which bound a collection of green branches into a deadly snare for the forest-born.

    Skyfire spoke as the last bent bough whipped straight, then snapped between Stonethrower's thick fists. Her tone was cold as the wind that hammered snow through the branches beyond the shelter of the draw where they stood. 'I'm going after them.'

    Stonethrower cast away a snarl of severed thongs. 'That's folly. You saw the tracks. Whatever creature set this snare is large, and clever, too much for an elf.'

    Skyfire curled her lip. 'Larger, yes, but not so fierce, I think. Only cowardly beings like humans ever set traps for animals.' 'But Two-Spear said -' began Stonethrower, only to be cut off. 'Two-Spear isn't here. His wolf did not lie bloody in a trap for half a night.' Skyfire jabbed the spear into the ground hard enough that ice scattered from the butt. 'Are you stopping me?'

    Stonethrower met her angry eyes, his hand tightened on the haft of his flint knife. 'I should.' But he made no move to do so as Skyfire spun away and continued down the gully. Woodbiter whined and followed, and Sapling did likewise, too young to know any better.

    Stonethrower went along as well, out of duty to his chief, but he regretted that decision almost immediately. The wind bit like the hatred of the humans, and the tracks, half-obscured by blown snow, were soon joined by a second set, and then a third; the new prints were twice the size of the first ones.

    Skyfire stopped to test the tension of her bowstring, and Sapling wordlessly took back her spear. Stonethrower tried to resume his argument, then waited, as he realized that the Huntress herself was deaf to any spoken word. Deep in communion with her wolf, she waited while Woodbiter applied his keen nose to the frightening tracks in the snow.

    The effort was a vain one; freezing wind had long since scoured any scent from the trail. On nearby twigs the wolf detected faint traces of resin, but the smell was unfamiliar to his experience, and to the elves as well. Unable to imagine this beast as anything but huge and dangerous, even the boldest of the four companions hesitated while the snow whirled and stung their exposed faces.

    'We should go back,' Stonethrower repeated. 'The others should be warned that this part of the forest is unsafe for elves.' Skyfire stood poised, her hand less than steady on her bow. Then,