Soul Eater by Michelle Paver

happen?""You heard that howl," he said through his teeth. "If we don't go in now, he may die!"Renn opened her mouth to protest--then froze.Torak had heard it too. The crunch of footsteps coming up the slope.Of one accord, they ducked behind the sleds.Crunch, crunch, crunch. Unhurried. Coming closer.Quietly, Torak drew his knife. Beside him, Renn slipped her hands out of her mittens and nocked an arrow to her bow.A thickset man came into view. He was clad in mottled sealskin, and carried a gray hide pouch over one shoulder. His head was bowed. His hood concealed his face. He bore no weapons that they could see.As Torak watched, rage choked him. His eyes misted red. This was one of them. This man had taken Wolf.In his mind he saw Wolf standing proudly on the ridge above the Forest, his fur limned golden by the sun. He heard again that agonized howl. Pack-brother! Help me!Crunch, crunch, crunch. The man was almost level with them. He stopped. Looked over his shoulder, as if reluctant to go on.It was too much for Torak. Scarcely knowing what he139did, he leaped forward, head-butting the man in the belly, sending him crashing into the snow.He lay winded, but then--with astonishing speed-- rolled sideways, kicked Torak's knife from his hand, and grabbed his hood, twisting it backward in a vicious choke hold. Torak felt strong legs pinioning his arms, squeezing the breath from his chest; flint digging painfully into his throat."I wouldn't," Renn said coldly. She took a step closer, her arrow aimed at the attacker's heart.Torak felt the grip on his ribs loosen. His hood was released, the knife withdrawn."Please," whined his attacker, "don't hurt me!"With her arrow still poised to shoot, Renn nudged Torak's knife toward him with her boot, then told her captive to get up."No, no!" whined the captive, cowering at her feet. "I may not look upon the face of power!"Torak and Renn exchanged startled glances.The captive groveled, scrabbling for the pouch he'd dropped in the attack. Torak was surprised to see that he wasn't a man, but a boy about his own age, although twice as- heavy. He bore the black nose tattoo of the White Foxes, and his round face glistened with blubber and terror sweat."Where is he?" said Torak. "What have you done with him?"140"Who?" bleated the boy. He saw Torak's tattoo, and his mouth fell open. "You're not one of us. Who are you?""What are you doing here?" snapped Renn. "You're no Soul-Eater!""But I will be!" retorted the boy with unexpected ferocity. "They promised!""For the last time," said Torak, advancing with his knife, "what have you done with Wolf?""Get away from me!" squealed the boy, scrambling backward like a crab. "If--if I scream, they'll hear. They'll come to my rescue, all four of them! Is that what you want?"Torak stared at Renn. Four?"Get away from me!" The boy edged up the slope. "I chose to do this! No one can stop me!"He sounded as if he were trying to convince himself. It gave Torak an idea. "What have you got in that pouch?" he said, to keep the boy talking."A--an owl," stammered the boy. "They want it for sacrifice.""But an owl is a hunter," said Renn accusingly."So is a wolf," said Torak. "And an otter. What are your masters doing in there? Tell us or we'll--""I don't know!" cried the boy, moving farther up the slope.As they followed him, the Eye came into view.141"Your masters," Renn said quietly, "do they talk of the one who is a spirit walker? Tell the truth! I'll know if you lie!""A spirit walker?" The boy's eyes widened. "Where?""Do they ever speak of this?" demanded Torak."No, no, I swear it!" He was sweating freely now, stinking of blubber. "They came to make a sacrifice! That's all I know, I swear on my three souls!""And for this you'd break clan law by catching hunters for sacrifice?" said Renn. "For an empty promise of a power that will never be yours?"Sheathing his knife, Torak took a step toward the boy. "Your mother wants you back," he said.He'd guessed right. The boy's body