Chapter VIII: Who?

I opened my eyes to find Ember nose to nose, staring at me.
"I woke up early and had nothing to do, and Frito told me to stalk you," he explained. "So here I am."
"What is wrong with you, Ember?" I asked.
He shrugged, sitting up. "I don't know."
"You really shouldn't listen to Frito," I commented, sitting up as well and scratching behind my ear. "He's really not very bright."
Ember snorted. "But he'd never admit that."
I nodded, standing and shaking out my pelt before heading for the den entrance.
"Where are you going?" Ember asked frowning.
"Outside."
"You can't do that. The Emperor is coming and he doesn't want she-wolves in our camp. Come on, you have to hide in the back cave," he explained, leading me to a small hole in the wall. "In you go."
I wiggled through and turned, looking back through the hole. "Who's the Emperor?"
"He controls all of our packs. Now hush, he's coming." Ember dropped a curtain of vines over the hole and I turned to observe my surroundings. At the top of the cavern there was a crack where sunlight filtered through into the dimly lit cave. It wasn't huge, but it was probably big enough for about fifteen wolves.
I padded back to the hole and listened in on the conversation Ember and some other wolf were having.
"So no she-wolves this month, Ember?" A deep voice asked.
"No, sir."
"Good, good." Paw steps around the room. "How are you?"
"Fine, sir. You?"
"I'm well, thank you," the Emperor replied. "But I think I'll be going now."
The paw steps faded away and Ember drew back the vines. "You can come out now."
I pulled myself through the tight entrance and stood, stretching my legs. "What was that all about?"
"He inspects each pack monthly to make sure they meet his requirements," Ember said. "And this month he wanted no she-wolves."
"So that's why Frito killed them."
Ember nodded.
"See you nex- who the hell are you?" The Emperor seethed, running towards me with his claws unsheathed.