I felt her outrage. ‘The she-pup that did free this one and Gobor was mortally wounded before that one could free the others,’ Descantra sent, and for a moment memories floated in her eyes. Then her gaze sharpened and she drew back her lips and snarled at me. ‘Tha do lure me with tha words, dinrai. For the sake of all other wolves, tha should die, and this one will do the killing.’

‘You are a fool,’ I snapped. ‘You care nothing for other wolves. You care only for revenge. Eat it then, and see the pack die and the world as well.’

My anger had surprised her, and I pressed home my advantage, praying I could make her listen to me. ‘You heard what I told Rheagor. He was wise enough to put aside his loathing of the funaga to find out if I spoke true. What are you that would betray him while he strives, but a coward?’

All of the wolves snarled and tensed at this, but I saw from the flash of red in Descantra’s cold eyes that my words had struck a blow. ‘Rheagor will not return,’ she sent.

‘And if he does?’ I demanded.

‘Tha do listen to a dinrai!’ Gobor growled at her, and I sensed his madness boiling up. ‘Th’art as much a fool as Sharna! I will tear out this one’s throat and that do be the end of the dinrai’s lies.’

The name shocked me for how could Gobor know Sharna’s name? He had not been born when his mother had freed them. And why would they call him a fool because he had come back to live at Obernewtyn? These thoughts rattled wildly through my mind as Gobor padded closer, snarling all the while.

I do not know what Descantra would have done, but without warning Maruman catapulted into the clearing, spitting and snarling, and then he leapt up onto my shoulder, sinking in his claws and warbling a warning to the wolf. I would have thrown the old cat away from me to save him from the wolf’s fury if I had been able to break the numbing power of the wolf musk. How Maruman had managed it I had no idea.

Before Gobor could strike, however, a deep growling filled the air. Gobor and Descantra sprang around to face Rheagor, who was bearing down on them, hackles raised and lips drawn back to reveal his sharp white teeth. The sight was made more terrifying by the red flicker in his pale eyes.

Descantra sank to her belly and rolled over to bare her throat in a show of submission. I felt the submission of the other wolves, who had also dropped to their bellies, but Gobor’s mind was a red snare of anguish and rage. He snarled savagely at Rheagor and then turned and fled.