humans were scared, too.”
    Aspen gazed at him. “McKinley, you’re scared of her, too, aren’t you?”
    â€œYes. But in a different way.”
    â€œWhat way?”
    â€œI’m not sure.
    â€œWhat are you going to do about Redburn?”
    â€œHis challenge? Unless he backs down, I have to accept it.”
    â€œCould . . . could he beat you?”
    McKinley cocked his head at her. With a snort he bent down over his forelegs, lifted his rump, wagged his tail, then leaped up and landed on Aspen’s back, taking her by enough surprise to knock her over. Barking, she pulled away, got up, frisked sideways, then back again so that she came down on him, sending him sprawling. Yelping together, they rolled down the hill, nipping and