Fruit would soon be difficult to come by, and this knowledge made her eat the apple very slowly, savoring each crispy bite. Oliver lay beside her, as usual, panting lightly, for the sun warmed his black hide even amid the chilly air. Several dozen sheep, fat with wool for the coming cold, were dotted across the hillside below the rock she was currently perched upon.
She offered the core of her apple to her dog, for he sometimes enjoyed chewing on the sweet, crunchy center. When his nose took no notice, she looked to his eyes, and saw that they were trained away from her, and his ears were sharply perked. She followed the path of his stare, and saw nothing of note. The sheep grazed peacefully still. Oliver stood slowly, his head low and thrust forward, and she followed suit, picking up her staff.
A sudden, dark-grey shadow darted into view, far away down the hill. At the same moment, Oliver exploded forward, rocketing away from the boulder with a powerful launch of his hind legs. His body hit the grass and he was low, streaking down the hill before the first sheep had noticed the wolf closing in.
She broke into a quick run, hoisting the sturdy staff close to her side. Oliver had already reached the lower slope of the hill, he rounded the herd, startling the sheep and sending them trotting up the hillside and away from the danger. The girls' eyes darted along the line of brush where the wolf had appeared, waiting for more of its pack to appear. Sheep began to run past her, bleating in alarm, moving up the hill as she continued down.
The wolf was now engaged in a dance of indecision, watching his potential prey escape while a darting sheepdog dashed about in the gap between, and a human was charging closer and closer with each passing second.
The girl raised her staff with both hands as she closed in, shouting harshly in a voice intended to make her seem much more dangerous than she really was. No other wolves had appeared, and she could see that this creature was thin and ragged, and likely to be a solitary outcast without a pack. She was not without compassion, knowing that the harshness of winter drove many to do things out of desperation and hunger, but her duty was to her flock, and the most merciful thing she could do was drive the wolf away to seek prey elsewhere.
Between the snarling of the dog, who stood now with hackles raised and fangs bared, and the tall human waving its stick and bellowing, the wolf surrendered its pursuit, turning with tail lowered, and darting back across the fields. It glanced back now and again, perhaps hoping the dog and the girl would vanish, and it could make another attempt.
Oliver's growl lingered on long after the wolf was out of sight, and when she stepped over to pat him, his fur was all on end.
"Good boy," she said.
