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Chapter 3: At First Sight

Though he was eager to explore, Zaldon was feeling very miserable and alone by the time he was passing up the village streets. He didn't even fly his little kite, just carried it under his arm as he reached at last the great pavilion near the village square. He could see wolves seated at different picnic tables, little pups running back and forth through the bright, green grass. But these pups were younger than him, his little brother's age. He sighed, wishing Lynny had come. At least then he'd have someone to play with.

Zaldon stood there watching the little pups running through the grass and felt something slam hard into his side. He let out a choked yell as he was pinned to the ground by something hot and soft and panting. His kite was smashed somewhere under him and probably broken, but he didn't care: the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen were peering down at him in earnest. The owner of these green eyes scrambled off of him and Zaldon lay there blushing as he looked up at the little pup who had tackled him so hard to the ground. He was black, this little pup, and his dark fur was still soft in his youth, so delightfully fluffy, and it smelled so sweet and warm -- Zaldon could not stop breathing in that wonderful scent. The pup had a long black mane that fell wildly into his eyes after the collision, and he was bent over, panting, and apologetic. He offered his paw down to Zaldon, who took it with a blush and let the black pup help him to his feet.

They stood there staring at each other a long moment until Zaldon realized why: he'd forgotten he was so tall. The pup was staring up at him in amazement. But Zaldon didn't care: he was so beautiful, this small, slender wolf! Those gentle green eyes, that soft black fur. Zaldon wanted to touch that fur, wanted to bury his nose in it, and without even thinking, he reached out and touched the little pup's face. He was shocked when the pup did not recoil but closed his eyes and tilted his head to accept the touch. Was he then a tail chaser like Zaldon? Zaldon took a step closer, his heart hammering very hard now in his chest. He wanted to taste this little pup's lips, wanted to kiss him, to hold him close and feel that fluffy fur brushing against him. He leaned down closer, but as he was taking another step his foot crunched on the broken kite. They both started, and the little black pup, as if he'd just realized Zaldon was touching him, flinched and stepped back.

"Um, there was d-dirt," Zaldon stammered, blushing crimson, "on your face . . ."

"Oh! Yeah, thanks . . ." said the little black pup, and Zaldon's ears pricked forward to hear that voice again.

"Hey, your kite! I broke it!" the pup cried in dismay and knelt down to gather the pieces.

Zaldon knelt to help him, and his face was never so red when their paws accidentally touched. He felt that tingling in his cock again and it was a terrible struggle, keeping that erection down: everything about this pup seemed to arouse him, and seeing the little black pup's cock swing every time he moved made Zaldon bite his lip in a private hell of burning desire.

When the little pup had gathered all the pieces together, he gave them hastily to Zaldon, still apologizing, and they stood again, looking at each other.

"S-Sorry I tackled you like that," said the pup again, and he rubbed the back of his ears nervously. "I was running this track my dad laid out for me. He's training me early."

Zaldon couldn't speak. He opened his mouth and tried to but nothing came out. He was deeply grateful when the little black pup was nice to him about it and pretended not to notice.

"So, um . . . you're not from around here, are you?" asked the pup with a half-smile.

"The winter village," Zaldon managed breathlessly at last.

"Figures. You're huge! And your fur --" he added bashfully. "It's not soft anymore. It's bristly. Like my dad's."

Zaldon was shocked when the little pup blushed. He had liked the texture of Zaldon's fur as surely as Zaldon had liked his! And he realized when the little pup's nervous eyes darted over his penis that he was thinking that even Zaldon's cock was too advanced for his age. Zaldon blushed too when he realized this. Certainly this little black pup was a tail chaser! He suddenly didn't feel so alone here. Or afraid.

"Your fur is still really soft," Zaldon answered and he wanted to touch that fur again.

"Well, yeah! I'm not ah winter wolf like you!" said the little black pup with a laugh. For pups usually had very soft fur. Females kept their soft fur throughout their lives, but most males developed fur that was bristly and rough, and Zaldon, being a winter wolf, had already developed it at such a young age (along with what Melgo called his "little lusts"). Zaldon silently thanked goodness he hadn't lost control in this pup's presence.

"What's your name?" Zaldon asked, gazing breathlessly into those green eyes.

"Kel. What's yours?"

"Zaldon."

"You comin' to live here, Zaldon?"

"Don't know." He certainly wanted to now!

"Well, you want me to show you around? I'll take you around the whole village, then get back on my circuit and finish running to the end. My dad will never know."

Kel grinned. Zaldon grinned back. He would love nothing more than to spend the day with this cute little pup! But he mustn't say that or look too excited! He answered calmly that he'd like to come, and Kel jerked his head and said with another grin, "Come on!"

The pups raced off through the village together, giggling and playfully swiping at each other like pups do. Sometimes Kel pulled on Zaldon's tail when he got ahead of him and Zaldon liked nothing more than to pull Kel's tail back. There were a few times when Zaldon even got bold: he grabbed Kel's tail at the base and his fingers grazed Kel's plump little buttocks as they closed. Kel blushed whenever this happened and Zaldon was starting to believe now more than ever that this little pup was, like him, a tail chaser. But he said nothing about it.

They came to a great tree standing near the village wall, and glancing happily at Zaldon, Kel scrambled up. Zaldon followed. Being so big and bulky, he wasn't very good at climbing trees, and by the time he reached Kel on a high branch, Kel was laughing at him. But the little black pup offered his paw and Zaldon gladly took it, allowing Kel to help him hoist himself onto the tree branch. They sat side by side in the tree, watching the world pass them by below. From this high they could see warriors on the other side of the wall pacing up and down on patrol. They could see young mothers breastfeeding pups, little pups racing up and down the village streets, old wolves sitting outside their huts and smoking pipes. The world was warm and bright and cheerful, and Zaldon was suddenly very glad to be sitting in the gloom of this tree beside this beautiful little pup named Kel and listening with happy abandon to it.

"So what'd ya come here for?" Kel wondered, looking curiously at Zaldon from under a lock of black mane.

"My mom's visiting a . . . friend," Zaldon lied.

"Oh."

"Why's your dad training you so early?" Zaldon couldn't help himself asking. "You can't be more than my age!"

Kel laughed sadly. "I come up here a lot," he whispered, gazing off, and Zaldon saw those thick long lashes flutter thoughtfully. "To get away from him. He's really hard on me, my dad. Doesn't mean ta be. Sometimes . . . I don't think he knows how hard."

"Why don't you tell him?"

Kel snorted. "So he can whip me for 'talking back to an elder'?" Kel wagged his head as he bitterly repeated what was obviously something his father had said to him many times before. "Nah. Gurwin doesn't know how ta listen, just lecture. Trust me."

"My dad's pretty tough on me too. Hasn't started my warrior training though. He doesn't think I'll be a great warrior anyway."

Kel looked around at Zaldon in surprise, his ears pricking forward. "Why not?" he demanded incredulously, his bright green eyes drinking in Zaldon's big body: Zaldon was developing muscles at the mere age of seven.

Zaldon bit his lip, wishing he hadn't said anything. His father thought he was a crybaby, that was why. A big crybaby who couldn't conceal his emotions.

"That's -- that's just what he thinks," Zaldon stammered, suddenly unable to look at Kel. He was glad when Kel didn't push the matter but let it drop. Zaldon was starting to notice that Kel was considerate in that way. He felt his heart warming to the little pup sitting beside him and he suddenly wanted to try kissing him again. Dare he? He watched Kel out of the corner of his eye and thought about it. Kel was looking down at the village, those long black lashes angled down, that black mane touching his shoulder. He could lean over and kiss Kel quickly on the cheek! But he didn't think he had the nerve and he wasn't sure how Kel would react. He thought for certain now that Kel was a tail chaser, but it didn't mean he wanted Zaldon to kiss him.

Kel sighed miserably, and Zaldon, wanting to comfort the smaller pup, dropped his tail and twisted it around Kel's. Kel was startled, and Zaldon thought for a moment that he was angry, but he only looked around at Zaldon and smiled warmly at him. Zaldon's heart fluttered. He should try to kiss Kel now! He was just gaining his nerve to lean over and do it when he heard a shout from below and they both froze.

"KEL! GET DOWN HERE -- NOW!"

Zaldon saw Kel shrink into himself, and he knew when he peered at the ground below that the fierce black male gazing up at them was Kel's father. Gurwin was tall and rippling with muscles, and green eyes very like his son's peered up at them, flashing their anger.

Kel scrambled down from the tree, and Zaldon followed, not wanting Kel to take the blame alone. They both stood with their heads bowed before this glaring adult, who held a spear in one paw, his fangs bare in a grimace. Zaldon stifled a little gasp when he heard a sharp slap. Kel choked out a cry. He'd been smacked! He saw out of the corner of his eyes that Kel had his head bowed and was staring miserably at his feet, a tear clinging to his lashes. But Zaldon had only studied Kel for a second before he felt a hard slap come down across his face next. His cheek was burning, and the blow had been so hard that his neck even hurt a little.

"I walk over to check on you, and what do I find? That my son," hissed Gurwin through his fangs, "has not only neglected the task I set out for him, but is sitting in a tree with another male's tail wrapped around his own!"

Kel flinched at the words, his ears flat on his head.

"I should whip you into next year! What have I told you about that tail chaser shit?"

"It's w-weak," Kel whispered to his feet.

"Look me in the eye!"

Kel lifted his head and repeated clearly, "It's weak, Father."

"Damn straight. Pussies wrap their tails around the tails of other males! Pussies suck cock! You didn't touch each other, did you? DID YOU?"

"No, sir, we did nothing wrong!" Zaldon burst.

Gurwin narrowed his green eyes on Zaldon. "You little prick. Stay the hell away from my son! If you were from this village I'd whip you good too! But as you aren't, I'll gladly take you to wherever the hell it is you're staying and let them whip you instead!"

Zaldon gasped when he was grabbed by the neck and shoved ahead of Gurwin.

"Lead us on!" Gurwin growled.

Zaldon glanced back sadly at Kel, who was standing there in shame, his head bowed. He felt so sorry for having gotten Kel in trouble like this! But something else must've shown in his eyes, for Gurwin grabbed Zaldon by the head and shoved him on again, growling out, "And stop looking at my son like that!"

They passed on through the village, and Zaldon led Gurwin and Kel to Melgo's hut as he'd been told. When they reached Melgo's hut, he and Kel exchanged looks -- silent apologies -- before Gurwin barked for Kel to stay outside and not move a muscle.

Zaldon felt himself breaking into a sweat when he was dragged by the ear into Melgo's hut that hot afternoon. His mother was no where in sight, but there sat Melgo in his chair near the window, smoking a long pipe, his slanted eyes narrowing on Zaldon the moment he was dragged in. Zaldon whimpered a little as he was shoved toward Melgo. Kel's father barked at Melgo that he'd caught Zaldon staring at his son in a "filthy tail chaser" way. Melgo's face darkened to hear this.

"Is that true, boy?" Melgo demanded coldly of Zaldon.

Zaldon stood in the gloom of the shadowy hut, his head bowed, his ears flat on his head, and he didn't answer. It was amazing to him suddenly that he could be so afraid of Melgo -- Melgo, who had been so kind to him only hours before! But Zaldon was terribly afraid. His tail was tucked between his legs and he stood there with his head bowed and biting his lip, his eyes squeezed shut. Melgo was certainly going to whip him and then tell his mother, who would certainly whip him too.

"I'll make sure he leaves Kel alone, make no mistake, Gurwin," Melgo said in a low voice and puffed angrily on his pipe.

"If I see him looking at my son like that again," Gurwin warned, "I'll rip those black eyes out of his head!"

Zaldon winced and was grateful when Melgo barked impatiently, "Yes, thank you, Gurwin! I will handle this!"

Gurwin nodded curtly and turned toward the door, but he paused, and Zaldon knew he was glaring at him. Zaldon kept very still and heaved a sigh of relief when Gurwin had passed through the curtain and back into the street. But his body tensed again when he heard Melgo set his pipe aside and bark at him, "Zaldon! Come here!"

Zaldon kept his head bowed and moved through the room toward Melgo.

"Look at me," Melgo whispered, his voice an angry hiss.

Zaldon did what he was told and held back a sigh. Melgo's bulging arms were folded across his chest, and his legs -- so wonderfully sculpted and muscular as well -- were planted firmly in place so that his feet were flat on the floor. He stared down his nose at Zaldon, and Zaldon felt a pang to have those eyes -- usually so twinkling and kind! -- narrowed on him in anger. So he had lost Melgo's pity and gained his wrath. Oh, god.

"Is it true what Gurwin said? Were you looking at Kel -- inappropriately?" Melgo quietly demanded.

Zaldon looked up at Melgo again and tried with a blush not to look at his cock, that great cock that had always been so fascinating to him. God, Melgo's hard body was beautiful. He swallowed thickly and answered timidly that, yes, he had looked at Kel.

"But it was just a look," Zaldon muttered to the floor. All he had wanted to do was kiss Kel. Was that so awful? But looking at Melgo's hard body sitting in the chair in front of him, he wanted something else. He just wasn't sure what.

"A look is never just a look!" Melgo barked. He snatched Zaldon to him and smacked him across the face, then threw him over his lap.

Zaldon had never expected this! He thought he was going to be whipped, not spanked across Melgo's lap like this! He could feel Melgo's soft cock nudging him and he bit his lip, in a private hell of ecstasy to be inhaling Melgo's smell, to have his body thrown across Melgo's hard thighs. Melgo roughly yanked Zaldon's tail back and brought down his paw. The first rain of blows hurt very badly, and Zaldon bucked and whimpered, the tears pouring down his face, but he liked Melgo's big paw on his ass. Melgo's paw sometimes paused as he was resting, cupping to the shape of Zaldon's hot, stinging buttocks, and Zaldon felt his face burning to have that big paw resting there. Then the spanking would continue, and Melgo was sometimes so wild in his blows that his fingers grazed Zaldon's anus. Zaldon felt that curious feeling in his cock again when this happened: his cock grew very hot, as if blood was rushing to it. The feeling intensified the more Melgo's dick brushed him, the more he was forced to breathe in the scent of Melgo's great cock and balls -- a scent very rugged and powerful, just like the male it belonged to.

"What have I already told you? Male to male love," Melgo panted as he spanked Zaldon, "is not to be on public display! Understand, boy? Understand?"

"Y-Yes!" Zaldon wailed, sniffling with tears.

"And you are never to look at Kel that way again! Understand?"

"Yes!"

Melgo brought his paw down in a very hard blow and Zaldon felt his plump little ass cheeks jiggling. He thought for sure that Melgo would soon get tired, but he didn't. Not for a long time. And Zaldon, overwhelmed by his building lust, suddenly did not want it to stop. He loved the feel of Melgo's cock nudging him as he bucked across the bigger wolf's knees. He loved that heavy paw when it whacked his buttocks, purposely scooping under to make his ass cheeks bounce up and sting even harder from these hard underhanded blows. Tears were pouring down Zaldon's face and yet he was loving this closeness to another male, being enfolded by a big male's musk, enfolding by his hard body, and Melgo's sudden grunts as he spanked Zaldon made his little seven-year-old cock tingle even more.

When Melgo finally seemed to think he'd gotten his point across, he pulled Zaldon upright in his lap to find him tear-stained and sniffing, but at least he'd kept himself from getting hard again. Melgo seemed pleased by this.

"Like I've told you before, your path will never be an easy one. And your desires may never be met. Kel is one of those desires. I know you want him, but you must put the thought from your mind!"

Zaldon flinched and lowered his eyes when Melgo snarled these words at him.

"Kel is not the kind of male you can have," Melgo went on more gently. "And here in the summer village, looking at another male in public with such longing -- it will earn you more than a spanking from me. You must understand this! I haven't spanked you because I hate you for who you are, Zaldy. I have spanked you because I could not bear to see your mother's pain when you are stoned for your desires. Zaldon!"

Zaldon looked up miserably and Melgo placed an affectionate thumb on his chin.

"I know it's hard, but you must learn to hide your desires, hide your emotions. Or else life . . . life will be hell for you. Understand?"

"But, Melgo," Zaldon begged, gasping with tears, "why can't I have Kel? Why --?"

"Stop this at once!" Melgo hissed, jerking Zaldon on his knee, and Zaldon bowed his head again, miserably sniffling. "Kel is the kind of male who will grow up to be like his father: rigidly pussy-loving, serious to a fault, a strict follower of the traditions. A great warrior. You could never have such a male. There is little to zero chance of such a male even wanting you back."

Zaldon's lip trembled and he said nothing.

"Zaldy," said Melgo gently, "you would be much happier if you found another male here like you. One that could want you in return. You and this male could settle down, live quietly here in the summer village, and no one would bother you so long as you kept to yourselves. Wouldn't you like that, Zaldon? To live here in the summer village without fear of being stoned? So long as you kept your feelings private, they would not stone you here."

Melgo waited, and when Zaldon only sniffed and stared miserably at his lap, he sighed.

"The sooner you realize you can not have Kel, the better. But don't worry, Zaldy. You will learn to hide these feelings. It won't be so bad. And who knows? Maybe one day . . . Kel will love you back."

Zaldon looked up quickly: Melgo was smiling gently at him. God, Melgo was so beautiful. Zaldon almost felt himself getting hard again. What was this feeling? These desires? He didn't understand. And he felt ashamed of himself for feeling this way toward Melgo, but he would never forget that great cock nudging him or those hard thighs under him or that heavy paw as it rested on his ass cheeks. Never. And he wanted this intimacy, this closeness with other males. He didn't understand why such a closeness was so looked down upon. Why was it wrong? Why? He gazed up at Melgo with glistening black eyes and melted against him when he felt a fatherly kiss on his head.

"Don't let Gurwin catch you looking at Kel again! Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Zaldon whispered miserably, still sniffling with tears. He felt a rush of happiness when Melgo kissed his ears again, still massaging them steadily in his big paw.

"You're a good boy, Zaldon. You've just too much heart. You must learn to hide it. Warriors are supposed to be fearless brutes, beasts of battle."

"Yes, sir," Zaldon repeated miserably, but he closed his eyes, wishing that big paw would never stop massaging his ears like that. God, what he wouldn't give to have Kel massaging his ears this way.

Zaldon opened his eyes and looked at Melgo again. Melgo was smiling down at him in sympathy, those fiercely slanted eyes sad. He was such a dark wolf, gray but almost black, and his mane was so wild behind his shoulders. If Zaldon one day met a male half as beautiful as Melgo, he would never want for a male again. But he had met a male. Kel. Beautiful Kel. Zaldon sighed. If only Kel had looked at him in the same way! He had thought for one instant that Kel had, but maybe he'd been wrong. . . .

"Now wipe your tears," Melgo told Zaldon, "and stop sniffling. Your mother mustn't know about any of this, bless her heart. Go outside and give me fifty pushups, and if Gurwin bothers you again, I will deal with him."

Zaldon looked up at Melgo, suddenly very grateful: any other male could have beaten him for showing his tail chaser feelings in public, and as far as the village council was concerned, he would have been in his rights.

Zaldon went outside as he was told, and once again, he missed his little brother Lynny. Lynny was annoying and always got him in trouble, but at least he would've had someone to talk to. Here in the summer village, he had never felt so . . . alone.

Zaldon knelt outside Melgo's hut, but as he was about to start his pushups, he realized that a few pups were coming his way. Oh, god, Kel was among them! Zaldon squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep his cheeks from burning as he started pushing. He must hide his feelings! He must be tough -- a cold warrior! He kept pushing and ignored the row of feet that stopped in front of him.

"You didn't get in trouble cuz of me, did you?"

Kel's voice. Zaldon fought to hold down a blush as he rose to his feet. There were three of them: little black Kel, a gray wolf with black stripes and a mischievous grin, and a dark gray wolf with serious, glinting eyes. Pups, all of them, and no older than Zaldon: skinny arms, skinny legs, thin chests. Zaldon swallowed and wondered why he was so nervous. He was a head taller than all these pups!

"No, I didn't get in trouble," Zaldon said gruffly, folding his arms across his chest. He didn't look at any of them but he could sense they were in awe of him: his great height, his thick neck even at the age of seven.

"That's good to hear," said the striped wolf and closed his arm around Kel's neck in a rough hug. "Kel is always gettin' other pups in trouble!"

"Loryn!" Kel squeaked angrily and wriggled free.

"He's Kel, but you know that," went on the striped wolf. "I'm Loryn. That's Yzlo." The striped wolf jerked his head at the dark gray pup, who nodded seriously at Zaldon.

Zaldon stiffened as Loryn looked him up and down and asked, "What's your name, big guy?"

"Zaldon," said Zaldon shortly.

"Why are you so big?" went on Loryn, and he started circling Zaldon now, looking him up and down.

"And he smells different too," Yzlo added, sniffing the air. "He doesn't smell like a summer wolf. Where you from?"

"The winter village," Zaldon answered and snatched his tail out of Loryn's paw with an indignant growl.

Loryn laughed and stopped in front of Zaldon again with twinkling black eyes. "You were to punished! Your butt is all red!" He giggled.

Zaldon felt his cheeks getting red as he realized Loryn must've lifted his tail to check his butt for lashes.

"Looked like he was spanked with a paw, not a switch," went on Loryn.

Yzlo's dark eyes grew round in amazement. "You were spanked across your dad's lap?" (Pups their age were usually whipped, and only pups who had committed deep offenses were ever thrown across a knee.)

Loryn and Yzlo looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Shut up!" Kel growled. "And leave him alone!"

But Loryn and Yzlo only shoved Kel, ruffling his long black mane and playfully bopping him on the forehead as they kept laughing at Zaldon.

"No, Daddy, no! Not the lap!" Loryn mimicked, covering his butt with his paws and putting on a look of distress.

Yzlo laughed uproariously at this and Kel only heaved a breath and glowered, but Zaldon suddenly lost control. He gave a roar and tackled Loryn to the ground. Everything was a blur now and he caught sight of Kel and Yzlo's dancing feet in snatches as they darted around the rolling, wrestling pups; Kel shouting for them to stop and Yzlo yelling his encouragement. Zaldon thought he would probably get in a lot trouble for it, but he didn't care: he sank his teeth in Loryn's neck and shook his head around viciously. When Loryn lay there breathless and tear-stained, Zaldon looked up at the other two and snapped at them. Loryn got to his feet with a pulsing red bite blaring through his fur. Yzlo lunged at Zaldon, enraged, but Loryn stopped him.

"No, no!" Loryn said, holding Yzlo back. "I deserved it . . ."

Yzlo didn't look as if he wanted to back off, but he did.

Loryn stood in front of Zaldon, his ears flat on his head, and rubbing the back of his mane, he said to the ground, "Sorry . . ."

Zaldon stood with his chest heaving. He glared at Loryn a moment but offered his big paw and said with a shrug, "No harm done."

Loryn took Zaldon's offered paw and shocked them all when he pulled Zaldon down to him and kissed him hard on the mouth.

Yzlo squealed out indignantly, "Loryn!" but Kel just stood there red in the face.

Zaldon pulled away from Loryn, breathless, his cheeks flaming, his chest heaving from this sudden and eager kiss. He had just been spanked for wanting to do the very same thing to Kel! And now here he stood in the middle of the street, receiving a kiss from this bold little pup. His chest still heaving, Zaldon glanced around to see if anyone had seen, but if they had, they took no note of it and went about their business. Perhaps it was because they were just pups. He didn't know. He was too frightened to think about it.

He looked at Loryn and saw that he was smiling at him mischievously, those black eyes twinkling. Zaldon wanted to be angry for this sudden kiss that could have got him into more trouble, but this fire rushing through his body -- it was making him shiver.

"No harm done at all," Loryn said, cocking an eyebrow.

Loryn turned and walked away, and Zaldon found his eyes tracing after this daring little pup who had kissed him so warm on the mouth. He wasn't quite as beautiful as Kel but he was handsome -- yes, very cute. Zaldon liked his smell. And there was something about that bold spirit of his, that audacity. That's what it was. Zaldon wanted to taste that audacity again!

Zaldon noticed Kel staring at him and blushed. Yzlo and Loryn had moved on, but Kel was still standing there, staring incredulously at Zaldon, his mouth hanging open. Zaldon wished he would go after his friends. He knew that if Kel kept standing there, he would feel it again -- that hot pumping in his organ, that craving he didn't understand. He had almost lost control when Loryn kissed him so hard on the mouth. And now just looking at Kel standing there so sleek and black and cute, he thought he might lose control again. What were these urges? He was only seven and yet this misery had been placed upon him!

But Kel kept standing there, and the two of them looked awkwardly at each other. Zaldon could see that Kel had been whipped, probably with a very thin switch. He could see impressions in the fur on the back of Kel's thighs, the blaring criss-crosses in the scalp underneath. Poor Kel had been whipped because of him! But Kel didn't seem angry about. In fact, Kel was looking at Zaldon as anxiously as if he was worried more about Zaldon's rear-end than his own.

"Could I kiss you?" Zaldon wanted to say, but he couldn't find his voice, and he reminded himself that if he was caught kissing Kel the way Loryn had just kissed him so fearlessly on the mouth, Gurwin would probably have his head on a platter. And besides, how did he even know that Kel would want to be kissed by him?

"Is -- is Loryn always like that?" Zaldon managed at last. He laughed nervously.

"Always," answered Kel, rolling his eyes. "Sometimes he kisses my cheeks --" Kel stopped himself as if he had said too much and his black cheeks were flaming: the blush came hard across the scalp under his fur.

This terrible blushing on Kel's part made Zaldon hopeful. "Do you like it?" he asked -- almost eagerly, but he caught himself.

"No!"

Kel looked so angry that Zaldon bit his lip and wished he hadn't asked. Of course Kel hadn't liked it. Kel was just like Gurwin: a female-loving wolf, a strict follower of the traditions, and one day to be as great a warrior as his father . . .

"S-Sorry . . ." Zaldon stammered and silently kicked himself: he was supposed to be tough and strong, a beast of war. If Melgo caught him stammering like this, he'd slap him again. "I mean," said Zaldon gruffly, "I was just asking!"

"Well, I don't like it all!" Kel snapped back, though his cheeks were flaming even brighter, and Zaldon stared at Kel, loving the way those green eyes fired in his anger.

"And don't ask me again or I'll sock you one!" Kel bared his fangs at Zaldon, his ears flat on his head.

Zaldon stood there looking at Kel's contorted face and realized how much he'd like to know Kel in his arms, even if that meant being punched and bitten by him. Looking down at Kel, he couldn't believe the smaller pup's ferocity: Zaldon was big enough to snap Kel in halves if he wanted to. He wanted to laugh: Kel was so cute when he was angry.

"Just try it," Zaldon warned, baring his own fangs.

Kel lunged at Zaldon without warning, roaring and snarling wildly. Zaldon held back a laugh and let himself be tackled by this small, skinny thing. He silently rejoiced to feel Kel's scrawny body struggling against him as they wrestled, the soft and downy brush of that black fur, the flashing of those green eyes! He could feel Kel's soft little cock slapping him, sometimes brushing his own, and he had to fight down the sudden rush of pleasure he felt, a tingling in his soft little penis as it threatened to stiffen. Zaldon was in heaven. He let Kel bite his neck for a moment while he pretended to struggle, then suddenly rolled over on top of Kel and pinned him to the ground. He was going to bite Kel hard on the neck (and sneak in a few licks), but he suddenly found himself lost in Kel's big green eyes. And as he gazed down at Kel, Zaldon realized that Kel was staring back just as absently. They stared breathlessly at each other a long time before Kel suddenly snarled and bit Zaldon's arm very hard. Zaldon leapt up: he'd never counted on being bitten so hard by Kel! The viciousness of the bite shocked him.

"I'm not ah tail chaser!" Kel shrilled, leaping to his feet. "And if you ever ask me again, I'll bite you t-twice as hard!" He gave Zaldon a warning hiss through his fangs, then sprinted off up the street.

Zaldon stood there cradling his bleeding arm and wishing that he'd never come to the summer village. He heard movement behind him and felt dismal when he realized Melgo was standing in the doorway of the hut, that Melgo had probably been standing there all along. He bowed his head and his ears went flat as the big wolf's paw closed on his head, but he heard Melgo say:

"I'm proud of you, Zaldy. You are already learning to hide your emotions. You have also learned the cold truth: a male like Kel will never love you. Come inside and we'll wrap that up. And tomorrow, you had better give Kel a bite in return that is twice as hard."

Zaldon looked up at Melgo and couldn't hold back a smile, even as he was crying. He sniffled as Melgo ruffled his ears in fatherly affection, then followed the big male inside.