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Jha to me。 Which would you choose？〃
She lifted her head。 〃I have said I will be mei jha to no man；
Duncan。 Even you。〃
〃And Finn？〃
〃I want no one but you。〃
〃I have said how you may have me。〃
〃And have said no。〃 She stepped back from him and smiled
sadly。 〃Perhaps Finn will have die forcing of me yet〃
〃Alix。。。〃
〃Duncan； I know mere is much of the Cheysuli I cannot
prehend。 But mere are things in me you cannot prehend。
Do not ask me again to be your mei jha； for I will not。 '*
She waited for his answer。 When…he said nothing at all；
_ remote and unattainable before her； Alix turned and walked
Xway。
Alix felt the weight of her decision as she walked slowly back
to Raissa's pavilion。 She knew； instinctively； Duncan wanted her
as much as she him； but die pride inherent in his race would not
XBow him to e after her。
Nw will mine allow me to accept his offer。
She considered it carefully again； as she had since Duncan
feat suggested she be his mei jha。 The shiver of distaste mat ran
briefly through her body once more told her she could not be so
free with die man she loved。 It was not a Homanan custom。
ffl cannot have him to myself； I will not have him at all。
But me decision； once made； gave her no contentment。
She slowly became aware of me voices as she walked。 They
； were different from mose she heard spoken by Cheysuli in ct
Keep； mese were not sounds her ears heard but what her nrind
nosed。 Alix fingered her brow as if touch might tell her what it
but no answer came。 Whispers floated through her awareness；
drifting ia wisps of tooal patterns similar to what she heard as
words from Cai and Storr。
Alix stopped abruptly； staring around to search for those who
tormented her； but no one seemed to pay her mind except C
passing curiosity。 The Cheysuli； she had learned； did not exhibit *'
the open emotions of the Homanans。
She pressed bands against her head as the oppression increased。 No one said anything to her； yet she was so sensitized to the gentle waves of sound in her mind that she thought she had gone mad。 Alix stopped walking and waited for the madness to take her pletely。
Liren； do not fight so； said Storr's gentle voice。
Alix opened her eyes and saw the wolf before her。 She gasped and knelt； putting grasping hands to his neck ruff。
Storr； is this a punishment？ she wailed silently。 A curse？
It is a gift； liren； from the gods。 It is only new to you。
Alix glanced up as a shadow passed over her。 Cai circled in me air； dipping and playing among the currents。
Liren； he said； you must learn to control your gifts。
Control them！ she cried； startled。
e with us； Storr said gendy… e with us； liren； and we will teach you。
They took her out of the Keep； to a huge oak scored with an old lightning…wound。 The charred hole left behind was enough to hide her； and Alix crawled into it as if seeking security in a mother's womb。 Storr lay down at her feet and Cai perched on an overhead limb。
〃What must I learn？〃 she asked aloud。
To accept； Cai said。 Not to rail against your tahlmorra。
〃You are Duncan*s lir；〃 she accused。 〃You will support whatever he says。〃
am his lir but I am also myself。 I am not a dog； liren； who answers its master's voice with unthinking loyalty。 I am of the Ur； and we are chosen by the gods。
Storr's tone agreed。 We are not echoes of those we bond with； or I would have all of my lir's faults。
Alix laughed softly and stretched out a hand to caress Storr's silver pelt。 〃You have none of Finn's faults。〃
Then will you listen？
Her hand tell away。 〃Aye。〃
Cai mantled once and settled more fortably。 You bear the Old Blood； liren。 It has gone out of the clan。 You will bring it back。
〃By bearing children。〃
。 Aye； Cai agreed。 How else does a female give more to the mid？
Alix scowled at her bare feet。
Storr's eyes glinted。 /（is not that you do not want children； liren； he said。 It is that you wish to choose who will father them。
〃Aye！〃 she shouted。 〃Aye； you have the right of r/iaf！〃
We cannot tell you who to take； Cai said calmly； ignoring her outburst。 That is for you to decide。 But we can aid you accept your tahlmorra； and the gifts the gods have given you。
〃What have they given me？〃
The ability to hear us。
Alix frowned。 〃I have ever heard you。 From me beginning。〃
But you hear us all； liren； Storr said。 Each lir in the Keep。
You are not mad。 Cai said reassuringly。 It is only you hear what no one else hears。
〃I hear。。。〃 she whispered distantly。
The weight in your mind； Storr told her。 It is the voices you hear； when the lir converse。 You must set it aside until it is needed。
〃And if I cannot？〃
Then it could drive you mad； Cai said at last。
Alix closed her eyes。 〃It is a curse。〃
No； said Storr。 No more than the ability to take lir…shape。
Her eyes snapped open。 〃I could shapechangeT'
You have the Old Blood； Cai said quietly。 And with it es all the old gifts。
Alix set a hand against the tree as if to steady herself。 Her thoughts ranged far ahead of what she bad just heard； conjuring visions of herself in die shape of any animal she wished。 Then she frowned。
〃I have no lir。〃
You wed none。 Stoir told her… That is what the Old Blood means。。。 freedom to speak with all lir and assume any shape。
〃By me gods！〃 she whispered。 〃How is it possible？〃
Others have also asked that； Storr said； sounding suspiciously like Finn。 But they have not been the get of the gods。
She slanted him a sharp glance。 〃No one else in the clan can do this？〃
No。 It is a thing long lost to us。 for the Cheysuli have taken Homanan women to increase their numbers。 It has weakened the gifts。 Storr paused。 It is for you to bring the Old Blood back。
〃We begin again；〃 she said suspiciously。 〃You have said this before。〃
That does not make it less true； Cai mented。
She craned her head to stare up at the hawk。 〃Then teach me；〃 she said。 〃Show me what it is to shapechange。〃
First you must decide which of us to bond with。
She considered it。 〃Flight must be difficult。 Perhaps it would
be better if I remained earthbound； this first time。*'
You are wise； Uren。 My Ur near broke his arm his first time in the air。
Alix； struck by a vision of Duncan having difficulties； laughed aloud and nodded。 〃Then I will be a wolf。〃
Stoir approved。 Then listen； Uren。 He paused。 Your sight； while good； has bee secondary to your ability to smell。 Allow yourself to judge the world by scent； Uren。 The earth； trees； insects； worms； birds； leaves； pollen； breezes。 And more。 Do not depend solely on mere sight； for if can fail。 Think with your nose。
She concentrated； closing her eyes and dying to separate individual scents。
Now you must feel the damp earth beneath your paws； mud clinging to your claws。 Be wary of sharp stows that can trap themselves between your pads； and thorns that pierce the tender webbing between toes。
Alix put her hands to the moldy； leafy ground and felt me dampness。
Winter is ing。 Your coal must be thick and warm。 A heavy layer of fat forms beneath your skin； thickening your undercoat。 It itches； but you know it will mean added warmth in the coldest season。 Your tail grows bushier； more luxuriant； and you are lovely； Uren。
She was。
You nave the endurance to travel many leagues in a single day； without food and little wafer。 Your sinews and nerves are strongly knit and your heart is large。 You are young and strong and joyous in Ufe。
Alix fete warm blood pulsing through her veins； felt the vi…brancy and exhilaration of youth。 She opened her eyes and met Storr's on a level； realizing she knelt in me leaves like any four…footed creature。
The world spun。 It picked her up like a leaf on a whirlwind and turned her upside down。
AKx put a band out toward Storr； silently asking his help； but she saw only a padded； furred paw with black nails。
She cried out； and heard her voice echoing in the woods like tie howl of a lonely wolf。
Disorientation took her。 Dizzily she clasped her head in her hands； conscious they were human once more。
〃Stoir she said weakly。
A was too fast； Urw。 You must not fear the shapechange。 You ^…'。cannot harm yourself in Ur…shape； but it is not wise to shift too auickty。 The mind cannot adjust。
Stowly her stomach settled itself。 Her eyes saw clearly again … id the ache in her head died to nothingness。 She smiled wearily；。 triumphantly； and looked into the wolfs wise eyes。 〃I have done it。〃 it will be better； after this。
Perhaps； Cai said gently； you will amaze even my lir。
Chapter Six
Alix sat hunched on the broken stump of a felled tree； toes
digging through die velvet of her court slippers into the soft
' ground。 The slippers were torn and stained； nearly useless； for
' they had been made for Shame's palace and not the wikmess of a
Cheysuli Keep。 Her ruined gown had been changed for a woolen
dress of palest orange； her ragged hair trimmed so that it did not
。 straggle so much； but she had returned the slippers to recall her brief moment of glory。
The glory had gone。 Only in her dreams did she recall me
； richness of Homana…Mujhar and the fine