Padraic arrived exactly fifteen minutes before they were to leave. The first time he had ever been late for anything.
The brown, lop eared rabbit morph was still dressed in armor covered with white and brown spotted cloth designed to hide it’s wearer in the snows that covered most of the Giantdowns. The chain mail armor covered with camouflaged cloth that was worn so often by the Long Scouts it was almost a standard uniform.
In his right hand was a bow as tall as he was. It was decorated for it’s full length with the complex runes and sigils and inlaid with gold and silver. Even without checking Misha could tell that bow was old and held some powerful magic.
Hanging from left side of Padraic’s gold decorated belt was a sword that was long and straight from tip to hilt barely three fingers wide. There was no cross piece where the blade ended and the hilt began. A rare thing in swords. Dangling from the right side was a quiver filled with arrows.
Strapped on his left arm was something rarely used by the Long Scouts, a shield. Most rarely used a shield as a Long’s greatest advantage was stealth and a large and bulky shield was a noisy hindrance. This was an unusual shield of a shape that Misha had never seen before. This shield wasn’t the usual rectangular or circular shaped but was oval but very narrow a little over a hands breadth wide. When worn on the arm it was more like a oversized armguard then a real shield.
If the armor and weapons surprised Misha what really amazed him was what else the rabbit was wearing. What parts of his body that wasn’t covered with armor and clothing should have been colored the same as the armor. Instead it was covered with bright blue and green swirling patterns dyed into the fur. The rabbit had two gold rings dangling from the ends of each ear. Around his neck was a torc made of gold and silver wire braided together. At each end was a rabbits head of gold. Misha had never seen the rabbit dress like this before. Even off duty the lapine had never worn so much gold and silver.
“Are you dressed for a party? Oh, I’m sorry. The party was last month,” Rickkter commented sarcastically.
Padraic shifted uncomfortably but didn’t answer.
“You sure you want to go into battle that way?” Misha asked.
“Yes,” came the firm answer. “It’s how my ancestors fought the Seuliman legions. We’ve fought this way for centuries.” The words rang with obvious pride.
“Fought the empire and lost,” Rickkter amended..
“Yes,” the rabbit countered angrily. “But it took them centuries to do it!”
Rickkter started to comment but Misha quieted him with a wave of the hand. “Stealth isn’t a big factor. Once inside the citadel it will be down to a simple sword fight. And we already know that he can fight very well.”
“All that gold will just get in the way,” Rickkter commented.
“Would you rather I go into battle the other way my people used to fight?” the rabbit countered. “Stark naked.”
Rickkter laughed in response. “That certainly would distract them.”
Caroline giggled. “I’d pay to see that.”
“Keep your mind on the mission,” Misha ordered.
“I am keeping my mind on the mission,” she said and wrapped her arms around the fox and nuzzled him. “You’re the only one for me. Even if Padraic does have a cute butt.”
The rabbit flinched and he would have blushed if his face had still been human.
Misha looked down to the ground where a long, wrapped item was resting almost casually on a pack at his feet. After a moment of staring at it he slowly separated himself from his love.
Silently he walked over to where Ferwig and Teria were standing. The object was over seven feet in length and it was awkward for the five foot five inch tall fox scout to carry. He simply handed the long package to Ferwig. “I think you’ll need this,” was all he said and then turned and walked off.
Ferwig carefully removed the cloth covering the object and revealed the weapon inside. The spear he was holding was longer then he was tall. Gold covered the blade at the tip and runes covered the wooden handle. This was no mere throwing weapon but a potent close combat one. In the hands of a veteran like this it was a deadly weapon.
“Gruffydd,” the hyena morph said, surprised. He ran his hands along the entire length of the weapon feeling every last bump and curve. With his fingers he traced the sigils and runes that covered the shaft.
“Is that a smart thing to do?” Rickkter asked.
“No,” the fox answered. “But it is the right thing to do.”
“He can’t be trusted.”
“And neither can you,” the fox countered flatly. “But you’re still my friend.”
“There’s a difference,” Rickkter said.
The fox morph paused and was silent for a long moment before answering. “Are you so sure? We’ve had this discussion before Rickkter,” he said with some annoyance in his voice. “We’re going on this to trip to retrieve my weapon can I deny him his own?”
Rickkter had no answer to that.
“This will be a rough flight so you’d better strap yourselves down tight,” Philip said coldly interrupting the two. “I’m going to stay close to the ground and move fast. That should get us past most of the problems.”
“We should be safe till Caralore,” Misha added. “Once we’re north of there we’ll be in territory that Nasoj still controls.”
“I am not going to risk my people getting too close. He still has several dragons.”
“I’m aware of those and we won’t go any further then Kelm,” Misha answered.
The griffon nodded. “How are you going to get home?”
A long silence was his only reply.
“A good question,” Ferwig said.
“I have my own methods,” was the foxes cryptic answer.
“We’ll have a hard enough time just getting there,” Rickkter commented coldly. “We’ll consider how to get out when we get there.”
“The basic plan is to get as close as possible by flying then sneak in on foot. Once I get back my axe we’ll leave,” was Misha’s curt answer.
“Just like that?” Eldrid asked incredulously. “We’ll just walk past several hundred angry and fully alert guards and soldiers.”
The fox’s muzzle pulled up in a slight smile. “As a matter of fact, we will,” he answered enigmatically and refused to add any more explanation.
“Are you going to explain or are we going to have to guess?” Ferwig ask sarcastically.
“I don’t mean to be rude but the less said the better. Too many errant ears might be listening.”
Rickkter just nodded in agreement. He didn’t know what the fox had in mind but Misha’s judgment had never been wrong before.
“Let me make this official and explain things,” the fox out loud. “We are going to fly north using a route I will not reveal headed to a place I also won’t reveal. Once there we will go to Nasojassa on foot. Then we will infiltrate into Nasoj’s citadel and rescue my axe. Then we will escape the citadel using a method that will not fail and which I do not intend to describe here at the keep. Too many people could be listening to us.”
He paused for a moment before continuing. “This is not a suicide mission but it is very dangerous. Anyone who wants to stay behind can do so.” Misha looked around at the group assembled but he didn’t see anyone who walk away.
“One thing you need to remember. We are there to get back Whisper, not to kill Nasoj or loot his personal library.”
“And if we do see him?” Teria asked sarcastically. “What do we do? Hide?”
“Kill him,” Caroline answered in a cold, angry tones. “Disembowel him and then slit his throat and watch him slowly die.”
“We are there for the axe,” Misha countered. “Don’t take any unnecessary chances. Nasoj will be well protected.”
“Going after that axe is an unnecessary risk,” Philip commented.
“Well isn’t it lucky that you don’t have to go all the way,” the fox countered in a tone as cold and hard as a sword blade.
“We cannot let Nasoj keep the axe,” Rickkter said stepping between the griffon and the fox. “It’s just too powerful. And the longer we stand here bickering the more time he has to misuse it. We’re after the axe but if Nasoj is stupid enough to get near us then we kill him.”
“And any treasure we find in the search we can keep!” Teria commented.
The raccoon nodded in agreement.
Caroline shook her head. “You and Rickkter think alike.”
“The ideas that there might be someone else who thinks like Rickkter
is scary!” Finbar said as he laughed.
“One final point to remember. Hand signals,” Misha said in a matter
of fact tone. “You Longs already know the standard hand signs so I won’t
bother repeating them but since we’re flying I’m adding a few new
ones.”
The fox put his hands level with the ground with the thumbs interlocked. Then he pointed downward then upward. “Those mean go down and go up.” He held both hands together like before and keeping them level he motioned downward like he was patting a lump of dough. “That’s mean land,” Misha explained.
Misha motioned downward with both hands together. Then he motioned downward with his left hand and upward with his right. “That’s a fast landing. The flyer comes in low and fast and makes a quick stop. The passenger jumps off and the flyer bolts for safety.”
“What about the rest of the signs?” Finbar asked. “We can’t teach them all of them.”
“We’re not stupid,” Philip countered angrily. “We can actually read and write and talk.”
“Can you learn all fifty hand signs in the next twenty minutes?” Finbar countered.
“You may be many things Philip but stupid is not among them. Hopefully we won’t run into any trouble but if we do we need to make sure no word gets back to Nasoj,” Misha said.
“And what happens if we do run into trouble? Nasoj has more then few drakes, dragons, wyverns and even giant bats under his control.”
“Our first choice is to simply run from trouble but if we can’t then you’ll drop us off at the first available place,” the scout explained. “From there we’ll simply have to walk the rest of the way.”
“You can’t walk all the way to Nasojassa,” the griffon countered.
“Why?” Misha asked. “I’ve done it before. I can do it again.”
“You walked all that distance?” Marian asked, surprised.
“In my wild days I wandered most of the Giantdowns,” Misha explained.
“In your wild days?” Philip asked. “I think THESE are your wild days.”
“Oh no!” the fox countered. “I’ve mellowed since then.”
“He’s mellowed a lot since then,” Finbar commented
“He has calmed down immensely,” Danielle added as she nodded in agreement.
“I would have liked to have seen you back then,” Rickkter said.
“No you wouldn’t have,” Misha said coldly. “We’ve wasting time. Everyone mount up!”
The trip north was exhilarating! Eldrid was strapped into the saddle so there was no chance of falling. He released his hands from their hold on the saddle and sat up right letting the wind rush past him with a roar that drowned out all sound.
The world far below seemed do small. Places that would take him a week by foot or horseback from the Keep seemed to be so close together. He was amazed by how small everything looked from this height. The Keep was over two hundred feet tall but from here it resembled more a child’s toy then a city full of people.
The griffon slowed the beating of her wings until she was holding them straight and was gliding. Banking sharply to the left she made tight circles over one spot on the ground far below. Eldrid noticed that with each turn the ground grew closer until Marian’s clawed feet touched the earth.
The wolverine unstrapped himself and slowly stepped down onto the grass beneath them. Eldrid looked around and realized he wasn’t in a town but a small clearing in the middle of a forest.
“Where are we?” he asked. His voice booming louder then he had intended in the quiet glade.
“A couple of miles from Glen Avery. The town is completely covered with trees and this is as close as we can get by flying. We walk the rest of the way.”
Terrant quickly grew tired of wandering through the halls and corridors of Metamor Keep. She had been warned of the maze like qualities of the Keeps endless rooms hallways but even so she had been caught off guard. The soldier quickly lost track of where she was. Finally after a long, fruitless effort to escape she stopped at a place where the corridor split into two smaller ones. She could see nothing down any of the three corridors except more corridor.
A little boy who looked to be about ten walked towards Terrant. With a wave of her hand she stopped him.
“Can you lead me to the library?” she asked.
“You lost?” he asked, not answering the woman’s question.
“Yes. These halls are endless. How can you find your way around a place where the very walls themselves move about.”
The boy shrugged. “You get used to it after a while. Just picture in your mind where you want to go and poof you’re there.”
“Poof?” she says incredulously. “I’ve been trying all morning to get to the library! I’ve been everywhere else BUT the library.”
The woman shakes her head in disgust. “The door to the library is just supposed to appear out of nowhere just like that?”
“Just like that,” he answered and pointed to a section of wall next to Terrant.
Till a moment before it had been plain, stone blocks. Now there some twenty feet in front of him were two, large wooden doors.
“How . . . “ Terrant started to say as she turned to the boy but the hallway was empty. In fact there was no hallway behind him just a blank wall.
Angry but not particularly surprised she returned her gaze to the door. These doors were works of art, covered completely with gold leaf figures that seemed to dance and jump as the light played across them.
She could make out the figures carved on it. They showed people going about their normal business, working, farming, hunting, reading and even swimming. She recognized clothing that hadn’t been worn in a very long time. Terrant realized that she was looking at a way of life that had died out centuries ago. She also noticed the large handle set in the door. It was shaped like a twisted rope, but was made of gold instead of hemp.
Grasping the handle with both hands she turned it and pushed with all her might. The massive door swung open with surprising ease and without making a sound. The sight that greeted her eyes left the woman in awe.
In her lifetime she had visited many places, good and bad, large and small but she had never seen anything like this. The walls of the room towered a hundred feet overhead and stretched off into the distance. Light streamed down in golden rays from windows far up on the walls illuminating countless rows of shelves that were everywhere.
“There must be hundreds of thousands of books here!” she said in awe.
A figure appeared from between two tall shelves and turned in toward her. Moving slowly it headed in her direction.
At first Terrant thought she was looking at a fox morph like Misha riding a horse as there was a body seated upright on some four legged creature. As it came closer she realized it was not a horse. A horse didn’t have thick, red and white fur like this creature did. It had to be a giant fox the man was riding.
As the duo came closer Terrant could make out more details. He looked closely at the fox morph. The rider was dressed in a leather jerkin that was over a white shirt that was laced up at the front. Looking down the mans form she became confused. There were no legs! And she couldn’t see the ridden foxes head or neck! With a start she realized that this wasn’t one creature riding another but ONE large creature! Rider and ridden merged into one being! Where the ridden animals head and shoulders should have been was where the riders waist, trunk, head and shoulders sprouted.
“Good morning my dear lady,” the fox creature said in a cheerful tone and bowed. “Can I help you?”
“What are you?” she managed to stutter.
“I’m Foxeris the head librarian and what is your name?”
“I mean that,” she says and points to his four legs.
“Ah! This is called a foxtaur,” he explained. “A fox centaur.”
“I’ve never heard of your race before.”
“I would be surprised if you had. I am a Keeper like you are. This is simply a different form then you have seen before. Only a few of us animal form keepers can take this shape.”
“It’s amazing. Is it hard to do?”
“No. It is rather easy. Learning it was the hard part.”
“How so?” she asks.
“It required a change of mindset. I had to think differently. If it hadn’t been for Misha I would never have tried it at all.”
“You mean Misha the fox?” she asks in surprise. “You know him?”
Foxeris nods in response. “I do. Misha was the first to actually change into this fine form. I think he likes it as much as I do.”
“How do you know Misha?” the fox asked softly.
“We fought together during the Battle of the Ford. I was impressed by the skill of his scouts.”
“You are privileged. Few have seen them at work. Few even know what they actually do.”
“All too often the best and most noble go unheralded,” she said in agreement.
All too true. What brings you to the library?” Foxeris asked.
“I need a good map of the area within a days walk of the Keep,” she answered.
The foxtaur nodded and pointed down an aisle. “This way we have many fine maps.”
Foxeris dropped a book onto the desk with an audible thud. “This book was finished only last week,” he explained. “The Duke himself commissioned it.” The tome he was referring to was a full two feet tall and one foot wide and at least six inches thick. It easily weighed twenty pounds.
“You have something a little more portable? I am headed on patrol in two days time.”
The foxtaur pondered that for a moment. “I could have smaller copies of certain pages made for you.”
She smiled. “Thank you! Whatever the cost is just bill it to Sir Edmund Delacot.”
“You are that paladin?” came the curious question.
“No,” Terrant answered. “I am Sir . . .” she hesitated. “Lady Terrant.”
“His lieutenant,” it was more a statement then a question.
“Yes,” she answered with more force then she had intended.
Foxeris looked at her a moment and seemed to smile ever so slightly and then nodded his head. “I see,” he said slowly. “The copies will be ready tomorrow afternoon.”
Unnerved by the librarians reaction Terrant didn’t know what to say. “Thank you,” she finally managed and then fled the library to head to the safety of her room.
At Metamor Keep most people were asleep at this early hour of the morning but the town of Glen Avery was already awake. In reality the village never truly went to sleep. Even at the latest hour of the night there was always several people scattered about on sentry duty. But at this hour the town was bustling with life as people moved about on their daily errands.
Mrs. Tucker saw him first. The figure came out of the woods silently like some sort of ghost or perhaps a figure in a bad dream. It was dressed from head to tail in a suit colored in the black and white in random shapes. The type of cover worn by hunters and scouts when they don’t want to be seen. Across his back was strapped a long bow and dangling from his belt was a sword with a blade as long as her whole arm.
Surprised, she thought it was some lutin who had somehow gotten past the sentries but then she recognized the person as someone from Metamor Keep. Even dyed black and white the approaching persons head was obviously a fox.
The figure stalked past her without even acknowledging her presence.
Kimberly opened the door and found herself looking at Misha. The fox was dressed and painted up in various colors and was carrying all manner of weapons. “Misha!” she said delighted to see a familiar face but her voice faded away. The fox was standing as straight as a board and his eyes had a hardness that made her shiver. Those were the eyes of a killer.
“Where is he?” Misha asked coldly.
“He’s not n . . not here. He’s with Garigan,” Kimberly stuttered. “What’s wrong?”
“Where?” he asked again with a tinge of anger.
“Behind the tree,” she answered and pointed off to the west.
Without another word the fox spun around and stalked away leaving the confused and worried rat woman behind.
Matt turned to see Misha dressed in full patrol dress walking towards him at a fast pace. He was dressed in full armor and was carrying a bow and sword but the rat noticed one thing missing from the scout. But that wasn’t what unnerved him. The foxes whole demeanor was cold and stiff. So unlike Misha’s usual easy going manner. Something was very wrong.
“Garigan. That’s all for today. Continue your exercises till noon,” Matthias said to his apprentice. “I want you to do four hours of practice each morning till I return.”
“You’re leaving?” Garigan asked.
The fox walked straight up to Matthias. “I need you,” he said simply answering Garigan’s question.. “We’re leaving to head north in an hour.”
Matthias sucked in his breath sharply and then nodded. "Of course, Misha. Let me get my things and I shall be ready. On the way you can tell me why.”
“Not out in the open. Too many ears. I’ll tell you when we’re home.”
The rat simply nodded in agreement. He knew better than to argue with that look.
“What happened?” Matthias asked as he closed the door behind him. The two were standing in the front hall of the home Mathias and Kimberly shared.
“I lost Her,” the fox answered curtly.
“Her?”
“I wasn’t sure what you might need so we brought along what we thought you might need.” Misha said avoiding the question for a moment.
He dropped a satchel onto the table next to the rat. Next to that he placed a bow, a quiver of arrows and a short sword in a leather scabbard. “Warm clothes, boots, gloves, armor, a sword and bow. And food of course.”
The rat started looking through items his friend had brought and found everything that Misha had said would be there. He tried on one of the gloves which was a little tight but still usable.
“Who did he take?” Matthias asked again. He was almost afraid to hear the answer. Nasoj had already killed so many of their friends. The dead from the Yule attack were scarcely cold in the ground and now this.
“Whisper,” the fox finally explained in a tight tone. “He took Whisper.”
Matthias came to a halt as a cold chill ran down his spine. “Your axe?” he asked, surprised. Both relieved and horrified at the same time.
Misha just nodded in response.
“Who?” he asked already knowing the answer.
“Nasoj.”
“How?” Matthias asked, surprised. “No creature can even touch it.”
“He ambushed me,” came the answer in clipped tones. “Then he somehow hauled it away in a cart.”
“Do you know where he took it?”
“North. I’m certain he’s headed to his citadel. We’re going there now to get it back.”
“We have to get that axe back,” the rat said. “If he found a way to carry it I’m sure he has a way to use it.” The idea of Nasoj having access to that much power truly scared the rat. He didn’t even like the idea of Misha having that much power but at least the fox knew how to handle it wisely.
The fox only nodded in agreement.
Matthias pulled the sword from it’s scabbard and examined it for a moment. The blade was of fine quality steel and with a hilt of dark wood and iron. He could faintly see a fine tracery of runs all along the blades length. The only markings on it was the rearing horse emblem of Duke Thomas on the hilt.
“It has an enchantment of sharpness and speed on it,” Misha said answering the rats unspoken question.
“You’re going?” Came a voice from behind them.
Turning to the sound he could see Kimberly standing in the doorway. He walked over to her and hugged her for a moment. “I have to. Misha needs my help.”
“How long will you be away?” Kimberly asked the fox.
“I don’t know,” Misha answered. “We have a long way to go but I intend to move fast and drive hard. We have to get her back before Nasoj can use her.”
She looked at both Matthias and Misha for a moment. Her worry and fear was plain to see.
Misha patted her on the shoulder. “Relax. I’ll bring him back alive and well.”
“Misha has never let me down yet,” Charles said trying to sound confident.
“We have to leave immediately,” Misha ordered. “We can’t loose any more time.”
Charles tenderly hugged Kimberly, hold her close to him for a long moment. He wanted to drink in her scent and the feeling of her body close to his. Those memories would keep him strong during the days to come till they were together again.
“When will you be back?” she asked.
“I don’t know but it will be soon,” he answered and kissed her softly. “Don’t worry about me. I will be safe.”
It was a long time before they parted.
Charles slowly walked away from his home following the rapidly retreating form of his friend Misha. Already his mind was on the journey ahead. He looked back and he could see his wife standing in the doorway waving to him. When would he see here again? How long before he held his sweet wife in his arms again. He put such thoughts out of his mind and tried to think of the task ahead of them. He gave her one last wave good bye then turned and walked away. She was no longer visible but her image remained strong in his heart.
Misha gathered everyone into a group at the corner of the clearing. “From here on we treat this like a full patrol.” The fox started. “That means moving only at night and total silence all round.”
“How far north can we fly tonight? Can we make it to Dark Keep?” he asked Philip.
The griffon nodded. “Yes, but it won’t be easy. It would be better if we stopped further south.”
The fox shook his head. “No, we have a cache and an OP there we need to visit.”
“OP?” Philip asked.
“Observation post,” Finbar explained. “A hidden outpost where a person can hide and live for days at a time and not been seen.”
“We’ll land about a mile from the OP and walk to it,” the fox commanded. “Once inside we can get some sleep and ready for the trip further north.”
“How safe is it?” Teria asked. “We could be walking into an ambush.”
“I was there about seven months ago,” Caroline commented.
“And no one since?” Teria exclaimed.
“We’ve left wards behind to warn us if the place is found,” Misha answered.
“Who cast the wards?” she asked in a stern tone, obviously unhappy.
“I did,” Danielle said, speaking for the first time.
Teria looked at Danielle for a moment then nodded.
“We’re not amateurs at this,” Misha said in cold voice full of anger. “We’ll be sure the place is safe before we go in.”
“How are we going to get into the citadel?” Matthias asked changing the subject.
“I don’t see any problems getting to Nasojassa,” Misha explained. “That’s the closest town.”
“Agreed,” Eldrid said. “He has a lot of slaves, workers and soldiers both human and lutin constantly entering and leaving. We could easily get in. His citadel will be the real problem. It’s very well guarded.”
“There no known road leading to the citadel,” the wolverine explained. “The valley around it is patrolled constantly. Close to the valley mouth the guards are Lutins, trolls and ogres. Closer in are humans but around the tower are,” he paused. “Other things.”
“What other things?” Matthias asked. “Summonings? Daedra, undead?”
Eldrid shrugged. “No one knows for sure. None of us was in the mood to test them.”
“He has to have a way to bypass all that,” Rickkter commented
Agreed,” Misha said. “Eldrid got into the citadel using a portal in Nasojassa located in a tower. That’s an entrance we can use to get in.”
“It will be well guarded,” Rickkter said.
“So?” the fox asked. “We can deal with whatever’s there.”
“No we can’t,” Rickkter countered. “He has to realize that we will come after the axe. We need a way to slip past his guards.”
“I already have a to do that,” the fox explained. “We will simply slip right past all those guards and wards.”
“How?” Teria asked. “I am not in the mood to commit suicide in a fools attack.”
“I have the magic we need but this is not the place or time to discuss it.”
“When is the time?” she asked sarcastically. “When we’re leaping through the portal?”
“When we reach Kelm which is as close to Nasojassa and we can fly,” the fox answered. “If you don’t like that you can go back to the Keep right now and stop wasting my time,” the fox snapped.
Teria started to say something but Ferwig wrapped his hand around her muzzle and silenced her. “We trust you. As long as the pay is right.” Ferwig commented.
“You haven’t let us down yet,” Matthias said. “We’re not trying to take the castle. We only need to retrieve the axe and leave.”
“You make it sound so simple,” Rickkter countered sarcastically.
“It won’t be,” Misha said cutting off the argument between Rickkter and Matthias before it could start. “But we have no choice. We HAVE to get HER back fast!”
“Our best allies are surprise and speed. I CAN get us into the citadel without being caught. Once inside we need to find the axe quietly and without causing a fuss. Once we find her we can strike hard and fast in the confusion. We can get out before they realize what is happening.”
“How do we get out with the entire citadel up in arms and looking for us?” Finbar asked.
“The same way we got in,” Misha answered enigmatically.
“And how is that?” Teria asked.
“Don’t start that argument again,” the fox countered in an angry tone. “Getting in and out is not a problem. Killing the guards and removing the wards around the axe will be. There is no knowing exactly what he will have guarding the axe.”
“It will include a lot of magic and nasty, hard to kill creatures,” Rickkter commented sarcastically.
“And little else,” Matthias added. “He is too paranoid to let any human or lutin near the axe.”
“Agreed,” Misha said. “That will work to our advantage. Magic can be bypassed or dispelled and any creature can be killed or lured away.”
“That only leaves Nasoj himself to be dealt with,” Teria commented.
“No,” the fox countered, shaking his head. “Nasoj never fights his own battles. He has other people do it for him.”
“But we will need to consider what he will do when he realizes we are in the citadel. He is bound to conclude we are after the axe and try and stop us,” Rickkter commented.
“The key is surprise. We have to strike and be gone before he does realize we are there” Misha said.
“This entire thing could be a trap,” Teria commented coldly.
“If it is why didn’t they kill Misha when they had the chance?” Matthias asked.
“He wants the axe,” Misha said in a cold and distant tone. “They always want the axe,” he finished in a tone filled with annoyance.
“This isn’t the first time someone has tried to take your axe?” Caroline said, surprised.
“Nine times,” the fox answered in a flat tone. “The last one was Duke Bradford of Weslia. It took me five days to stop him. I killed fifteen of his men and wound up burning down most of the dukes castle along with a good portion of the surrounding town. The fire alone killed another forty people. In the end it stopped only when the Duke grasped the axe and everyone saw him die, screaming. Then they all left me alone.”
“The axe has a long history of attempted thefts,” Rickkter added. “And a long string of murders, betrayals and dead bodies.”
Misha nodded in agreement. “Greedy minds never seem to understand the dangers. All they see is the power. But in the end the axe finds it’s way to the right hands.”
“True but how many innocent people are hurt along the way?” Edmund asked.
“Too many. That’s why we have to get her back as quickly as possible.”
The trip north from Glen Avery was not the exhilarating trip getting there had been. Instead of flying high and slow they group flew low and fast. Their great wings just skimming the trees beneath them. To Eldrid it felt like he could reach out and grab a paw full of branches and leaves if he had wanted to. Instead he kept his arms and legs close to his body.
Eldrid soon grew bored. The darkness made spotting anything more then thirty feet away almost impossible even with the eyes of a wolverine. Had he still been human he wouldn’t have been able to see further then an arms length. Still even with great animal night vision there was nothing to see. The sky was empty except for the vaguely visible shapes of the other keepers. He slowly drifted off into a light sleep. Eldrid was too much a veteran to drop into a deep sleep.
With a jolt the wolverine morph came fully awake. Marian had landed on a large, flat piece of rock. Moving slowly and trying not to make any noise Eldrid unbuckled himself and stepped down from the griffon.
It was the deepest part of the night and by all rights he should have been able to make out only vague shapes in the darkness. Instead he could see with surprising clearness. Where there should have been blackness were shades of gray. He was beginning to see why Misha liked being part animal. In the darkness he could make out the vague shapes of people scattered around the clearing they were in. Beyond that was the deeper darkness. He could hear the creak of trees waving and moving around him. There was the faint crackling of some creature scampering amidst some leaves.
His nose picked up a thousand smells he had never experienced before. There was a deep smell of old wood and leaves over smells of wolf and deer and the sharp tang of urine. Eldrid realized that at some time during the day a deer had been grazing when a wolf had attacked. He wondered if the deer had escaped. Perhaps it had as there was no scent of blood.
Movement off to one side caught his attention and he could see a figure waving both arms. That had to be Misha. Eldrid made one last check of all his equipment and moved towards the fox. Someone touched him on the arm and he turned. It was Marian. The griffon had reverted to her human like form and was standing behind him. The wolverine took her hand and pointed towards the fox with his free hand. She nodded in understanding and together they moved off.
Eldrid got down onto his hands and knees and crawled through the tunnel. Behind him he heard Marian curse and mutter under her breath. He could imagine the hard time she was having fitting into the tunnel. Even folded her wings took up a lot of space.
After a short distance the tunnel opened up into a long chamber. Standing up Eldrid looked around. He was in one corner of a large room cut into the living rock itself. It was large enough to fit the entire party with room to spare. To his left was a plain, wooden door. To his right was a small, wooden door that was painted bright red with the words ‘Stay out’ written on it in large, white letters.
When everyone was inside Misha slid a small stone block across the opening they had come through. “All right,” the fox said in a whisper. “First thing. Do NOT open the red door unless I, Caroline, Danielle or Finbar specifically tell you to. It leads to a vision port that has a perfect view of Dark Keep. And if we can see out, someone can see in.”
“How close is Dark Keep?” Marian asked.
“Two miles away,” Misha answered. “But patrols DO come a lot closer. We’ve had one come within twenty feet of the entrance.”
“Also, when you are in this room make no noise or light and always speak in a whisper.” He pointed to the door on the left. “That door leads to the barracks, storeroom and lavatory. If you want to eat or relax go into the barracks. That room is soundproof.”
“Impressive,” Philip said looking around. “How many places like this do you have?”
“Quite a few,” the fox said without really answering the question. “Most of Nasoj’s important places have at least one of our OP’s near by.”
“How did you dig this all?” Ferwig asked.
“With magic,” he explained. “We scouted the whole hillside before we found a tiny cave with a spring in it. Then we used magic to enlarge the cave into this. Luckily we had some fine maps of the area and several keepers lived here before Nasoj took over.”
“You controlled territory this far north?” Ferwig asked, surprised.
Misha nodded. “Dark Keep was a Metamor castle till eight years ago. It was destroyed right before the Battle of the Three Gates.”
“Does Nasoj still control Dark Keep?” Philip asked. “I didn’t see any lights there.”
“No,” Misha answered. “It was destroyed about a month ago. Since then various tribes have been fighting over the ruins.”
“Why not retake it?” Teria asked calmly.
“Retake it?” the fox asked in a surprised tone.
“You know – attack, fight, kill things. Take over,” Teria commented sarcastically.
“We’ve been too busy trying to just hold onto the valley,” Finbar said.
The fox’s eyes narrowed. “Till now,” he said in a cold tone. “First we need to recover Her. Then we can start planning to retake Dark Keep.”
“I suggest we eat then get some rest. We’ll start off again right after sunset,” Rickkter said.
“Good idea,” Misha said. “We’ll meet in the barracks an hour before sunset. Till then rest and eat.”
“What about sentries?” Edmund asked.
“I’ll take watch first,” Misha answered. “Then Finbar, Caroline and Danielle in that order. Everyone else get some rest.”
Eldrid looked around at the room as he entered. In one corner was a small fireplace complete with a pile of coal ready to light. Across from the door he had entered was a small niche set into the wall. A quick peek showed a pool of water filled the bottom of the niche. On either side wall were doors one on each. The room itself had nothing on the floor except a thin layer of dust.
“Sorry we can’t offer you any beds but it is better then sleeping in the mud and snow,” Finbar commented. “The door on the right leads to a store room and on the left is the toilet.”
“Can we light a fire?” Marian asked.
“One of the Longs will do that,” Finbar answered. “The coal is supposed to be smokeless and the chimney splits into a dozen or so smaller ones to scatter what smoke there is. But we have a certain way of lighting a fire to take no chances of smoke being seen by anyone. We’ll make a communal meal to keep the smoke and fire to a minimum. After that we all need some sleep.”
We’d all better enjoy the hot meal because it will be our last for a long time,” Caroline commented.
Terrant paused at the door leading to George’s office. The woman was dressed in loose fitting shirt and pants, both of which were dark blue trimmed with brown thread along the edges. On the shirt was emblazoned a gold Follower cross. Those were the colors that all of Edmund Delacot’s troops wore. Hanging from the belt at her hip was a long sword and a dagger.
She rapped on the wooden door three times and waited for an answer.
“Come in Terrant,” came a male voice from the other side. The words muffled by the thick wood.
Lady Terrant opened the door slowly and stepped into Georges office.
George was dressed rather casually. The canine had gold colored fur with black along his back and tail. He was wearing a pair of wool pants and a tunic. They once must have been a bright red color but had faded with wear and time to a dull, grayish red. He had two gold chains around his neck and a silver ring on his right, ring finger.
“Close the door behind you,” George ordered. “We don’t need to the whole keep hearing our plans.”
Terrant did as she was told being sure that the door was closed securely behind he after she had entered.
“Have you considered changing your name?” George asked and took a long drink of wine.
“Change my name?” Terrant asked. “Why?”
“Terrant is a mans name,” the canine answered.
“I prefer Terrant,” she replied coldly. “It was the name my parents gave me.”
“What about Terry?” George countered. Ignoring the woman’s obvious anger. “It’s a fine name. A nice name any woman or man would be proud to have.”
“I prefer Terrant,” she insisted.
“Have you decided who to take along?” he asked.
“Yes I have. Three of the people I’ve chosen are fine horse archers.”
The canine nodded in agreement. “Good. We have few mounted archers here at the Keep. That’s bound to surprise the Lutins Terry.”
“Terrant.”
George moved over to the large map that occupied one wall of his office. It was a highly detailed map of the entire valley. Done to scale it seemed to have every feature in the valley on it down to the smallest village.
George place his finger on the center of the map where a gold star had been drawn. “We’ll start here at the Keep and ride north,” he said and traced their path on the map with a finger. “Past the Outpost till we reach Giants Dike. Then we’ll return back by the same route.”
“Shouldn’t return another way?” Terrant asked. “Just to keep from falling into a clear pattern?”
George nodded, obviously please by the woman’s show of knowledge. “Usually we would but today we’re just making ourselves seen. I want any lutin out there to know that were out in force.”
“Will we see any fighting?”
The jackal shook his head. “Probably not. The weathers too cold for a serious raid and most tribes that would raid were too badly chewed up during the Yule attack. Still they will have scouts out and a strong showing with patrols might scare them out of trying another raid.”
Unspoken but clearly understood by Terrant was the fact that George was testing them on this patrol. He wanted to see how they handled themselves. How they rode, how they dressed and how alert they remained after long, cold, boring hours in the saddle. If George liked what he saw then their next patrol would be more elaborate and have more responsibilities. But first they had to pass Georges inspection. She couldn’t help but smile in amusement at that thought. She knew the people under her command were veterans and would easily pass the ex-bandits little tests easily.
“Something funny?” George asked coldly.
She shook her head in answer. “No George. It’s just that many of my people were hoping for some excitement after being cooped up this last month.”
George laughed. “Be careful what you wish for Terry.”
“Terrant!” she corrected.
“Just remember you aren’t the only one still adjusting to the change,” George said ignoring the woman’s correction. “This is going to be a new experience for all of those who changed into an animal. They weren’t as lucky as you and didn’t remain human.”
Terrant started to comment but stopped. She hadn’t thought of that before. Caught up in her own problems of trying to deal with being a woman he hadn’t truly realized that. When he had decided to stay he had hoped the curse would make him some strong animal. He was actually looking forward to being as strong as a bear or a swift as a fox. Or maybe even be able to fly like a hawk. The idea of being a woman had frightened him. It was a fear that had come all too true. But he hadn’t considered how many had found the opposite frightening. How many of his people had been frightened of loosing the humanity and being trapped as some lowly animal. Just how many would have been delighted to still be human but younger or even just a woman.
“True,” She managed to say finally. “We should go easy on the first few trips.” She made a note to check with each and every soldier and knight to see how they were doing. Her own feelings had to be put aside as these people depended on her no matter what she looked like and she could not let them down.
“Any questions?” George asked.
Terrant answered with a shake of the head.
“Then I will see you and your people tomorrow morning an hour before dawn,” George said.
Terrant nodded and made her way to the door which he opened for her. Much to Terrant’s annoyance.
“Good!” the canine commented as he closed the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow Terry.”
“TERRANT!” she shouted to the canine but all she saw was the closed door.
Eldrid knew that Padraic was standing next to him even before he opened his eyes. His wolverine senses had heard and smelt the rabbit long before a human would have. Opening his eyes he say Padraic standing an arms length from him.
“Aoigh àrd-inbheach,” Padraic said giving a formal greeting and bowed deeply.
“Bi taingeoil dha,” Eldrid answered giving the correct reply. “No need to be so formal. I have no royal blood in my veins.”
“But you wear the armor of a Curaidh and you deserve respect.”
Eldrid patted the stone floor next to him. “Sit and relax. Please.”
Padraic hesitated for a moment then sat down keeping a respectful distance from the wolverine. He wasn’t sure if it was respect for the rank his armor gave him or a rabbits fear of a carnivore.
“The armor was it a gift? Loot taken in battle or . . .” the rabbit paused. “Stolen.” He finished in cold tone.
“The armor and weapons were a gift to me,” Eldrid answered. He didn’t mind the rabbits accusation of theft. This armor was a rare thing to see out in the world. “Many years ago I was in the Great Barrier mountains to the north of the city of Lanton. Some mountain tribes had been raiding farms and towns there. They still speak the old tongue and since I also spoke it I was sent along with a delegation to try and stop the raids. There had always been a certain amount of raiding from the Turi but till recently they had usually been just cattle stealing. Lately the raids had become more widespread and they were taking everything. Not just cattle.”
The wolverine morph took a long drink of water from his water sack and then continued. “We found our way to the Turi whose chief was Aneirin as tough a man as I’ve ever met. It was from him we found out that the worst raids had not been by the Turi but a Beithir.”
“You killed a Beither?” Padraic said in a voice filled with awe.
Eldrid shook his head. “WE killed the Beither. It took nine of us to kill that monster. It was an epic fight full of slashing, stabbing and daring heroics against the raging monster. And when it was dead only Aneirin and I were left alive.”
“I’m surprised you survived at all,” the rabbit commented.
“So am I,” Eldrid answered. “It was a pretty close thing. Aneirin lost his left leg and I was bleeding from wounds all over. I managed to get Aneirin down the mountain and back to his people but I left a blood trail all the way back up the mountain.”
The wolverine morph shook his head. “They called me a hero and feted me with gold, food and drink. Lot’s of drink. Lots and lots of drink,” he said and shook his head as if to dispel a long gone hangover. “Aneirin had a special reward for me. This,” Eldrid waved his hand over the chest of the armor he was wearing. Then he patted the two scabbarded swords that lay next to lay next to him. “And these.”
Padraic lightly ran his hand along one of the decorated plates protecting Eldrid’s shoulder. “There is some very powerful protection magic in this.”
“The swords have even more powerful magic!” Eldrid commented.
The rabbit morph nodded his head. “Fine gifts. One question did the armor fit you then? When I changed with the curse my body changed drastically and none of my clothing fit anymore. I had to have my cloths and armor changed to fit my new body.”
“That’s the part that still unnerves me. No. When I first got the armor it didn’t fit me. Aneirin said that when I was ready to use it, I would use it. His exactly words were ‘When the old blood speaks to you.”
“Was he a seer?” the rabbit asked.
Eldrid nodded and picked up the massive bastard sword named Anyon. “He must have been because now the armor fits me perfectly, like it was made for this animal body of mine.” He held up the hilt of the sword showing the stylized animals head on the end. The prominent stripes on the top of the head were in gold but they clearly marked the head as that of a wolverine.
“What truly amazes me is that the armor and the swords are centuries old.” Eldrid said. “And the totem animal of the tribe is the wolverine.”
“Fate led you to them!” Padraic answered.
“And it led me to Metamor.”
Edmund opened the red door slowly and quietly, just as Finbar had told him to. The room on the other side was small, barely large enough to hold two people. In front of him was a jagged and irregular opening through which sunlight streamed in. He blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the light after being in the dark cave for several hours. Misha was standing in front of the opening resting his head and arms on the ledge looking out.
The paladin looked out of the slot at what Misha had been watching. Stretched out below them was a series of low, rolling hills on the highest of which was a castle. Or at least the ruins of one. The fortress was rectangular shaped with a tower at each corner and in the center of it’s two longest walls. A short, squat gate house rested in the center of one of the short, side walls. At the end farthest from the gate a tall, rectangular tower soared into the sky. On top of the tower was a small flag flying from a tall pole. The flag was flapping strongly in the wind and all he could make out if it was it’s dark green coloring with a gold figure on it.
Scattered below the hill where a jumble of tumbled and scattered stones that ringed the entire hill. He could make out the vague outline of a stone wall amidst the ruins. At one time it would have surrounded the hill completely but was now just a tumble of waist high rubble. Those ruins must have once been a substantial town bustling with life but now it was just a jumble of stones, charred wood and other wreckage. Only the hill itself showed any sign of life. Edmund could make out figures as they walked along the top of the remaining curtain wall. He also spied several others on top of the tower pacing back and forth.
“Are you all right?” Edmund whispered softly into Misha’s ear.
“I’m fine,” the fox replied.
“You haven’t slept at all.”
“I can’t sleep.”
“That axes hold over you has us worried,” the feline commented.
“You mean Caroline and Finbar are worried,” Misha answered. “And they both asked you about me.”
I AM WORRIED,” Edmund countered in a voice louder then he had intended.
Misha didn’t speak at first but simply looked out of the opening. “How do I explain this. Using an axe as powerful as Whisper is not without it’s cost,” the fox said. “It’s more of a partnership really. You cannot begin to imagine just how powerful the axe really is.”
“I know it’s one of the few things to really scare Teria but she’ll never admit it,” Edmund commented.
Misha chuckled. “She’ll never admit that anything scares her. But she has every right to be scared. The power bound up in the axe is incredible. I understand her grip on me but that works both ways. Whisper is as bound to me as I am to her. I knew that from the first moment I touched her. She explained it to me in great detail. She also described in great detail what would happen if I tried to misuse her.”
“She speaks to you?”
“Occasionally. A lot more when I was younger and not so occupied by Caroline and the Longs. She actually taught me to read and write ancient Kkarrt.”
Edmund didn’t answer but just looked at Misha in surprise.
“Surprised that something that powerful and brutal can be a teacher?”
“Yes,” the cheetah morph answered truthfully. “But you never fail to surprise me Misha.”
“Good. I try and keep everyone surprised. Especially Nasoj and my friends.”
Misha didn’t hear the rat enter. Suddenly Matthias was standing next to him with no sound or warning of any sort. It was like the rat had magically appeared there. But not hearing the rat wasn’t surprising, he never heard Matthias. Even when his friend was walking casually at home he never made an audible sound and left no trace of his passing. That was a legacy of many years of Sondecki training.
The rat leaned against the ledge Misha was in front of and stared out the opening at the world beyond. Neither spoke for a long time. Misha had little to say and much to think about. There was a long way to go before they reached Nasoj’s citadel.
“Thank you for taking me along,” Matthias said suddenly breaking the silence.
“Why thank me?” Misha asked. The surprise plain to hear in his voice. “I’m dragging you away from your home and family.”
“For still trusting me," Matthias said softly.
Misha looked at his friend in shock. Genuinely surprised. “Why wouldn’t I trust you? You’re my friend.”
"After what you heard in the trial, heard about the kind of man that I might have protected, how can you trust me? How can anyone?"
“You’re my friend Matt,” the fox answered simply.
“I thought he was my friend,” Matt said coldly.
“And I thought Baldwin was mine. And he killed over a score of Keepers and tried to kill the rest,” Misha countered. “His betrayal really hurts me. A person I thought was a friend tried to kill me and destroy everything I knew. When we take someone in as a friend we open up ourselves to betrayal but without friends what are we?”
Matthias looked sourly at the ground and scuffled his foot paw. "I didn't know Baldwin very well myself. I went drinking with him once, but...." He let out a long sigh and looked back into the fox's face. "I may have let an enemy get away, Misha. I want to do what is right. But he was the closest friend I have ever had. I still do not believe that he is guilty."
Misha shrugged in response. “People change over time,” he answered enigmatically. “We don’t know why he did it. We can only answer that question when we meet him face to face.”
“You’re lucky. You will get the chance to ask those questions of Zag face to face. Baldwin is dead and all I have is a corpse and a score of unanswerable questions.”
Matt nodded slowly at that, before smiling once more to the fox. "Thank you again, Misha. I will always be your friend."
“And I yours Matt.”
It was a cold morning at Metamor Keep and you could see the breath streaming from the nostrils of both the Keepers and their horses. The ground underfoot was of stone carved and laid in place centuries ago but it had stood up to the ravages of time well. In spite of diligent sweeping and shoveling small patches of snow and mud lay scattered about in out of the way places. Unnoticed they told of a long, hard winter that was only now just grudgingly giving way to spring. The animals stood patiently as saddle and tack were put onto them. A few of the horses snorted and stamped their hooves in excitement knowing that this meant a day away from the stable. It was a chance for them to move about the countryside and leave the quiet stables far behind. After a long dreary winter trapped inside they were glad for the change. Everyone was tired of a winter never seemed to end.
The people would soon be riding those animals carefully and slowly put on the saddle, bridle and tack needed for the days ride. Those that had finished with that checked their armor and weapons one last time. These were all veterans and they understood what was happening. This was not to be some simple pleasure ride but instead it was a patrol meant to seek out and find any trouble in the area.
Terrant moved among the soldiers awkwardly at first, still unsure as to how they would react to a woman leader. But her duties came before her doubts and she put a brave face on things and pretended like nothing unusual was happening. She had to. This was the first time they would be riding into combat since the curse had changed them and everyone was nervous. And in combat nervousness could lead to panic, and panic killed in combat. Very quickly.
She came up to Alwyn, a tough and hardy knight who had been changed into a tall, dabble gray stallion. He was standing in front of his own horse with a saddle in both hands. Both horse and rider looked a bit lost and confused.
“What’s wrong?” she asked trying to sound confident but not sure if she succeeded. The knight stood over seven feet tall and towered over her making it hard for Terrant to sound self assured.
“I’m not sure I can do this,” the stallion stuttered. “I mean. She’s a horse and so am I.”
She forced a smile onto her face. “Not sure which of you should be wearing the saddle?” Terrant said trying to sound jovial.
The knight just looked at her and didn’t speak. It was hard to read any emotions on his new equine face.
“Unless you have learned of a way to use a sword and shield with hooves instead of hands SHE gets the saddle,” the woman commanded and patted the mares flanks. “This is a new experience for all of us. We all have to learn and adapt.”
“But . . .” Alwyn started to say.
“NO BUTS!” she countered. “This is going to be a normal patrol. We’ve done this a hundred times before. Treat it so. No matter what the curse has done to you. You don’t think I’m going to ride side saddle do you just because I’m a woman?”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” the knight answered in nervous tone. “You’re lucky. You are still human and I’m now a freak.” There was fear in that voice. A fear that had not been there before the change.
That made Terrant pause. Alwyn had wanted to be woman and not an animal where as she had wished for the opposite. She could understand his fear and doubt. Terrant couldn’t let that fear dominate the knight or it would ruin his life. He needed a little shock to change his thinking.
You’re not a freak. “You’re a sleek stallion,” Terrant said softly, seductively as she ran her hand lightly along his side. Then she pulled his head down to hers and tenderly kissed him. The kiss was warm and he had the sweet smell of a fine animal in good health.
As suddenly as she had grabbed him she let go and stepped back. “Now get your horse saddled and ready to ride,” Terrant ordered in a firm tone and walked away leaving a stunned Alwyn behind her. After a few steps she looked behind her to see the equine knight slowly saddling his mount.
“That was interesting,” a voice said suddenly.
Whipping around she found George standing in front of her. She hadn’t heard him come up. The black backed jackal morph was dressed in a full suit of plate mail armor complete with a great helm that was tucked under one arm. Even in full armor he moved with the silence of a bandit. Some old habits were hard to break.
“You’ll have them all wondering what you have been up to,” the canine commented.
Terrant nodded. “I know but it will keep his mind occupied and away from the idea of him being a horse. I need him thinking clearly on this patrol. After today both he and his horse will be used to the new changes.”
“It’s not that easy Terry,” George countered. “Takes time.”
“It’s a start,” the woman answered. “and my name is Terrant!”
“Do you realize what you were just doing?” George asked. “You were flirting with him like any woman might flirt with a cute man.”
Terrant stood there for a moment too stunned to say anything. She HAD been flirting with Alwyn. It had all happened so fast. It had seemed so right and natural. “Why did I do it?” she asked herself. It was the action of a natural born woman, not a man like himself. Was it some cruel aspect of the curse?
George put his arm around her shoulders. “Relax Terry. That’s just a natural part of being a woman. You’re a woman and he’s a good looking male. It’s natural that your body would be attracted to him. A lot of woman would be attracted to him. After all he is hung like a horse.”
The woman who used to be a man just looked at George for a moment before she realized he had made a joke. She didn’t find it very funny.
“Relax Terry. The curse is purely physical. It changed your body not your mind. The only part of your mind it changes is what you LET IT change.”
“I wish it was that easy,” she countered, upset.
“It is that easy. He needed a shock to take his mind away from all it’s doubts and that kiss was the way to do it. Are your people ready?” George asked.
She nodded in response. “They’ll be ready in a few minutes. What chance do we have of seeing combat?”
The jackal shrugged. “Small, things have been quiet since the Yuletide attack. Mostly small thefts and some cattle stealing.”
“It’s been a cold winter,” Terrant commented still upset. “Too cold to stray far from home for very long.”
George nodded in agreement. “Yup, but that will change with the coming of spring Terry.”
“TERRANT!”