Wolves of the Gods

'You're damn right. Death is what could happen.'

'No, the worst thing that could happen is that we'd be killed by Iraj.'

Another laugh. 'And can you imagine how angry he'd be if we died in Caluz before he could catch us? If I could see his face just as I died, I'd go to my grave a happy man.'

'I never thought about it like that,' Leiria said, smiling. 'You're right. It does make you feel better.'

They came to the top of a rise and reined in to let the others catch up. Some miles away they could see the caravan crawling across a barren plain to meet them. It was late afternoon-the worst time of day in the Black Lands-and the heat was intense, the air thick with sulfurous fumes from the distant volcanoes.

'At least the air is sweeter in Caluz,' Leiria said. 'They'll be glad of that.'

Safar didn't answer and she turned to see him drawn up stiff, peering hard at the caravan.

'What's wrong?' she asked.

'I'm not sure,' Safar said. He pointed. 'But look at that crater. Just to the left of the wagons.'

Leiria found the crater. Although large, it was only one of hundreds scattered across the plains. The road skirted them all, so after a time she'd grown used to their presence.

'I don't see anyth-' Something swirled in the entrance and she broke off.

Then the swirl became an immense cloud of bats flying out of the crater-rising in a thick column.

Leiria relaxed. 'It's just the bats,' she said. 'They fly out every night about this time.'

'It's … not … just … the … bats!' Safar gritted. Then he shouted, 'Come on!'

As he charged down the long hill he had a flicker of memory of another such time. Iraj had been with him then.

Racing down the snowy pass to save the caravan.

Palimak was dreaming of the machine. He was asleep, almost in a stupor from the heat, and in his dream he saw the machine as a huge turtle, a gigantic clockwork toy with immense snapping jaws and it lumbered toward him on mechanical feet.

He jumped into a lake and made himself a fish and swam away. But the turtle came after him and its legs became like revolving oars and it churned through the water at an amazing speed. He swam faster, fast as he could, but the turtle got closer, closer, jaws snap snap snapping, snap-

'Wake up, Little Master!' came a voice. 'Wake up!'

Palimak's eyes blinked open and he saw two small frightened faces hovering over his chest-Gundara and Gundaree.

'What's wrong?' he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

'Can't you feel it?' Gundara said. 'Something's watching!'

'And it isn't a very pleasant something, either,' Gundaree added. He shuddered. 'Kind of oily.'

And that was it! Palimak could feel it, feel something watching, something big, something mean and something … oily! But thick. Real thick. And hot! How could it live and watch and be so hot?

'Let's go!' he said, jumping up.

The two little Favorites fled back into the stone idol. He pocketed it and leaped out the back of the slow moving wagon.

The Timura wagons were about half way down the long line, herd animals straggling behind the last wagons with boys driving them along. Beyond them was the rear guard. Perhaps twenty armed men. Up front-past the lead wagons-was another force of fifty. In between and along the both sides of the road, people and children walked, talking listlessly in the heat, burping babies, or flicking sticks at goats and llamas to keep them together.

Palimak stood in the road, letting them pass by. He turned, searching for the source of his discomfort.

Then he caught it. On the other side of the road!

He ducked under a camel, swatting its jaws as it tried to snap at him like that damned turtle. Oops!

Shouldn't say damned. It made Grandmother mad.

Then he saw the bats streaming out of the crater. He looked up at the huge black cloud swirling above the caravan. Normally the bats flew away. But this time they were staying in the same place! Millions of them!

'Is it the bats?' he asked.

Gundara's voice came from his pocket. 'It's not the bats!'

' Definitely, not the bats!' Gundaree added.

'Quit repeating everything I say!' snapped Gundara.

'I wasn't repeating. I was emphasizing.'

'Oh, shut up!'

'Don't tell me to shut-'

Palimak slapped his pocket. 'If I get killed or something,' he said, 'you'd better learn to like oily stuff.

Because that's what your new master's going to be. Big and oily!'

'And hot,' Gundaree said. 'Don't forget hot!'

Palimak sighed, 'Okay, he's hot! But where is he?'

Then he caught it. A filthy presence at the crater's edge. About fifty feet away. And he could feel it oozing out.

'There he is!' Gundara said. 'We'd better get you out of here!'

'Lord Timura will kill us if we let something happen to you!' Gundaree added.

'What spell should we use?' Gundara asked his twin.

'I'd suggest running,' Gundaree said. 'We can think of one while we're running!'

'Good idea. Do you hear that, Little Master? Run! Run like the Hells!'

But Palimak was already running as fast as his little legs could go. But he wasn't running away. He was racing toward his Grandfather, who was driving the lead Timura wagon.

'Grandfather!' he shouted. 'We have to get out of here!'

Khadji heard the boy and turned to see Palimak running toward him. 'What's wrong?' he shouted.

Palimak twisted his arm to point, still running. 'Back there! It's coming!'

Khadji jumped off and swept the child up. He was startled to see his eyes glowing fiercely yellow and he could feel the boy's sharp little claws biting into his arm.

'What's coming?'

Palimak calmed himself down, eyes flickering back to normal. 'It's a great big magic thing, Grandfather,'

he said, spreading his arms wide as he could. 'And it's going to get us all if we don't run.'

He squirmed to be freed and Khadji let him go. He landed lightly on his feet, like a cat.

'Quick, Grandfather!' he shouted. 'Sound the alarm!'

'Calm down, son,' Khadji said. 'Let's see what it is that's bothering you.'

He looked around, saw the bats, smiled and looked down at the boy. 'It's just the bats,' he said. 'They won't hurt us.'

Palimak stamped his foot. 'It's not the bats!' he snapped. He pointed at the crater. 'It's in there. And it's coming out and you'd better blow the stupid horn!'

He saw his grandfather flush with anger and realized he wasn't getting through. To Khadji he was just a little boy who'd suddenly become very rude.

But there wasn't time to fool with that adult stuff. He didn't have time to argue or explain. He knew what he could do, suddenly felt the knowledge and power to go with it. Still he held back, reluctant to take action. This was his Grandfather, after all!

'Please, Grandfather,' he said, 'Please, please, please. Blow the horn!'

'I'm losing my patience with you, young man!' Khadji said in the tones adults used when they'd had enough.

'I'm sorry, Grandfather,' Palimak said.

And then he cast the spell, right hand shooting out, claws uncurling from his finger tips, eyes glaring yellow.

Khadji twitched as the spell hit him, stiffening to his full height. He looked down on his grandson with fond eyes. Such a wise little boy.

'Please blow the horn, Grandfather,' Palimak said as nicely as he could.

'Sure, son,' Khadji said, a broad smile on his face. 'Right away!'