Brance’s old injury wouldn’t let him sprint for long. After covering several yards at a breakneck speed, the first twinge of discomfort seized the muscles in his hind leg. He slowed to a fast run, but soon began to miss a step here and there, and before long, he pulled up lame. ::I can’t,:: he told Caleb as he trotted to a stop.
His hind paw rose up from the ground on its own accord, as if just touching the earth with his foot would hurt. The thick muscle in his haunch burned, pain radiating from the site of the healed wound. As Brance lowered himself to the ground, his leg kicked out once, then twitched, trying to shake off the pain.
Caleb came back to touch his nose to Brance’s, his tongue licking out to flatten his mate’s fur. His shirt was gone, caught on a branch somewhere as they r
