emotions that had coursed through him. It must be the curse! Never before had he worried about clothes and appearances. He had always taken such things for granted. Now he was fussing over what he wore, like… like a woman!
Angrily, he pulled the tattered, old, gray, wolfskin cloak that had belonged to his father out of his shoulder pouch and exchanged it for the beautiful blue cape. He tried to ignore the fact that moths had been at it and it appeared slightly bald.
He settled the grinning skull on top of his head and crossed the paws over his chest, knotting them securely, feeling the all but hairless tail flop against the back of his calves as he stomped out of the forest, a terrible scowl on his face.
He would fight it! He wouldn't give in. He would fight the female curse every step of the way. He would find a red stone and reverse the process, and none would ever know that there had been a problem.
By the time Mika arrived, all of the chiefs had gathered and were seated in the high chiefs' dwelling, which also served as a council house. It was quite large, with many rooms built around the central core, sizeable enough to accommodate a full assembly.
Trabec, the chief, sat before the fire in the place of honor. Oban, the head shaman and magic-user, from whom Mika hoped to obtain a new supply of herbs and potions, was there as well, grasping the carved staff of his profession.
Two score of lesser chiefs were also seated around the fire, representing each of the major families that comprised this clan.
As Mika entered, he noticed immediately that all of them-every last man-was dressed in his finest clothing, the softest and most carefully tanned skins worn only for ceremonies, then folded away with leaves of aromatic cedar until the next gathering.
Full wolfskin headdresses and cloaks sat atop those fortunate enough to possess them, tokens of the bravery and remembrances of wolves long gone to the spiritworld. Also worn were the pelts of wolves that had been their bond brothers or those of their ancestors.
Young members of the council, those too young for such badges of merit, wore only ears and single tails upon their helms which were given them on their initiation day by the elders. These less-privileged young men sat on the outskirts of the farthest circle.
Mika was startled to see Hornsbuck seated next to Trabec. It was not his presence that surprised him, but rather his appearance.
For a moment, Mika nearly mistook him for someone else, for Hornsbuck was scrubbed so clean that Mika was certain he would squeak if touched. Horns- buck's skin fairly glowed with a rosy sheen. His hair gleamed white-blond in the firelight and was neady combed and braided, not a single strand out of place. Even the monstrous brush that was his beard and mustache had been meticulously trimmed and groomed.
He wore a magnificent tunic of roanskin, the fur still on, thickly pelted, a rich, dark shade of auburn. He wore a belt of hammered silver around his waist, inlaid with turquoise and gold. A necklet fashioned of massive silver links hung from his thick neck, and at its end, in the very center of his chest, hung a huge, fist-sized chunk of unworked turquoise.
On his feet were boots that rose to his knees. The soles were made of thick, bison leather, but the sides were cut from the same pelt as the tunic. They, too, were ornamented, little turquoise beads and tiny silver bells dangled from the fringe that edged the top of the boots.
His head was too broad to fit into any wolfskull, but he had thrown a cloak made of three wolf pelts across his shoulders. RedTail sat at his side, and even he wore a collar of fingers, human and otherwise, his own grisly tokens of past victories. Lotus Blossom, being a woman, was absent, for women were not permitted to participate in such weighty matters as council meetings.
Mika paused in the doorway, feeling all eyes upon him, critical eyes that took in his dirty, ungroomed hair, his sweat-stained body, and his strangely colored garments.
He saw them stiffen and felt the disapproval and shock in their eyes, realizing that he had insulted them by appearing in such a condition. He started to withdraw, thinking that perhaps he might yet have time to bathe and groom himself properly, but it was not to be.
'Come, Mika, we have been waiting for you,' said Trabec. 'You are the last to arrive.'
'Please pardon my appearance,' said Mika, feeling the hostility rolling toward him in all but visible waves. 'I do not own any other garments, having lost all in our recent ventures.' That did not excuse his ungroomed state, but it was the best he could think of on such short notice.
The tension eased somewhat as the members of the council prepared themselves for the telling of the adventure. Unfortunately Starr, the woman with whom he had spent his time instead of making ready for the meeting was, by some nasty quirk of fate, moving among the council, pouring mulled mandrake wine into waiting mugs. She turned and shot Mika a look of pure disgust.
'Sit beside me,' said Trabec, patting the ground to his right, forcing Oban to give way reluctantly. Mika did not wish to usurp the shaman's place or offend him in any way, as he would soon be asking for favors, but short of affronting the chief, there did not seem to be any way to avoid the invitation.
Mika and Tam squeezed into the narrow space, and Tam managed to sit on Oban's wolfs tail, causing her to yip as though she had been seriously injured. Oban lifted his wolf up and all but tossed her into the wolf belonging to the man seated on the other side of him, causing still further commotion.
Trabec ignored the furor. When the last of the snapping, growling, and muttering had faded away, he began to speak.
'We are gathered here tonight around the sacred council fire for the telling of the adventure of our brothers, Mika and Hornsbuck, born of the Far Fringe wolf clan, full brothers of the Phantom Forest wolf clan. This is their story. I will allow them to speak.'
'Ow! Ow! Ow!' howled each member of the council, thumping their cups on the ground. All eyes turned to Mika and Hornsbuck.
Hornsbuck cleared his throat. Everyone stared at him expectantly.
'I was but second in command,' said Hornsbuck. 'Mika was in charge of the expedition. It would be improper for me to speak first. But here is my contribution to the clan.' He took a pouch from inside his tunic and handed it to Trabec. The chief opened the pouch and poured out a handful of rings, necklets, and earpieces that Mika recognized as the booty taken from the Flannae aborigines.
Mika felt his heart sink within his breast at the outpouring of wealth and the collective gasp of breath. What on Oerth was he to do? He had not a single grushnik to contribute on his own behalf.
Hornsbuck fell silent, and all eyes turned to Mika. He sat staring at the ground, eyes and cheeks burning. The silence grew painful.
'Mika? We would hear your tale,' urged Trabec. 'How came you to be here among us, and what report you of your clan, many of whom are closely related to us?'
This was news to Mika, and his heart sank still further. He had dreaded telling his own clan what had happened on the mission to Eru-Tovar, and now it seemed that he would have to tell the terrible news twice.
Mika knew that his quest had not failed through any fault of his own. But now, with everyone looking at him expectandy, waiting for him to speak, he did not feel so confident that they would understand.
'Mika?' prompted Trabec again.
And with faltering voice, Mika told of the adventure that had begun so confidently with himself in charge of two score Wolf Nomads and ended with the death of all except himself and Hornsbuck.
Gasps of shock and grunts of pain echoed around him as he recited the names of those who had ridden with him and not returned-names obviously related to those around him.
'We were doomed from the start…' said Mika as he continued the awful tale.
Whispers of anger buzzed around him like maddened wasps, slowly diminishing as he spoke of the treachery and witchcraft that had stalked them from the start and of the mysterious, sleeping beauty who was the Princess Julia. The room was silent as he told of the final battle with the demigod of evil, Iuz, and the subsequent encounter with the demon, leaving out all mention of the curse.
The mutterings turned to startled exclamations as he spoke of the magic gem which turned the princess into a wolf. Mika felt Starr's eyes on him. He risked a glance, only to find her staring at him with lips compressed into a thin, tight line, her hands on her hips, and angry realization in her eyes.
