Clack-clack-clack!
Ruger felt no humiliation at being ignored. He merely watched the man's hand and thought that this Monster Wolf really was old-or, rather, thoroughly broken. Nor were the Bearers all that harmonious. Though each carried a strange, corpse-like thing on his back, there was an undercurrent of competition among them.
Their sole advantage over those tricked into coming from the Endless Sea-or their greatest difference, at least-was not strength. It was that they came from the same Wizard faction. A sword hung over their heads: stronger Wizards kept them in check. Though that sword could not enter this place, and its deterrent power was greatly diminished, it was still enough to make them remain a united group.
Clack-clack-clack!
Ruger watched the weakened bald man curse in regret.
Had he known this Monster Wolf was so broken that it could no longer bite anyone, why would he have been so cautious? He had suffered through casting a spell and even wasted a potion that looked anything but cheap. Of course, Ruger mentally added a Wizard robe to the tally.
Clack-clack-clack!
The Monster Wolf with the bad leg tilted its head, surveyed its surroundings, and looked at the two men beside it.
Ruger even felt that this eyeless creature had glanced in their direction.
Clack-clack-clack!
Ruger sensed no anger in the clacking of its jaws. Instead, he sensed friendliness-or perhaps not friendliness, but an absence of hostility, along with amusement, interest, and delight.
The thought immediately surprised Ruger. He really was treating the clacking of the Monster Wolf's jaws as an expression of emotion, and genuinely sensing something from it. Of course, this was not speech, so his impressions might not be accurate. But it was not human to begin with. Animals communicating and expressing emotion through various sounds was perfectly