But they did not harm me; they licked my legs with their red tongues, and fighting to come near me, pressed themselves against me as does a cat.

One, indeed, snatched at him who sat on my shoulder, but I struck him with the Watcher and he slunk back like a whipped hound; moreover, the others bit him so that he yelled.

Now I knew that I had no more to fear, for I was king of the ghost-wolves, so I walked on, and with me came all the great pack of them.

I walked on and on, and they trotted beside me silently, and the fallen leaves crackled beneath their feet, and the dust rose up about them, till at length I reached the edge of the forest.
"Now I remembered that I must not be seen thus by men, lest they should think me a wizard and kill me.

Therefore, at the edge of the forest I halted and made signs to the wolves to go back.