Kestrel was smiling now as the cub seemed determined to make her smile.

"I'm okay," she said softly, petting hin, the pup giving her amother lick and then looking at her intently.

It wasn't exactly words she got from him, but it was like colours and feelings. There was boundless energy and the desperate want to play,but also concern.

"I'm fine," she said again, wondering how to make him feel it, but maybe the problem was she wasn't fine and the Wolf cub was picking up on that. She felt disorientated, but she was starting to understand that it was partly down to Lupo.

"I'm not hungry," she called to the other 2. "I'm going to sleep."

She felt a strange longing to be closer to Jube, but that would mean being closer to to he food, which was turning her stomach.

Lupo trotted back to Milo and Jube as Kestrel lay down again. He sat in front of Jube and stared at him, completely transfixed like he'd never seen him before. He whined a little, like he were begging for food.