*Disclaimer: I own none of these characters or creatures. The story is made from my imagination, but derived from an already published novel.

The crossing into a new land was always a jolt for the thirteen-year-old. She never knew what other horrors would be brought upon her after her village chased her out on all fours. So with long, matted, smoky brown curls framing her face, Veriladaine Sarrasri glanced over her shoulder to signal to her pack that the way was all clear to the Realm of Tortall.

"Drat it all, Flynn, one more imaginary stormwing or spidren and we're quits!"

The stocky K'mir woman named Onua glared at her assistant who had now, for the seventh time this week, managed to set her on ends by yelling about immortals in the forest. This had caused her a great deal of stress, for in order to reach her destination at the palace in Tortall, she needed no delays.

Onua wasn't just a traveler- she was the chief horse mistress for the Queen's Riders in Tortall. It was her job to see to it that all of the new ponies got to the trainees in time, but her new assistant Flynn was making the task quite unbearable.

Flynn blushed.

"Sorry, ma'am. I just see things and my mind jumps to the monsters. I guess that's what one gets for being related to an I.H. - an Immortal Hunter, I mean. It won't happen again, I swear it."

Onua sighed and looked at her charge guiltily. She didn't mean to bite his head off; she just couldn't understand how anyone could imagine those monsters that often.

"Don't worry, kiddo. I'm not that mad. I just don't like surprises." And he sure has a bundle of them, she thought. "Alright, let's calm the ponies and set up camp. I think they're too stressed to go much further."

"Yes'm."

Daine and her pack crept along the underbrush that night, hunting for their first full meal in the new land. With only a few squirrels caught along the way, each wolf was hungry and temperamental.

Brokefang, the alpha male, stopped suddenly and sniffed the air- searching.

Stop, he ordered. There is wrongness in the air. Russet, stay with the pups. Everyone else, split up and find the source!

With a swish of tails and hair, Daine and the wolves fanned out to find the source of Brokefang's distraction.

I will find it, Daine thought. I will beat that nasty Frostfur to the punch. Maybe if I find the thing, she'll ease up on me. Daine snorted. Fat chance of that.

Frostfur was Brokefang's mate, and while she commanded the attention of those around her, she had a terrible temper towards Daine.

Now Daine felt the wrongness. It spread through her body and almost made her faint. She looked up and saw a large black bird flying above. A few moments later, several huge shapes flew after it. The moment they went over, Daine knew that these, these things, were the source of Brokefang's discomfort. With a yip of joy at discovering it, Daine leapt forward to follow it.