Wolves of the Beyond 02 - Shadow Wolf

is Heep who gnawed the story bone that told of…” Liam MacDuncan’s voice dwindled off as his eyes wandered to the confusing pile of tiny bones.
    “That’s exactly what it is—a story, lies, all of it!” Faolan barked out sharply. He shoved his ears forward and held his tail straight out and rigid, in a stance of aggression as far from submission as a wolf could get. By Lupus, if he was going down, he was not going down with his tail between his legs! A sergeant at arms for the raghnaid came up and body-slammed Faolan so that he fell over completely. But he rose up again.
    “Did Heep bring you the bones of the malcadh ? No!Because that is where the real story is carved, carved by Heep! Right here.”
    Liam MacDuncan stepped closer to Faolan and glared. “Heep brought us a bone that he will submit to the raghnaid momentarily—a bone carved by yourself!”
    Impossible! But then, Faolan remembered the bone he had begun to carve and that had disappeared. Heep! Heep had followed him to the ridge. And the partially carved bone was his damning evidence.
    Liam MacDuncan turned his head. “Come forth, Heep, and read the story bone you have carved that details the murder of the malcadh .” Heep moved forward haltingly—bone in mouth, his eyes sliding nervously to one side as he tried to avoid Faolan’s gaze, which bore into him, straight to his marrow.
    “On a day in the early crescent of the first snow moon, I was heading toward the range of hills, looking for bones in the runoff. It is a good place to find gnawing bones, of which there had been few near the river since its flooding during the previous moons.”
    What a bunch of moose scat, Faolan thought. He had found hundreds of bones since the floods.
    “As I was scouring the north face of the slopes, I noticed the recent tracks of two wolves. One track wasolder, and I immediately recognized it as the track of our clan’s esteemed Obea, Lael. I indeed recalled that I had seen her coming back across the river as I entered on the opposite side. The other track had the distinct print of a splay-pawed wolf.”
    Faolan tried to protest that he knew how to run without leaving such a track. But two wolves slammed him to the ground before his first bark.
    “One more outburst and I shall have you escorted out of these proceedings!” Liam shouted.
    “As I continued up the slope,” Heep went on, “I heard the horrible shrieks of a pup being attacked. I prayed, humbly but with great passion, that its suffering would quickly end. I thought, of course, that an owl had taken it. But I now submit this bone.” He dropped the partially carved bone before the chieftain. “I ask you, has an owl ever carved such a bone?”
    There was a murmuring at this last remark.
    At this point, Heep began to sob uncontrollably. “Imagine my shock when upon hearing the murderer leave, I scrambled to the top and saw Faolan, his muzzle drenched in blood!” Heep, making a great effort to control his sobs, turned to the jurors of the raghnaid and, still gulping, continued, “Indeed, I most humbly suggest thatmy fellow wolves will immediately recognize the carving of this bone as most exquisite—for we all know of the gnaw wolf Faolan’s extraordinary talent.”
    “Only a demon could do that kind of work!”
    “Only a vyrrwolf !”
    “Tear him apart as the law of the gaddernock declares!”
    The chieftain’s growl silenced the wolves. “And why did you not tell us sooner of this terrible crime, Heep?” he asked.
    “I was frightened. He is a strange wolf. I believe he is an agent from the Dim World. The bones he carves are profane, but they have powers.”
    There were murmuring assents from a few elders of the MacDuff clan.
    “That is foolish nonsense!” Faolan growled.
    Liam MacDuncan gave Faolan a sharp bite.
    No one noticed a lone owl entering the gadderheal . Owls have the peculiar ability to hold perfectly still and, with a gesture known as wilfing, shrink themselves to half their normal size. Gwynneth was indistinguishable from the shadows of flames being cast on the walls from the gadderheal fire pit. She listened quietly, with one eye open just a slit.
    “Faolan, are these all the bones of the slain pup?”
    “No, my lord. There are more.”
    “And where might they be?”
    “I buried them.”
    “You buried them? Are you completely cag mag ? Where are they?”
    “I told you,” Heep blurted out. “He is from the Dim World!”
    “I buried the bones with those