CHAPTER TEN

Haarn threw himself around as he felt the wolf's jaws tighten on his ankle. Stonefur sought to sever the druid's hamstring, leaving him crippled. Haarn's effort to escape helped the wolf's fangs cut deep furrows around his ankle, but it also kept Stonefur from gaining a decent grip. Haarn reversed his hold on the fighting club, holding it instead by its thicker end. He rammed the club's narrow end down, managing to aim it between Stonefur's jaws.

The club's wooden haft clacked against the wolf's teeth. Haarn shoved the club forward, jamming it into Stonefur's jaws, widening the distance between them.

Stonefur howled in pain and frustration, still struggling to maintain a grip on the druid.

Ignoring the pain in his ankle, Haarn took a fresh hold on the knife in his other hand. He gazed at the wolf's exposed throat, knowing his opponent wouldn't have time to move before he was able to slide the blade into his neck. Still, even knowing the wolf would kill him in a moment if the chance presented itself, Haarn hesitated. A druid was trained to kill out of mercy, whether to ease an animal's suffering or to control overpopulation, and sometimes to eat, though feeding oneself at the unnecessary expense of an animal was frowned upon.

Haarn's own father had killed for food several times that he could remember. Since going out on his own, from under his father's wing and tutelage, Haarn had seldom killed any animal, even those bearing dreadful and grievous wounds. Many druids would have killed an afflicted animal outright, but Haarn had worked to save them. Over the years, he'd challenged and killed more poachers than animals.

"Haarn, strike!"

Galvanized by Druz Talimsir's command, still reticent, Haarn struck with the knife.

An instant before the blade slid home, the wolf shied backward. The knife missed Stonefur's throat by less than the thickness of a finger.

Off-balance from the lunge, Haarn was ill prepared for the wolf's follow-up attack. He ducked, collapsing toward the muddy ground and wrapping his left arm over his head.

Stonefur's leap carried him too high. The slavering jaws didn't close on the druid's head as intended, but they grazed Haarn's arm. The trickle of blood along the druid's limb felt warm and welcome against the freezing rain.

Still in motion, Haarn threw himself to one side, falling over into a roll before the wolf could claw him. Stonefur hurtled overhead but landed on the ground. The wolf's callused pads and claws dug into the stony earth, stopping him short and bringing him back around.

You will die, lifekeeper, Stonefur promised.

The other wolves in his pack howled their approval.

Haarn tested his injured ankle as he got to his feet, wanting to make sure it would stay strong enough to support him.

Kill! the wolf bitch carrying pups snarled. Kill, and let's eat, Stonefur.

The wolf came again.

Haarn dodged to one side, but his foot slipped on a rain-slick stone and he almost fell. Before he could get clear of the wolf's headlong rush, Stonefur's fang gashed him again, ripping along his ribs. Fire burned the length of the druid's wounds. Before Haarn recovered, the wolf returned.

Ragged fur tore across Haarn's mouth as the wolf slammed his shoulder into the druid's face. Stonefur's jaws snapped closed on the juncture of Haarn's left shoulder and neck, seeking the jugular.

Bowing his back, Haarn fell forward in an effort to dislodge the wolf. He felt the flesh on the top of his shoulder tear. Warm blood cascaded down his body. Desperate, the druid swept the club around, swinging it from his knees.

Stonefur had expected the blow, though, and made sure he wasn't there when it arrived. Before he could recover from the neck wound and from being off-balance, Haarn looked up just in time to see the wolf's paw streak toward his face. The claws bit into his cheek, tearing down to the bone with ease.

Blood spurted up into Haarn's left eye, blinding him. He swept his knife up, keeping it along his arm. His hand touched the wolf's fur, but the animal wasn't there when the blade followed his hand. He knuckled his right hand around the club's handle then pushed himself erect.

Stonefur galloped in wide circles around the druid and growled, You tire, lifekeeper. Men no match for wolf clan.

Haarn exhaled, saying a small, silent prayer to Silvanus to gather his attention and make his heart cold toward his opponent.

I kill you, lifekeeper, Stonefur taunted, then we take time with woman. Chase her, bite pieces off and eat them, and let her run till she can't run anymore. Her death will be slow, painful.

Haarn had no doubt that Stonefur would make good on his promise, and the druid knew that no matter how skilled a warrior Druz Talimsir might be, she was no match for the wolf pack.

Stonefur raced by, cut back toward Haarn, and hoped to score another blow with his claws. Haarn chose to avoid the attack, stepping back and giving ground. Seeing the reaction as a weakness, Stonefur pressed his conceived advantage, racing forward again.

Haarn brought the club up and managed to jam it across the wolf's open jaws, fending his attacker off and keeping the saliva-covered fangs from his face and throat.

The druid teetered backward, off-balance. Before he could recover, the wolf dug his claws into the muddy ground and lunged forward.

The druid fell backward, trapped under the wolf's massive weight. The cold, greasy mud slapped against Haarn's bare back with chilling intensity. His breath left his lungs in a rush. When he breathed in again, he smelled the wolf's fetid breath and the stench of wet fur. He struggled to keep the club in place in his opponent's jaws and stay out of reach of Stonefur's fangs. Sharp rocks dug into Haarn's back, bruising and tearing the exposed flesh.

Broadfoot growled, sounding angry and fearful.

Stonefur turned his head, biting down on the club and seeking to tear it from Haarn's grip. Lightning flashed and was reflected in the pitiless depths of the wolf's wide eyes.

"Haarn!" Druz called.

Drawing part of a breath, Haarn yelled, "Stay back!"

If she didn't, she would bring the rest of the pack down on them. Even with Broadfoot and the spells Silvanus had placed at his disposal, the druid didn't know if they could escape the whole pack alive. He didn't trust the wolf's word either. Stonefur had learned to kill and lived for the bloody carnage he could cause. Haarn saw that, and his heart hardened. He remembered Druz's story about the boy who had been attacked.

You're a killer, Stonefur, Haarn accused.

Yes, the wolf replied, excitement in his voice. Human flesh taste good.

You hunt children.

Easy prey, the wolf countered.

He braced himself and butted Haarn in the face with his broad head. Haarn felt the wolf's teeth rattle along the club. He shifted his weapon with the wolf's movements, desperate to keep his opponent's jaws from his flesh.

You harder to kill, Stonefur said, but more fun. I kill you, too. Soon.

Haarn didn't have the breath to make a reply. Hot saliva dripped from the wolf's muzzle onto his exposed neck, feeling like freshly spilled blood. The stink of the wolf filled the druid's nostrils. With his throat exposed the way it was, Haarn knew all the wolf had to do was bite the veins on either side and let him bleed out.

Gathering his strength, Haarn shoved up against the wolf, trying to throw Stonefur from him. The wolf growled in triumph and bowed his back, using his hold on the club to stay on top of the druid.

Kill lifekeeper, Stonefur, the female called.

"Haarn!" Druz yelled.

Stonefur's orange eyes locked with Haarn's and the wolf said, Your female calls out for you.