Prologue

The young Breton opened her eyes to the familiar, gently swaying tree house of her mentor. The Bosmer was seated wearily nearby, face still streaked with woad from the ritual.

It had worked. Hircine had been thwarted and the melding of two souls was complete. The wolf soul within her own silently inquired about everything her gaze rested on. She shared her knowledge as best she could of the human things that surrounded them.

As she lay, blinking at the intricately carved walls, her eyes came to rest upon one in particular. It was a wolf, with a keen eyed crow perched upon its shoulder. The wolf seemed to be… smiling. The crow had its wings upraised, beak open as if in speech. A hint of a grin seemed to be secreted in that parted beak. A burst of curiosity came from within her that for once, she could not answer.

"Delilyn, why do the wolf and the crow stand like that?" Renae asked her mentor.

"Because the Crow and the Wolf are good friends." The Bosmer didn't seem at all put off by the sudden question.

"Friends? How can that be?"

"Both are predators, though the ignorant claim the crow is a scavenger only. Crow feeds upon smaller prey, and so does not compete with Wolf for food. Wolf is strong in packs. Crow is strong in murders. The two recognize that the other is dangerous in their own right."

"Murders?"

"A group of crows is called a murder."

"Oh. How do they become friends then, if they know the other is dangerous?"

"They respect one another for their strengths and they benefit from one another's presence. Wolf's sharp teeth bring down large prey like deer and elk. Her teeth can cut through the tough hide to the soft meat beneath. Food that Crow would not be able to taste otherwise."

"What does Wolf get out of the bargain?"

"The Crow is a jester. Crow teaches Wolf how to play, and helps her remember that life is not all about hunting and killing and responsibilities to the pack. Crow makes the Wolf laugh when laughter is most needed."

"I am now a wolf… but a lone one. When I return to the Dark Brotherhood, they will be my pack. My responsibilities will be everything. I won't have many opportunities to meet strangers that I am not hunting. How will I ever meet a crow?"

Delilyn smiled enigmatically. "Do not fret, Baan Dar's Own. One way or another, Wolf and Crow find one another. Until then, Wolf's strength comes from her pack. Trust your wolf, and form pack bonds with those she accepts."