Nsharra spoke, her urgent thought-voice ringing quite clear in Nelson's mind.
"Father, speak to him! Explain to him, before his heart breaks!"
Nelson crouched watching them. He did not stir except that his head moved from side to side in little nervous jerks. He could feel the slow light breathing of his hitman body as his paws touched it.
Kree's thought came slowly. "It is true, outlander. You now inhabit the body of the wolf, Asha."
The strong wild thought of the stallion interrupted. "The power of the ancients! The punishment of those who transgress the Brotherhood!"
Again Quorr, the tiger, looked at Nelson and laughed.
"You should be proud, outlander! For you, the Guardian has made an exception, giving you the useful body of a Clan-brother. If we sin, we are banished into the bodies of the little hunted things that are born only to be eaten."
Then, sharp and clear, Ei the great eagle called out to Nelson. "Courage, outlander!" And Nsharra's softer echo said, "Courage, Eric Nelson."
It was then that Nelson's anger began to creep warm across his icy fear. But still he could not believe.
Stunned, bewildered, his thought went out to Kree. "It isn't possible. No science could do that — my brain in a wolf's body—"