“Finley, it’s like, solid wood,” Flora said. “Exactly what kind of sharkareyou?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Finley said stubbornly. “I’m not shifting.”
Claire whispered, “I don’t want to shift either.”
“I’m not talking about any of you,” Archie said impatiently. “I meanhim.”
They all followed the line of Archie’s pointing finger.
Ignatius, as always, had been hanging back without taking part. Now, sensing the mass attention turned in his direction, he stiffened.
“What?” he said warily.
“Archie, you’re a genius,” Flora said, which Buck suspected were words that had never before been put together in that order. “Of course! Ignatius can win this for us!”
“Leave me out of your idiotic schemes.” Ignatius jerked away as Flora tried to take his hand. “I’m not part of your childish gang.”
“You’re the one who’s always going on about how much better you are than the rest of us.” Estelle folded her arms, chin lifting in challenge. “Well, now’s your big chance to prove it. Go on, swoop in and save the day. Show us you’re the big alpha hero. Or are you chicken?”
“Come on, Ignatius,” Flora wheedled. “You’re a dragon. You’ll be able to make ahugesplash. All you have to do is shift.”
Time to intervene, Buck decided. He turned, but Honey beat him to it.
“That’s enough, kids,” she said firmly. “Ignatius doesn’t have to shift if he doesn’t want to.”
And perhaps that would have been enough to avert all the disaster that followed, if she hadn’t added, “Though Ignatius, perhaps youshouldconsider joining in the game. I don’t think the pack can win without you.”
“See!” Archie said in triumph. “Honey agrees! Now yougottashift, Ignatius!”
“I didn’t mean,” Honey started, but she was drowned out.
“SHIFT!” Estelle yelled, and both Flora and Archie took up the chant too. “SHIFT! SHIFT! SHIFT!”
“Shut up!” Ignatius tore free from the circle, face reddening. “Leave me alone!”
“That’s it.” Abandoning his post, Buck pushed his way into the circle. “Game’s over. We’re going back to the cabins. Right now.”
“Now see what you’ve done,” Beth hissed at Ignatius. “You got us into trouble!”
Archie was almost as red-faced as Ignatius. His fists clenched, whole body vibrating as if only a huge act of will was stopping him from turning into a bear.
“Why do you always have to ruin everything?” he shouted at the other boy. “We could have won this! All you had to do was shift!What is your problem?”
“Maybe he’s not a proper dragon,” Estelle said.
“All of you, that’senough,” Honey said sharply, but to no avail. Archie had the bit between his teeth now, and wasn’t about to be reined in.
“Is that it,Iggy?Are you just a weenie, teeny little dragon?” he taunted. “Or are you not even a dragon at all?”
Ignatius flinched as though the other boy had punched him in the gut.
Archie’s eyes widened. He let out a loud, exuberant, vicious whoop.
“You can’t shift!” He jabbed a finger at Ignatius. “You act so big and alpha, andyou can’t even shift!”
Ignatius’s face contorted in rage and shame. In one explosive, furious movement, he shoved Archie off the dock.
Buck didn’t hesitate. On pure instinct, he dove into the lake, his grasping hand finding fur.
