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By Root 677 0

forest. They don't bother us. In fact, they haven't even gone after the sheep kept by Whitebeard Karywether. But even then, when we see them there's always a pack-at least a dozen, sometimes twenty or more.” “From the look of this one, he's had to fight for his life. I wonder if he's the last survivor of his pack,” Pawldo mused. “I don't know what could slaughter so many wolves,” Stefanik said. 'There are bears out here, but a wolf could outrun one of them without a problem. What about firbolgs?“ Pawldo shook his head. ”Even if the giant-kin came this far south, they wouldn't do this to wolves. Sometimes they capture them for pets, but they wouldn't torture and maim them.“ Soon the unsettled pair of halflings curled into their bedrolls and went to sleep. Neither slumbered soundly, and Pawldo stirred as soon as the gray dawn filtered through the mist of the streambed. The wolf, he saw, was still there-though the animal no longer slept. Indeed, the yellow eyes followed Pawldo's every move as the halfling rose and crossed to Stefanik, nudging the youngster to wakefulness. They packed up their camp, half-hoping the wolf would be on its way. But when they started into the narrow canyon, the wolf bounded ahead, picking a way around gnarled roots and over massive rocks. He led them straight into the canyon. The chasm walls, great shoulders of granite, glowered overhead. Streaks of moss and lichen ran across their weathered faces, and the rocky walls projected a chill that sapped every vestige of warmth from the air. The stream narrowed to a channel choked with debris. Nevertheless, Pawldo had no lingering doubts that the source of the splendid dagger would be found near the headwaters of this creek. ”We won't be able to take the ponies through,“ Pawldo announced, gesturing into the steep and narrow canyon. ”Let's picket them here and try to get back by nightfall." Stefanik, too, realized the futility of taking the steeds through the maze of rocks and deadfalls. The wolf watched them from its vantage of a high boulder as

they dismounted, loosely tied the mounts, and selected a few important items- weapons, flasks of oil, and the platinum dagger-to carry as they progressed on foot. Surprisingly, the wolf seemed more interested in them than in their horses. The ragged animal again sprang forward, disappearing behind the large rock. It popped up a dozen paces ahead, its face turned alertly back to see if the halflings still followed. “Yeah, yeah. Wait a minute!” muttered Pawldo, irritated at the ease with which the animal negotiated the rough terrain. “If he's coming with us, we ought to give him a name,” Stefanik suggested, struggling over a fallen trunk that bristled with prickly branches. “Be my guest,” grunted the older halfling as he, too, worked his way over the obstacle. “How about 'Half-Ear'?” suggested Stefanik, taking Pawldo's frustrated mumbling for acquiescence. “Hey, wolf! Half-Ear-how about finding a better path?” But Half-Ear only regarded them impassively. For several minutes they scrambled silently along the streambank to the wolfs latest vantage. By then, of course, the animal had bounded forward another two dozen paces. Pawldo and Stefanik grunted and cursed their way up the narrow canyon. There was no path-indeed, deadfalls, rockslides, and thorny thickets all choked the base of the narrow chasm, making every step a struggle. Always Half-Ear remained before them, crawling under logs that blocked the halflings, scrambling up a steep surface of tumbled rock in a few bounds. Following slowly, the two- footed explorers climbed with painstaking care, hoisting their packs by rope only after they had made these perilous ascents. The stream continued to flow beside them, rushing with silent power along a deep channel, for the most part free of the rocks that so typically obstructed the streambed lower down. Finally the walls to either side began to lean away from them, and soon they reached the top of the tangled chute. Struggling up a pile of boulders that spilled along the shore of the stream, Pawldo paused to catch