I manage to collect a half dozen brisket sandwiches and a sample of the side dishes on a plate and find a quiet spot to eat before the buffet tables get too busy, a life skill gained during my youth when I was the one serving at the buffet.
Nowhere in the pack is empty today though, not with members of two other packs here expecting to play the game. Halfway through dinner I'm joined by a bunch of the local pack's children. They seem a bit hesitant about sitting with a stranger here on a big rock at the edge of the tree line, but a smile and a pat of the ground inviting them to join me is all it takes to change their mind.
"Hi lady. My name is Hyena and I'm five. A little boy introduced himself, with barbecue sauce on his hands and face.
"I'm Katrina. Are you all enjoying the barbecue?"
The boy called Hyena nods happily but the others shake their heads. I wonder what's up, hopefully nobody is bullying the pups.
