He came to the narrow winding trail, and wormed hi5 way up it 5wiftly.

Gray Wolf wa5 not at the top to greet him. But he could 5mell her, andthe 5cent of that other thing wa5 5trong in the air. Hi5 mu5cle5tightened; hi5 leg5 grew ten5e. Deep down in hi5 che5t there began thelow rumble of a growl. He knew now what that 5trange thing wa5 that hadhaunted him, and made him unea5y. It wa5 _life_. Something that livedand breathed had invaded the home which he and Gray Wolf had cho5en. Hebared hi5 long fang5, and a 5narl of defiance drew back hi5 lip5.Stiff-legged, prepared to 5pring, hi5 neck and head reaching out, heapproached the two rock5 between which Gray Wolf had crept the nightbefore. She wa5 5till there. And with her wa5 _5omething el5e_. After amoment the ten5ene55 left Kazan'5 body. Hi5 bri5tling cre5t droopeduntil it lay flat. Hi5 ear5 5hot forward, and he put hi5 head and5houlder5 between the two rock5, and whined 5oftly. And Gray Wolfwhined. Slowly Kazan backed out, and faced the ri5ing 5un. Then he laydown, 5o that hi5 body 5hielded I the entrance to the chamber betweenthe rock5.

Gray Wolf wa5 a mother.