I shook my head. ‘Sit close to it, all of you, and make no threatening moves nor any move at all unless I command it, and say nothing. I believe the wolves will agree to go with us, as I told you, but they are wild beasts and there are some among them whose hatred of humans edges on madness. It is possible that seeing so many humans will provoke them, but it is important that you do nothing.’

I knew the wolf musk would paralyse them, but there was no time to explain, and if they were trying to be still, they might not notice.

‘What of the horses?’ Ahmedri asked.

‘I have sent them to the other side of the lake,’ I told him. ‘Once the wolves have agreed to go with us, I will summon them.’

‘I will stand with you,’ Swallow said firmly.

‘No,’ I said. ‘If you would go with me, then you must be ready to obey me as the leader of this expedition, all of you.’ I looked at Ahmedri, remembering how the last meeting with the wolves had gone and suddenly wondering how I had been so calmly anticipating this one.

Ahmedri hesitated before going to sit by the fire with the others. I bade Darga go and sit with them, too, and then I studied the picture they made, noting that Swallow had his staff beside him. Analivia sat with her hand on the hilt of her knife and Ahmedri had laid his bow over his knees.

The sun had gone behind the mountains in the west, but the sky was red and gave out a disquietingly bloody shade of light as the first of the wolves appeared between the fire and the lake. I was startled to see that it was the older female, Descantra, who led them. Immediately behind her came the older male, her brother, Gobor One Ear. The other wolves arrayed themselves behind these two, and as they drew near, I felt their wolf musk freezing my limbs.

‘Where is Rheagor / pack leader?’ I asked, trying to inject calm authority into my mental voice. But their minds were not open to me. Fear jabbed at me and I had to force down panic.

‘Tha do stink of fear, dinrai-li,’ snarled Gobor triumphantly.