Spirit of the Wolves by Hearst Dorothy

Author:Hearst, Dorothy [Hearst, Dorothy]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fantasy, Epic, General, Action & Adventure, Fiction
ISBN: 9781416570233
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2012-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

16

At dawn the next morning, TaLi strode purposefully across Kaar’s central clearing to greet HesMi and RalZun. I kept as close to her side as I could without tripping her. She whispered to me as we walked.

“Ever since a rhino killed JaliMin’s brother, HesMi has hated them. She says they charge humans on purpose.” HesMi had lost a grandchild to the rhino. I could understand why she would despise them.

Ázzuen loped up beside me and looked up at TaLi. “Does she know what she’s doing?” he asked. I had no answer for him. TaLi was smart, and she was brave, but she was still only a partly grown girl. A rhino could trample her to death easily.

HesMi and RalZun stood with a large group of humans around one of the larger fire pits. I saw reluctance and ridicule in some faces, excitement in some, and fear in most of them.

“It’s a good test of what the wolves can do for us,” HesMi said as if ending an argument, then turned to loom over TaLi.

“Do not endanger any of my hunters unnecessarily.” She glowered.

“I would never risk the lives of those who follow me to the hunt,” TaLi said formally.

HesMi picked up a hollowed-out auroch horn that she wore on a strap across her chest, and blew into it. A sound like the lowing of a wounded elkryn resonated through the village.

“The hunt has been called,” she said. “See to it that you do right by it.”

TaLi dipped her head to the human leader. Then she clutched my backfur tightly and pulled me as she turned away. I looked up to see her jaw clenched and her lips tight with anxiety now that the others could no longer see her.

“Get Pell,” I said to Tlitoo. He had to have returned from the hills by now. Tlitoo flipped his wings back, considering. “Please,” I added.

“He does not like the humans, wolf. I am not sure it is a good idea to have him here.”

I growled, wondering why nothing could ever be easy. When Ruuqo and Rissa told someone to do something, they did it. Though perhaps not with ravens.

“I’ll go!” Prannan said. I hadn’t heard him come up behind me. “I’ll find him for you!” He raced off into the woods, his tail whipping with excitement.

Too soon for my liking, we left the village in search of the rhino. Its path wasn’t hard to follow. It had crashed through the bush like a Greatwolf. I’d never known any one creature to make so much noise or cause such destruction. Sage bushes, junipers, and saplings lay trampled in its path.

RalZun and HesMi walked side by side at the front of the line of humans. IniMin and DavRian were a step behind them, even though the hunt was TaLi’s. She and I walked quietly in the center of the pack of humans. A rustling from above told me the ravens were nearby. Many of the humans were laughing and poking each other, which seemed like odd behavior as we prepared to hunt such vicious prey.

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