Obviously I was wrong with Carp's choice of guardian (I will have to go back and re-read that part as I'm not sure where I got Bear from! ) and his siding with Joboam makes much more sense to me now given that he is a wolverine. As both 'wolverines', it only stands to reason that they would join forces, just as Heckram and Kerlew had to do, as both wolves...after all, that is pack and the natural order of things.

It is interesting to see the similarites and differences between the 'fates' of Tillu and Kari. Here's my take: Though both women had experienced rape, Tillu was finally able to put aside the wariness and fear etc that had stemmed from her raider-wrought past but Kari was not. Every person who has ever experienced such a thing is different, of course, but I suspect that Tillu's situation was made easier by not having to be in daily contact with those who had hurt her (talking in generalities here), Heckram's calm and understanding treatment of her and Kerlew, and their reciprocated passion and affection.

On the flip-side, Kari faced Joboam every day, not only as a member of the herdfolk but as a constant visitor to her father's tent and on-going holder of her father's trust. This was compounded by her supression and silence (far easier to maintain when you are, like Tillu, alone or not the Herdlord's daughter?), and the general assumption that she would join with Pirtsi. Would joining with Lasse have helped her? He was certainly in love with her and willing to join with her for that reason, as well as to protect her from others' advances. For some though, various hurts can never be relieved no matter how much an onlooker or loved one may wish it were not so.

It was a sad end for Kari and I cried for her inability to achieve some level of happiness in spite of her experiences. While it could be said that she did know happiness in that she was given her wings and her freedom, I can't accept it as a happy ending for her. No, no I can't. If she had fully transformed into an owl and flew off toward the horizon, or stayed to overlook the herdfolk and witness the later turn of events, then, yes, that I could have accepted. To have her gain her wings and fall to her death...no, that was not a happy solution that I would give for her (by that, I don't mean that I'd have written her ending differently, just that it is not something I consider to be 'happy'). It was gut-wrenching and heart-tearing! In saying that, such a sad ending to a life is all too common and therefore quite true to life in my experience.

Happy here does not mean 'perfect'...possibly 'balanced'? Balance alone is often struggle enough. More to add on this, I think, but I must ponder some more...

Despite the najd's clear prediction that Wolf would make Kerlew a new drum and then he would dance, I must admit that I was fearful for a time that Heckram too would meet his end, and his death would somehow pathe the way for Kerlew to take on not only the duty of the herdfolk najd but also the place of Wolf...such as the najd with the reindeer drum was also Reindeer. Such relief to discover that I feared for nothing!

The only person I really liked so far, Elsa, is dead, and her death was very very predictable, even if you ignore Kerlew's warning.

I didn't like the end 'battle'. It was too abrupt, too unsubtle, too random. So after a good buildup it left me with a bit of a sour taste.