A Malazan Book of the Fallen Collection 2

second, a safe beat or two behind the scout.
    The first dog scrambled past Karsa's position in a scatter of stones, twigs and dirt, its momentum taking it a half-dozen paces out onto the flat shelf, where it paused, nose lifting to test the air. Hackles rising, it moved cautiously towards the shelf's edge.
    Another dog came down the trail, a larger beast, this one kicking up more detritus than the first. As its scarred head and shoulders came into view, Karsa knew that he had found the pack's leader.
    The animal reached the flat.
    Just as the scout began swinging his head around.
    Karsa leapt.
    His hands shot out to take the leader on the neck, driving the beast down, spinning it onto its back, his left hand closing on the throat, his right gripping both flailing, kicking front legs just above the paws.
    The dog flew into a frenzy beneath him, but Karsa held firm.
    More dogs tumbled in a rush down the trail, then fanned out in sudden alarm and confusion.
    The leader's snarls had turned to yelps.
    Savage teeth had ripped into Karsa's wrist, until he managed to push his chokehold higher under the dog's jaw. The animal writhed, but it had already lost and they both knew it.
    As did the rest of the pack.
    Karsa finally glanced up to study the dogs surrounding him. At his lifting of head they all backed away – all but one. A young, burly male, who ducked low as it crept forward.
    Two of Delum's knives thudded into the animal, one in
the throat and the other behind its right shoulder. The dog pitched to the ground with a strangled grunt, then lay still. The others of the pack retreated still further.
    The leader had gone motionless beneath Karsa. Baring his teeth, the warrior slowly lowered himself until his cheek lay alongside the dog's jawline. Then he whispered into the animal's ear. 'You heard the deathcry, friend? That was your challenger. This should please you, yes? Now, you and your pack belong to me.' As he spoke, his tone soft and reassuring, he slowly loosened his grip on the dog's throat. A moment later, he leaned back, shifted his weight to one side, withdrawing his arm entirely, then releasing the dog's forelimbs.
    The beast scrambled to its feet.
    Karsa straightened, stepped close to the dog, smiling to see its tail droop.
    Delum climbed down from the ledge. 'Warleader,' he said as he approached, 'I am witness to this.' He retrieved his knives.
    'Delum Thord, you are both witness and participant, for I saw your knives and they were well timed.'
    'The leader's rival saw his moment.'
    'And you understood that.'
    'We now have a pack that will fight for us.'
    'Aye, Delum Thord.'
    'I will go ahead of you back to Bairoth, then. The horses will need calming.'
    'We shall give you a few moments.'
    At the shelf's edge, Delum paused and glanced back at Karsa. 'I no longer fear the Rathyd, Karsa Orlong. Nor the Sunyd. I now believe that Urugal indeed walks with you on this journey.'
    'Then know this, Delum Thord. I am not content to be champion among the Uryd. One day, all the Teblor shall kneel to me. This, our journey to the outlands, is but a scouting of the enemy we shall one day face. Our people have slept for far too long.'
    'Karsa Orlong, I do not doubt you.'
    Karsa's answering grin was cold. 'Yet you once did.'
    To that, Delum simply shrugged, then he swung about and set off down the slope.
    Karsa examined his chewed wrist, then looked down at the dog and laughed. 'You've the taste of my blood in your mouth, beast. Urugal now races to clasp your heart, and so, you and I, we are joined. Come, walk at my side. I name you Gnaw.'
    There were eleven adult dogs in the pack and three not quite full-grown. They fell in step behind Karsa and Gnaw, leaving their lone fallen kin unchallenged ruler of the shelf beneath the cliff. Until the flies came.
     
    Towards midday, the three Uryd warriors and their pack descended into the middle of the three small valleys on their southeasterly course across Rathyd lands. The hunt they tracked had clearly been driven to desperation, to have travelled so far in their search. It was also evident that the warriors ahead had avoided contact with other villages in the area. Their lengthening failure had become a shame that haunted them.
    Karsa was mildly disappointed in that, but he consoled himself that the tale of their deeds would travel none the less, sufficient to make their return journey across Rathyd territory a deadlier and more interesting task.
    Delum judged that the hunt