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oised like a deer before flight。 Her eyes were deep； her face very still。 When she turned aside； there was a stiffness to her carriage。 She did not glance at us again as she crossed the courtyard and went toward the kitchen entrance。 I felt a cold foreboding inside me。 Then Kettricken let go of my hand and gathered her cloak more closely about herself。 She did not look at me either； but only said softly； 〃Thank you； FitzChivalry。〃 She walked slowly toward the door。
I returned Sidekick to the stable and saw to him。 Hands came by and raised an eyebrow at me。 I nodded； and he went on about his work。 Sometimes； I think that was what I liked best about Hands； his ability to leave alone that which was not his concern。
I made bold my heart for that which I did next。 I went out behind the exercise pens。 There was a thin trail of smoke rising and a nasty scent of scorching meat and hair。 I walked toward it。 Burrich stood next to the fire； watching it burn。 The wind and snow kept trying to put it out； but Burrich was determined it would burn well。 He glanced at me as I came up but would not look at me or speak to me。 His eyes were black hollows full of dumb pain。 It would turn to anger if I dared speak to him。 But I had not e for him。 I took my knife from my belt and cut from my head a finger's…length lock of hair。 I added it to the pyre； and watched as it burned。 Vixen。 A most excellent bitch。 A memory came to me and I spoke it aloud。 〃She was there the first time Regal ever looked at me。 She lay beside me and snarled up at him。〃
After a moment Burrich nodded to my words。 He； too； had been there。 I turned and slowly walked away。
My next stop was the kitchen； to filch a number of meaty bones left over from yesterday's wake。 They were not fresh meat； but they'd have to do。 Cub was right。 He'd have to be put out on his own soon； to hunt for himself。 Seeing Burrich's pain had renewed my resolve。 Vixen had lived a long life； for a hound； but still too short for Burrich's heart。 To bond to any animal was to promise oneself that future pain。 My heart had been broken sufficient times already。
I was still pondering the best way to do this as I approached the cottage。 I lifted my head suddenly； getting only the briefest precognition； and then his full weight hit me。 He had e； swift as an arrow； speeding over the snow； to fling his weight against the backs of my knees； shouldering me down as he passed。 The force of his momentum threw me onto my face in the snow。 I lifted my head and got my arms under me as he wheeled tightly and raced up to me again。 I flung up an arm but he plowed over me again； sharp claws digging into my flesh for purchase as he ran。 Got you； got you； got you！ Glorious exuberance。
Halfway to my feet； and he hit me again； full in my chest。 I flung up a forearm to shield my throat and face and he seized it in his jaws。 He growled deeply as he mock…worried it。 I lost my balance under his attack and went down in the snow。 This time I kept a grip on him； hugging him to me； and we rolled over and over and over。 He nipped me in a dozen places； some painful； and all the time Fun； fun； fun； got you； got you； and got you again！ Here； you're dead； here； I broke your forepaw； here； your blood runs out！ Got you； got you； got you！
Enough！ Enough！ And finally： 〃Enough！〃 I roared； and he let go of me and leaped away。 He fled over the snow； bounding ridiculously； to fling himself in a circle and e racing back at me。 I flung my arms up to shelter my face； but he only seized my bag of bones and raced off with it； daring me to follow。 I could not let him win so easily。 So I leaped after him； tackling him； seizing the bag of bones； and it degenerated into a tugging match； at which he cheated by letting go suddenly； nipping me on the forearm hard enough to numb my hand； and then grabbing the bag again。 I gave chase again。
Got you。 A tug on the tail。 Got you！ I kneed his shoulder； pushing him off balance。 Got the bones！ and for an instant I had them and was running。 He hit me full square in the back； all four paws； and drove me facedown in the snow； seized the trove； and was off again。
I do not know how long we played。 We had flung ourselves finally down in the snow to rest and lay panting together in thoughtless simplicity。 The sacking of the bag was torn in places； the bones peeking through； and Cub seized one； to shake and drag it from the clinging folds。 He set to upon it； scissoring the meat and then pinning the bone down with his paws as his jaws cracked the knuckly cartilage on the end。 I reached for the sack and tugged at a bone； a good meaty one； a thick marrow bone； and drew it forth。
And abruptly was a man again。 Like awaking from a dream； like the popping of a soap bubble； and Cub's ears twitched and he turned to me as if I had spoken。 But I had not。 I had only separated my self from his。 Abruptly I was cold； snow had gotten inside the tops of my boots and at my waist and collar。 There were standing welts on my forearms and hands where his teeth had dragged over my flesh。 My cloak was torn in two places。 And I felt as groggy as if I were just ing out of a drugged sleep。
What's wrong？ Real concern。 Why did you go away？
I can't do this。 I can't be like this； with you。 This is wrong。
Puzzlement。 Wrong？ If you can do it； how can it be wrong？
I am a man； not a wolf。
Sometimes； he agreed。 But you don't have to be all the time。
Yes； I must。 I don't want to be bonded with you like this。
We cannot have this closeness。 I have to set you free； to live the life you were meant to live。 I must live the life I was meant for。
A derisive snort； a sneer of fangs。 This is it； brother。 We are as we are。 How can you claim to know what life I was meant to lead； let alone threaten to force me into it？ You cannot even accept what you are meant to be。 You deny it even as you are it。 All your quibbling is nonsense。 As well forbid your nose to snuff； or your ears to hear。 We are as we do。 Brother。
I did not drop my guard。 I did not give him leave。 But he swept through my mind like a wind sweeps through an unshuttered window and fills a room。 The night and the snow。 Meat in our jaws。 Listen； snuff； the world is alive tonight and so are we！ We can hunt until dawn； we are alive and the night and the forest are ours！ Our eyes are keen； our jaws are strong； and we can run down a buck and feast before morning。 e！ e back to what you were born to be！
A moment later I came to myself。 I was on my feet； standing； and I was trembling from head to foot。 I lifted my hands and looked at them； and suddenly my own flesh seemed foreign and confining； as unnatural as the clothes I wore。 I could go。 I could go； now； tonight； and travel far to find our own kind； and no one would ever be able to follow us； let alone find us。 He offered me a moonlit world of blacks and whites； of food and rest； so simple； so plete。 Our eyes were locked； and his were lambent green and beckoning to me。 e。 e with me。 What have the likes of us to do with men and all their petty plotting？ There is not one mouthful of meat to be had in all their wrangling； no clean joys in their scheming； and never a simple pleasure taken unthinkingly。 Why do you choose it？ e； e away！
I blinked。 Snowflakes clung to my eyelashes； and I was standing in the dark； chilled and shaking。 A short distance from me； a wolf stood up and shook himself all over。 Tail out flat； ears up； he came to me； and rubbed his head along my leg and with his nose gave my cold hand a flip。 I went down on one knee and hugged him； felt the warmth of his ruff against my hands； the solidity of his muscle and bone。 He smelled good； clean and wild。 〃We are what we are； brother。 Eat well；〃 I told him。 I rubbed his ears briefly； and then stood。 As he picked up the sack of bones to drag them into the den he'd scuffed out under the cottage； I turned away。 The lights of Buckkeep were almost blinding； but I went toward them anyway。 I could not have said why just then。 But I did it。
CHAPTER TEN
Fool's Errand
IN TIMES OF peace； the teaching of the Skill was restricted to those of royal blood； to keep the magic more exclusive and reduce the chance of it being turned against the King。 Thus； when Galen became apprentice to Skill Master Solicity； his duties consisted of assisting in pleting the training of Chivalry and Verity。 No others were receiving instruction at that time。 Regal； a delicate child； was judged by his mother to be too sickly to withstand the rigors of the Skill training。 Thus； after Solicity's untimely death； Galen came to the title of Skill Master； but had few duties。 Some； at least； felt that the time he had served as apprentice to Solicity was insufficient to be the full training of a Skill Master。 Others have averred that he never possessed the Skill strength necessary to be a true Skill Master。 In any case； during those years he had no opportunity to prove himself； and disprove his critics。 There were no young Princes or Princesses to train during the years that Galen was Skill Master。
It was only with the Red…Ship raids that it was decided that the circle of those trained in the Skill must be expanded。 A proper coterie had not existed for years。 Tradition tells us that in previous troubles with the Outislanders； it was not unusual for three； or even four coteries to exist。 These usually consisted of six to eight members； mutually chosen； well suited to be bonded among themselves； and with at least one member possessing a strong amity with the reigning monarch。 This key member reported directly to the monarch all that his coterie members relayed to him； if they were a messaging； or information…gathering coterie。 Other coteries existed to pool strength and extend to the monarch their Skilling resources as he might need them。 The key members in these coteries were often referred to as a King's or Queen's Man or Woman。 Very rarely； such a one existed independent of any coterie or training； but simply as one who had such an affinity for the monarch that strength could be tapped； usually by a physical touch。 From this key member； the monarch could draw endurance as needed to sustain a Skilling effort。 By custom； a coterie was named after its key member。 Thus we have legendary examples such as Crossfire's coterie。
Galen chose to ignore all tradition in the creation of his first and only coterie。 Galen's coterie came to be named after the Skill Master who fashioned it； and retained that name even after his death。 Rather than creating a pool of Skilled ones and letting a coterie emerge from it； Galen himself selected those who would be members of it。 The coterie lacked the internal bonding of the legendary groups； and their truest affinity was to the Skill Master rather than to the King。 Thus； the key member； initially August； reported to Galen fully as often as he reported to King Shrewd or； King…in…Waiting Verity。 With the death of Galen and the blasting of August's Skill sense； Serene rose to be key member of Galen's coterie。 The other surviving members of the group were Justin； Will； Carrod； and Burl。
By night I ran as a wolf。
The first time I thought it a singularly vivid dream。 The wide stretch of white snow with the inky tree shadows spilled on it； the elusive scents on the cold wind； the ridiculous fun of bounding and digging after shrews that ventured out of their winter burrows。 I awoke clear…minded and good…tempered。
But the next night I dreamed again so vividly。 I awoke knowing that when I blocked from Verity and hence myself my dreams of Molly； I left myself wide to the wolf's night thoughts。 Here was a whole realm where not Verity nor any Skilled one could follow me。 It was a world bereft of court intrigues or plotting； of worries and plans。 My wolf lived in the present。 I found his mind clean of the cluttering detail of memories。 From day to day； he carried only that necessary to his survival。 He did not remember how many shrews he had killed two nights ago； but only larger things； such as which game trails yielded the most rabbits to chase or where the spring ran swift enough that it never iced over。