Page 44 (1/2)

"Maybe he thinks that is how Masters are supposed to act," Call said "Considering no one’s ever exactly explained to us how they are supposed to act"

No one had anything to say to that For a while, they walked in silence, boots crunching through the snow Out of the corner of Call’s eye, he kept noticing the s from tree to tree He almost pointed it out to Tamara, except that she hadn’t said a word since the Masters had taken Aaron back to the Magisteriuhts

What was it? It didn’t look large enough to be threatening Maybe it was a small elemental like Warren, one that was nervous to reveal itself Maybe it was Warren, too scared to apologize Whatever it was, Call couldn’t seeht of it out of his head He let hiroup The others were tired and distracted enough that, a few moments later, he was able to

The woods were hushed, the golden light of the rising sun ht

"Who’s there?" Call called softly

A furry snout peeked out fro fuzzy and pointy-eared bobbed up, peering at Call with the eyes of the Chaos-ridden

A wolf pup

The creature whined a little and slunk back, out of sight Call’s heart thudded in his chest He took a half step forward, wincing when his boot snapped a twig The wolf pup hadn’t ainst the tree, its pale brown fur ruffled by thebreeze It scented the air with a wet black nose

It didn’t lookA puppy, really

"It’s okay," Call said, trying toto hurt you"

The wolf’s s It wobbled toward Call across the dead leaves and snow on not completely steady feet

"Hey, little wolf," Call said, dropping his voice He’d alanted a dog, wanted one desperately, but his father had never let him have any pets Unable to help hiers sinking into its ruff It wagged its tail faster, and whined

"Call!" Soht -- called froo?"

Call’s arms s, reaching out to grab the wolf and tuck it inside his jacket It whuffled and hung on, digging small claws into his shirt as he zipped the jacket up over it He looked down at hi was off, he told himself He looked as if he had a small potbelly, as if he’d been at the lichen

"Call!" Celia called again

Call hesitated He was absolutely, totally sure that bringing a Chaos-ridden aniisteriu one It was an insane thing to do

Then the wolf pup craned up and licked the botto into the darkness that Aaron had conjured Had one of them been this puppy’s mother? Was this wolf now motherless … just like Call?

He took a deep breath and, zipping the jacket up the rest of the way, limped after the others