Where do you aim when you can’t see? That dark glint. Was that an eye? Gods, how big was that thing?

It took a step closer. She couldn’t see it, but she knew it had moved closer.

“If you’re one of the terra indigene who lives in these hills, then you should know why we came up here, should know what happened to the Wolves.” Jesse took a slow breath. “We’ve lost enough friends today. In that, I think, you and I are the same. So I’m telling you now that the only way anyone is taking any of these youngsters away from here is if I’m dead and can’t fight for them anymore.”

Hesitation. Then it was gone.

Jesse didn’t know how anything that big could move that quickly or that silently, but she could feel it was gone.

“The Elders will watch the trail,” Rachel whispered. “We’ll be safe here tonight and can go... home... in the morning.”

Jesse lowered the rifle. “That was an Elder?”

“Yes. They are old forms of terra indigene. They are Namid’s teeth and claws.”

Namid’s teeth and claws. I believe that. I surely do. Gods above and below. “They live in the hills?”

“Yes. They allow us to take some wood and yellow stones to trade with humans. And our...” Rachel’s breath caught on a sob. “Our pack could hunt up here.” She looked at the other juvenile Wolves who had come with them. “We’ve been learning how to hunt, but we aren’t strong enough yet... We can’t... How are we going to feed the puppies?”

“We’ll figure something out,” Jesse said quietly. “You should shift back to Wolf now. You’ll be warmer wearing fur.”

The girl nodded. After shifting, she joined the other Wolves, who were huddled in one area. All the terra indigene young had chosen a particular spot, each gard keeping to itself. In the center were the Intuits, setting out blankets, pulling out cups for drinking and packages of food.

Ellen Garcia came up to Jesse, who leaned against a rock and divided her attention between the game trail and the camp.

“I’ve got about thirty pounds of raw meat packed on one of those burros,” Ellen said.

“Told you not to bring anything we needed to cook.” Thirty pounds? No wonder they’d had to leave a few things behind, even with women wearing packs of things babies and small children would need.

“Didn’t bring it for us.”