Free Spirit of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst

run. Milsindra had trapped us neatly. I’d have thought that if I ever found myself surrounded by Greatwolves planning to kill me, I would be frozen in terror. Instead, I felt my legs straighten under me as I stood. Tlitoo rasped challenge from an oak branch just above me. My lips peeled back and a growl rose in my throat. I wouldn’t just lie there to be killed.
    Navdru moved forward in the Greatwolves’ long, stalking stride until he was just a wolflength from me.
    â€œI am Navdru,” he rumbled, ignoring my lack of respect, “leaderwolf of the Sentinel Pack. This is my mate, Yildra”—he nodded to the pale Greatwolf on his right—“and this is Hidden Grove Gathering Place.” He looked at me as if I were somehow a disappointment, then sighed and dipped his head in greeting. “You took long enough to get here.”
    I fell silent in mid-growl and stared at him like a stunned deer. He wasn’t going to kill me, at least not yet, and he had been waiting for me to come. I swayed, my mind understanding that I wasn’t in immediate danger, but my body was still tensed to fight. I couldn’t gather the words to return his greeting.
    Milsindra growled in fury.
    Navdru’s teeth showed between his lips in the barest of smiles. “Youngwolves are not the only ones easy to manipulate, Milsindra. Your hunger for power makes you foolish. I needed you to allow her to leave the Wide Valley without a fight.”
    I found my voice. “I’m just here to see my mother,” I whispered. My mother, who didn’t want me and who wouldn’t help me with the Promise. “My packmates and I willleave your territory if you let us go.” I didn’t know what I’d do after that. I just wanted to retrieve our humans and get someplace safe.
    Navdru looked down his long muzzle at me.
    â€œYou will not go anywhere,” he said. “You are Kaala, late of the Swift River pack of the Wide Valley, born of mixed blood when your mother, Neesa, bred outside the valley in defiance of our laws. You have brought with you your packmates, Ázzuen and Marra, as well as Pell, heir to the leadership of the Stone Peak pack, who has chosen to follow you rather than accept his birthright. When you were a smallpup, you saved the human girl TaLi, and hunted with the humans, also in defiance of wolf law. In doing so, you and your packmates became the first wolves in generations to live peacefully with humans without either fighting with them or giving up the wildness of the wolf. Which means you are, most likely, the drelwolf, the wolf of legend, and our last chance.”
    He knew TaLi’s name. That was the first thought that came to me. He knew who she was. That meant he could find her and he could kill her. I wanted to ask him how he knew so much about us and why, and what he intended to do with us. I wanted to ask him if he was going to hurt TaLi.
    â€œWhat does drelwolf mean? I know drelshan and drelshik, but not drelwolf.” I sounded so calm, as if I were discussing the next hunt or a new den site.
    â€œNo one has told you.” Navdru frowned. He lifted a lip to Milsindra, who averted her gaze. “We believe that the drelshan, the savior wolf, and the drelshik, the destroyer, are one and the same, and that what she does or does not do will determine the fate of wolfkind. We believe you may be thatwolf. It is why we considered killing you when you saved the human pup. Your mother, and the Greatwolf Zorindru of the Wide Valley, convinced us to give you a chance. When some of us saw you stop the battle between wolves and humans four moons ago, we believed we had made the right choice.” He frowned again. “The drelwolf is supposed to be a wolf of great power.” He looked me over from nose to tail. “You are young, yet.”
    â€œShe has already caused destruction and the death of a packmate!” Milsindra said. She strode up to Navdru.