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Belgarath and Beldin exchanged a long look "I don't know," Belgarath adhtest idea," Beldin said "Well, there's only one way to find out," Garion said He handed Chretienne's reins to Durnik and went some distance away froe of the wolf in his e He see, and then it was done He sat on his haunches for awas there

His nose suddenly caught a farance He turned his head and looked back over his shoulder Ce'Nedra stood there, her eyes very wide and the fingertips of one hand to her lips "I-is that still really you, Garion?" she stammered

He rose to his feet and shook himself There was no way he could answer her Human words would not fit in the mouth of a wolf Instead, he padded over to her and licked her hand She sank to her knees, wrapped her arainst his muzzle "Oh, Garion," she said in a tone of wonder

On an impulse born out of sheer mischief, he deliberately licked her face fro--and quite wet

"Stop that," she said, giggling in spite of herself and trying to wipe her face He momentarily touched his cold nose to the side of her neck She flinched away Then he turned and loped off toward the road where the trail was He paused in the bushes beside the road and carefully peered out, his ears alert and his nose searching for the scent of anyone in the vicinity Then, satisfied, he slipped out of the bushes with his belly low to the ground to stand in the middle of the road

It was not the sa sensation, but it was still there He felt a peculiar satisfaction and had to restrain an urge to lift his muzzle in a howl of triumph He turned then and loped back tohere the others were hidden His toe-nails dug into the turf, and he exulted in a wild sense of freedoed back into his own shape

"Well?" Belgarath asked as he walked toward the dusk

"No proble to sound casual about it He suppressed the urge to grin, knowing that his offhand randfather enor on this trip?" Belgarath asked his daughter

"Ah--yes, father," she said "He is sort of necessary"

"I was afraid you ht feel that way about it" He looked at the others "All right," he said "This is the way it works Pol and Durnik can keep in touch with each other over quite some distance, so he'll be able to warn you if we run across any soldiers--or if the trail moves off the road Move at a walk to keep down the noise, and be ready to take cover on short notice Garion, keep your ot a nose and ears as well as eyes Swing back to the road from time to time to make sure we're still on the trail Does anybody have any questions?"

They all shook their heads

"All right then, let's go"

"Do you want ?" Beldin offered

"Thanks all the saara declined, "but hawks don't really see all that well in the dark You wouldn't be much help after you'd flown head-on into a few trees"