Wolves of the Beyond: Shadow Wolf

Wolves of the Beyond: Shadow Wolf Read Free Page A

Book: Wolves of the Beyond: Shadow Wolf Read Free
Author: Kathryn Lasky
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through him.
    But what is happening now? he wondered as he sensed a change in direction. The bull moose was turning sharply to the north. This could not be right, for it seemed as if they might be driving the moose into rocky terrain that held a maze of gullies through which he could escape. Faolan put on a new burst of speed. The time might be coming, he thought with overwhelming excitement, for him to rise up on his hind legs. He could stop this bull in seconds! He cut out from the press of wolves and blasted forward so he could get ahead of the moose.
    At the moment Faolan decided to break out, Heep noticed a whirlwind of rising dust. What in the name of Lupus? he thought, and purposely lagged just a bit behind in his position so he could edge over for a better view of the eastern flank. He blinked. He simply could not believewhat he was seeing. Obviously, Faolan had no idea that the byrrgis was executing a crimping maneuver, designed to turn the moose. With his silvery tail floating out behind him like a plume, Faolan was streaking ahead and actually crimping the crimpers. This was an unimaginable violation of the byrrgnock laws—a first-degree offense.
    A deep thrill coursed through the yellow wolf. By the Moon of the Singing Grass, this wolf would be out of the pack, out of the clan, and heading for the Dim World! The yellow wolf did not have to utter a word. Didn’t have to do a thing. The gnaw wolf Faolan was stripping his own bones!
    Faolan was running full throttle. He stretched out, feeling the wind through his fur and the ground so light beneath his feet. He knew that this was what he was made for—to catch the wind, to bite the sun that was dropping behind the horizon. The tawny haunches of the young female were drawing into view. It surprised him that he had devoured so much distance so fast. He felt the power in his muscles.
    As Faolan closed in on the front-runners, he began to pick up signals that were flying back and forth between the corporals and the captains. Subtle motions, gestures—a flick of an ear, a sudden up-tip of a tail. He saw the signals but did not know their meaning. So whenFaolan streaked out ahead of the pack, ahead of the outflankers, ahead of the point wolves, he did not hear the muffled dissonance as the pace was broken, nor the baffled, low growls of the two packs behind him. He was thinking of what was ahead—the huge bull moose he was going to stop. Faolan pulled ahead of the moose, out far enough in front to spin around and rise up on his back legs. He felt the spirit of the grizzly bear Thunderheart flow through him as he lifted up. He held his forepaws just like Thunderheart held hers, and it was as if he could feel his claws growing longer, sharper. I am a wolf and a bear—a grizzly bear . His howl crashed like thunder.
    The moose skidded to a halt. A wild light filled his dark eyes as he took in the confounding sight before him. Then the moose bellowed and wheeled about—to charge the byrrgis ! It was as if a mountain tore through the thirty-one wolves. There was a clamorous burst of howls and shrieks.
    Great Ursus, what have I done?
    But Faolan knew without being told. He had disturbed the order. A gnaw wolf had dared to cut out of the byrrgis and run beyond the outflankers! Beyond the point wolves! The byrrgis had been broken, and the bull moose had escaped.

CHAPTER THREE
T HE O UTFLANKER’S R AGE
    HE EXPECTED PUNISHMENT. AFTER all, that was what gnaw wolves were made for. They got random nips if they came too close to a carcass before the appropriate time, shunnings, often a wallop on their muzzles, and of course they served as the butt of all jokes and pranks. This he could have endured and did endure. But when he was told that Heep would be called to gnaw the bone recording Faolan’s breach of conduct as well as deliver the gnaw bite, Faolan felt nausea rise up in him.
    He had spoiled the hunt. He was guilty of one of the most serious infractions of the code of laws

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