Swiftcurrent Creek Those love songs break your heart.

The stranger's decision to crouch low pleased Bazi, whose patience resembled the frayed edge of a battered market stall carpet at this point. So much had happened in the 24 hours, and yet still the pack had to maintain outward appearances.

The splendid female crouched lower when Scimitar arrived, touching the Alpha's shoulder with his broad nose. His arrival brought Paarthurnax's delicate beauty to the forefront of Bazi's mind once more. She didn't like it. Fox had certainly been a sight to behold, but she was a scrappy, unkempt wolf. Tuwawi was equally memorable, but broad and badly scarred, and the remaining women of the pack did not pose quite such a threat. Danica was certainly striking, but she was a warrior - as was Kaskara. That choice affected their appearance. Bazi pressed her shoulder against the vast male at her side, blue eyes glimmering with possessiveness. This one is mine.

Despite the swell of jealousy, she had neither the energy nor the inclination to put the newcomer through any sort of hazing. "You can stand," she told her. "Tell us your name and what you can offer us. We're in need of.." Warriors? No, they had plenty of those. They had plenty of wolves, period - Paarthurnax would be the last wolf they accepted into their ranks for a while. "..healthy bodies," she finished. This girl looked healthy enough - and no older than three. Probability suggested that she would neither be an upstart nor so jaded with life that the honour of belonging to Swiftcurrent Creek would be lost on her.

These rationalizations did not make it to Bazi's mind; she was only 16 months old, and still trying to get over that Paarthurnax was more beautiful than she was. Had Scimitar not been there, she might have turned the elfin girl away on that basis alone.