A/N: Ack! Sorry it took so long! I've had a busy month... But I'm back at it. X] This chappie doesn't have as much action... but there's a dilemma nonetheless. Let me know what you think!

Chapter 8:

Mentor?

"The day is aging fast…" Gianaval rose to his feet, beckoning Break to do the same with a nod of his head. "And there is much you must learn if you are to survive with us."

Break lifted his brows as he stood and followed the old wolf down the pinnacle. The other wolves didn't seem to react as they passed – they seemed to have resigned themselves to his presence with surprising speed. The only one who looked up was a familiar silver canine, who's gaze spoke volumes of his opinion of Break. Lotus lifted his head as they went by.

"Hey, mister."

Break paused, and looked back at him.

The boy stood, and nudged something forward from behind him. "I found this down at the base."

Emily was not hard to see amidst all the white snow. Break turned back and hurried to snatch her up and away from the stranger. Lotus only cocked a furry brow.

"Why do you carry a doll around? I thought dolls were for girls."

Perhaps it was a good thing that Emily was in his mouth at the moment, considering the few choice words he would've liked to spit out at the boy. Regardless, he snorted, rolling his eyes and continuing to follow Gianaval. He felt Lotus' gaze drilling into the back of his head the entire way down.

Once at the base, he watched as the old wolf stood at the edge of the platform, and lifted his head to the sky. He howled a long, sweet note before dropping half an octave, and drawing silent again.

Moments passed. Break found a small crevice to set Emily in before going to Gianaval's side and sitting back on his haunches, throwing the grey one a curious look.

"Each wolf has it's call, the call others use to beckon them," said Gianaval, staring out over the meadow. "The one you just heard is Binde's call – if he is anywhere within hearing distance – which he is – he will hear it, and come straightaway."

"Binde?" Break frowned thoughtfully, looking down at his paws. His paws… it was still so strange. Toes and claws rather than fingers and nails, a coat of fur, four legs… not to mention the extra limb.

"Why Binde?"

"You shall see."

He snorted; why did people have to be cryptic… Strike that question; it was self-incriminating. Looking up, Break noted that the skies had cleared overhead from their previous overcast gloominess to the bright grey-blue of a sunny winter day. No clouds could be seen for miles, until his gaze reached the mountains once more… While menacing, there was something drawing about that Shadow Peak, in all it's unearthly wonder…

He heard the pat-pat-pat of feet on snow, and the intake and release of heavy breath, long before he even caught sight of Binde in his return. The brown wolf burst from the underbrush into the open with speed befitting a dog of his stature, and made a beeline straight for Gianaval. Binde then skidded to a stop mere inches from the old wolf, and inclined his head.

"Great Sire." These words, spoken with such reverence. It was not hard to see that Gianaval was honored and respected by all near to him.

Gianaval touched his nose to Binde's forehead, and that was a signal for the latter to rise once more. A grandfatherly smile graced Gianaval's countenance.

"Binde, I have something I want you to do."

All business, Binde stood tall, squaring his broad shoulders – Break noticed he stood at least three inches taller than Gianaval. "Anything, my lord."

"I need you to look after Xerxes."

"What!?"

Break looked to Binde, who had uttered the incredulous statement at the same exact moment as he had. Binde looked rather deflated, obviously not having expected such a low commission. Break, on the other hand, couldn't resist the scowl that twisted his expression, meant to let both of the other wolves know exactly what he thought of that proposal.

"I'm not a child," said he with indignation – the very idea that Gianaval would request such a thing! "I don't need a babysitter."

Binde said nothing, and so Gianaval took the opportunity to respond. "You are new here. You may as well be a child, for you know nothing of what it means to be a wolf."

"What is there to know?" Break kept the distance between them, quite suddenly eager to stand on his own. "Be a predator, a hunter, a warrior. Is that so hard that I need someone else to teach it to me? You forget who I was before last night!"

Gianaval sighed, with no trace of irritation or belittling in his gaze. Instead, there seemed a hint of disappointment… "I do not forget, brash one. But you would do well not to forget what pride is, for I hear it very strongly in your words."

"This isn't about-"

"Is it? You do not wish for Binde's help, because you feel you do not need it, that you understand our ways already and can stand on your own four feet. But you have not had four feet for even half a day, now, have you?"

He longed to lash back, to say something more that would silence the old wolf into resignation… But there was nothing to say. And by Gianaval's expression, the wolf knew it as well.

"You see? You cannot honestly tell me that you know all there is to know about the wolves, those of us whom you only just met not five hours ago." Gianaval gave him a knowing smile. "You need help, Xerxes."

"I can figure it out for myself." The words leapt off Break's tongue before he had the chance to even think about them.

Gianaval only chuckled, and shook his head. "No… I think not. There is more to us than you think, guardian. And if you desire to continue to watch over your charge at a distance while we figure out a way to help you get back where you belong, I suggest that you listen to Binde, learn from him."

As Break stared long and hard at the old wolf, Gianaval turned then to Binde, who stared at the snow in front of his feet with a pondering expression.

"And you, Binde – I expected more from you."

"Sire…" Binde looked up, looking as if he wasn't quite sure what to say. "P-Perhaps… there would be another… better suited-"

"There is no other I trust more with this task than you, my son," said the old one. "You are the boldest and bravest of our clan, you passed all other tests in the past with flying colors, and you know what it is to be a Wolf. I want you – I need you to pass on this knowledge to our new comrade. Can you do that for me?"

Binde studied his elder, blue eyes darting slightly as if searching for something in Gianaval's golden ones, until he lowered his head in submission. "Of course… Great Sire."

Gianaval smiled. "Good, very good. Now, I would like you to take Xerxes on your patrol today – teach him what you see he needs to be taught."

Once Binde had nodded, Gianaval turned, cast Break a wink, and then plodded back up the pinnacle of rock toward his perch at the top.

Silence reigned for a long moment, as both Break and Binde studied one another. Break kept a hint of distaste in his gaze, still balking at the idea of having to be chauffeured around as if he couldn't take care of himself.

But… In a way, he couldn't. Not here. Here, he was way out of his league, and there was no way that he'd get through this alone…

"Well?" he finally said, albeit a tad harshly. "Don't you have something you should be teaching me?"

At this, Binde frowned, looking slightly taken aback. But then, the timber just shook his head, and turned his back on Break. "Follow me… guardian."