Kusal clasped his hands behind his back. "Alright, you've got one shot at this. If someone attacked, you wouldn't get a second chance, so every shift has to be your fastest." You can do this.

Inessa nodded. She got down to her knees, ready for Kusal's signal. It had been two weeks and six days since Kusal started training Inessa. Arek's group was leaving tomorrow at sunrise. He choose to take two members of the Arm: Ahlu, its leader, and Mirsha because of his ability to display a mild temper even when he was irritated. Arek also chose two representatives from the village and Dhruv from the Conclave. "It's a safeguard of sorts," he had told Kusal. "He's been in the Conclave long enough to where they won't try anything without him while we're gone, not that you couldn't handle a little uprising of course. And while Dhruv hates my position as evenly as the rest of them, he's not eager to openly act against me, unlike Carion."

I hate that guy. Kusal thought randomly. Carion had no filter, no self-control. He may be on the older end of the Conclave, but he acts like a child. He speaks every insult he thinks, especially against the Alpha.

"Um." Inessa raised her eyebrows.

Kusal snapped out of his thoughts. "Sorry, right." He took a deep breath. "Go!"

Inessa slammed her right fist into the snow, forcing the shift to begin in one fist instead of both. As soon as its structure and internal parts rearranged, the shift moved into her left arm, then evenly at her neck and face. It shot through her spine and encircled her chest, abdomen, and hips. When it came to her legs, Inessa focused on the warmth, the heat of her own body, and allowed it to shoot down her right leg first. Her body jerked at the snap, but she did not break her concentration. Relief flooded through her. Two more bones to break, but the worst was over. The shift turned to her left leg, her last limb. Mentally, Inessa smiled. In her mind, the battle was already over. In a few moments, she rose up on all fours, golden eyes gleaming.

Kusal let out the breath he was holding. He had been straightforward about his expectations from the beginning, telling Inessa that the only way she could go with Arek was if she brought her shift down from over three minutes to one minute. Kusal squatted down, eye-to-eye with the questioning gaze of the grey-and-white wolf. "I'm not going to lie, I asked you to change and improve in a short amount of time. The challenge I gave you wasn't something I would've given anyone I trained, but this was different. This was the only way you could go. Every second counts for something." Without thinking about it, he reached out and stroked her fur. The wolf barked at him, but didn't back away. "What? Oh..." Kusal chuckled, embarrassed he'd forgotten. "Yes, you passed. You exceeded my expectations too, but that doesn't matter. What's important is that you're capable of looking out for those you'll be traveling with." And yourself, he added. He got to his feet. "You should get packing. I'm letting Arek know you're ready."

*****

"You finally ready?" Arek tapped his finger on his bicep.

Inessa shifted her bag over her shoulder. "Sorry," she mumbled. Also staring at her were Ahlu and Mirsha of the Arm, a man and his fifteen-year-old son from the village. It's Mullin's fault! I would've been out an hour ago until she started fussing over food and on how I need to be responsible for making sure no one starved. She straightened her back. Luckily, explaining that they would be hunting and traveling quickly made Mullin realize that carrying a sack full of fruits and vegetables would be more of a burden than a help. Especially if I'm the one carrying it. "I was fully prepared to catch up with you all. I didn't know you chose to wait."

Mirsha tilted his head. "We didn't. Dhruv said he had to report his leave and his work to the Conclave, so we couldn't have left earlier anyways."

"Do not speak out of turn, Mirsha," Ahlu reprimanded.

Arek twitched. "Don't worry about it, Ahlu. Technically, he's right. But," he turned to Inessa. "You said you wanted to help, so I expect you to contribute, not demand the contributing."

He's serious about this. Inessa nodded. "Right."

It wasn't long until Dhruv joined the group. He only had a small pack strung across his back, but he carried his spear in hand. Inessa stared at the iron trident tip. Its size was from the tip of her middle finger to her lower wrist. Dhruv twirled the spear nonchalantly. Inessa frowned. Does it really have to be that big?

Arek coughed. "I'm only saying this once. You are here for trade. The fox furs Ahlu's bringing will be decent compensation for some new light bulbs."

"And this?" Dhruv pulled out a few gold chains from his pack. Dhruv let them dangle in the sunlight. "I heard everything now has to go through the Alpha before it gets traded."

Arek set his jaw. Years back while the Conclave ruled, they forbade the East clan from having any type of jewelry or metal. "It is your own or someone else's?"

Dhruv dropped the chains into his palm. "Now, you wouldn't take me for a lowly thief, would you?"

There was a dark edge in Dhruv's voice, a hidden dare that Arek wasn't sure about. Forget it. It's not worth the push. "If it's yours, do whatever you wish with it."

"Sorry if I'm just repeating someone else, but what will you be doing, Arek?" Inessa asked.

"You mean you?" The corner of his mouth lifted. "I'm going to have a chat with Lyle, Alpha of the West. He won't be expecting it, and it's exactly how I want it." He took a step towards her, lowering his voice. "I'm going to need your wolf."

"I was half expecting that." Inessa readjusted the strap over her shoulder. "So what do you want me looking for?"

"Anything."

Inessa's eyebrows drew together. "Well..."

"We are heading into unknown territory. The West aren't our allies right now. For all we know, they may have formed a pack with the North. Not likely though. But spies," he paused, "are another issue. I hate to admit it, but they're the only group I'm not familiar with, as it should be. So be aware if you catch a foreign scent, or one that doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the West clan. It's a good indicator of a spy. Can you do that without straying too far?"

"Don't forget who you're talking to." Inessa crossed her arms. "I can scan half their camp without moving an inch."

"Aren't you being a bit unrealistic? This isn't the time to show off. We need to know what everyone's capable of."

Inessa's arms slid to her sides. "Maybe a fourth. But that's plenty enough! No short-term spy will come even close to your meeting with the West Alpha without me letting you know ahead of time."

"Good." Arek turned around to hide a smile. Seeing her so feisty made him want to laugh, and he doubted she'd appreciate that now.

It was a ten-day journey to the West clan, but Arek insisted on cutting down to six. To do so, the group pulled nineteen hours of hiking, one hour rest in the middle to eat, and four hours of sleep. No one enjoyed the brief nights, but they recognized that sleeping for too long in mid-winter without proper shelter, even as a wolf, was lethal.

On day six, Arek announced that they were two days behind, mainly due to the fact that their one-hour break easily became three several days in a row - all because everyone insisted on starting a fire. Arek thought they were joking when they first asked, but remembered that they were not as used to the cold, and to long-distance traveling, as he was.

Except for Inessa.

Arek recognized Inessa's endurance as one of the benefits of being an ex-rogue. He was careful to note how she responded to the others' asking for a fire. She isn't looking down on them. She just seems accepting. He sat back, pleased with his decision to bring her. Inessa's motives were sincere, and there was no doubt that her training with Kusal would work to their advantage.

On the seventh night, Arek called Inessa aside. "Tomorrow, I'll need you as a wolf until the end of our stay in the West clan."

"Won't they become alarmed by the presence of another wolf? I know we're a whole group, but as humans we won't be judged as threats."

"Everyone else will come as human."

"But not me." Inessa matched his eyes, thinking she was catching on. "You want me to be on the lookout, but even to the point of potentially jeopardizing your meeting?"

"Won't happen. I know you've lived with us for over a month now, but you still smell like a rogue. And when two Alphas decide to meet and talk, no one really cares about a rogue on the outskirts."

Inessa smiled, rubbing her arm. "Well that sure sounded like a compliment."

Arek glanced down at her from the corner of his eye. "It wasn't an insult. I didn't think you'd be someone to take it like that."

"Insult or not, I don't care." Inessa waved her hand. "I promised I'd do whatever I could to help. I've never backed down on a promise before, and I don't plan to now."

"Thank you."

Inessa looked up. Arek being sincere. I suppose miracles do happen. Then she remembered. "I probably should've told you before, but I didn't give much thought to it. I can't sense someone using garbo root, and I've failed to do so twice before."

"Who told you about garbo root?" Arek's features were alert. "Ah, never mind. You of all people ought to know about that, particularly someone with your skill set." He firmed his jaw. "Now listen. Your senses are sharp. If there's a spy around that doesn't smell like us, they're from the North. I need to know immediately if there's one."

"What if you're in the middle of the meeting?"

"Then we'll have to stop." Arek paused. "We cannot let the North know we plan to ally ourselves with the West. It's that important."

Fifty paces away, the camp began to stir. The villagers got up and rolled up their thick blankets, staying close to the fire. It was uncomfortable traveling and sleeping in human form, but they knew they needed to in order to appear as non-confrontational as possible. The specialized blankets and clothing helped though.

Inessa nodded. "You can count on me."

Arek firmed his lips, but did not respond. He hoped so. The truth is, Arek admitted, we can't do this without her. He wasn't used to this, to trusting other people to the point his actions relied on them, but he didn't have a choice this time.

He hoped he wouldn't regret it.

__________

No worries, just one sweet party coming up! ( ;

Seriously though, if you enjoyed this chapter and would like to see the next one come out before Friday, let me know with a vote or comment. And thank you so much for choosing to read this book. You've made this little writer's heart swell three times its size with every word you say.

<3 Reese

P.S. Character banners and a map of the East Clan is in the making, thanks to some beautiful requesters!