Suddenly, the fighting disappeared in her mind's eye. She narrowed her eyes with determination and advanced toward her brother, who was the closest. She shouldered through the knot of wolves, ignoring the jaws that snapped at her and drew blood. Her brother might hate her, but they were still kin.

Then, a tan body fell in front of her. She froze to avoid colliding with the she-wolf. This warrior's leg bent at a place it wasn't supposed to bend. She looked at her brother. Where was his ear? The blood drained from her face. She closed her eyes as the ground lurched and she was thrown off her paws. She was falling, falling, falling, spinning, spinning…

Her eyes flew open. She was facing a red wolf that looked more like a fox. He wasn't from her pack. She growled a warning and raised her hackles. The wolf stood between the tan she-wolf and her brother. Then suddenly, jaws snapped very close to her face. Instinctively, she lunged for those jaws. Instead of the enemy's jaws closing over her mouth, it was the other way around. She flung the attacker, who was staring wide-eyed with surprise, aside. Then she grabbed the tan wolf by the scruff and dragged her quickly out of the battlefield. She tried to simultaneously make sure the broken leg wasn't moved and avoid looking at it. Finally, panting through a mouthful of fur, she deposited the new patient at the bush where the black wolf was laying beside Ashia. Ashia perked her ears.

Daisy shrugged sheepishly.

"I figured we could be of some use by helping to heal the wounded," she explained.

"Why? They never helped us," a new voice snorted. Daisy glared at Ashia's friend.

"This is no time for arguing," Ashia growled. "We need to help them."

The tan wolf turned watery and pain-filled eyes to Daisy. She saw her reflection; streaked with her own blood, scared, concerned, and weary. Then she looked at the battle outside. It seemed hopeless.

"This is hopeless," Ashia's friend said over the cries of pain from the tan wolf. Ashia was putting the broken bone back in place and fashioning a splint out of sticks. Then the patient lay her head on the ground, panting.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I thought I was a goner. Thank you so much." Then she sighed and closed her eyes, her flanks rising and falling gently. Daisy watched her sleep. Then she turned to Ashia's friend.

"You know, we might not be able to save every hurt wolf in the world. But it means the world to her," she said, angling her ears toward the sleeping wolf. She saw the other vegetarian close her eyes for a few seconds. Then she opened them and nodded.

"Fine. I'm in. You could use some extra paws."

"Then it's settled. I'll go out and get the wounded out of the way. You and Ashia can treat them," Daisy said. Then she darted out into the battlefield. She numbly pushed wolves aside until she reached her brother.

"Daisy," he said, surprised. "What are you doing?" His voice had gotten deeper, and his shoulders were much broader, and his face looked lopsided with only one ear.

"I'm trying to help you," Daisy insisted, trying to lead him to the bushes. To her disbelief, he pushed her aside and leaped away to help his friend, who was battling another wolf twice his size. Daisy whimpered. Then she remembered the hurt wolves dotting the clearing. They all needed her help, too. She helped wolf after wolf into the bushes, but she made sure they were only from her own pack. The enemies were winning, but she noticed at least five wolves emerge from the bushes, ready to fight again. The sight gave her a sense of purpose.

She held the image in her mind as the enemy grew weary and began retreating. The wounded came less and less. The battle was a horrifying blur. She didn't see her brother or sister again during it, or if she did, she didn't notice. She vaguely remembered her own jaws snapping, her claws slashing at menacing eyes to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. She found no thrill in it, only a feeling like a stone in her stomach. She had caused injuries while trying to heal them. When the battle was over, everyone found new energy. They howled so joyfully that it sent chills up and down Daisy's spine. But she didn't join in the party. She was so exhausted, her legs gave out more than once. She saw that Ashia and her friends felt the same way.

"One of the warriors told me that this whole thing started because they thought we were stealing their prey. Crazy, huh," Ashia mused.

"Yeah," Daisy said, barely audible. "Go organic."

They laughed quietly. Then Kate appeared, grinning even though she was probably going to develop some ugly scars.

"We couldn't have won without you guys! I'm so proud of you all," she said, her joy overflowing. She addressed all the vegetarians when she spoke, but she was looking at Daisy. The look in her eyes was one of love and pride. Then she whispered in Daisy's ear.
"I'm so sorry I let stereotypes cloud my judgment! You were so brave out there, heading into the thick of things again and again just to save the very wolves that shun you," she confessed. Then someone called her name. "Gotta go," Kate said as she ducked out of the bush. Two more faces appeared. One was missing an ear, and one had an eye that was swollen shut. Daisy's knees grew weak with relief. Her brother and sister were alive!

"Do you think you could help us, sister," the she wolf said. Daisy grinned.

"Okay! Now, that eye's probably gonna be fine, but your vision will be cloudy for a while.." Daisy rambled on, explaining what she was doing to a gathering crowd of onlookers. She felt her memories take her back to that day in the meadow so long ago, when she had her first hunting lesson. Winston was showing them how to stalk prey. Now she felt like Winston, and when she looked into the bright eyes of a tan pup, she saw herself. But she didn't skip a beat. After all, what she was doing was for the good of the pack. All of the pack.