A wind rose in the Northern Ice Mountains, brushing through the snow covered crags and swirling down the rough impassable mountains heading south toward the rolling grassy plains known simply as the Gods' Plains. As the cold wind blew south, it picked up heat and moisture so that by the time it reached the young man standing silently in the long grass blwoing his chestnut curls back from his face, Blair of the Red Elk Clan felt none of the bitter cold fromt he Ice Mountains. Leaning against the finely carved staff, Blair looked out over the grassy plains watching the deer herd graze, his thoughts inward. "Blair!" An excited shout from behind him had Blair turning back toward the camps of the Red Elk Clan in time to see his brother, Seth, riding Tokri toward him. The large dire-wolf with black and gray fur moved swiftly and silently until he stopped beside Blair allowing his rider and friend to slide down off of his back. Blair smiled at his brother. "You can't leave just yet, little brother. Not without letting me say my goodbyes." Seth said embracing his brother into a squeezing hug. "Good grief, Seth, you act as if I am going away forever. I'll be back in a couple of years. And we still be able to see each other at the Clan gatherings." When Blair had reached fourteen years without being chosen by one of the dire-wolves, the young man had given up his dreams to be a warrior for only dire-wolves only chose children at thriteen years. Seth had been chosen two year before, and Blair had hoped to follow in his brother's footsteps. The people of the Clans grew up with the grass wolves always at their sides. Grasswolves were normal sized wolves who were intelligent and able to mind talk with humans. The grasswolves helped guard the deer herds, and protect the Clans. Sometimes the Clans warred with each other, and the grasswolves, territorial, helped defend even against other grasswolves of another Clan. Dire-wolves on the other hand were big. Big enough that a human could ride upon its back carrying weapons. Direwolves, unbonded, lived a loners upon the Plains, coming together with their own kind only to mate. However, they were as intelligent as humans, and sometimes chose to bond with humans who had a warrior's spirit. The Dire-wolf warriors were the Clans defense against enemies and predators. Each Clan Gathering hosted games designed to test the warriors' skills, and prizes were given each year. Every child of the Clans hopes one day to be a warrior, to participate in those games. On their Fourteenth Naming Day their dreams are either fulfilled or broken. Blair after his Fourteenth Naming Day had gone to the Clan Shaman, Joel, and had asked to apprentice to him. To the entire Clan's surprise, Joel had accepted Blair has his one and only apprentice. Now after two years, Joel was sending Blair to the White Doe Clan to learn from another Shaman. "Your abilities far outstrip mine Blair." Joel had said. "I have taught you all that I can, but for one of your abilities their is even more to learn. I have spoken to the White Doe Clan. Their shaman, Incacha, has agreed to apprentice you. He is a powerful shaman, and will be able to guide you to your powers which I cannot do. good luck to you, Blair." Joel had hugged him and Blair had hugged him back. Setha nd Blair's own father had been killed years before when Blair had been a baby. Their mother Naomi had never remarried, and to Blair, Joel was the closest thing he had to a father. "I'll miss you, master." Blair said as he hugged the old shaman. Blair returned to the present when seth asked him, "You know, Tokri can take us both." Blair looked at his brother. It was an honor to offer a non rider to ride a dire-wolf, but Blair refused. "No, brother. I must take this journey alone. I will see you at the next clan Gathering." "Safe journey, little brother." And with that the two brothers parted, and Blair hefted his pack over his shoulder and begin his journey to find the White Doe Clan. The journey took several days across the ocean of grass. By the time the sun had born and died seven times, Blair was within the ranges of the White Doe Clan. Some five sunlengths into the eighth day, Blair was found by a Direwolf rider. The young man was perhaps Blair's age, skin and hair a deep brown colored. His dire wolf was black with gray streaks along its belly and neck. The young man held his bow, arrow nocked and ready to draw at a moment's notice. "Who are you?" The young man asked trying to sound fearless. "My name is Blair of the Red Elk Clan. I have come by invitation." The boy relaxed somewhat as Blair withdrew his necklace of beads and feathers. The pattern would show him to be of Red Elk. "We were told to expect you. Come, I will escort you to the camp. My name is Darryl." "It is good to meet you, Darryl." Blair said gathering his pack and belongings, and following in beside the large direwolf and his rider. It took less than a sunlength to reach the camp. Inside the camp, Darryl dismounted, and led Blair afoot to the Chief's tent. The Chief was sitting outside his tent smoking a long pipe talking to one of his warriors. "Father, I bring to you Blair of the Red Elk." Darryl said to the Chief. The dark skinned Chief looked at Blair with his brown eyes judging what was before him. Blair stood still trying not to show any nervousness. "You are welcome to this camp, Blair of the Red Elk. I am Simon, Chief of the White Doe. This is Henri, my second." Simon introduced the other warrior. "I am glad to meet you, Chief Simon, and honored that you would welcome me to the camp of the White Doe." "You are a polite young man, Blair. Come," Simon stood up handing his pipe to Darryl. "I will show you to Incacha's tent." Blair followed Simon through the busy camp. Women, children and some men were busy building fires, scraping hides, decorating or dying leather, or preparing the evening meal. Children fetched and carried items for the adults, or sat patiently while an adult taught them how to perform a task. In and among the tents grasswolves ran and played, nipping at each other or chasing children and sticks. Older grasswolves lay solemnly at a human's foot watching the camp and the people, speaking mind to mind occasionally. Incacha's tent was decorated with the white doe hide that represented the strength of the Clan just as Joel's had the red Elk hide for Blair's Clan. Incacha had known that they were coming and was waiting outside his tent for them. "Joel is a good friend, and a fine Shaman. He knows the limits of his own abilties, and that is a good thing. It is is good that he saught me out to teach you, young Blair." Incacha said. "I am honored that you would accept me as your apprentice, Master Incacha." "The honor is in teaching, young Blair. One day you will have your own apprentice and you will see. Come inside and unpack your belongings." Blair smiled and followed Incacha into the tent. For the first few days, Incacha tested Blair trying to find out what knowledge Joel had imparted to the young apprentice before going forward in his own teaching. Blair knew the name and description of every herb and plant, and the uses for each. He also knew how to prepare each plant to be used, and how much to give for certain ailments. Incacha was pleased to see that Blair knew how to meditate, to connect to the spirit world, and to call upon the aid of the spirits. Blair also knew the language of the spirits. "Joel has taught you well. Tomorrow we will begin, and you will learn even more. Tonight you will eat with Simon and myself, and then you shall sleep early for we we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Blair smiled, "Yes, Master." Blair stood five feet before the creature, hands gripping the ash staff he himself had handcarved, weaving spells into the wood as he worked. The beast only gave a twitch of its ear and pawed the earth with an unsplit hoof. It then neighed and reared a bit on its hind hooves before turning and galloping away. Blair watched the tan colored beast fly like the wind across the sea of grass. Beside him, Incacha smiled. "A beautiful creature. Wild spirited. The people that live in their cities ride upon these creatures, taming them." "A strange thought, Master." Blair said. "You looked lost in thought, Blair. What were you thinking when you looked at the animal?" "I was thinking of Master Joel. The last thing he taught me. He called it gentling." Blair looked at his master. Incacha nodded. "A useful spell when one is in danger. It requires concentration and time, and the more wild the beast to be gentled the more power it requires." "He gentled one of the wild deer and brought it into the herd." "Joel is a good man, and a good Shaman but that is the extent of his power. Anything more wild than a deer would be beyond his ability to tame." Before Blair could say anything he spotted a Rider coming at htem at top speed. Whent he Rider got closer he could see it was Darryl. "Blair!!" Darryl yelled. The direwolf slowed as he came closer to Bliar and Darryl leaped off his back. "Blair, a message came through. Your brother..." Darryl was breathing to hard and had to catch his breath. "Seth? What has happened." Darryl caught his breath and continued, "He was attacked. He was hunting. Some beast that killed some of the deer. He found it only it won. He's bad hurt Blair. The message said to come quickly." Blair paled and turned to his master. Incacha nodded, "Go, Blair. You must see your brother." Blair started to run, but Darryl was beside him. "I will take you Blair." The boy said. Blair nodded and took the hand Darryl offerred and mounted up on the direwolf behind the Chief's son. Together they rode away fromt he White Doe clan and headed south. On the dire wolf they made he trip before the sun set. While Darryl waited outside the tent, Blair went inside to see his brother. However fast they had ridden, they had not ridden fast enough for Seth was laready dead when Blair entered the tent. The young shaman cried over his brothers torn body while Joel laid his hand on the grieving man's shoulder. When Blair got control of himself he looked at Joel. "What happened?" "A strange beast that no one saw killed four of the bucks. Seth was working sentry and tracked the animal to its lair. He was torn to pieces before the other warriors could find him. His direwolf was dead, and the beast was nowhere to be found. The warriors did not track it, and instead brought Seth here. I tried to save him, but the wounds were too damaging. I am sorry, Blair. They will send more warriors to track and killt his thing. They will give you the hide in payment for your brother's life." It was a small concolation, but it was part of the debt now owed to Blair as Seth's only living kin. Their parents had died seven months before of illness. Blair nodded, tears falling down his face from tightly shut eyes. Outside, the pyre for Seth's body was being built by his fellow Riders. The moonless, cloudy night made for a perfect cover. A horse whickered gently, and the rider patted the big animal's head to calm the stallion. The creak of leather, the jingle of harness, and the light stamp of a hoof on grassy turf where the only sounds as the men awaited the command. In the distance a bright fire could be seen. It acted as a signal of sorts, telling the men where their quarry lay in the overwhelming darkness. A gauntleted hand raised in a fist, and the night erupted into a flurry of pounding hooves and cries. Blair hefted his staff and looked aorund in shock. The warriors on the metal shielded beasts had entered the camp fast and furious. their strange weapons that make a loud noise and smelled of fire had brought down many of the direwolf riders. Not all used the strange weapons, some had crossbows, and others swords, but the strange weapons made the most damage. A hand grabbed Blair from behind and lifted him. A knife glinted and the man made as if to cut Blair's throat, but the oung Shaman laid a hand on the man's chest and a green glow surrounded his hand. The man gasped and blood gushed from his mouth as his heart exploded in his chest. Blair hit the ground and the beast the man had rode reared up as the dead man fell from its back. Blair heard the shocked voices of the warriors. The words 'sorceror' and witch were bandied around. then out of nowhere a heavy club fell onto Blair's head, and the shaman knew only darkness. He awoke, stiff and sore to find himself alone among the dead. Grasswolves, direwolves, and people he knew lay in a shattered ruin among the fired tents. Blair groaned as he gained his feet. He found his staff not far from where he had fallen. Tears flooded his eyes as he searched among the dead for survivors. Faces were missing. Darryl's direwolf lay dead, but the boy himself was missing. Women and children, some warriors and craftsmen were also missing. Blair knew that the invaders had taken them. Blair hoped that they were alive for he knew what he had to do. It took several hours to gather all the dead. To build the pyres so that the smoke could carry their spirits into the afterlife. But he did it. The fires could be seen for miles and as Blair watched the smoke rise into the air, he pulled a knife from his belt and cut into his hand. As the dark red blood dripped onto the ground, Blair swore an oath to collect the blood debt owed to him and his people. And to rescue those who had been taken. But first he had one more debt to collect. Blair found the tracks that his brother Seth had followed. They led into the forest situated at the base of the Dark Mountains. The tracks were like none Blair had ever seen. The size of the tracks indicated a large beast, bigger than even a direwolf. Blair was not intimidated by the size. He had a debt to collect. A blood debt. The tracks led up a rock hillside where a dark cave lay overlooking the forest. Blair clutched his staff and took a step to start up the rocky path. A snarl, then a deep throated laugh echoed through the forest. Blair looked up toward the cave and knew that the sound came from within its depths. "They send you." A deep voice said from within the cave. "Where is your wolf, Rider?" "I am not a Rider." Blair answered calmly. Another snarl emanated from within the cave. "First an untried boy, now one who is not a warrior. Does your Clan not see me as a big enough threat." "I am all that is left to come." Blair said quietly but the beast heard. "Where is the rest of your Clan?" The beast's voice suddenly softened if such a deep voice could do so. Blair gripped his staff, "All dead. Or captured. Warriors from the southern cities came." Nothing was said for a few minutes, then the hidden beast said, "Then you seek to join them in death. There are easier ways." "No I will not die here today." Laughter, deep throated laughter filled the forest. "You are confident, boy. Such bravery should be rewarded. Leave this forest now. Take your life, such as it is, and build a new Clan. Don't waste today." "I will not leave. You owe me a blood debt. It was my brother whom you killed." Silence, then,"For that boy, I am sorry. I had not wished his death. I only wanted..." The deep voice trailed off. "Go boy. I will give you your life, and I will no longer hunt your herds." "I cannot leave." A deep sigh, "So be it then, boy. Prepare to join your dead Clan." A roar resounded through the forest, and shadows moved and shifted until they transformed into a great black beast. The creature to Blair resembled one of the mountain cats that lived high in the High Winds Mountains at least in form. But the black cat-like creature stood bigger than a direwolf, heavily built with muscle that flowed beneath the shiny black fur. The creature opened its mouth to show glistening fangs, and a strong jaw. Claws, razor sharp, jutted from beneath the cat's pads as the beast flexed its paws. The long black tail lashed against powerful hindquarters. Blair swallowed back fear upon the sight of the creature, and raised his staff. The beast laughed and crystal blue eyes pinned the young shaman. Blair began to chant as he shopok the staff. The turtle shells filled with beads rattled on the staff, and Blair raised his other hand. The beast charged, then leaped. In the middle of the leap, the cat checked, twisted, and landed just short of the shaman who chanted. Blue eyes locked upon blue eyes, and mist swirled in their minds. The mist swirled within both their minds until a clear mental image appeared. Blair was not frightened. He knew what he was doing, and why the mist was forming. The beast on the other hand tried to get away but the begginings of the spell held him in thrall. The mental image was a room where a woman screamed and a baby cried. Others in the room seemed busy. Another woman, small and delicate looking held a newborn baby in her arms. The woman on the bed screamed in pain, blood covered the sheet son the bed. Eventually the woman's eyes rolled into her head, and the screaming stopped. On of the attending men announced her death in a clear tone. Blair was confused. The spell should have shown him the beast's life, it was part of the spell of gentling. Why was he seeing a baby born, the mother dying. *Because that is me. I am that baby. I killed my mother.* The voice was that of the beast. It filled Blair's mind full of sadness and grief. Through the spell, Blair saw the beast's life unfold. A boy told again and agian by his cruel father that he was the reason for his mother's death. But he was still a firstborn son, and no son of Lord William ellison's would be anything but a warior. Therefor the boy, named James, called Jaime, was taught to fight. Sword, bow, knife, hand to hand. He was taught to ride, taught lancing, and jousting. Then his father remarried. A woman, cold and cruel, who bore another son, Stephen. A boy raised to believe that he should be the Heir to their father's lands and titles by a Mother who wanted all of it for her son. Who hated Jaime, and made sure that anything Stephen did, Jaime got the blame and the punishment. Usually beatings with a leather horsewhip, or lack of supper depending upon the severity of the wrongdoing. Blair felt his own heart sadden at the life that was shown before him. *Do not pity me. Just stop this!* But once the spell had begun, Blair could not stop it without damaging them both. Then the night before the boy who is now a man was to be knighted, he is kidnapped by his own step mother, and given over to a powerful wizard. The wizard transforms Jaime, but finds he cannot control the huge beast. Jaime kills his captor, and escapes from the tower. Hunters are sent after him. Jaime kills when he needs to and dissapears into the forest. Then the scene changes. Jaime is tired, hungry, sick. He cannot live like this. The sadness and grief are overwhelming. He kills the deer because he can, because it feels good to hurt soemthing as much as he hurts. The Seth is before him. The direwolf attakcs. Jaime hopes to die honorably by a warrior, but the direwolf dies beneath Jaime's claws. He is unable to not fight back, and Seth attacks with his sword and dies beneath Jaime's claws. Now thoughts of death fill his head. He wants nothing more than to die, but his honor is such that he cannot kill himself. His last hope fell by the wayside at the knowledge that Blair was not a warrior. The mist clears, and blue eyes look into blue eyes, both filled with unshed tears. "What have you done to me?" Jaime asks. "I am sorry. I did not know that you were human." "What have you done to me!" Blair reached out and laida hand on the black cat's furry neck. Jaime has no choice but to allow the touch. He flinches, waiting for a blow that does not come. "It will be alright. I will hit you. You owe me a blood debt. In payment you shall help me collect another debt owed." With that, Blair vaulted onto the great cat's back. "You are crazy. What do you hope to do. rescue your Clansmen, kill the men who attacked you. They will kill you, Shaman. They will kill us both." "Have faith, Jaime. You will see." He patted the cats shoulder, and mentally nudged the cat into a lope toward the south to collect another debt owed.