The Mantooth | Page 6

young woman, Sylviana. Be to her strength and shelter, for she is dearer to me than any
words can hope to express.
'But you must both know, I can promise you nothing. Your survival must depend on your
ability to learn from the ways of Nature, and upon your will and desire to endure. Kalus,
as it is still within my power, I return to you now the gift of speech. Use it wisely.
Farewell.'
Then both voice and spirit were gone, and only Earth-life remained in the chamber.
'Wait!' cried Sylviana. 'You can't leave me here, please. Come BACK.'
But even as she spoke the image in the mirror faded, and a narrow beam of violet light
shot forth from its place in the glass. Coming to rest in the center of Kalus' forehead, it
seemed to hold him there against his will. He felt his whole body tingling with an electric
sensation that centered at the base of his spine, intensifying as it reached the
smooth-folding membranes at the uppermost portion of his brain. His mind churned with
unfamiliar sounds and images, as if a thousand tiny doors had suddenly burst open from
within, flooding a dark chamber with new and unimagined light.

Then the feeling was gone and the beam released him. The firelight returned with its
dancing glow, as Kalus slumped to the ground. Recovering himself enough to be
awe-struck, he turned to the girl for whatever explanation she might offer.
'It's all right,' she said reassuringly, though not at all sure herself what it meant.
Deep in her own thoughts, she still hadn't noticed the wolf, who had slipped in through
the darkness once more to be with the woman-child he had befriended. Sensing her mood
it had not tried to attract her attention, but waited patiently instead a short distance from
the altar. Kalus saw him. He pointed.
Grateful for the intrusion, Sylviana descended the steps and went to greet him. Going
down on one knee she gently stroked the soft, silver-gray fur, ruffling his ear and gazing
into the peaceful, intelligent eyes. He seemed to readily accept the presence of the
man-child, and now reminded her more of a harmless pup than of the savage predator she
knew he must be in the world outside. It was Akar, of course.
'It's all right,' she began again, turning back to her human companion. 'He won't hurt you.
The wolf is my friend.'
'Yes,' answered Kalus without thinking. 'I know him well---
'Sylviana!' he stammered. 'I speak! My mind is all around me. How can these things be?'
'I'm not sure,' she replied honestly. 'But I'm grateful for your company all the same. I've
been here alone for so long.....' She stopped when she saw the weary, washed-out
confusion of his face. Though far from happy herself, she realized that in this moment his
need was still greater.
'I'm sorry,' she whispered sadly, eyes to the ground. 'You have enough to think about
already.' Slowly the words came to her. 'Try not to worry. Things will work out for us,
you'll see. Right now you should eat, then I'll check your bandages and you can sleep a
while longer.' He nodded gratefully.
Sitting weakly on one of the steps, Kalus let his mind go blank. Sylviana went to prepare
a meal as best she could, and the he-wolf retired to a favorite corner to lie down. For the
moment, at least, all was as it should have been.
A very rare moment, indeed.

Chapter 4
Kalus woke feeling strangely insecure. It was a feeling he had known before, and one he
had come to respect. Rising quickly, he instinctively scanned his surroundings. At first he
could not remember where he was. The events of the day before had struck so suddenly,
and with such sweeping change that he found his mind racing, trying to put back the

pieces of all that had happened, and think what he must now do in answer.
Slowly it came back to him. The piled furs on which he sat had been placed for him there
by Sylviana, the young woman-child who lived in this place, some sort of wide
underground passageway. She had nursed his wounds and spoken strangely of a land he
would never see. Of the rest he was still quite uncertain, but at least sensed that he was
safe, a knowledge that helped quiet his fears, and soothe the angry horde of questions that
kept pounding at his brain. Looking across the room he saw that the girl lay sleeping a
short distance away, lying in a similar bed among the shadows of the far wall. She had
tried to make him sleep there instead but he refused, it being so foolishly placed beneath
the unprotected shaft.