THE HIDE

eling pervading the air with the earthy scent of wet soil and the faint but satisfying aroma of woodsmoke emanating from the vil

mpressive stature visible against the sunlit sk

not have a daily opportunity to go with his father on a walk like this, so, this day

rveled at how the village seemed to come alive at dawn-the chirping of

village, father? Zayne aske

pha is not one who sits idly in a throne and just issu

d merchandise. There, sort of, Orion would just give a head nod or a smile, stopping to ask about an old mom's ail

g her work with a smile. 'Beautiful craftsmanship, Layla. You'll make a fine weaver one day.' Zayne noted, and described the shimmer on the girl's skin eli

ksmith's forge. Two broad, muscular men faced each other, th

ps! " one of them shouted. "You scared off

se to the river."

t of attention to a woman in the process of taking hold of her child. 'What if this escalated?' Zayne wondered, his heart pounding. However, the minute Orion took a step forwar

s voice calm but firm

r statements chaotic in a stream of fury. Or

a time,"

he other did. Zayne stood at his father's side, h

of you went to far the effort to understand the other side of the equation. The traps must be moved farther fr

anger subsided. All of them reached an und

arveled at his father.

does not partition, but rather solves problems s

the forest continued right into the distance. Orion knelt dow

ee this?"

ooks like something

it's not from any of our pac

which is an acrid odor, made his nose wrinkle on a subtlest

anning the woods edge. "The forest speaks in s

when the pack had faced drought, sickness, and even rival packs. Each story carrie

and drought damage had ravaged the land. We even divided the rat'

n those moments. Could he make those kinds of decisions one day? Didn't he always have the option to withdraw the worries of the pack for

be as strong as you

t in the body, Zayne. It is in the brain, the heart and the decisions y

r discomfort in Orion's eyes did not go away. There was something