Derr_Megan_-_Highland_Wolves.pdf

The Highland Wolves One: Ulrich

By Megan Derr

Published by Less Than Three Press

except for the purpose of reviews.

Edited by Sasha Miller & Samantha Derr

Cover art by Megan Derr

This book is a work of fiction and as such all characters and situations are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual people, places,

or events is coincidental.

Electronic edition May 2010

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN 978-1-936202-65-2

The Highland Wolves

One: Ulrich

Megan Derr

Table of Contents

I. Wolf Given

II. The Seventh Son

Wolf Given

Ulrich's nose twitched.

Something wasn't right about the forest, but he could not place his nose upon whatever was off. There

were no strange smells; everything was what he would expect of a forest. Trees, water, animals, there

were some sweet berry patches not too far off. A deer had died and was rotting several yards away.

Smoke, ever so faintly.

Ah. That was it. He could smell smoke, but no humans. Usually where there was smoke, it was humans.

Why could he not smell them? His nose twitched again as he tried to pick out any s, hardly aware he was

doing so.

The wind picked up, disheveling his neatly trimmed black hair, playing with his dark gray cape. Autumn

leaves rustled beneath his boots as he finally walked on, falling around him as the breeze knocked the

few remaining leaves from their branches.

There was a distinct chill in the air, but he liked the bite. He was from a mountain pack, where heavy

snow and bitter cold was a way of life. These lowlanders only thought they knew what the words snow

and cold meant; they would not last a day in his homelands.

He felt a twist in his gut at the thought of home. Everyone had told him the homesickness would ease,

but it hadn't. Four and a half years in the lowlands, and all he wanted was to return home.

Unconsciously, he reached up to touch his collar again.

When he realized what he was doing, he dropped his hand with a sigh and made himself focus on his

work.

A member of the King's Special Guard had died here, and it was his duty to figure out why and how. It

was mostly a formality, really. He had been told to try, but not too hard, for the dead soldier in question