Read The Prince Who Fell From the Sky for Free Online

presence still amuses me.”
    “My rout knows well, my Ogeema, how the great Taka-Dirge led his army against the last of the SkinlessOnes. The Forest—voras and viands alike—are grateful to your ancestors for the Rising.”
    “Yes,” the Ogeema said.
    “My mate and I saw something disturbing just a day ago.”
    “What did you see?”
    “You know of the relics that the Skinless Ones flew? The great silver birds that lie rusting in the Forest?” She paused, not expecting the Ogeema to answer but wanting to make sure he was following her words. “One fell from the sky.”
    The wolves behind the Ogeema flicked their ears curiously.
    “We were there when it landed. And from inside appeared a Skinless One. A living Skinless One.”
    In an instant the wolves atop the rise were on their feet growling and glaring ferociously at Rend. The Ogeema stood motionless.
    Rend continued. “I know as well as any that they were all slaughtered. But a Skinless has been sent down from the sky. To the bears.”
    “To the bears?” the Ogeema whispered.
    “We set upon the Skinless One, my Ogeema,” Rend said. “My rout and I. We were going to bring the creature to you, but a bear stopped us. She is called Casseomae. She fostered Alioth as a cub when his mother was killed.”
    “Yes, I remember.”
    “Casseomae protected the Skinless from us. She’s taken the young Skinless to her sloth.”
    “Has she now?” the Ogeema said. He stepped onto the rise, pausing to lick one of the pups between the ears. When he looked back at Rend the Ogeema’s expression was calm. “You might have guts of gravel, coyote, but your tongue drips with viper poison.”
    Rend flattened her ears.
    “There are no Skinless Ones being sent down to the bears. It is simply not possible.”
    “But, my Ogeema—” Rend began.
    “Whatever grievance you have with Chief Alioth is not my concern. And bringing me lies won’t tempt me to involve my wolves in your dispute.”
    “I’m not lying!” Rend yipped.
    The Ogeema snapped his enormous head around.
    “My Ogeema,” Rend said. “Please, I will bring you proof! A piece of the fallen relic.”
    “Some trash you’ll dig up, most likely,” the Ogeema breathed as he slipped back toward the shadows of his alcove.
    “My Ogeema, if you would simply—” Rend started to say.
    But the Ogeema cut her off. “Get away while you still have your breath and be glad I’ve lost my appetite.Bring me the Skinless One if you want to offer proof. Otherwise, I don’t want to smell you or any of your rout again. Do you understand?”
    Gall was on his feet, nipping at Rend’s muzzle to leave. She stared a moment longer at the black wolf before saying, “Yes, my Ogeema.”
    She trotted off after her mate, slinking low with disappointment.
    Once the pair was out of the den, the Ogeema said to one of his wolves, “If she’s speaking the truth …”
    “Should I send a patrol to investigate, my Ogeema?” the wolf asked.
    “No,” said the Ogeema. “I don’t want Alioth pestering me with complaints about violating the pact. We must send someone Alioth will never notice in his territory.”
    The Ogeema lowered his snout to his paws, looking up with his gold and silver eyes.
    The wolf thought a moment, then said, “The assassin?”
    The Ogeema bared his teeth. “Yes, the assassin.” He closed his eyes. “Send him.”

CHAPTER EIGHT
    C asseomae watched her chief until he disappeared back into the Forest on the other side of her meadow. When she turned, she found the cub staring at her from the doorway of the den. She came toward it and the cub whimpered in its strange chirping speech.
    “It’s safe, cub,” Casseomae said. She rubbed her nose against its cheek, trying to settle its panic. She stuck her nose in the den. “You didn’t eat your grubs. You’ve got to eat. You’ve got to have strength if we’re going to get you away from here tonight.”
    Casseomae spent a few minutes digging up dandelions from