[Kath]

Cir stared at her brother as the last vestiges of sleep left her eyes and what he was saying finally got through to her brain.

"Wolf cubs? You found wolf cubs?"

"Yes!" Was the excited reply. "What should we do?"

"I ... well, did you see the mother?" Cir sat up slowly, trying to recall the events of the morning. Had there been a female wolf outside?

"No, but perhaps she just hasn't returned yet. I saw tracks leading away just not leading back. But the wolf that was killed this morning, someone said it was male but I am not certain - I wish I had taken a closer a look at it before I set off this morning but they have taken the body away now I think .. ."

"It may not have been the mother, but let's go take another look. If she comes back it'll be ok."

"And if she doesn't?"

"I don't know Cir. Let's just go back to where you found the cubs and hope the mother does turn up. We'll think about what to do if she doesn't if we have to."

Throwing off the bedclothes Cir shoved her brother out of the way and got to her feet. Grabbing cloak, shoes and Cir's hand she set off downstairs with her brother in tow. The two siblings made their way back into the woods, with the younger Cir now leading the way along the path he had found earlier. Crouching down just a few feet away from the little den Cir had found earlier they waited, their dark cloaks keeping them hidden from the three little wolf cubs who seemed to have no fear of playing in the small clearing in front of the den.

"Don't they look thin?" Whispered Cir, turning to his sister with a worried frown. "Maybe it was the mother. Maybe she came to the Inn to find food because she couldn't find any here. Even if the dead wolf was a male, there were others which were driven off they might have been killed too by farmers or ..rangers even - there were at least a couple of them in the inn last night I think"

Cir had to admit that it was possible, and as the morning sun reached its peak and there was still no sign of the mother she was becoming more and more convinced that her brother might be right.

"Ok, lets go back to the Inn. We -"

"What? We can't just leave them here, what if something happens?"

"Cir, let me finish alright? I know you want to take them back with us.. "

"No!" her brother cried with unusual vehemence."That is the last place I would take them...not after they killed the old wolf ... they would think like Ada, and would kill them as soon as look at them". Despite his age it seemed as if the boy might cry. The seeming plight of the cubs had struck a chord in his heart.

" And we can't take them back to Woodhall either ... but if we do nothing they will die.." he added..remembering where they were supposed to be..

His sister switched back into elder sibling mode,"They'll be ok for a few hours, and it'll give the mum more of a chance to come back if it wasn't her at the Inn this morning. Does that make sense to you? And it will give us a chance to think what to do"

Reluctantly Cir nodded, and with a wistful glance back at the cubs the two walked back again.

The twins having wasted no time in getting breakfast ate for a while in thoughtful but companionable silence. Carantilion sipped his milkless tea... an idea had formed. He leaned forward and his twin mimicked the gesture so their dark heads were close enought for him to whisper.

"What if we leave them where they are but take them food? I think they look old enough to eat proper food not just milk .... that might keep them going until their mother can get back if she has just been scared out of the way ..and maybe we can find out for certain whether it was a she-wolf they killed and what happened to the others ..there is bound to be a lot of talk about it... I shouldn't think this sort of thing happens often. Of course if their mother is dead..... I wonder how long it will be before the cubs can fend for themselves..." Having not let his sister get a word in edgeways, Cir's voice tailed off into thought once more.