An eternity stretched between them as the singular line of saliva dangled from her jaws. Nen'tah watched in silent fascination as it caught the sun, glittering like a very long dewdrop in dawn's first light, swaying gently with every ragged breath the woman took.

Her voice suddenly cut through the air, knife-like, aiming straight for the child's jugular as she harshly bid him leave - but the blade missed, and the child remained.

In the anatomy of a wolf's ear, there is a thing called the cutaneous marginal pouch*, a petite but distinct fold of skin located on the outer edge of the lower part of said ear. While its exact purpose is still under question by modern experts, it is suspected to enhance hearing by filtering high-frequency sounds and aid in greater flexibility when pivoting, swiveling, and flattening to better locate prey.

This small pocket is also more specifically known in pups as the 'No Catcher', which, literally, catches the No's, Go away's, and 'Don't do that's from every adult thrown their way until late adolescence and holds them captive so efficiently that the child does not even hear them.

It worked extremely well in this instance.

Nen'tah remained, and observed with increasing curiosity as the girl messily scraped a clod of dirt over the offending pile of stomach contents, presumably to cover them - but she stilled and closed her eyes, seemingly enduring another bout of whatever secret pain ailed her.

She clearly needed help. If only Goldblossom were here! Surely she would have some magic herb to feed her in this instance. Oddly, he hadn't seen her of late...

The boy steeled his resolve, walked right up to the steaming pile, furrowed his brow, positioned himself just so - then set to work kicking up more loose earth to better conceal the accident.

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*Also known as 'Henry's Pocket'