lluminating nothing but shadows. Warriors and young wolves scat

ing inside me like molten steel, my muscles twit

se pounded in sync with some ancient rhythm, deep

the forest floor, and something else; a low, guttural breathing, comi

-I can't..." My voice cracked. It sounded w

ed on my arm. "Ayla,

seemed to stretch, to warp, as though the forest itself was bending toward me. Every shadow

sound, but in thought, in feeling. I could feel it's raw h

rol it, but it laughed. A low, c

firelight. A wolf-no, something else-slid silently across the clearing. It

gnit

kne

ld it know me? I've never seen it befo

he tree bark, sinking like knives. My teeth itched. My jaw ached

but in my head. The thought was lo

or so it seemed. Its shadow tore across the clearing, and I couldn't stop staring. I wa

t mine. "Ayla! What the h

r whipping across my face. "I...

remor of wolves shifting or even a rogue attack, this was d

shoulders. "We ne

wn alive with sounds I shouldn't be able to hear: insects screaming,

d a low growl,

ly shadows. The firelight flic

came from the far side of the clearing; the opposite direction of the Alp

ice of a terr

me again. "Don

toward the sound. My legs moved faster than I should have be

n I saw

I had sparred with yesterday, lay on the gr

intentional. And above him, something crouched in th

rough the trees: 'Run

y claws dug into the dirt. My jaw

as frantic. "Ay

mine. It whispered things I didn't understan

ith terror..

e out. I wanted to hunt the strange l

slick, black with silver streaks, eyes glowing like molten metal.

en it

d, but i

.. fin

opped. My w

he shift in the air, the way the wo

e, desperation burning through his grip as he rea

ture was alr

's no escape. I saw its shadow stretch across th

o hard, and then... dark