Nsharra was appealing to her father. "He does not even know what you plan, father! He will go mad! Does he merit that?"
"Do the beasts of the outer world merit the slavery and death that this man and his kind deal them?" retorted Kree harshly.
Nelson tried to reassure himself. He tried to tell himself that the queer platinum apparatus could be only a meaningless relic, that this was mere primitive mumbo-jumbo.
He couldn't do it. He couldn't conquer the horror that was tightening across his chest like a steel band.
Tark had come back into the room. And with him was another wolf, a young, rangy dog-wolf, lean of flank and bright of eye, big but dwarfed by the great leader of his Clan.
"This is Asha of my Clan," came Tark's thought. "He offers to be the one."
Kree looked at the young wolf. "You know the danger to you, Asha?"
"I know!" rang the dog-wolf's thought. "It is for the Brotherhood. I am willing."
"Then stand there, close to the outlander's chair," ordered Kree, pointing.
Nelson saw the dog-wolf walk over and stand a few feet from him, where the Guardian had indicated. The wolf looked over at him-strangely. Something in that bright unhuman gaze shook Nelson.