Chapter 5: One Tooth

They woke up at the same time the next day, and as they got dressed, they saw a small pack of wolves walking around outside the cabin. "It's One Tooth's pack!" NeeNee said, happily. Mongswai wanted to know who One Tooth was. She told him, that One Tooth was a big half-wolf, a friend of the tribe. "Half-wolf?" Mongswai said. "You mean part wolf, part dog?" Mongswai was just a bit frustrated when he heard her answer: "No, part wolf, part man. A shape-shifter. He has managed to become the leader of the pack you see outside the cabin. He is very nice to the people from our tribe, and to our friends, and does not look very strong in his human form, but when in his part-form… He is one of the best half-wolf fighters on Abode. He and his pack come by here sometimes, because the place is protected from most evil. The sorcerer was called here, and that's why he could come here at all."

As NeeNee stood there talking, One Tooth came walking in the door, and changed form right before their very eyes. Mongswai were stoned by the sight. He had seen it in some movies in the real world, but he had of cause never seen it in reality. NeeNee was completely to the other side. "I know you have always liked when I change form, so I waited until I got inhere. Who is he?" One Tooth said, pointing at Mongswai. As Mongswai were still a bit confused from the sight, NeeNee answered: "He is my soul-mate. We were united just yesterday night." "Congratulations," One Tooth said. "I hope you may live forever in happiness!" NeeNee turned to Mongswai and said, that it was an old saying for telling newly united pairs, that you wished them all good in the future. Mongswai had regained his senses in the meantime, and now he noticed, why One Tooth had this name. Not because he had only one tooth left, but because he was missing one of his teeth. "I lost it in a battle," he said, as he felt Mongswai's look on his face. "It was a pretty tough one I got up against. A great bear shape-shifter. I got one of his paws in the face, and I can't heal that tooth. Most of my face was completely smashed. I succeeded in surviving long enough to get here, and so the old woman healed me. I have felt in debt to her ever since. We were just about here, and so we thought, that we might join you. Do you mind?" While Mongswai was intrigued by how he had heard of their task, He and NeeNee said, almost in a choir, that they would be delighted if he would follow them. "Great. Thanks. We were hoping for that" he said. "We?" Mongswai wanted to know. "Oh, sorry. I always think of me and my pack as one person. Of cause we are a unity, so we never go anywhere without any of the others from the pack." "Should not we start with a small feast before we take off?" NeeNee asked. One Tooth answered, that they had just eaten, but that he would like to join them. "We have killed a deer just last day. We have hidden it outside this place. If you don't mind, we would like to give it to you. May we?" he asked. NeeNee said yes, and as One Tooth and his pack went to get the deer, NeeNee told Mongswai, that it was a great honor for humans to have food given to one by a shape-shifter. To Mongswai's question, why it was so, NeeNee answered, that it was because a long time ago, the shape-changers were the dominant race on Abode and they ruled the country with a very hard hand, and if a human had a shape-changer as a friend, it was one of the greatest honors one could ever have.