The Wayfinder

by Darcy Pattison

  She stood aside and let Win approach Lady Kala. Win guessed that letting the Tazi go free was the hardest part for Siv; she wanted a hunting dog very badly.

  Win knelt before Lady Kala and could have wept at her condition. He whispered to her telepathically. “Can you hear me?”

  “Yes.” It was a weak voice, but at least she could answer him.

  Win looked up at Siv. “What’s wrong with her? How long before she regains her strength?”

  “When the collar is removed, it takes a day or so before the wolves recover. By morning she’ll be normal.”

  “It will be a hard night if you hunt us well. But I promise, we will be hard to track. Can you give us food and water?” He licked his dry lips and longed for water from any source.

  Siv unslung a skin of water and a small pouch. Win grabbed the skin and squirted it into Lady Kala’s mouth. Then he drank himself. He peered into the pouch; it was full of jerky. He stuffed a piece into this mouth.

  “Thank you. What can I do to repay you?”

  Siv handed him two empty water skins, one large, one small. “Fill these with water from the Well of Life. Leave the small one for me at the top of the waterfall. We need it in case you really have brought the plague with you.”

  “At the top of the waterfall. Look for it in two days, three at the most.”

  Win turned back to Lady Kala and fed her a piece of jerky. Her jaws moved slowly. He remembered once when Zanna had been sick with fever and he had spoon fed her. He’d found himself moving his jaw up and down in time with her motions. This time he clenched his teeth and just watched Lady Kala eat. When she finally finished the meat, he gently said, “We must go. Can you travel?”

  She hauled her belly up, out of the dust, but her head was still low, her ear fringes dragging the ground. “Go.”

  Win led the way to the sea of grasses, and together they entered the shadows.

  Siv called after them, “Remember, I lead the hunt to catch you tonight. You must hide well.”

  THE GRASSES

  Though fatigue pulled at him, Win trotted along the path through the grasses while Lady Kala staggered behind with a faltering gait. He didn’t know how long or how far she could run. He wanted to pick her up—he was sure he was strong enough to carry her for a long time—but she wouldn’t allow it.

  “You need your strength for yourself,” she said.

  When they were out of Siv’s range of sight, he halted. “Siv will expect us to follow the trail; we have to do the unexpected. We will follow my Finding for the Well and head straight toward it, instead of using the trails.”

  Lady Kala agreed. “They must not catch us. That collar. Win, if they ever put it on me again, you must—I can’t live that way.”

  Win bent to look into Lady Kala’s eyes; he eased a burr out of the hair over her left eye. “Lady Kala, we are free, and Siv said by tomorrow you’ll feel normal again.”

  Her head dropped to her front paws. “The Finding. Do it. Let’s be gone,” she whispered.

  Win concentrated on the Well. The Finding was strong, and the Well was only half a day’s travel. “This way—Are you all right?”

  Lady Kala had tried to stand but had stumbled and fallen. She shook herself from nose to tail as if to shake off the effects of the collar. “No. But we must move. The hunters will soon seek us.” She tried to rise again but couldn’t.

  “You’re not in any shape to travel. Yet we must move. And quickly. What can we do?”

  “Could you Find where the wolves make their den?”

  Win shook his head. “You want to seek shelter with the great wolves?”

  “Yes. I will stay with them until you return.”

  Win paced back and forth along the path. “No. The wolves would tear us apart.”

  “They would tear you apart, not me. I’ve worn the collar. Anyway, I would rather face the wolves than Valda.”

  Win remembered the coyote pack in the Rift and how Lady Kala had stared longingly at the wiry coyote and the cubs that played at his feet. Did she want to join the wolf pack now? Would he be left alone in this vast sea of grass?

  “No, my desire is not to join the wolf pack,” she said, reading his mind. Her speech already bore a trace of her usual arrogance. “I’m exhausted and cannot travel. You must Find the Well alone, then return for me.”

  “Are you sure they won’t try to kill you?”

  “I’ve worn the collar—only for a few hours—but it changes you. It is the ultimate duty, the command you cannot disobey. I began to understand Siv’s mind in a way I’ve never understood humans before. These wolves are changed, and they will recognize the change in me as well.”

  “You’re not strong enough. Besides, we don’t know where the grotto is.”

  “There are other ways of Finding,” she said. “I smell the wolves even now. There were some close by here last night.”

  Win spun around, searching for glowing yellow eyes. The wind had sprung up and was whipping around the white feathery grain heads, like whitecaps on water. Below them the shadows were deepening, and the wind crooned through the grass stalks. Anything could come out of the depths of the sea of grasses. Long, whippy leaves leapt toward his face, and he jerked back.

  “Okay, you can lead us to the wolves,” he said. Briefly he wondered if he had time to brush her; he hated to see her so disheveled. Then he realized that his pack, with the jade brush and all his supplies, was gone. All they had was the water and jerky from Siv.

  Lady Kala rose, still wavering. “This way.

  Behind them they heard great drums resounding through the gathering dusk.

  Win moaned. “Hurry, they’ve discovered that we’re missing.”

  As if in answer to the drums, far out on the plains came the howl of a wolf. It hit a high note and then slid mournfully down an octave or more before it was joined by the sorrowful wail of the entire pack.

  They were trapped between the wolf pack and Siv’s hunting party. Without hesitation Lady Kala led the way into the waving grasses—toward the wolf pack.

  THE CLAN

  The night was dark and cold, especially for an evening during the dry season. The wind had increased steadily since sundown, blowing in clouds that hid the stars. Win walked toward the sound of the wolf howls but longed instead to follow his Finding for the Well. What if they were already too late to save the Heartland? He followed Lady Kala, hoping that Siv had not started hunting for them.

  Lightning flashed in the distance. Win caught a glimpse of his companion. Lady Kala looked a little better, holding her head a big higher and walking with a firmer step.

  “Do you know where we are?” he asked her.

  “I know we are in wolf territory; their scent marks it well. With wind so wild, though, I know not their current position. I also smell water, perhaps a creek or a lake. We will turn into the wind, and I will rest at the water.”

  Win turned northwest, straight into the wind, and pushed onward. A mighty gust swept down, forcing the grasses to kneel until they were only waist-high like an ebb tide. Though he was hunched over and immobile, Win could barely stand his ground. When the gust passed, he pushed on again, head down, blinking at debris blown into his eyes. Surely there would be rain.

  Suddenly lightning streaked across the dark sky, splitting the sky into jagged pieces of a puzzle. Behind them and to the right, he saw figures: the Wolf Clan! On their trail!

  He dropped to the ground. Had they been seen?

  “Did you see them? Why didn’t you smell them?” he demanded of Lady Kala.

  “They are downwind.”

  Of course. He should’ve known that. “I don’t think they saw us. Are they moving?”

  Win raised his head, but the dark was complete; without the lightning, he was blind. He tried to remember the exact scene as he had seen it. There was a clump of the Wolf Clan to one side, watching two other figures. What were they doing? Grappling and fighting, he thought. It must have been Siv in her short breech
es fighting her sister. The figures had the same stance, same height, same overall profiles.

  “Why would they be fighting?” he asked Lady Kala.

  “Take us over to them. We need to know what’s happening.”

  Reluctantly Win concentrated on the image of the two sisters. This kind of Finding was simple. He laid a hand on Lady Kala’s side, and they crawled through the grasses until they were close enough to hear.

  “You let them go! Then you hid the Wolf Amulet?” Valda’s voice was cold and triumphant.

  “I did it for the good of the clan! Don’t you see?” Siv cried.

  “Hid the Wolf Head!” The desire for power was naked in Valda’s voice. She demanded, “Sister, tell me where it is.”

  Then Valda howled in pain, “Where did she go? Catch her!”

  A voice from the pack of clansmen called, “Valda, we can see nothing in this dark. We need to light torches.”

  Another voice: “No torches. The grasses are too dry.”

  Valda called, “Find Siv.”

  Lady Kala listened for a moment longer. “They aren’t worried about us.”

  “Let them fight each other. Let’s go.” Win turned and faced into the wind again. Though the wind was calmer, it still whipped through the grasses, making it hard work to walk. Win and Lady Kala marched steadily for half an hour or so, hiding several times when lightning flashed exposed them. But there was no sign of pursuit.

  Lady Kala stiffened. She stopped stock still and lifted her head. Her voice quavered. “Wolves. Close by.”

  THE GREAT WOLVES

  Lady Kala’s slim body shook. She stood again, head lifted, sniffing the air.

  “Are you scared?” Win asked.

  “Not scared, excited. The great wolves roam through the prairie grasses—free! After that collar—”

  “Remember Prince Reynard. He needs us!” Win reminded her sharply, then stopped. Lady Kala wanted freedom from the boring life she would have in the Jamila Kennels. This might be her only chance. He had to let her go.

  To the east, clouds whirled around in a muddle and hid the face of the moon as it rose. “There’s a tree over there, probably beside the water. I’ll stay beside it while you go to talk with the wolves.”

  Lady Kala said, “I’ll call to you and tell you what they say. If they let me stay, I’ll see you in a day or two after you return from the Well.” Without a backward glance she left him.

  “Be careful,” he said. He hated to let her go alone.

  Lady Kala walked into the wind, as if in a trance, led by the scent of the pack. Win wanted to follow her, to protect—

  Anguish washed over him, and he hugged himself even harder. Protect? The way he had protected Zanna? He slumped against the tree trunk, on the lee side of the wind. He had a Finding on Lady Kala and knew every step she took, but he couldn’t interfere. He just had to Find the Water of Life and return it to Hazel. Would the water heal his grief, too?

  Suddenly he pulled his knees up to his chest and buried his face in his arms. The windstorm blustered around him, bringing heavy clouds but no rain. Whirlwinds moaned through the long grasses, chipping them in one direction, then another. The air was thick and heavy; still, it did not rain.

  With great effort Win pushed up and stood looking around the grasslands.

  Where was Lady Kala? She was supposed to let him know when she found the wolves. He checked the Finding. She wasn’t far away, but she wasn’t moving anymore. She must be talking with the great wolves. A shiver went down Win’s back. Would she stay with them?

  Then he heard drums booming in the distance. Where was the Wolf Clan? He did a Finding on Siv; she was very close to Lady Kala. Where was Valda? Almost on top of Lady Kala, too. Something was very wrong!

  Win concentrated on the Tazi hound and let the Finding pull him along the creek, heading into the wind. The ground rose slightly, surprising Win; he had thought the plains were totally flat. The rise continued, but the Finding stayed along the banks of the creek. Slowly the land rose around him until he found himself in a valley. The bedrock thrust up, making steep sides and bare rock: the grotto! Siv and Valda had said they would seek the great wolves tonight at the grotto. Lady Kala had walked straight into a trap!

  The moon slid from behind a cloud, and the grotto was suddenly illuminated with eerie silver light that reflected from the low clouds. Win ducked behind a bush. Most of the great wolves were lounging among the boulders at the back of the grotto. On a large, flat stone the pack leader stood as a sentinel. He was twice the size of the coyote chieftain, a giant in comparison. His legs were massive, and even the thick glossy hair couldn’t hide thick muscles. His yellow eyes glittered like cold distant stars as he watched Lady Kala approach his stone.

  Where were Siv and Valda? The wind whistled down the grotto, so the scent of intruders wouldn’t come to the pack.

  Siv was hidden behind a shrub on the left, hunched over, silent and watchful. Valda stood behind a boulder to the right of the river. She was alone; apparently the rest of the clan had been sent back to the village. She had a short, powerful crossbow, on which she placed and nocked an arrow. She aimed for a spot behind the wolf chieftain where a magnificent silver female was standing over a small black cub. The wolf chieftain’s mate and cub? What was Valda doing?

  Siv ran bent double, toward the creek, hurtled over it, and dashed for Valda. The wolf chief leapt over Lady Kala’s head and raced for Siv, splashing through the creek water and across the bare rock.

  Valda pulled back the bow and loosed the arrow, straight for the female wolf’s head.

  Siv vaulted into the air and yelled, “No!”

  The arrow struck Siv just below her collarbone, sinking deep into the flesh. Siv crumpled, her pale hair streaming around her and glowing in the moonlight as if she were a ghost.

  “You fool!” screamed Valda. “I only wanted to kill the females, so we could capture the cub. We need the wolves.”

  Then the wolf chief knocked Valda flat and stood with huge paws on her white throat. He growled and bent to his prey. But Win heard Lady Kala calling, “No, my lord, don’t kill her.”

  The wolf pack had been only a second behind their leader and now surrounded Valda and Siv. Lady Kala ignored their snarling and walked through them like a queen before her court. She stopped and stood beside the great wolf who was two hands taller. She wagged her tail and crouched. Her head lay on her paws in a gesture of submission.

  “My lord, these people are no longer your concern. The Wolf Head has been destroyed,” she lied. “Never again will you have to answer its call. They quarrel between themselves. Pah! They aren’t worth your notice.”

  “She almost shot Grael, my mate.”

  “But this one took the arrow instead. I say, again: Let them fight each other. Think. You are free, no Wolf Head to call you.”

  The great wolf looked from Valda’s terrified face to the Tazi hound’s earnest one. He splayed his claws, then took his paw from Valda’s tender neck. Lady Kala took a step forward under his chin and rubbed her nose against his powerful jaw. His tail wagged.

  Then he stepped backward again. He lifted his muzzle to the moon, stretched out his long pale throat, and howled, “Aroo! Ar, ar, arooo!”

  Lady Kala sat back on her haunches along with the rest of the pack and joined him: “Arooo!”

  “You have worn the collar. Will you join us in the hunt?” The great wolf nuzzled Lady Kala’s long ears.

  “Yes.”

  The wolves and Lady Kala turned and filed silently out of the grotto, ignoring the two sisters.

  Still hidden behind the bushes, Win wondered if the wolves would smell him, but if they did, they ignored him. He almost called to Lady Kala as she passed, but he stopped himself. She had made her choice. She was one of the wolf pack now and no longer his responsibility. He didn’t know whether to be sad or glad. She had what no royal gazehounds from the Jamila Kennels had had for years, a pack with which to run free.

 
; THE FINAL SEARCH

  The clouds covered the moon again, and the electric storm resumed in earnest. Lightning sprayed across the sky, but there was still no rain. Static electricity made Win’s hair stand on end. Valda was tending to Siv, and Win didn’t want to become embroiled in their quarrel again. He had only one thing to do now: Find the Well of Life.

  He followed the creek back to the opening of the grotto valley. He stopped briefly for a drink. Far out in the midst of the grasses he heard the pack howling again. Already they had traveled far. He strained to hear Lady Kala’s voice among the howls. Would she like the life of a wolf?

  He tried to ignore the sounds of the pack and concentrate on the Finding from Prince Reynard. The granite Well loomed in his vision, and he longed to cup his fingers into the clear, cold water. Would it heal him? Wearily Win struck out across the grasses toward the Well. He moved in a lazy trot, pulled trancelike by the Finding.

  Lightning cracked, and a thunderclap startled him. The lightning must have struck something very close. The sky flashed bright gain, lighting the paths through the grasses. Win realized that the lightning was less, but the sky was still lit up. Was it already near morning?

  A strange smell jarred him from his half daze. Acrid, bitter, charring. Smoke!

  Lightning had started a grass fire! Bright orange flames swept through the drought-dry grasses. A line of fire was cutting him off toward the east where the village lay. Swirling winds fanned the flames, spreading thick black smoke across the plains, threatening to smother what the flames missed. Already the smoke made it hard to see, almost as bad as a f’giz mist.

  Win ran back to the creek and rolled in the water, soaking his clothes. He would run to the west, away from the fire and toward the Well.

  “Win!” Lady Kala’s voice came from so far away Win could barely hear her. “Win! We’re surrounded by fire. Win—”