The sight reminded him of their first meeting, when he had
nearly died a physical death. Perhaps this dull anguish was not as
bad.....
Then he saw Kamela, and his hopelessness returned. It was almost as if
she longed for death, in any form. There was no other way to read the
blank despair of her eyes. Akar rested stoically beside the girl, his
own thoughts hidden from view. Only the pup was stirring, poking
impatiently at her mother's underside and whining plaintively for
food. None had eaten meat for several days, and the she-wolf's
undamaged breasts were dry.
Sylviana rose and came closer, gently brushing his hair with her
fingers. 'I have to hunt,' he said flatly. Then suddenly as she
turned away he pulled her close and buried his head against her.
'Forgive me,' he said. And with those words a flicker of feeling
came back to him.
'It's all right,' she said. 'Let it out.' But he could
not let it out. His body would not allow the expenditure. '... When
do you have to hunt?'
'In the afternoon, when the sun is warmer and I am stronger. I feel
so weak.' He shook his head to fight off a tear of exhaustion.
'Is there any water left?' She brought it, along with a
half-filled bowl of sebreum. He ate readily, though his body cried out
for meat.
Pages:
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144