arson—a crime where someone seeks to destroy a property by setting it on fire. Example: The forest fire could have been an act of arson.
balked—to hesitate or stubbornly refuse when asked to do something. Example: Everest balked when Stacy told him she wanted to enter the abandoned mineshaft.
conglomeration—an unexpected combination of things. Example: Stacy’s chicken, apple, and pumpkin stew was a strange conglomeration.
crepuscular—related to the twilight hours of the day. Sometimes used to describe an animal that is most active at daybreak and dusk. Example: The wolves were crepuscular, so naturally they woke Stacy up at dawn to go adventuring in the forest.
culled—to reduce the amount of something, often a population of animals by hunting. Example: Dusky’s pack was being culled and there was nothing Stacy or her wolves could do about it.
diminutive—exceptionally small. Example: Standing between Tucker’s legs was a diminutive, snarling red fox.
disdain—a dislike or lack of respect for something or someone. Example: The campers’ careless disdain for the forest did come in handy time and time again.
entwined—to become twisted or weaved together. Example: The moose’s antlers were so tightly entwined in the vines that the poor thing couldn’t even lower its head to drink.
formidable—impressively large; causing admiration or intimidation due to one’s physical size. Example: Everest was as formidable as the mountain he was named after.
gauging—to measure or estimate the outcome of something, such as a decision. Example: Wink was gauging if he could make the jump over the magma and back with the dog.
lichen—a simple and crust-like plant that grows on top of walls, trees, and rocks. Example: Basil had slowed down enough that the individual trees and the grayish-green lichen on their trunks came into focus.
menagerie—an unusual assortment of animals. Example: There in the cave was a menagerie of all the animals in the taiga that weren’t fast enough to outrun the fire.
pelage—a mammal’s fur, hair, or wool. Example: Stacy buried her head in the thick pelage of Basil’s neck.
permeated—to spread through or infiltrate something. Example: The scorching sulfur smell permeated every inch of them when they were deep in the cave.
perpetual—constant or unending. Example: Stacy called that dark area the Forest of Perpetual Darkness.
proclivity—a tendency or talent for doing something. Example: Addison was curiously clever for a wolf and had a proclivity for arithmetic.
rambunctious—uncontrollably energetic. Example: Page obeyed Everest and Basil on the rare instances she got too rambunctious.
ravenous—extreme hunger. Example: Everest pushed a piece of bread toward her lips and Stacy realized she was ravenous.
reposing—in a state of rest or relaxation. Example: After everyone had finished their dinner, Stacy cleaned and put away their bowls and turned to face the sleepy, reposing pack.
Rube Goldberg—a complex or intricate machine that accomplishes a simple task. Example: The Dog Decider was a rather rustic Rube Goldberg machine Addison and Stacy had built together.
sidled—to carefully approach something or someone, especially from the side. Example: Basil, slender and athletic, emerged from the trees and sidled up beside Stacy.
surmised—to come to a conclusion with limited evidence. Example: Stacy surmised that Crow and the baby chicks had been eaten by the wild wolves.
taiga—a northern subarctic forest primarily composed of coniferous trees including pine, fir, and spruce. Example: Stacy had no idea how she’d come to live in the taiga with six Arctic wolves.
theodolite—an instrument used for surveying land, particularly for measuring horizontal and vertical angles. Example: Stacy fought the sudden urge to run out from behind the tree and kick over the theodolite.
triage—the process of sorting through patients to determine who needs care most urgently. Example: Tucker was performing triage on the assortment of animals in the cave.
wafted—a smell that is carried through the air. Example: In summer, the cool breezes in the forest wafted over Stacy and the wolves as they slept in the cave.