Nelson would have slipped safely away as he planned had not the dawn wind risen and betrayed him.
He was lagging behind the others, watching his chance to slide off into the brush, when from downwind came a sudden barking cry and with it a mental call— "Ho, brothers! There is a stranger with you!"
The whole of the upland pack turned and faced Nelson, instantly suspicious. Before he could run, wolves were all about him, Wolves from Vruun, whose minds spoke in chorus like one great curse.
"Asha!”
Nelson wheeled and leaped clean over the old dog-wolf, breaking for the shelter of the brush.
Behind him, as it had in Vruun, the mental shout went baying through the trees.
"Asha is outlaw! Drive him, brothers! Drive him from the forest!"
Then the pack was after him in full cry and the call was echoing all across the valley, tossed from one pack to another and picked up and carried on until it burst from the hillsides in a wailing malediction.
"Outlaw!"
Once again Nelson ran, belly-down and straining. Ahead of him lay the open plains around Anshan, and in them lay death. Desperately he swerved and dodged and circled, but the wolves of the Clan drove and drove him without mercy. There was no escape.