Oath Breaker Read Online Free PDF Page A

hunt taillesses, not even bad ones--but he knew that he had to follow. The scent thickened. Through the voices of wind and birch and bird, Wolf heard the tailless stirring the Wet with a stick. He smelled that the tailless had no dog. Then he saw him.
The Bitten One was sliding up-Wet on the trunk of an oak. Wolf caught the glint of a great stone claw at his flank. He caught the smell of pine-blood and reindeer hide, and of the strange, terrible Bright Beast-that-Bites-Cold.
     
Terror seized Wolf in its jaws. The Bitten One sat fearless, relishing his strength. He was very, very strong. Not even the Bright Beast-that-Bites-Hot dared attack him. Wolf knew this because he'd seen the tailless thrust his forepaw right into the muzzle of the Bright Beast --and take it out unbitten.
    From many lopes away came the high, thin howl of the bird bone that Tall Tailless and the pack-sister used for calling him.
Wolf didn't know what to do. He longed to go to them; but that would mean turning back.
The bird bone went on calling.
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The Bitten One went on sliding up-Wet.
Wolf didn't know what to do.
"You let him get away!" shouted Torak, so angry that he forgot to talk wolf. "He was right there and you let him get away!"
Wolf tucked his tail between his legs and shot behind Fin-Kedinn, who was on his knees, waking a fire. "Torak, stop it!" cried Renn. "But he was so close!" "I know, but it's not his fault. It was me!" He turned on her.
" I called Wolf," she told him. "It's my fault he let Thiazzi get away." She opened her palm, and he saw the little grouse-bone whistle he'd given her two summers before.
    "Why?" he demanded. "I was worried about him. And you--you didn't seem to care."
That made him even angrier. "Of course I care! How could I not care about Wolf?" Behind Fin-Kedinn, Wolf dropped his ears and doubtfully wagged his tail. Remorse broke over Torak. What was wrong with him? Wolf had bounded so joyfully into camp, proudly telling Torak how he'd left the trail of the Bitten One as 43
soon as he'd heard his call. He'd been bewildered when Torak lost his temper. He had no idea what he'd done wrong.
Torak sank to his knees and grunt-whined. Wolf raced toward him. Torak buried his face in his scruff. Sorry. Wolf licked his ear. I know. "What's wrong with me?" murmured Torak.
Fin-Kedinn, who'd ignored his outburst, told him to go and fetch water. Renn simply glared.
Torak grabbed the waterskin and ran to the shallows.
They'd spent the night and next morning heading up the Elk River, pausing only for brief rests, and were now close to the rapids where the Widewater and the Blackwater crashed together. Twice they'd met hunters who'd seen a big man heading upstream.
     
He's getting away, thought Torak. Slumping onto a log, he glowered at the river.
     
It was a blustery day and the Forest was at odds with itself. An abandoned elk bellowed mournfully. In the dead reeds on the other side, two hares battered each other with their forepaws.
     
Torak caught the scent of woodsmoke and an appetizing sizzle of flatcakes. He was hungry, but he couldn't join the others. He felt cut off from them, as if he were trapped behind a wall: unseen, but tough as midwinter ice. Saeunn's prophecy about his foster father haunted him. What if Renn was right, and Thiazzi was
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setting a trap? What if he, Torak, was leading Fin-Kedinn to his death?
And yet--he had no choice but to go on.
Wolf padded down the bank and dropped a stick at Torak's feet as a present.
Torak picked it up and turned it in his fingers.
You're sad, said Wolf with a twitch of one ear. Why?
The pale-pelt who smells offish-dog, Torak said in wolf talk. Not-Breath. Killed by the Bitten One.
Wolf rubbed his flank against Torak's shoulder, and Torak leaned against him, feeling his solid, furry warmth.
You hunt the Bitten One, said Wolf. Yes, said Torak. Because he is bad? Because he killed my pack-brother. Wolf watched a damselfly skim the water. And when the Bitten One is Not-Breath--does