Secrets of the Wolves (34 page)

“And being hunted by Aln,” KiLi retorted. “The other tribes may or may not know that the prey is gone, and thanks to TaLi’s warning, we do. We can get to the aurochs first.”

TaLi spoke again. “If we have the wolves hunting with us, the aurochs are no more dangerous than giant elk.” She sounded like an adult, like a true krianan, not a child, and I was proud of her.

“We may as well hunt the aurochs,” one of the males said. “It’s no more dangerous than fighting Aln for the giant elk. And it would bring us honor.”

“Why would it bring them honor?” Ázzuen asked me.

“I don’t know,” I answered.

The other male, the one who had protested the distance to the aurochs, grunted in agreement. “I’m not afraid of a good hunt,” he said. “And if game is scarce, I’d like other tribes to know we are auroch-hunters. They’ll think twice before fighting us for other prey.”

HuLin threw an arm around each of the males. “Then we’ll hunt the aurochs and show the other tribes in the valley what Lin can do. TaLi, you will bring the wolves,” he said, as if it was his idea to do so.

“Yes, HuLin,” TaLi said.

HuLin smiled and ruffled her hair, then strode off with the other males. KiLi gave TaLi a concerned look and followed them.

RinaLi watched the four of them leave, then glared again at TaLi. “I hope you’re right about your wolves,” she said, and stalked away after the other humans.

TaLi waited until she was out of hearing range and then crouched down to bury her face in my neck fur. “So am I,” she whispered.

All four of my legs ached and I had bruises along the entire right side of my body. Marra had a cut over her left eye, received when she tried to scoot under Ceela’s chest, and Ázzuen kept licking his right forepaw, which had somehow ended up between Pell’s hip and a sharp rock. Torell had insisted on giving us one more fighting lesson before we hunted aurochs with the humans. He said that we needed to hone our reflexes and learn to pay attention to that which we couldn’t see. He and his packmates had thrown us into the hard dirt again and again until they were satisfied that we were ready.

For some reason, TaLi had chosen the auroch feeding grounds that were most distant from the human village, and told us to meet her there. We were so far to the west that in the distance I could see the hills that bordered the western edge of the valley. I could also see, just to the south, the low ridge of hills that Pell had spoken of. One of the hills had a line of poplars and low bushes across the top that might hide us. It would be a simple thing to get there and look for the Greatwolf hiding place. The hunting ground was also more than half a day’s walk from the human village, and the humans waited half the night before leaving so that they could arrive at daybreak. Which had given Torell plenty of time to toss us around. As a result, all three of us stumbled rather than walked from Stone Peak territory back to the humans.

It was worth it. An auroch lay dead on the ground, and the humans celebrated.

I looked in satisfaction at the auroch and the humans. Torell had done us more of a favor than he realized by helping us hunt the aurochs. The humans prized them above all other prey not just for their meat, which was nourishing and rich, but also for their hides, tough enough to last many seasons. Killing an auroch was seen as an act of great prowess and bravery among the humans. That’s what the human male had meant about the honor of killing one. HuLin was so pleased that he had given us twice as much meat as he had at the horse hunt. I watched as TaLi was honored by her tribe. If she continued to bring them to prey and we continued to help them hunt, they would value us, and her as well.

I looked down the plain to the edge of the forest closest to the ridge of hills. Frandra and Jandru were there, lying on their bellies and watching. Only their muzzles and paws were easily visible, so the humans, unless they were looking carefully, wouldn’t see them. NiaLi had told the two Greatwolves of our plans, and they had wanted to see us hunt the aurochs for themselves. Frandra saw me watching them and dipped her head to me. Then the two Greatwolves slipped back into the woods.

Tlitoo pulled my ear. “The meat does no one any good sitting on the ground, wolf,” Tlitoo said. “Your pack will not care how well the humans hunt if they do not get their meat.”

His beak was bloody and his belly distended. The instant the humans had cut into the auroch, Tlitoo and Jlela had zoomed in, diving for the entrails that spilled from the beast’s belly. The humans swatted them away, HuLin nearly succeeding in hitting Tlitoo with the blunt end of his sharpstick, but not before the ravens had stolen good greslin. The birds had returned twice more, taking care to steal meat as far from HuLin as they could. “If you do not want the meat for your pack,” Tlitoo quorked, “we will take it.”

“I’m surprised you can still fly,” Marra said, eyeing the bird’s swollen belly. “But he’s right, Kaala. The sooner we take meat back to the pack the sooner we show them we can still succeed with the humans.”

I stood, groaning at the pain in my ribs. I had just picked up a piece of greslin in my jaws when TaLi saw me and called to me.

“Silvermoon!” she shouted, and held out her hand.

HuLin stepped up beside her. “Wolf,” he said. “Silvermoon, come over here.”

He had never called me by name before. Curious, I set down the meat I held and trotted over to them. I heard Ázzuen’s and Marra’s pawsteps behind me. I reached the humans and pressed myself against TaLi.

“I thought you’d already gone,” she said, “and I’m going to need you.”

Both she and HuLin were looking across the plain. I followed their gaze and saw a cluster of strange humans emerging from the woods. They strode onto the Western Plains and stopped eight wolflengths from the Lin tribe. Their alder scent was familiar, but it took me a moment to place it.

“DavRian’s tribe,” Marra said.

“Your girl brought us to their territory to hunt,” Tlitoo said smugly.

“Why would she do that?” I asked. Did she want to anger DavRian’s family so that they wouldn’t want her in their tribe?

Sure enough, DavRian was there, along with nine other humans who smelled like him. He still hadn’t come to live with Lin, in spite of RinaLi’s invitation. Probably because TaLi always snarled at him. But as soon as he saw TaLi, he started forward. Another male, tall and rangy with hair the color of Rissa’s fur, stopped him and whispered to him. All of the Rian humans held either their spears or the sticks and throwers used for hunting.

TaLi crouched down to whisper in my ear. “I’m getting rid of DavRian,” she said.

“What do you mean?” I asked, dread rising up in me. TaLi could be reckless—as reckless as Marra—and didn’t always show good sense. I had no idea what she had in mind, but the determined gleam in her eye made me nervous.

“She wants a challenge,” Marra said, admiration in her voice. “MikLan told me of them. The humans bet, just like we do. It’s risky, but if it works, she’ll be rid of DavRian.”

“BreLan would never let her do it,” Ázzuen said. But BreLan wasn’t there.

The humans of the Rian tribe hadn’t moved. The white-furred male spoke. “These are our hunting grounds, HuLin,” he said. “You should have asked our permission before killing here.”

The fur along my spine rose. Among wolves, trespassing on another pack’s hunting grounds was reason for a fight. Just two moons ago Wind Lake and Tree Line had fought over hunting grounds, and two wolves had been injured. But the white-furred human’s tone was mild in spite of the challenge of his words. I had the sense he was trying hard not to be angry and trying not to anger HuLin.

“As if they could kill an auroch,” TaLi muttered loudly enough that even a human could hear. I was too far away to see DavRian’s face clearly, but I saw his body tighten. HuLin glared at TaLi, but she ignored him. She folded her arms. “They couldn’t hunt an auroch if it lay down in front of them and fell asleep.” I leaned up against her, hard, so that she stumbled up against HuLin. Tlitoo pecked at her feet. “It’s true,” she said, whispering now. “I’m not joining their tribe. I’d rather live in a tree.”

The white-furred male watched her for a moment, then turned his gaze to HuLin.

“They are contested lands, PalRian,” HuLin said. “I know you and my father argued about them, but he never agreed to cede them to you.” I remembered MikLan mentioning that name. PalRian was DavRian’s father and the Rian tribe’s leader.

“Your father and I had an agreement, even then,” PalRian said. “We would discuss hunting here before doing so, and share what we killed. I know you are new to leading the Lin tribe, but I would expect you to honor your father’s promises.”

“We would be happy to share some meat with you,” HuLin said, opening his arms toward the auroch carcass. “There is plenty more to be had.” I wondered if the Rian tribe knew the prey was leaving the valley. Humans were rarely able to smell lies.

PalRian smiled and gestured to his followers, who lowered their sharpsticks and walked forward until they were within touching distance of the Lin tribe. As he came closer, I saw that PalRian was considerably older than HuLin. His joints did not move as smoothly, and his skin was looser on his bones. But he was healthy and assured in his leadership of Rian.

“You know I have no wish to fight with you, HuLin,” the older male said. “You know I want an alliance with your tribe.” He looked TaLi up and down. A female standing next to him smiled and reached out to the girl, stroking her strong arms. TaLi did not flinch back as I expected her to but met the female’s eyes. If she were a wolf, the fur on her back would be raised.

“I wish it very much,” PalRian said. “Still, this is Rian territory, and I would appreciate it if you would not take what isn’t yours. You need to ask us before hunting here. Your father and I had a way of doing things that worked well for us.”

“Then I will make you a wager,” HuLin said pleasantly. “Whichever tribe can more quickly bring down another auroch will have hunting rights here for two years’ time.”

PalRian smiled a little.

“Why should I wager for what’s already mine?” he asked.

TaLi took a deep breath and looked to HuLin for permission. He dipped his head to her.

“To prove yourselves worthy of an alliance with Lin,” she said.

DavRian drew in a sharp breath. Every member of Rian was now staring at the girl.

“Your son wishes to marry our healer,” HuLin said. “If you win, she is his—along with these hunting grounds. If we win, this land is ours and we gain the Moss Forest for two years as well.” TaLi had told him that in spite of the flight of most of the valley’s prey, the Moss Forest was replete with walking birds, forest pigs, and smallprey. It was because it smelled of damp moss, a scent the Greatwolves hated.

PalRian could not hide his excitement. His heartbeat quickened, and he looked TaLi over, as if she were smallprey and he a lion. I had no idea why she was so valuable to him, but he clearly wanted her.

This was what TaLi had meant about getting rid of DavRian. I felt sick. She was putting a lot of confidence in our ability to hunt the aurochs. I pawed at her leg.

“No risk no gain, Silvermoon,” she whispered. “I have to do this, or there’s no chance for me.”

“We accept your wager,” PalRian said eagerly, reminding me of Werrna accepting Torell’s bet. “It will be a pleasure to show you how the Rian tribe hunts.” It was obvious he thought HuLin was arrogant and inexperienced.

“Wait, Father,” DavRian protested, “they’ll use the wolves. The wolves help them hunt.”

PalRian barked a laugh, and several of DavRian’s tribe-mates laughed, too.

“You said the wolves were a hindrance, DavRian,” TaLi said. “You said they were dangerous.”

“If you’re afraid of the wolves,” HuLin said smoothly, “we will use fewer hunters. I will hunt with TaLi and just one of my other hunters. You may use as many as you like.”

“Agreed!” PalRian said quickly, clearly thinking he was getting the better deal. DavRian tried to protest, but when his tribemates laughed at him again and began howling and growling, as if they were wolves, his face darkened and he stopped arguing. He glared at me fiercely. I turned away from him and lifted my tail to show him my backside. Ázzuen and Marra did the same. Then we began the hunt.