Your vision swims into bleary focus, and you're greeted by a look of grave concern on a lupine muzzle. Brown shaggy fur, yellow eyes…
It's Dena! She must have been the first to find you after you fell. Dena was always a sensitive pup, and she took to a quiet life of study with the elders early on, the rough-and-tumble life of her packmates less interesting than learning about the world outside Haven's walls.
Dena has always been there when you needed her, and you've tried to do the same for her. Over the years, her affection for you has grown less and less subtle, but it remains an unspoken line she is unwilling to cross, valuing your friendship over potential rejection.
You're confident that whatever happens between the two of you, there won't be any ill feelings, even if you eventually drift apart and see less of each other.
While you wouldn't say that you're head over heels in love, you feel a certain romantic connection with Dena, and you get the impression that she feels the same. One of these days you'll need to find the courage to tell her, provided she doesn't work up the nerve first.
Dena looks away for a moment and waves a hand, beckoning the rest of your friends. "Guys, he's over here!"
She looks back to you, her brow knit with worry. "That was an awful fall. The elders would be furious if they knew you were taking risks like that, Huguel. I'm sure they have a good reason for wanting to keep us out of the Snarl." She shakes her head. "How did I let you guys talk me into this?"
Dena pulls back from you, sensing your displeasure and not wanting to risk getting bitten. Even she knows that it's best not to poke a wolf when he's hurt.
Pieces of loose concrete scatter in a dusty cloud as Lapu and Tiva round the corner of the old office building. The two wolves nudge each other, and Lapu opens his muzzle in a wide, toothy grin.
"Looks like the Snarl's claimed another victim!" Lapu jokes, tongue lolling from his mouth as he breathes hard. "I still can't believe you got that high up before the building collapsed under your feet!" He looks over at Dena. "Leave it to Huguel to risk exposing us out here in the Snarl just to show off his agility. What if one of the elders had seen him up there?"
Dena wheels and snaps at Lapu, sending the gangly male skittering backward, tripping over a piece of rubble and landing on his rump with a puff of concrete dust. The youth's unusual blond coat now peppered with gray, he wobbles to his feet as Dena continues examining your injuries. Tiva snickers at the boy, smacking his side and giggling as his fur lets off big puffs of dust.
Dena finishes up going over your wounds. "In case you care, Lapu, his injuries are healing up just fine, so it looks like we'll still be able to make it to the bridge on time."
Tiva sneezes and wipes a smudge of dust from her nose.
You groan and get back to your feet, wincing as the knitting bones in your right knee click uncomfortably. Not for the first time you thank whatever gods reside above that you were born with a werewolf's regenerative ability.
The wolves of Haven can change their forms at will, but while your lupine body provides you with greater dexterity and healing, the form is difficult to maintain for more than half a day at a time due to the massive increase in metabolism that fuels your abilities.
Lapu snarls and spits on the ground. "We should leave without him. The injury will only slow him down."