‘If you’re hungry,’ Kyor snaps, ‘Fen feels it. It’ll affect him too. You need to eat, if not for you, then for your dire wolf. You’re bonded now. You need to remember that and act like it.’
A moment later, he’s striding away.
‘It seems too early in the day for him to be mad at me,’ I say jokingly to Benny.
‘He cares about you, so he’s annoyed you’re not taking care of yourself.’ He pauses. ‘I offered you food. Why didn’t you take it?’
‘I … I didn’t want to slow us down. Besides, I’m just used to going without.’
His eyes soften. ‘Well, next time, don’t.’
As the last of the provisions are sorted and packs are tightened, I realise how much things have changed.
Now that he isn’t soaking wet and is on firm land, I can see that Fen stands like a small horse in wolf form, all ruff and shoulder and quiet authority. He’s bigger than Elska by almost a foot, and she ishugefor a dire wolf. As much as he hates it, Big Guy totally works as a nickname.
It does not!His protest is instant and makes me grin.
Excuse me! Can you at least tell me when you’re going to be listening to my thoughts?
You want me to clear my throat every time I join our minds for me to communicate with you?His voice is incredulous.
Yes please.
That is utterly absurd!Fen huffs.Just assume I’m always listening in. That’s probably the easiest thing to do.
Easiest for you!
I look at my huge dire wolf. By rights, I should be trembling in fear, but I know with absolute certainty that Fen would rip off his own paw before hurting me.
I would quite like to remain intact, however,he notes drily as he gently nuzzles my hand with his head in unspoken reassurance that he would, of course, never harmme.
I would prefer that too,I admit.
Thanks to his size, Fen will have no problem carrying me and a raft of supplies, which would definitely ease some of the burden on the horses. Benny could then ride my horse, who is significantly less skittish than the mare he’s been stuck with.
I’m sorry. Are you considering using me as a donkey?Fen’s outrage fires through me.
Erm … no?
‘Rose, are you okay?’ I hear Ruben’s voice, but I can’t quite respond, my thoughts too busy sniping with Fen.
‘She’s arguing with Fen,’ Kyor grunts.
‘In her head?’ Ruben questions.
‘That’s how it works.’
‘That’s … amazing.’
‘He’s not thrilled about the idea of me riding him,’ I say aloud.
I knew most dire wolves don’t let their bonded ride them. Most storm into battlenextto their horse-mounted knight. It gives Morathka two soldiers instead of one. Without a rider, a dire wolf can leap and snap and snarl and claw and rip without regard for their bonded’s safety.
I knew all that, but having ridden Elska a number of times now, I had assumed wrongly.
And I’m not the only one having trouble with my dire wolf, it seems. Every time Kyor tries to mount Elska, she moves away by a few inches.
He is getting exasperated. ‘I told you,’ he says aloud, ‘holding you with my magic was for your own sake. It kept you alive! I won’t apologise for my actions.’ Hefolds his arms and glares.
