two does, a half-grown fawn, and a buck passed beyond lasher where he sat crouched in the underbrush, breath shallow with the desire to remain unseen. the man had been tallying the numbers of the larger prey-beasts still left to them in their woodlands; soon they would depart, and snows would lap at the bared earth.

thirst gripped him suddenly; rising from his hidingplace, lasher trekked to the stream still edged in ice from the cold air of early morning. the frigid draughts brought clarity to his mind, though ever so pensively, the man peered into the shallows, wondering once more the question that now gnawed at him from time to time with bitter insistence.

a flash of fur and teeth raced past him; lasher straightened, bewildered. murkwater eyes widened as he watched one of the newer plateau wolves leapt onto the back of one doe, only to succumb to gravity's pull. reminded grimly of finley's mad dash, taltos lunged forward to stop the girl before the buck whirled to impale her on savage tines.

stop! he ordered with a growl, eyes flashing in the hale light, worry filling his heart.

the fool acted with supernatural strength but subpar intelligence, swinging carelessly toward the buck. lasher snarled, tail reared above his hips as he snapped not for the enraged deer, but for the wolfess herself. with the sting of his teeth he intended to drive her out of harm's way, and impress upon her the severity of the situation.

lasher was not one to press his rank upon those below him, but amber's lack of deference, coupled with her mad, stupid dash toward the flailing hooves of the deer, angered him. teeth flashed as he lunged toward her with a growl, hoping to grab her muzzle between his jaws and force her into some semblance of submission.

amazed, he circled. do you know who i am? he demanded of the girl. i am your gamma, he snarled, surprised by even himself. down! before i tell dante what you have done here today. lasher hurried toward her again, seeking submission for the third time.

lasher glared at her; he did not believe the girl. had she not the instincts of a wild wolf? she bled, but he did not care, or so he told himself; and he watched her sternly. what is your name?

he felt rather guilty as he watched her mend herself, but held firm. her behaviour was vaguely apologetic, but he thought she was rather resentful of the deerherd's escape. fear not; simply listen to your superiors next time about.

i am lasher, he answered her in the next breath. what is yours?

how long have you lived among us, amber? lasher asked, not fully taken with the idea that she knew how how packwolves acted. she seemed at once both timid and calloused, and he wondered how she had come by her odd nature, though once the girl had submitted, taltos no longer judged her.

her replies were brief, and lasher was ready to allow her on her way. for what trade do you intend, amber? he asked after a moment's pause. it would do well if he knew such information, for during his next meeting with her, taltos could ask her of her progress toward the role. once she had told him, the man dismissed the girl, warning her once more of the respect she bore those above her in the ranks.