Kuromaru took several steps to one side, bringing Kakashi back into range. Then he answered Kakashi's demand with one of his own: a low, angry growl.

"What are you doing?"

His head lifted and snapped around, staring at his hamster--and the woman stepping gingerly over it.

"Kuromaru, I can smell the blood from this clear down in the cafeteria." Tsume's eyes flicked from Kuromaru to Kakashi and back again, brows drawing down. "What's going on?"

Kuromaru glared mightily at Kakashi, lowering head and tail both in disapproval and vague threat. Now Kakashi was busted. One of the alphas was here, and Kuromaru was in both the alpha's favor.

Tsume's voice cut incredulously across the showers, ringing from one end to the other as she walked farther into the room. "Is his mouth wired closed?"