Dawn treader

Despite Tuwawi's pressing stance and warning scowl the man remained fixed in place. The alpha eyed him skeptically. She was aware, just as he was aware, that the enigmatic stranger could not bested by physical prowess if it came down to a scuffle. No amount of agility could help a wolf smothered by such an enemy... Yet, at any sign of trouble the pack would descend upon the interloper like crows to carrion and swiftly dispatch the wayward aggressor. It was one of the benefits of living together in a pack. Ber er hver að baki nema sér bróður eigi, Bare is the back of a brotherless man, Njal would sometimes say.

But this wolf was smart, and he knew his breed as he knew himself. A lifetime of loneliness was not how their kind was supposed to live. Vagabonds could boast little, plagued with an empty spirit and desolate future, and it appeared this stranger sought to make Duskfire his residence. Tuwawi's sooty ears pricked with interest, though her hardened stare remained.

'I can earn my keep,' the man reasoned. "I am sure you can. You appear quite capable," the Sveijarn willingly admitted, "but this pack demands more than just a guard or hunter. We are family here, even though Duskfire's wolves are not tied by blood." Those strong bonds were what Tuwawi and Njal sought when they set off on this new adventure, cutting their ties with Swiftcurrent. The fleeting ways of the valley pack left little stability for the Sveijarn's blossoming family, and its numerous leaders were reckless and indifferent to their mistakes. Duskfire was supposed to be different — and Tuwawi found herself wishing to drive him off. After all, she had thought of him as danger just moments ago.

However, the alpha could not deny the need for another strong body. Winter was fast approaching and the cold months were bound to be harsher than the easy southern frost. Her lips pursed thoughtfully as she spoke. "I know nothing of you, stranger. Tell me - what is your name and where do you come from?" she queried.