There are no broken bones. Perhaps ten days, perhaps twenty. In any
case, you see that I cannot let him die.'
'Yes.' She squeezed his arm, seeing that he was about to
go. 'Be careful.'
'Yes. I will take the wolf. It is time she learned of the world
beyond these walls.'
It felt strange to her to hear him speak of the pup as a wolf. She
herself called it Alaska, and he had always before used pseudonyms such
as ‘cub' or ‘pup'. But looking at her now, standing and
watching them quizzically, she saw that the slight creature Kamela had
brought them, was indeed a babe no longer. Her limbs had begun to grow
long, ahead of the body, and her gaze, though still childish, was
growing keener and more aware. And she remembered that this was in fact
a wolf, and not a dog.
'When you come back, will you tell me why Akar didn't take her
with him? If you know. I have an idea, but I'd like to know what
you think.'
'When I return, I will be glad to speak of it.' He became suddenly
shy. 'And to be with you.' He went to the door, called to the
cub, and went out. Sylviana closed the door behind them.
His thoughts being thus absorbed, Kalus did not realize until he reached
the end of the ledge and saw the broad, irregular tracks leading
downward, that the tiger was gone.
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