Page 95 of Moon Craving

were headed in the direction of the hot springs. Toward his wife. Talorc's four-legged gait

picked up speed until he was flying across the earthen landscape.

He lifted his head to howl a message of alarm to his warriors. Those that had gone

hunting with him would head back toward the clearing, if they were not already there, and

those he had left behind to guard his wife would be put on alert.

Acknowledging it wasn't merely his warriors who might have already made it to the

clearing, Talorc pushed himself to go faster. His huge wolf's body picked up speed as the

plants and trees he passed went by in a blur in shades of black and gray.

He burst into the clearing at a dead run, his keen wolf's senses telling him the

interlopers were indeed ahead of him. He skidded to a stop behind six youthful warriors

wearing the Donegal clan plaid, their stances that of challenge.

Niall and Airril had taken position in front of the entrance to the cave. They did not

look unduly worried, but they were clearly ready to do battle if necessary.

Of the rest of his hunting party there was no sign.

Talorc willed his human form to emerge and seconds later the air shimmered

around him as he became a man again. He let out a subsonic growl of warning that had

two of the young men spinning to face him.

Damn it, neither could have had more than sixteen summers. The youth on the left

showed more intelligence than his companion because the color drained from his face

and he offered his neck in instant submission.

The four humans moved only after they realized their companions had done so.

They didn't seem able to decide who posed the bigger threat, so they angled their bodies

to the side. With more experienced warriors, such a maneuver might have been

beneficial, but with these near children, all it did was make them more vulnerable.

Talorc glowered at them all with acute disapproval. The Donegal soldiers needed

proper training. Badly.

The young Chrechte who did not have the sense to look frightened, frowned at his

fellow clansmen before facing Talorc defiantly. "These waters belong to the Donegal clan.

You can't have them."

"The king says otherwise."