Wolf-speaker (12 page)

—
Is this a new thing, this relationship of humans and wolves?
—the basilisk inquired when she was done.—
I would not have expected men's dealings with the People to improve
.—

Daine smiled. In many ways he sounded like Numair. “No, sir. I've just had a fair knack with animals since I was a pup myself, and then it turned to magic. Well, my teacher says it was magic all along, but I only learned to use it just a little while ago.”

—
I have heard of wild magic
.—The basilisk looked down at Leaper, who had crept around until she was a few yards downwind. Her nose was up, nostrils flaring as she breathed in the immortal's scent. Her tail waved.—
Except for bird-folk, most of the People fear me. Your wolf friends are unusual
.—

Daine smiled wryly. “You should meet their folks.”

—
I would like to do so, if you will permit it
,—was his reply.—
I would enjoy meeting the parents of such brave offspring, if they will not run away
.—

“They won't,” the girl assured him. “They're fair unusual themselves.”

—Have you a name, woff-girl?—

“Daine. My full one's Veralidaine Sarrasri, but that's too much of a mouthful for everyday use.”

The basilisk looked at her, large eyes cool and unblinking. Not for the first time and not, she was sure, for the last, Daine wished she could read an
immortal's thoughts as she could an animal's.—
My full name you could not pronounce, either. You may call me Tkaa
.—

Silly raced off, followed by three of the other wolves, as Leaper continued to watch the basilisk. Her litter mates soon returned. Silly, ears and tail proudly erect, bore the Coldfang's rattle, broken off when the monster sent him flying. He dropped it in front of Daine and barked.

“For me?” she asked, picking up the rattle. “You shouldn't have,” She wiped it on her breeches. It was silvery and cold, shaped in knobs like the rattle of a mortal snake. She gave it a shake and jumped when the thing buzzed. “Tkaa, you say these things hunt thieves? How much of a trail do they need?”

—None. They know where a thief has passed, and follow that awareness.—

Daine shuddered. “We'd best return to camp, then. I must warn the pack.”

The wolves raced through the trees and over the meadow, playfully nipping each other's hindquarters. Kitten followed at a swift, ground-eating gallop on all fours, while Daine and Tkaa brought up the rear.

FIVE

THE TRAP

In the clearing by the pond, the girl introduced Tkaa to Cloud. As the pups took a nap, she groomed the mare and packed. Tkaa occupied himself with Kitten, speaking in the chattering tongue she used to address him, and listening gravely to her replies. The girl fought to understand what was said, with no success.

—
Is something wrong?
—Tkaa wanted to know.—
You are frowning
.—

“I just don't see how Kit can have a language, and actually talk in it, but I can't understand. I almost never have trouble talking to immortals.”

—
Your magic permits you to speak mind to mind. Skysong is not old enough for that. On the other hand, the spoken dragon language is one they are born knowing. My people are renowned for knowledge of all languages, mortal and immortal. Before humans forced us into the Divine Realms, we walked everywhere and spoke to all
.—He looked around.—

Now I wander the mortal realm again, the first basilisk to do so in four centuries, thanks to that yellow mage
.—

“What yellow mage?”

—
The one who brought me here. He did not
mean
to bring me, of course, I sneaked through in the wake of the Stormwings he had summoned
.—

Daine stared at him. “Where was this?”

—Here. He lives on the castle island. I can see the aura of his power there, brighter than that of the other mages who live inside those walls.—

More than ever, Daine wished Numair had not left so abruptly. Goddess, let him return soon, she thought. He needs to hear what Tkaa can tell us. She also wanted Brokefang to come, so they could leave the area of the pond. The thought of another Coldfang making its slow, relentless way up from the lumber camp made her skin prickle and her stomach knot.

—
Calm yourself
,—advised Tkaa when she cut her palm slicing cheese for lunch.—
I doubt that the mortals who sent the Coldfang to hunt even know that that one is dead
.—

“But the men who sent him have scrying crystals,” she protested. “They'll look for him in those—”

—
They may
try.—The thought was reassuringly firm.—
Did I not say Coldfangs are thief catchers? Too many thieves rely on magic. A Coldfang cannot be seen by magic, nor can one be stopped by it. They may be slain by human weapons, but—as you know—that can be difficult
.—

She made a note of that as, in the distance, she felt the pack's approach. “The wolves are here. They
may be upset when they see you. Be patient, please.”

Kitten added a chirp, and the basilisk tickled her behind the ears.—
I am always patient
,—he said.

The wolves trotted out of the rocks and stopped, looking from Daine to Tkaa. Ears went flat; hackles came up. “No!” she cried. “He saved the pups! There was a monster coming, and he saved all our lives!” Quickly she explained the morning's events. Tkaa held still as Brokefang gave him a cautious sniff.

The Long Lake Pack thanks you, the chief wolf said at last. We thank you for the lives of our young, and the lives of our friends Daine and Kitten. Looking at Daine, he said, It sounds as if it is time for the pack to move.

“Please,” she said, thinking of immortals who could trace thieves. “I would feel
so
much better if we did.”

—
I told you they would not soon place another Coldfang on your trail
,—Tkaa reminded her.

“No, but them that sent it might come looking for the beastie,” replied Daine, forgetting months of grammar lessons. “If they find that statue, they might be smart enough to keep looking uphill.”

I know a place we may live in for a time, Brokefang announced. There are caves by the western pass where we can den. You will like it. There are plenty of bats for you to talk with. We will go now, if you are ready. The big wolf hesitated, then
added, looking at Tkaa, You are welcome to come there, too.

—I look forward to seeing your caves.—

Then let us go, Cloud said. I will feel better when we leave here.

Wait, Brokefang commanded. The tools. The saws and the axes. If we leave them here, and men come, they will find them and go back to cutting trees.

—You
are the thieves?
—There was surprise in Tkaa's cool voice.—
You stole men's tools?
—

They were scaring the game, Brokefang replied calmly. We made them stop.

Tkaa looked at Daine. His tone was coldly stern when he said,—
This was a bad thing you told them to do. Men will hunt them and kill them for this
.—

Stung by the unfairness of it, she cried, “It wasn't
my
fault!”

It was Brokefang's plan, Fleetfoot explained.

Short Snout yipped in approval.

Battle said, Brokefang makes
good
plans.

—
Show me
,—ordered the immortal. Russet led him into the reeds. Daine shook her head and loaded her things onto Cloud. She had finished when she heard that noise again, a screech with a deeper sound of tumbling rock underneath. It lasted for only a breath. When it stopped, Tkaa emerged from the reeds. Russet danced around the basilisk, leaping like a pup with joy.

He did a good thing, the wolf said. He made the tools into rock. Now
no
one can lift them or use them to cut trees!

Kitten whistled in glee; Brokefang grinned broadly. The younger adults—Battle, Sharp Nose, Fleetfoot, and Short Snout—yipped happily, tails wagging. Longwind grumbled under his breath, not liking this newest change in his world.

Frostfur sneezed in irritation. If everyone is happy, may we please
leave
? she demanded. I would like to be far from here before men come!

Brokefang led the way through the rocks. The pack followed in single file, as Tkaa, Daine, and Cloud brought up the rear. Kitten viewed the line of march from her seat atop Cloud's saddle, talking nonstop to Tkaa.

They had gone nearly half a mile when Daine sensed immortals.
Stormwings!
she cried silently to the pack as Cloud bolted for the nearby trees. Hide!

Longwind looked back at Daine. Wolves have nothing to fear from harriers, he said in his dignified way. They have no interest in the People.

Daine, joining Cloud and Kitten under branches that hid them from fliers overhead, yanked out her crossbow, and fitted a bolt into the notch. She thrust extra arrows point-first into the ground by her knee, ready to be fired.

The wolves continued their leisurely trot down the trail. Tkaa dropped back so the Stormwings
wouldn't think he was with them, but he stayed in the open. When the four winged immortals saw him, they circled overhead.

“Basilisk! We seek two-leggers,” called a filthy-haired brunette. What looked like old blood was streaked across her bare breasts. “A man, tall for a human, with lots of magic, and a young female with dark hair. Seen 'em?”

Tkaa walked on, pretending not to hear.

One Stormwing, whose human parts were the almond-shaped black eyes, black hair, and golden brown skin of a K'miri tribesman, dropped until he could hover a few feet away from Tkaa. His back was to Daine as the girl raised her bow. If he saw her, she would kill him before he could take word of her to Tristan.

Cloud gently clamped her teeth on the elbow supporting the bow stock. Don't, the mare warned. He hasn't done anything to you.

Yet, Daine replied silently. They're evil, Cloud. You
know
they're evil.

There's no such thing as a being who's pure evil, retorted the mare. Just as no creature is all good. They live according to their natures, just like you.

And their natures are
evil
, insisted the girl.

No. Their natures are opposed to yours, that's all. A wolf's nature is opposed to mine, but that does not make wolves evil. Until these creatures do
you harm, leave them be. It is as the stork-man told you—learn tolerance!

Unaware of his danger, the K'miri Stormwing spoke to Tkaa. “You want to watch that girl, gravel-guts. She kills immortals. She
likes
it. She stole an infant dragon, you know, and sent the dragon mother to her death.” Daine went cold with rage, hearing this version of Kittens's adoption. “You see her, make her stone before she puts an arrow in one of those sheep's eyes of yours.”

—
Flapper
,—replied Tkaa with gentle patience,—
your cawing begins to vex me. I am interested in neither your affairs nor those of mortals
.—