The confrontation between King and Bider comes to a head in these chapters with the ultimate representation of The Importance of Managing Risk. Bider, as his name suggests, has bided his time, waiting for the right moment to challenge King for control of the pack. With King physically weakened by hunger, and the other wolves potentially disappointed with his leadership, Bider judges that the balance of risk and reward has shifted in his favor. While such a fight is not natural among wild wolves, the fight brings tension to the final chapters of the book and offers closure for Bider’s character, his conflict with King, and Runt’s uncertainty about whom to trust. The fight detailed in Chapter 19 features harsh injuries and blood being drawn, which is also unlike wolves in the wild. As creatures who have learned to survive under harsh conditions, such as a lack of food, wild wolves will refrain from such violence unless it is absolutely necessary because instinct drives them to avoid the risk of injuries that might impede their ability to hunt. The fight between King and Bider holds true to the fictionalized idea of the animal kingdom, in which one being emerges as the leader and forces away all competition, as King does when he orders Bider to leave. Bider vomiting up food for King is a sign of disrespect. While wolves will often vomit up barely digested food for the pups to eat, Bider doing so here sends the message that he views King as weak like a pup, and this instigates King’s defense of his territory.

After his final struggle to find his place, Runt finally comes to terms with who he is to the pack, resolving The Tension Between Autonomy and Belonging. Having learned that King gave Runt his name and feeling distanced by King’s disdain, Runt chooses to join Bider in Chapter 20 in a last attempt to change his identity. At this point, Runt has given up on belonging to the pack and decided to find belonging elsewhere. The raven has kept Runt from making bad choices in the past, but this time, Runt ignores the bird until the raven literally gets in Runt’s way, showing how determined Runt is to change his situation. When the cow that Bider eats in Chapter 21 kills him, Runt finally understands that King isn’t a coward or unintelligent. Rather, King’s choice to avoid the domesticated cows is a show of wisdom: He knows that the meat, while easy to get, would only harm his family. Even when facing starvation, he is not taken in by the false promise of an easy meal. This realization restores Runt’s respect for King and renews his desire to find his place within the pack.

Runt is finally given his new name (Singer) in Chapter 22, completing the pup’s character arc. At key moments in the story, Runt has used his howl to call to his pack, tell his story, or offer others, such as the humans, a message, even if the humans didn’t understand him. In Chapter 22, when Runt encounters the wounded moose, Runt knows that he needs help, and he uses his howl to sing a song of food and survival so that the rest of his pack knows there is still hope. Runt’s choice to call his pack also reveals how much he has grown. Instead of trying to stop the moose alone in order to prove that he is as valid as his larger siblings, Runt finally understands that wolves are meant to be pack animals and that he does not have to shoulder the pack’s responsibility or the responsibility of belonging all by himself. The moose gives permission for Runt to kill him, but Runt realizes that the moose is still a threat to a lone wolf. Thus, instead of trying to prove himself as an individual, he proves himself as a member of the pack by including his family in the hunt and offering the kill to everyone so that they may eat and be healthy. This closing sequence offers the book’s clearest demonstration of The Many Forms of Strength. Up to this point, Runt has been fixated on proving that he is as physically strong and brave as a bigger wolf, and he has taken foolish risks to prove those who have doubted him wrong—especially his father. Now, he has learned that strength comes in many forms. His singing is a kind of strength, and so is his wisdom in knowing not to attack the moose alone. The pack’s cohesion is another form of strength, allowing them to take on animals much larger and stronger than any individual wolf. In completing his character arc, Runt earns a new name, as he has found the unique strength that allows him to contribute to the pack’s survival.