As if having been summoned by his name being spoken aloud Keula pads into sight with a leg bone held tightly in his muzzle. The rest of the team dogs follow in the large malamutes wake tails wagging and tongues lolling from muzzles of darkened fur.
“Been looking for you two.” The malamute barks after having dropped the bloody bone at the paws of the malamute pair. “You missed the team meal so I saved you a bone.”
Iiumni growls softly as he stares at the malamute leader. But as team dogs begin to flank the husky he licks at his nose nervously and stops openly acting hostile knowing his chances in a fight with a bigger dog let alone the entire team jumping into the fray.
“Amber tail wags lowering her muzzle to give the offered bone a lick savoring the meaty tastes. “Thank you Keula.”
“Keula is it true you hid this human stuff from us?” Bryan asks after glancing at Iiumni the husky.
“Yes I did why?” the large malamute asks sitting and yawning as if bored not even glancing toward the husky who has started to give off a scent of nervousness and fear that are almost spoken words to his keen nose. “Oh let me guess Iiumni has been telling you stories?"”
“Can I chew his tail?” one of the younger dogs asks looking to Keula as its tail wags eagerly to gain favor with the malamute.
Iiumni stares in shock at the young dog that spoke remembering teaching that husky alot about being a good sled dog. Having thought he had friends within the team he begins to regret having been so aloof recently as it begins to dawn on him the well spoken Keula has won over many within the group if not all. “Yes tell them why you hid their stuff Keula!” he shouts finding himself grow angry over the betrayal.
Amber pauses from holding the bone between her forepaws as she gnaws upon it to look to Keula questionably. “Did these things belong to us?”
Keula tail wags as he looks around the gathered group of dogs finding all but Iiumni, Amber and Bryan giving clear signs of looking to him for leadership. “Yes those things did belong to you. As you found them first before the rest of us. But I did not wish either of you to get beaten by our musher for chewing human things so I hid them.”
“So you where only protecting us Keula from being punished?” Bryan asks confused as he sorts what the husky had told them moments before.
Amber once more starts on the bone finding herself to be even hungrier then she had thought.
“Let me guess Iiumni told you that he saw you as a human?” Keula sighs then looks over at the husky. “Iiumni did you really fear losing your place as swing dog to Amber or Bryan? Or was it that you felt jealous of Bryan and wanted Amber as your mate?”
The rest of the circling team dogs all look toward Iiumni and growl or show fangs in silent snarls showing themselves to be less then pleases at pranks that disrupt the team.