The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison

"He is one of my people," said Richon. "If I make an enemy of him, whose fault is it, his or mine?" Chala thought there was a simple answer to that question, but Richon apparently did not agree. "He lives," he said, with finality in his voice.
A bear, and a hound. A king, and a princess. They live together, getting along... most of the time, except for a few small fights... When, however, the king (now a bear), is asked by the man who transfigured him to go back in time, to when he was king, as a human, and make sure that magic will flourish in the future, the bear and the hound (now Richon and Chala), will have to find a way to stop the unmagic, restore peace to Richon's kingdom, and to figure out their own feelings towards each other.
A week after, a lack-witted noblewoman sat at dinner and mentioned casually that she thought that Chala's teeth were rather large for her face. Chala opened her mouth very wide and said, "And yet they are perfect for tearing flesh from bones. I always liked the taste of warm blood." The noblewoman went very still, then left the dinner table after a few minutes and did not return. She left the palace the following day and was not seen again. Chala was not sorry for her. But it stopped the rumors.
I loved this book. Not enjoyed... not liked... I loved it. It was well, written, and hilarious. Chala is a hound... and reading from a hound's point of view can be very entertaining, as you find out in this book. Reading the differences in opinion in this book- human and hound -are very satisfying, and the ending fills you up- the way a good book should. I would recommend this book to virtually anyone- especially people who like happy endings and strong heroes/heroines.
It was one of the most difficult things she had ever done. If only she could have simply leaped through the window and attacked. That was what the hound in her longed to do. Not thinking about choices, about chances. Do it, or don't do it. But don't stew over it like a human.