the forest lo

s the l

n. The damp smell of rot and moss from the night before had softened into something almost pleasant.

he night before, I might

mmed faintly with the sounds of the town going about its business

the fir

t insistence I didn't yet know how to resist. A moment later, I h

f us ques

the stones, and without the night's shadows and strange warmth, they seemed smalle

ckened when I knelt

fully understanding. The figures were clearer in the sun-wolves caught mid-motion,

tec

ve these for bea

resting on his knees, watching the forest rather than the st

t, the seam was barely visible. If I hadn't know

harmless

worries me,

at him. "You be

omewhere between the trees. "I

certainty as he see

he spoke again,

alk about things lik

til

sín continued. "Not by saints or kings. By someth

ully towar

h tightening. "Men who could become wolves. That th

ttled heavil

hing else fell apart," he said. "Th

gs. The clustered figur

u believe h

humourless breath. "I

fingers diggin

nk if they'd still been here... m

harply, as if he hadn'

gs were real-if the land was protected-maybe he wouldn't have been here at all. Or maybe she would

y to that. There was no

y hands, suddenly aware of how warm

rs," I said slowly, "w

ked to me then, s

aid, "they we

rees, carrying with it the faintest pressure aga

hand away fr

us sugges

than anything