I do convince Nuria to go back to our cabin before dinner, but she won’t get in her nest. She insists on sitting on the sofa like a guest.

It’s probably for the best. Her heat seems to have eased for the time being, and I need to feed her as much as possible before it comes on in full. It’s true that I don’t know much about a female’s heat, but I do know some. Males brag about how much weight their females lose in three or four days. Sometimes as much as ten or fifteen pounds.

Nuria’s healthy. She’s got decent padding on her thighs and belly, but...