A furry creature tall enough to stand above him when he was seated on the ground with sharp, dazzlingly white teeth could have been the Midnight Panther. Nick wanted it to be. He wanted to know how it was doing and if it was willing to be pet.
Needless to say, it wasn't the Midnight Panther.
The fur of the creature standing above him was dark, but it was more black than the dark purple of the Midnight Panther. Its snout was more slender. It had longer fur. And, most importantly, it was a wolf.
Nick had a wolf breathing into his eyes.
If Nick wanted to, he could bump his forehead against the wolf's nose. He had a feeling that would be a bad idea.
His mind and body froze. He wasn't sure what to do now. Did he just accept his fate as wolf food?
'That doesn't have the same ring to it as dog food, though.'
'Tentacle?'
"Back up a little, Utri. I can't see the Outsider with your big head in the way."
Nick's eyes widened as a voice spoke from on top of the wolf.
