FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Erased their memories? That's appalling."

Airy tried to speak quietly and contain her shock, but his revelation was too much for her to bear. When Jak had emerged from the fog into the brightness of reflected sunlight, he found his companions waiting for him on the flat expanse of ice above the Maker's valley. Airy rushed to meet him, but he motioned for her not to embrace him. She was puzzled by his reticence. As he led her away from the group to ensure privacy, he told her what Olivia had done. It explained his reluctance to display affection but left her angry and frightened.

"I never asked for such a thing. How did she do it? What else did she change in our heads?"

"I have no idea how she does any of her Maker magic, but she insisted that it was the only alteration she made and it was harmless. She did not change your or my memories at all. For the others, she said it was easy except for Cat."

"Why not easy for Cat?"

"These ideas are new to me, but Olivia said the association of you and I being lovers was not strong or well connected to critical memories and concepts of self in Tigan, Camorra and Jorveth. It was merely a fact with few emotional connotations. That, she said, made it easy to delete the knowledge without making any fundamental changes to their personalities. For Cat, our relationship is tangled deeply in her core memories, her character and her attraction to me."

Airy's glare warned Jak away from saying anything more on that subject.

"Olivia said it would be impossible to erase Cat's memories of our relationship without making her lose too much of the past few months and too much of herself. The confusion might damage her mentally or cause her to have no reason to continue helping us. To prevent that, Olivia put some kind of restriction in Cat's mind that makes it impossible for her to speak of our affair with anyone but us."

"This was not the gift I asked of her. Why did she do this for me?"

"For selfish reasons, of course, but reasons that still benefit us."

Jak shifted nervously and scraped his Maker made boots on the ice distractedly as he prepared to broach the subject they both had been avoiding.

"Airy, we haven't talked about us and the rules of Rikifur. A Rabbit Princess cannot have a Wolf lover. You know that our relationship will not be tolerated, so no one may know of our love. It endangers everything you have fought to reclaim. Olivia knows this also. She does as she pleases to help her children. In her mind, helping you return to Rikifur is the best way for her to help the Wolves."

This moment had been coming, and Airy had dreaded it in her heart. The truth was unavoidable, but she wanted to reject it nonetheless. Up until now, it had been easy to postpone this conversation, but Olivia's meddling had exposed this subject like a raw wound.

"Maker damn it, Jak. Can't you see that she is doing this to drive us apart, not to help us?"

"I'm painfully aware of her intent."

"I will not give you up, Jak. Not for her. Not for my future crown. Not for anyone. I'm young and no expert at romance, but I've had plenty of suitors more interested in becoming king than loving me. A few of them even seemed to love me for myself, but no one has ever loved me as you have. No one ever will. We are made for each other like no others. We will find a way to make everyone see that."

Tears ran from her eyes, turned to ice crystals and clung to the fur on her cheeks. Jak placed his paws on the sides of her face and brushed them away with his thumbs.

"I don't wish to surrender our love either, but we have to be discrete and keep it hidden. Hate Olivia as much as I do. You've earned the right, but also accept that Olivia has given us a chance to have everything we want. Until you are safely home and my status among your people is resolved, we must not let anyone discover this secret. By being discrete, we buy ourselves time. There will be few if any opportunities for intimacy between us for a long while. Do you understand that?"

"I do. I hate it, but I do."

Though they strove to hide it, the sexual tension between them was palpable like heat shimmer on the desert horizon. Regardless of the risk, Jak took Airy's paw in his and held it tenderly.

"I want to hold you close and make love to you desperately, but the others will see. I'm afraid to even kiss you in their presence, so please make do with these words: I love you, Airy. Even Olivia with all of her power and schemes cannot destroy that."

Airy smiled. Her tears ceased flowing.

"Thank you, Jak. That will sustain me. I will console myself with your words and with every mile that puts us farther away from that Wolf Maker witch."

Though their love was like a force that bound them inexorably together, there was now a tense and sad barrier separating them. The pretense that they were only comrades in arms was pushing them apart. To be alone and intimate on the ice was impossible. Enduring it was already proving to be torture, and thus, Jorveth's tactless interruption provided a welcome end to the painful moment.

"Princess, we have experienced some kind of temporal distortion."

Airy's ears twitched in confusion as she tried to decipher Jorveth's statement. In the brief time that she had known him, the genius Horse had always been obtuse, but since he had received the Maker's gift and begun expanding his comprehension of the workings of the universe, he had become as far removed from her mentally as the Makers. Grasping his intent was becoming more difficult each time he spoke.

"Jorveth, that means nothing to me. Are you saying something is wrong with the time of day?"

"No. It's the day itself. The sun is in the wrong position for today. By my counting, we should be thirty-five days past the summer solstice, but the inclination of the sun from the horizon at noon indicates we are a few days before the solstice. The two lines of evidence contradict each other, and I'm confident both methods of determining the day of the year are correct."

"Maybe you miscounted."

"Impossible. We were in Storfay on the solstice."

"I don't understand. How is that possible? How do you know this?"

"I don't understand either, but my math and measurements are accurate. I know our position on the globe. It's in my book as are tools for precisely measuring distance and angles. The calculations to determine our place in the seasons are simple. I can show them to you."

"Please don't. I trust you. Did we go back in time somehow? Is this another gift from Olivia to allow us to cross the ice with favorable weather?"

"Or forward in time. There is no way to know."

Before now, Jak had never pondered the movement of time. Certainly, the possibility that it could move at different rates in different places would have been unthinkable before meeting Olivia and seeing the demonstration of her powers. She had done things that were beyond anything he could have thought possible for a mortal being, and Jorveth's implication that the outside world had moved on without them while they lingered in Olivia's valley reminded him of his last moments there.

"I spoke with Isven just before I left, and his words made little sense to me at the time. He said we would probably never meet again because he would continue to live in the Maker's time, staying young, as we grow old. I thought he meant that Olivia would use her magic... technology...whatever it is she has, to keep him young. Maybe he meant something else."

"You think time runs slower in the Maker's valley?" asked Airy.

Jak had no idea and looked to Jorveth for answers. The Horse was always happy to discuss the workings of science.

"As I said, I cannot tell just from my measurements. I have been reading about time in my book. The universe is stranger but more wonderful and elegant than even I thought. There is a remarkable symmetry mixed with chaos to it that I find appealing. It turns out that time and space are inextricably linked. They are part of a continuum that is flexible, but they cannot be separated from each other. According to the Maker's theories, it is possible for people in different places to experience time differently. The equations are truly beautiful and elegant. Would you like to see them?"

Jorveth held out his book for them to see. Airy laughed at Jorveth's naïve sincerity. There was no way that she would have any hope of comprehending what he was discovering.

"That would be nice, Jorveth, but we really don't have the time for the weeks or months of lessons it would take me to understand them. Give me the simplest version, as though you were explaining to a child, please."

Disappointed that he could not share the wonder of the underlying mathematics of the universe with her, Jorveth settled on discussing the outputs of the Maker's knowledge.

"Even the Makers do not have a way of making time go backwards. At least, that is what I have deduced from what I understand so far. More reading and less time spent traveling would help me comprehend it all faster."

Though Airy shared Jorveth's dislike for endless travel, she wanted to get far from Olivia's valley and closer to Rikifur without delay.

"I would enjoy some quiet rest also, but..."

Ebusika chose that moment to emerge from the fog. Her excitement at seeing the rest of the group again was obvious from her greeting. One great paw landed upon each of Airy and Jak's shoulders as she alternated licking their snouts. Her brood followed one at a time separated by several minutes and sat in a circle around Jorveth wagging their tails and licking at his hands. Nervously, he patted the largest male on the head. Airy glanced back at the fog expecting the huge, white Bear to follow them.

"Is Isven coming after all?"

"No. He sent the ferals with me. He said they helped him to find his destiny, and now it was time for them to help us find ours."

Airy was grateful for any assistance. Jorveth was less certain. Carnivores, especially Cats, terrified him. He could only bear the presence of these wolves because they were so unmistakably friendly to him and under the control of someone he trusted.

"Jak?"

"Yes, Jorveth."

"Were these wolves right behind you in the fog just before you exited?"

"Yes. Why?"

"They took a long time to follow. I think that gives us the answer. Time does run slower in the fog. We have to assume that nearly a year and possibly more have elapsed while we were with Olivia. The only way to know how long we were displaced from normal time is to ask someone outside the valley who has been keeping a calendar, or anyone who witnessed the volcano erupt could tell us. Nobody between here and Rikifur could have missed that event."

Jak glanced to the south in their direction of travel.

"And we don't want to meet anybody between here and Rikifur, so we'll have to stay ignorant for a while longer."

Airy considered what it might mean to have been cut out of time for a year or more. Anxiety gripped her when she thought upon how everyone she knew might have grown old without her. Would even her father have forgotten her by now? Was he still alive? She desperately wanted to know how much time they had lost.

"We have to get to Rikifur then as quickly as we can. I won't find rest until we do."

Jak scratched the ruff of Ebusika's neck. She growled her pleasure in response.

"Then let's put these wonderful wolves to good use by hitching them to the sleds and get off this damned ice."

"T'at was easy," Tigan announced when they were able to see land instead of ice for the first time since they left the Maker's valley. The journey on the west side of the Earth Spine proved to be faster and far less dangerous than anyone dared hoped.

Storms were infrequent and less severe. The ice sheet was smoother with fewer crevasses and almost no jumbled terrain. Whether this was just luck or help from the Maker, they did not know. The gear that Olivia provided, however, was Maker made and enormously superior to anything any of their people could produce. Cold barely affected them in their new clothes. The Maker's food tasted better and delivered more energy per unit weight than their Storfayan rations. Even their new sleds were lighter and gave less resistance to pulling. With the added strength and endurance of the feral wolves, the crossing was almost a pleasant experience.

As a result, it took them only fifteen days to reach the southern edge of the ice sheet. Similar to the terminus between land and snow on the east side of the mountains, they stood upon a cliff looking over a gravelly plain of scrubby vegetation that stretched out before them almost to the horizon. A dense, green coniferous forest grew at the edge of their vision. The trees reminded Jak of his own homeland, reviving a dormant longing within him to walk the woods again among the company of his own kind. It was a distressing notion to have to sneak again among other Wolves as an enemy. He consoled himself that he was a part of Rikifur now and soon enough would be among his new pack. He needed to believe that to continue.

Eager to leave the frozen north behind forever, Airy chose not to search for a gentle route down the cliff that might allow them to keep their sleds. Her decision upset Jorveth, who wanted to retain at least one sled to try to understand better the marvelous material of which they were made.

"I'm sorry, Jorveth, but they are of no use to us anymore. From here to the border of Rikifur, we will be traveling in the lands of my people's enemies. Jak and I have become..."

She paused being mindful of Olivia's meddling with the memories of the others and the need for secrecy about her relationship with Jak.

"...more than friends, but all the hate that Rabbits and Wolves bear for each other will be undiminished here. That means we must move with both speed and stealth to get through safely. Carrying a sled will slow us down. I can't risk it."

Her argument was unassailable, so they gathered up the remaining food and useful tools that the Maker had provided, divided it all into packs to carry on their backs, and dumped the empty sleds into a deep crevasse. Airy observed Jorveth watching them clatter and crash against the uneven ice walls until they disappeared out of sight, and thought he would have cried over their loss if he were capable of showing emotion.

"Perhaps," she whispered to Jak, "he is consoled by the abundance of Maker made gear we're keeping. These light, strong, and colorful ropes, harnesses and belay devices will make repelling off the ice a snap."

To make her point, she launched herself backwards into space to arc gracefully outwards and then back against the ice, where her crampons sank into the slick, hard surface with a satisfying crack. Repeating the action without fear, she rapidly dwindled to a doll-like figure before she reached the ground. Jak admired her bravery and cursed his own fear of heights as he followed her with greater caution and trepidation.

When Airy's paws rested on earth once again, she knelt and gave silent thanks to her Maker for seeing her safely this far. Immediately, she felt ridiculous for executing this old habit and stood again. There was no Maker guiding her home. The encounter with Olivia had soured her on the notion of Makers and gods in general. What help did she need from Makers? What help had they ever given her? Her own determination and the support of her friends and companions had brought her this far. Of that, she was certain. Those same factors would see her the rest of the way home, shape her future and Rikifur's along with it. Someday, perhaps only a few generations from now, her people would be making items as advanced and as powerful as Olivia's. Jorveth's magic book would see to that.

Aloud she muttered with disgust, "Magic and Makers."

Jak touched down just as she spoke. He was trembling and concentrating on the firmness of the ground beneath his paws, but he still overheard her.

"What of them?"

"I was just thinking about all of the things that I used to believe in that have turned out to be false. I used to think that all Wolves were savages and beasts. You proved that wrong. Jorveth said there is no magic. I thought he was a fool, but he was right; Olivia showed us that there is only science and technology. I believed the Makers were gods and found they are merely physical creatures like us who can even go mad and die. The priests of Rikifur teach that the Maker made us in his image, but that is only half-true. We were made somehow from the essence of the Makers, but we look nothing like them.

"I doubt the priests would believe any of this even if I told them. They would want to hold stubbornly to the myths even though the truth is more fantastic. I'm not sure that I blame them. If I hadn't met Olivia in person and witnessed her powers, I wouldn't believe half of what I've seen and learned. All that was once certain is now melting away. People think their beliefs are permanent and indestructible like the Earth Spine, but the volcano showed that to be as fragile as a thin crust of ice on a cold spring morning."

Jak held out his paw. Airy grasped it wondering at his intent. Making sure that none of their company was watching, he pulled her towards him and embraced her briefly. They needn't have worried. The others were all occupied with lowering the whimpering ferals down the face of the glacier.

"I agree. It is a disorienting thing to lose the foundations that once supported our lives. I experienced that before we met and was prepared to die because of it. Then I found you and began building a new life based on the truths of Rikifur that even now have begun to crumble. I'm not certain that I can survive another such loss."

Jak fell silent for a moment. The memories of his past life haunted him still. Though he had tried to forsake his own kind, thoughts of Moon, his son, and all of his pups could not be suppressed forever. Though he didn't seek to dwell in memory, his past plagued him more frequently each day. His dreams were filled with visions of Moon. Olivia's meddling had seen to that. He was certain she was sending him these visions. Despite the limitations on the Maker's powers outside her valley, she was not wholly impotent. Neither was Jak. He willed the unwanted thoughts away to focus on Airy and the present.

"I'm tempted to disregard everything that happened in Olivia's valley as a bad dream to protect those truths, but the evidence of her existence and the reality of what happened there cannot be escaped through denial. I will adapt again as needed to whatever truths triumph. Does losing old truths bother you as much?"

"Yes and no. It's like when I was a kit and discovered that the magical beings that brought treats and toys on sacred holidays were not real and that it was really my parents. I remember being glad as a child to learn the truth. It made me feel older and more mature, but at the same time, I missed the comforting sense of mystery and joy that believing in magical beings had brought. It's like that for me right now. I feel both empowered and lessened spiritually."

Her attitude was encouraging to Jak. Would she have accepted these facts so readily months ago before they had met? Jak thought not. There was no doubt that Airy had matured immensely since the day when he had first found her on the slopes of the Earth Spine. Then, she was an impetuous and spoiled brat whose bigotry against other races ran as deeply as his own. Together they overcame their intolerance. Though her rashness was only slightly diminished, Airy was now more inclined to listen and accept advice from others. Separated from her former life by distance, time and adversity, she was becoming a more powerful and effective leader every day. Jak felt confident that with her as its ruler, Rikifur would survive the whims of fate and tumultuous changes to truth that were coming.

"That's a sound assessment. You've grown more mature since the day we first met. Do you remember that day?"

Happiness returned instantly to her voice with that memory.

"It's a day I'll never forget."

"We were enemies and likely would have killed each other if the circumstances had been slightly different."

"I called you a beast and a dog."

"And other things if I recall. My point is that we overcame all of the wrong thoughts and beliefs that we had for each other. Becoming better people leading richer lives was the result. Maybe our beliefs have to be challenged and overturned periodically for us to grow. I see the world much differently now than before my exile. With the foundations of my life completely sundered, I am both free and lost. I can challenge every aspect of the world order, but the price is high: isolation and loneliness. I feel even more divorced from my own kind than that time between my exile and our meeting. There is no common belief system between myself and all the other Wolves anymore."

"I feel the same, Jak. My primary worry used to be that everyone in Rikifur had given me up for dead and forgotten me, but now I'm more concerned that when I do return I won't be able to live comfortably among Rabbits again. That frightens me."

"We must continue to be each other's foundation as we navigate this new world and help reshape it into something better."

"Thank you, Jak. You are my strength and my center, but I'm not worried about just you and me. How will this knowledge affect my people and my family? Not everyone can adapt to so much change so quickly. Anarchy and social unrest could result from the revelation of what we have learned. I wish to protect them from it as long as I can."

"Your people or your family?"

"Both, but especially my family. Our right to rule is based on a fable. We have claimed our divine authority to be truth, but it's not. Not really. I don't care about myself or my place as queen, but I don't want to hurt my father. I couldn't bear to be the one to end his reign in chaos. I love him too much. He's a good buck, who lives to protect his kingdom."

"Keeping secrets in a group as large as ours will be difficult, if not impossible. Cat, Jorveth, Camorra and Tigan all know the truth about the Makers. We must discuss this with them and agree on what we will say and what we will not say to others."

Cat, of course, was the most skeptical of keeping anything a secret.

"I know how to keep my mouth shut and so does cowgirl, but the colt? He's too literal for subtlety."

"I can make sure he doesn't tell anyone," protested Camorra.

"Can you? Are you going to keep him on leash so he is at your side at all time?"

"What are you implying, Cat?"

"I imply nothing. I say exactly vhat I mean. Pony boy is sure smart about how things vork, but he doesn't have the sense to know vat not to say to others. He vill answer any question if asked. You can't vatch him constantly."

"I don't have to watch him..."

"Enough!" Airy was tired of their argument. "Unless you have a better suggestion, Cat, we shall trust Jorveth to be discreet and Camorra to continue to speak for him."

"I already made suggestion. Tether them together."

Camorra rejected that proposal.

"That's impractical. Jorveth needs time alone to think and work on his inventions. When we reach your supporters, Princess, I'm going to be busy helping you with diplomatic matters. If Jorveth and I have to be together all the time, we shall be far less effective."

Though spoken softly and directed at Camorra, Jorveth was heard by Airy.

"I kept our love secret, just like you asked."

The Cow took his hand in hers and stroked his forearm tenderly with the other. She made sure the others heard her reply.

"That you did, love. You are a good secret keeper."

Airy spoke directly to Jorveth.

"Can you keep this secret? Will you agree not to talk about Olivia to anyone? We must never let anyone know the truth of the Makers: their mortality, their wars or their technology."

"How is that possible? Our clothes, our gear, the gifts she gave us are clearly beyond our ability to manufacture. How do we explain them?"

Jorveth had made a valid point inadvertently forcing Airy to choose between discarding the wonderful items and explaining their origin.

"You're right. We have to hide these clothes and all the other gear and not use them until we are safely in Rikifur."

Everyone groaned except Cat, who did not disguise her disgust for the Maker's gifts. The others, though, had come to appreciate the value of the clothes they had received nearly as much as their individual gifts. The fabric was comfortable in all weather, keeping them warm when it was cold, cool when it was hot and dry when it was wet.

"I know the clothes we brought from Storfay are inferior, but they will draw less suspicion. If you want to wear any of Olivia's clothes underneath, you may."

Cat made a show of removing and tossing aside the maker made garments that even she had needed on the ice. She retained only her own buckskin loin covering that she had brought from Asearth.

"I have no need of Maker clothes now that ve are off ice. They vill only hinder me. I say ve get rid of everything ve got from the Volf mother. Ve can't hide these things forever. How vill you explain vhen they are discovered?"

Tigan, Camorra and Jorveth all protested at once, refusing to relinquish their gifts. Airy was sympathetic.

"The clothes, rope, tools and other articles we can live without, but not the primary gifts that we have received. The knowledge and power in them far outweighs any risk of discovery. Since we will keep some of the Maker items, we might as well keep them all. I have decided so no more discussion. What we do need to discuss is what explanation we will share with others that is believable. The closer our story is to the truth, the easier it will be to remember and keep consistent. I want to avoid telling the truth about the Makers, that they are mortals and are all dead but one. I'm open to suggestions."

They debated many options. Tigan argued for the truth because it made a riveting story, but Camorra saw the wisdom of Airy's position. The truth was too startling and would upset many within Rikifur unnecessarily, especially the priests, whose power in Rikifurian society was based on the Maker myths. Cat and Jorveth expressed indifference, but everyone agreed to abide by the parameters they developed. Simplicity made it the most attractive option.

At all costs, they would keep the significance of Tigan's ring and the two books a secret and pretend they were ordinary items of no remarkable value. For the rest of the gear, they would admit it was made by the Makers, but they would say they found the items in a cave in the mountains far to the north.

"Is everyone satisfied with that?" asked Airy.

Tigan spoke up in response as she glared at Cat.

"I'm satisfied whit' t'e story but not wit' t'is Cat."

"Vhat is your problem, old Skunk?"

"Problems. Plural, and t'ey are wit' you. You keep too many secrets. What gift did Olivia give you? You never did tell us t'at."

Deeply personal to her, Cat's gift was not up for discussion.

"She gave me beating, and I returned the favor. That vas enough gift for me."

"I also received no gift," stated Airy hoping to end the argument, though her assertion was not quite true.

Cat smiled wickedly.

"Vell? Vhat else you got?"

Unsatisfied by Cat's answer but content to have placed the suspicion about the cagey feline in everyone's minds, Tigan pressed on to her second complaint.

"You t'ink I don't listen to what you say? Earlier, you left me out o' your list of secret keepers and lumped me wit' t'e Horse. Tell me t'at was a mistake, or you'll answer for it. I've kept more secrets t'an you'll ever know."

"That vas no mistake, old Skunk. You already demonstrated vhat a big mouth you have to the Bear and the Volf qveen telling them about..."

Cat closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head as if to clear it of cobwebs. Tigan was too enraged to notice Cat's distress.

"Big mouth?! I'll give you a big hole in yer belly, Cat. Don't t'ink I can't."

Ever the Diplomat, Camorra put herself between the two quarrelling females.

"Fighting isn't helpful. You need to talk and listen to understand. Cat, what did Tigan tell Olivia and Isven?"

Cat started to push Camorra aside.

"I don't need your help to deal vith this overgrown rodent."

She stopped when a shiny, bronze throwing blade appeared in Tigan's right paw. Growling low and menacing, Tigan bared her teeth at Cat.

"Rodent, eh? I'll be wearin' yer pelt, Miss arrogance, if you don't take t'at back."

Upon seeing the blade, Camorra stepped back. The gleaming steel of Airy's Maker made sword appeared to take her place. Knowing that Cat and Tigan were both efficient killers that Airy could not deal with at the same time, Jak instantly backed her up with his own sword.

"I'll kill the first of you to draw blood," said Airy with deadly conviction. "Camorra's right. Fighting is pointless, and it makes us vulnerable and weak. Leave the name calling to kits, pups and cubs. Act like the adults you supposedly are. Tigan, stow that knife, now!"

Airy waited, watching until the dagger vanished again with a quick flick of Tigan's wrist.

To Cat, Airy demanded, "Tell us why you think Tigan is unable to keep a secret, or shut up and stand down."

Cat kept her eyes locked with Tigan's for several heartbeats, then relaxed slightly.

"She told them about you and..., about Jak and..."

Again, she could not find the words to complete her thought. Tigan was impatient and misinterpreted Cat's difficulty as more deliberate cruelty.

"T'eir what? Just say what you mean!"

Airy began to understand what was happening and so did Jak. Only they knew of Olivia's mental tampering.

"Cat. It's irrelevant. We've all agreed on our cover story, and we are who we are with various strengths and weaknesses. Everyone is important to our success: you, Tigan, Camorra, Jorveth, Jak; even the ferals. Let's just stick together and adapt to whatever happens. We need you to scout the land ahead and find safe paths for us to travel. Will you drop this pointless fight and do that?"

Though phrased as a question, Airy's tone made it an order. Cat had not forgotten her agreement to either follow Airy's commands or leave the group. It was a promise that she had made to Jak also in the moose pond back in Storfay. Anger and frustration over her inability to speak her thoughts made her want to lash out and run, but she was too close to having Jak to give up now.

"Something is not right here," she absently touched her head. "But I vill do my part. Just make sure everyone else does theirs."

The irate feline stalked off to the south to begin her duty.

Despite the stealth of their scout, there was still great peril moving through Wolf territory with a group their size. Hiding their tracks and avoiding settlements in a land with which they were unfamiliar was a challenge equal to any they had faced thus far.

Cat moved about unseen and explored all of the land before them to pick the safest routes. When necessary, she checked behind to make sure they were not being followed. Jak knew that Cat had killed many Wolves during her life before they had met and likely would again without remorse. Because he didn't want to know the answer, he avoided asking whether she encountered any Wolf scouts or pursuers. As if in silent understanding, Cat never offered any account of her movements other than to tell them where it was safest to travel.

There was one subject, though, that Jak was compelled to discuss with Cat. Arguments with Airy over this subject proved indecisive with Airy against and Jak in favor. Jak feared that when Cat eventually discovered the truth about Olivia's mental tinkering on her own, her response would be irrational and detrimental to their survival, especially if she suspected Jak and Airy had known all along.

Thus, several weeks into their crossing of Wolf country, Jak left the group on the pretense of conducting some scouting of his own. It was near dusk on a day of constant light rain. The others were preparing an evening meal and erecting one of the Maker's light, weatherproof, portable shelters. About a mile from camp, Jak waited under an ancient, lone cedar tree that grew on a small island of undisturbed soil and bedrock at the edge of a gravel choked, braided stream. It was a place where few other trees grew. Expansive views of the local valley made this a likely spot for Cat to visit.

He knew that if he waited long enough, Cat would find him and seek his company. He was not disappointed. Nor was he surprised that he did not hear or smell her coming until she sat next to him. In addition to the view, he had chosen this spot because the tree provided some shelter from the rain, letting only a few annoying drops penetrate its dense canopy every few minutes. Cat shook the excess moisture from her fur, playfully wetting Jak, who watched satisfied as the moisture beaded up and ran off his Maker made clothes.

"Looking for company, my little Volf?"

The lust in Cat's voice was unmistakable if familiar.

"Not that kind."

Cat pouted, but kept her paws to herself.

"Vhy not?"

"There is...I have something I need to discuss with you."

"Then talk vhile ve make love. I am lonely. You must be, too. I have not smelled sex of bunyic on you since before ice trek. It must be hard not having her."

Her double entendre almost made him laugh aloud. Weeks without sex were indeed a hardship, and he often awoke with an erection that he could not satisfy. Being made young in body again by Olivia only made the condition worse. Cat was willing and she was there alone with him. In his days as chief of Blackrock Pack, that would have been enough to tempt him even though she was a different species. With difficulty, he suppressed the old instincts that tempted him to accept what she offered.

"That's related to what I want talk about."

"Truly?"

Cat's interest was piqued. Her hopes for possessing him rose. Jak perceived her buoyant mood and cursed his own clumsy approach for making this harder. Being direct was the best way to deal with her. He vowed to be blunt and prepared himself for the storm of fury that would likely follow.

"It's not what you think or want. In truth, I'm sure you won't like any of what I'm going to tell you. This is about why your words fail you when you try to speak of my romance with Airy in front of others."

Her posture and demeanor shifted subtly, but unmistakably, towards anger. Jak attempted to appear calm, as though he was unaware of the change, while he readied himself for her expected reaction.

"Vhat do you know about that?"

"Everything."

He hadn't expected his answer to calm her. Signs of increasing tension in her body were everywhere: lips curled back exposing teeth, fur standing up from her body, and claws protruding from their sheaths.

"Then tell me."

"I will, but you must understand something first."

"Vhat?"

"Airy had nothing to do with this, and neither did I. It was Olivia acting on her own."

A snarl preceded the full extension of her claws. With each passing second, she was becoming more dangerous, but there was no turning back now. Jak continued to remain outwardly dispassionate as he prepared to do what he must to stop her from running away.

"Vhat did that bitch do to me?"

"Nothing worse than what she did to Tigan, Jorveth and Camorra. Olivia removed their memories of this subject from their minds, so they can't speak of it. It's as though they never knew."

Cat was becoming manic with rage. The moment Jak dreaded was imminent.

"And vhat about me?"

"She made no change to your memories. Everything that you have ever known is still there including that Airy and I are lovers. Instead, she put some kind of obstacle in your mind so you can't talk about it except to Airy and me."

Without a word, Cat jumped to her hindpaws intending to run north. Even though he had anticipated this very move, Jak was scarcely able to catch her from behind and take her down onto the soft bed of needles beneath the cedar tree. Surprise was the only reason he succeeded, and that advantage was only his for a few seconds. Wrapping his arms under hers, he gripped his paws together at the back of her neck, pulling backwards to immobilize her. It took all of his exceptional strength to hold her pinned this way with the full weight of his body on hers. For the first time, he was truly grateful to be young again and at his peak strength.

"Listen to me, Cat! Stop struggling, and listen to me! You can't kill Olivia. She's too powerful."

"That treacherous whore had no right."

"She could have done worse. In her mind, she was being kind. If she had tried erasing your memories like she did to the others, it might have driven you mad or made you an idiot."

Cat cared not for Olivia's supposed munificence. Her struggles continued.

"She has stolen my freedom. I can't control my own mind and voice. Let me go. Let me get it back."

Jak grunted and strained against the writhing of her body.

"Killing Olivia won't help, and it's impossible anyway. Her servants will cut you down before you reached her valley."

"Then I'll die. It vill be better."

"Better? When is it ever better to be dead than alive? Listen to me! I know. Once, I wished myself to be dead. I nearly succeeded. Then, I met Airy and found a new reason to live. When I think of the wonders I have seen and the friends that I have made, I'm forever grateful that I failed at dying. I won't let you die that way. I don't want you to die."

All resistance from Cat stopped, which worried Jak more than her thrashing. Was she accepting what he said or preparing to break free? His own muscles were beginning to fatigue. He couldn't hold her much longer if she was determined to escape.

"We need you. We'll never reach Rikifur without you. You're an important part of our team, and...and you are my friend."

Cat was stunned. Not since she was a kitten had anyone called her that.

"Friend? Do you mean that, Jak?"

"Of course. You are more worthy of that title than many Wolves I have known. You are my friend, and I hope I am yours. If so, then listen to your friend's advice: accept what Olivia did and let it go. You are more than the hurts that have been done to you in the past. Don't let yesterday control your present. Don't let it determine your future."

Beneath Jak, taut muscles relaxed and Cat's fur began to lay flat again as she considered his advice. Her hatred of the Maker remained undiminished, but she agreed to herself that attacking Olivia now would be suicide, and death was a permanent solution to a temporary problem. The mental block might be permanent, but Jak and Airy's relationship was temporary. By helping the princess reach her home, Cat was hastening the moment when Jak would be hers. Once Airy and Jak were no longer lovers, the mental block would no longer matter.

Thinking of her future with Jak and feeling his body pressed on top of hers was pleasant and spurred her imagination to wander. Potential tender moments in his loving embrace drifted across her consciousness making her relax further and abandon, for the moment, her desire for revenge. Later, after she had won Jak, she would find an opportunity to get back at Olivia, but at least a brief period of happiness would be hers to enjoy first.

"You are right, and I am convinced. I vill not run avay to kill your bitch qveen. You can release me, but you don't have to get off me. I like having my Volf friend so close."

She sounded sincere enough to Jak that he decided to release his grip slowly while testing her reaction. No sudden moves followed. Instead, she stretched and flexed her arms to regain circulation then folded them under her chin and purred.

"There are many fun things ve can do in this position, Jak. Since I promised that I vould keep my paws off you until ve reach Rikifur, I vill just lie here. If you vish to partake of me, I vill not resist."

Her legs spread slightly as she spoke. It was impossible for him to ignore the sensuality of her body in such close contact to his. He was painfully aware of the feel and smell of her as her essence flooded his senses. Buried instincts and desires for her rose again accompanied by an unbidden physical reaction that Cat could not help but detect.

"Ooh. I like that. Vhatever thoughts you are thinking, puppy, you keep on thinking them."

Growling in frustration, Jak rolled off her onto his back covering his eyes with his paws. Cat turned on her side. That he was aroused by her was obvious, but so was his torment between desiring her and his devotion to Airy. She wanted desperately to force herself on him, but was bound by her vow and kept her paws to herself. Later, but not now when they were so close to the end. Leaning over, she kissed him chastely on his snout and rose to her hindpaws.

"Thank you for telling me truth and stopping me. I consider you friend also."

No time seemed to pass between her last word and the opening of his eyes, but when Jak looked around, she was gone.

Though every day of travel brought them closer to Airy's country, the geography north of Rikifur was a mystery to her. Rabbits rarely ventured here. Content with having driven the Wolves over the wide and swift River Muur many centuries ago, her people mostly left them alone there. Retaliation for Wolf raids was the sole cause for Rabbits to leave Rikifur.

Based on the distances that she could remember covering on the east side of the Earth Spine and with help from Jorveth, she estimated it would take over three months to cross through these hostile woods. Their slow pace was exacerbated by having to travel at the feet of the mountains where the terrain was steep and rugged. Airy wished for horses to speed their journey, but knew they would find none here. Wolves didn't use them, and there was no open prairie for them to graze. She would have to reach Rikifur before she could hope to ride again.

Because progress was slow compared to their recent trip across the ice, the most frequent topic of conversation had been "How much farther to Rikifur?" Airy didn't know and became so sick of the question that she forbade anyone to utter it again. That didn't stop the inquiry from arising, unwelcomed, periodically when everyone grew tired of the constant daily marching and when the fear of being discovered became nearly overwhelming.

To Airy's surprise it was Jak who brought up the issue of their pace as a topic for debate for the final time before they were discovered. Hearing it from her lover didn't make Airy any less angry.

"I'm just stating a fact. Staying in the mountains is slowing us down and making us travel farther than necessary. You said yourself that the river we need to cross runs from southeast to northwest. Fewer days of travel would reduce our risk of discovery. Cat has proven adept as a forward scout. If we cut across to the southwest, we'll reach Rikifur much sooner."

"It's too risky. Travel this way is wearying and tedious but keeps us safe from discovery. It's the same technique we used in Wolf country on the other side of the Earth Spine. I won't fail so close to the end. Jak, you of everyone in this group should be on my side in this."

An unfamiliar and unexpected voice interrupted their argument.

"And isn't that a very curious thing for a Rabbit Princess to say to a Wolf."

Startled, Airy and Jak immediately quit their argument and drew their Maker made swords. Ebusika and her pups growled and moved to surround the source of the voice. Fear of a fight and possible capture put everyone on alert, but no horde of Wolves emerged to surround them.

Instead, a single Fox stepped into their small clearing. He was dressed in practical, but tidy travel clothes colored to blend into the forested background. The quality of each piece from his hat down to his boots was of the finest workmanship.

Like most of his kind, his fur was brownish-red and, though canine, he was shorter than Jak by nearly half a foot. His paws were held open out from his waist to indicate he held no weapon, but the hilt of a sword protruded from a leather scabbard slung from a broad belt at his waist. Airy briefly wondered where the Fox had acquired it. In the West, metal weapons like swords were only made in Rikifur. It was forbidden to sell or trade such weapons to non-Rabbits. Too concerned with the purpose and intent of the stranger, the puzzling thought slipped away.

Airy glanced nervously about looking for more Foxes or Wolves, but no others showed themselves. Aware of her apprehensive search, the Fox raised his paws a little higher.

"I assure you that I am quite alone, Princess. I will not be insulted if you wish to confirm that. I would do the same if I were in your position."

Airy made eye contact with Jak, and with a gentle nod from her, the Wolf slipped into the woods taking the ferals with him. Tigan, Jorveth and Camorra stayed seated, warily watching the exchange between Airy and the stranger. Cat was not present and had been gone far longer than usual while scouting. They had been waiting for her return when the Fox appeared.

"Why do you address me as Princess? Who do you think I am?"

Being a princess here was more dangerous than being an ordinary Rabbit. Airy tried with little success to pretend to be less regal. She was glad that she had put away her surcoat and the remnants of her royal sword. Nothing else she wore other than her fur was indicative of her real background. A knowing grin spread over the vulpine's face.

"Not think. Know. For a while, I had my doubts, but you are the Princess Airiphryone of Rikifur. Of that I am now certain."

An involuntary gasp escaped her lips at hearing her true name spoken openly by a stranger. The Fox's smile widened at the sound of her discomfort, but he doffed his hat with a flourish and bowed courteously before her.

"But where are my manners before royalty? I have not introduced myself. I am Esseff, an ambassador at large for Feneval. I travel amongst the Wolf packs promoting trade and good will among our peoples. May I ask what extraordinary event brings the lost heir to the throne of Rikifur to these lands?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I'm just an ordinary Rabbit lost and..."

"Please, Princess, denying yourself, though wise, will do you no good with me. I have been to the royal court of Rikifur. I saw you then, though you were much younger and probably don't remember me. I was just an assistant ambassador at that time and would have been beneath your notice. You have grown older and acquired some unusual friends, but you have not changed beyond recognition. The faint tiger stripes on your golden pelt are distinctive."

Airy's sleeves were rolled up exposing the fur on her arms.

"I heard your Wolf companion call you Airy, and the others defer to you as they would royalty. I think the evidence is overwhelming, so please dispense with the charade so we can talk. I am hopeful that we can come to some mutually beneficial agreement in these times of turmoil."

"Mutually beneficial...you mean a deal? What are you proposing? Is this some kind of extortion to keep you from betraying us to the Wolves?"

"In order to betray you, we would have to already have some kind of agreement. As it stands, if I were now to turn you over to the local pack chieftain, who would no doubt consider you a great prize, I would not be betraying you. We must establish trust for each other before I can be disloyal to any agreements we may craft."

The Fox had a smooth tongue and a calm, precise manner that irritated Airy. She did not like the way in which he tried to twist her words and mask threats behind pleasant speech. Everything he said was laced with hidden meanings and deception. She was sure of that, though she could not explain exactly why.

Airy was prepared to return his threats in the plainest way she knew, but Camorra rose and moved to stand next to her. The Cow said nothing, but she placed a gentle hand on Airy's forearm. It was enough to make Airy pause and reconsider. Camorra had a gift for dealing with subtleties like this. Airy was not going to let the former slave speak for her, but her presence was enough to moderate her response.

"How would you recommend that we come to trust each other?"

"By sharing, of course."

"Sharing what?"

"Information. The questions of where you have been for the past year, why you are here in Wolf lands, and how you came to be among such diverse company are all of great interest to me. I have many wild and improbable theories warring with each other in my mind. I greatly desire to know the truth."

"What information would you give me in return?"

"It depends on which, if any, of my theories are correct."

The Fox, feeling slightly more welcome, moved further into the clearing with his paws still far from the hilt of his sword.

"It sounds like we are coming close to making a deal. How about this for terms? You answer one of my three questions, and then I will answer a question of yours. We can alternate sharing information until our curiosities are satisfied."

"Why should I go first?"

"I would think that was obvious. You are in the more precarious position. Enemies surround you. I am welcome here and in no danger. If I part company with you none the wiser, I will make it home. Can you say the same, Princess?"

Jak returned at that moment, shaking his head indicating there were no others.

"I found a pack with food and supplies a traveler would carry. There was no sign of anyone else within shouting distance. I sent Ebusika and her brood to scout out further."

The information emboldened Airy. One lone Fox was not much of a threat.

"You're in danger right now, Fox."

Camorra squeezed Airy's arm slightly, but Airy ignored it. The arrogance of this Fox was becoming too much.

"You're alone, and we outnumber you."

"True. That I was willing to reveal myself to you and putting myself at your mercy should be taken as a sign of my sincerity. Now, why would I do that if I meant you harm? Feneval and Rikifur have never been at war. True, you can't say we are good friends either, but enemies? No. My people wish to continue our benign relationship and perhaps enhance it to mutual benefit as current opportunities may allow. If you doubt me, ask your Wolf bodyguard whether I am telling the truth. They are hard to fool."

Jak shrugged in response to Airy's glance in his direction. The pause allowed Camorra to interrupt politely.

"If I may, Princess?"

Relieved that Camorra might better handle this perplexing Fox, she agreed.

"Yes. You may speak."

"Thank you." To Esseff she asked, "You have spoken of both turmoil and opportunity. To what do you refer?"

As if noticing the Cow for the first time, Esseff focused on the bovine.

"And who might you be?"

"I am Camorra, an advisor to the Princess."

The self-promotion was not lost on Airy. They could discuss it later, but she had no objections. Camorra was more patient and thus better suited to deal with the silver-tongued Fox anyway.

The Fox bowed slightly to the Cow.

"The pleasure of this meeting is mine. As to turmoil and opportunity, let that be your question. I shall answer it as soon as one or the other of you answers my first question: where has the Princess been since the volcano first erupted? Almost everyone believes that she is dead. Clearly, she is not. Answer that question, and I shall answer yours. Deal?"

A single, light squeeze of Airy's arm from Camorra signaled she should accept without further argument.

"Very well. I have been traveling through lands on the East side of the Earth Spine."

Esseff's eyebrows rose in astonishment, but he did not interrupt.

"I was at the low pass when the volcano first erupted. To avoid being consumed in the cataclysm, I was forced to cross the high pass alone. I could find no other survivors. With the pass blocked, I had no choice but to travel north and cross over the ice where the Earth Spine ends."

Airy was determined to yield as little information as she could. Hoping he would be satisfied, she paused implying it was his turn, but the Fox remained silent awaiting her to say more, so she kept speaking.

"Along the way, I acquired the traveling companions that you see here. Each one helped me in return for the chance to become a citizen of Rikifur. The journey was long and difficult. Certain encounters delayed me, or I would have returned sooner. I believe that answers your question. It's your turn now."

"You have an amazing knack for understatement, Princess. I venture that there's a most remarkable untold story behind that journey. I'm all ears if you wish to tell it in more detail."

His large, fuzzy ears wiggled as he spoke. Two quick squeezes from Camorra bid Airy to remain silent. In truth, Airy did want to recount her tale to someone, but this was neither the place nor the audience for that.

Esseff waited, but upon seeing that Airy was resolute, he sighed.

"Pity. Perhaps when we are close friends and allies in a safe and comfortable setting, you will regale me with your grand adventure. I look forward to that."

The Fox glanced at Jak, knowing the Wolf could sense lies.

"Being an honest Fox, I shall now uphold my part of the bargain to discuss what I meant by turmoil, though it grieves me to do so."

Distress clouded his formerly smug expression as he held his hat in front of his chest and fell dramatically to his knees at Airy's paws. This strange, new attitude worried Airy and filled her with foreboding.

"It is clear to me now that you have been out of contact with Rikifur and the entire West for more than two years. Am I right in assuming that you know nothing of events in Rikifur since your involuntary exile?"

_"Two years!"_thought Airy to herself. Jorveth had been right. It was shocking to have lost so much time, but she was grateful it had not been longer, and because the Fox had unwittingly given her free information. She was not about to let him know that.

"It's not my turn to answer questions."

"Wisely answered, Princess."

Esseff paused as if unsure what to say. A lack of confidence seemed out of character.

"What incredible twist of fate put me here to deliver these tidings, I don't know, but I beg of you, Princess, do not hold ill will against this humble messenger for the terrible news that I must deliver."

The palpable distress in his voice increased Airy's apprehension. Either Esseff was an excellent actor, which was not a far-fetched concept, or something truly terrible had happened in Rikifur. She braced herself for the worst news she could imagine, but the reality was far more terrible.

"The King...your father...is dead."

As if hit by a physical blow, she staggered backwards a step and gasped for air. Camorra's steadying hands helped keep her from collapsing in despair. No assault or injury she had suffered on her long journey home was as grievous or painful to bear as this wretched news. Tears welled in her eyes, but she desperately fought them determined to show no weakness.

Nevertheless, her pain was obvious to everyone present. Jak longed to console her by holding her in his arms, but he dared not. Expressions of love and affection between them would reveal too much about their relationship to this enigmatic stranger. Esseff also looked upon her with pity and wondered if he should give her some time alone with her companions.

What Airy did next, though, surprised them both. Despite her small size, she hefted the Fox up off his knees and dragged him, with the heels of his boots scraping the ground, towards Jak. The helpless vulpine gasped and sputtered as he struggled futilely against her. Airy ignored his entreaties for release and clutching him tightly, held him in front of Jak for assessment.

"Tell me he's lying, Jak. Tell me, please."

She was hysterical with grief and not in her right mind. Jak wished he could give her the answer that she desired but there was no scent of lie from the Fox. It pained him greatly to tell her so. Airy then released Esseff, who fell to the ground as Airy sank to her knees weeping openly. Camorra embraced the mourning Princess while Jak helped Esseff to his hindpaws.

"I'm sorry," said Jak. "The Princess loved her father..."

Esseff made a show of brushing dirt and leaf litter from his pants.

"It's quite alright. I am unharmed, and I understand. There was a similar outpouring of grief among much of the populace of Rikifur. Though not as emotional, we mourned his passing in Feneval. He was a good king who treated us more equitably than many of his predecessors."

Camorra tactfully intervened to give Airy time to recover by asking an obvious question.

"How and when did it happen?"

"The when is easy. He died during the second, massive explosion of the volcano that spread its ruin across the land. Against the wishes of his advisors, he insisted on visiting the spot where his favorite daughter and first-born had died in the initial eruption. They were close enough to the blast that most, but not all of the party was wiped out by the debris and choking ash that swept down from the mountains."

That day was forever a part of Airy's memory already. The eruption had halted the Aarosht and likely saved Jak's life in his fight with General Moordenaar. What a terrible contortion of fate it was that the same fateful event stole her father from her.

"How he died, though, that is in question. It was claimed by the few who returned from the king's ill-fated expedition that your father was caught in the debris flow. Some doubted that story based on what happened afterward."

"And what was that?" Airy managed to ask after controlling her emotions.

"Hmmm. I have just provided an answer to your question. Though tragic in the extreme, it is useful news that will affect where you go and what you do next. I have more such news, but let's continue honoring our deal. My second question is already answered in part, but I shall be generous and ask it again nonetheless. Why are you in Wolf territory? It is the shortest route home for you, but also the most dangerous. You could have traveled west to my country and made yourself known to us. Do you trust Wolves more than Foxes?"

Airy had never made all of her reasons clear regarding the route she chose. Ignorance of the geography was but one reason. Rikifur was not oblivious to all of what was north of them. The general outline of the borders of the Fox and Wolf territories were known to her.

"Please do not insult me, Ambassador. Though I don't recall you, I do remember the many treaties that we have had with your kind and the endless series of broken promises that accompanied them. Many times your fellow ambassadors promised to stay neutral in our feud with the Wolves, but we know that you have supplied them with weapons and support. Your spies have constantly probed our country in a desperate attempt to steal the secret of steel. So please pardon me when I say that your people's past actions left me uncertain how they might behave if a person with my high ransom potential showed up on their doorstep helpless and alone. I apologize for the brutal honesty of my response, but I am only honoring our agreement to answer truthfully."

"You make a fine verbal sparring partner, Princess, though I think that you would make an even better ally. Therefore, I will accept your answer and provide more news if that is how you wish to use your next question."

Airy nodded that it was."

"Brace yourself, then, because it is as equally distressing as my previous news. When you hear it, you will likely realize why I am so keen to engage you in diplomatic relations."

Esseff paused again possibly for effect and possibly because he was reluctant to upset Airy further. Whether or not anything could be worse than her father's death, Airy would not break down again. She was a Queen of Rikifur now, and she was resolved to act accordingly to represent her people.

"Rikifur has been torn asunder by civil war since the death of your father."

That was appalling news, but this time Airy revealed no emotion and waited for the Fox to say more.

"The priests instantly anointed your brother, Andre, as King since you were presumed dead. By law he is the logical heir..."

Esseff paused again briefly showing mild embarrassment.

"I am truly sorry if this gives offense, he is not the most suitable ruler."

Airy's lack of angry response emboldened him.

"To be brutally frank, he is weak and easily manipulated. The priests and those aligned with them have kept him isolated and virtually imprisoned since his coronation. He is a puppet king. I don't think anyone really believes that he is issuing the sweeping edicts that are changing the political landscape of Rikifur."

"Changing it, how?"

"For the worse, I assure you: more conservative and in line with their xenophobic, religious doctrine; open war against the Wolves; alteration of the succession rules to prohibit females from gaining the throne as you would have done had you not died so conveniently for them and inconveniently for the rest of us; an elevation of one of their own to the advisor class to the King; proclamations that essentially declare Rabbits as the highest of all the peoples with the divine will of the Great Maker behind them giving them justification to conquer and rule others. There are more equally unpleasant new rules and pronouncements.

"The priests have declared the volcano to be an instrument of the will of the Great Maker demanding these changes. Your death was cited as proof that you were an aberration and never meant to be Queen. The ruin that the volcano's eruption visited on large portions of your country were seen by many as divine punishment, and those same people believe that only by obeying the priests can they hope to avoid similar retribution in the future. That gives the priests more power than ever before. They are using it to twist your country into an expansionist theocracy where there is no room for any other races except as slaves."

The commonalities of this new order with Storfay were frightening. She could not imagine her country thus. Surely there were those who opposed this evil and fought to return Rikifur to its belter self.

"You said civil war. Does the other side support my family and a return to the traditional ways?"

"I am afraid not, Princess. The opposite is true. Your family is still of use to the priests, so they support the monarchy. Your puppet king brother is too convenient of a legitimizing instrument for their power to throw away, so they promote your family and claim to be the upholders of tradition and stability while they turn your country upside down. The other dominant faction is more honest in their approach, but they want to do away with the monarchy completely and substitute it with a parliament of nobles who would choose their own leader. Under their rule, dynastic succession would end forever. There would of course still be a ruling class of nobles and elites."

Insuppressible anger seethed in Airy, and it showed in the tensing of her body and the rage in her face. Esseff sensed it and stepped back a pace to avoid being a victim of her temper again.

"How dare they!"

Two quick squeezes from Camorra helped Airy curb her temper while silently grinding her teeth. Esseff watched the interaction between the females with interest. He was eager to understand the relationships the Princess had formed with her companions. This was the most unusual entourage he had ever seen. If he hoped to succeed in gaining advantage for Feneval and himself, he had to learn their secrets without revealing his. Could he trust them the way he hoped they would trust him?

"Yes. It's obvious that neither side would welcome you back, Princess. Much of the priest's power is based on you being dead. They would certainly kill you if they knew you were alive, perhaps not in public, but they would find a way to make you have an accident. Many Rabbits and my own people strongly suspect the priests killed your father to take control. Regicide is not beyond them.

"As for the anti-monarchists, I think it is obvious what they would do with you. Take solace in this though: you were perceived before your death by most of your people and those who pay attention outside of Rikifur as a strong and competent future leader. Common wisdom held that you would be an even better monarch than your father. When you return, you will be a serious threat to either side if you can gather enough support before the others act against you."

"What of the rest of my family, my other brothers and sisters?"

"Also held closely by the priests and their supporters to ensure they don't cause any trouble. They are safe for the moment, but there is no telling when their value to the legitimacy of the priest's power will end. I suspect that the moment they become a liability, they will all suffer unfortunate accidents."

"Are there other factions?"

"Yes, but they are all small, weak, marginalized or neutral in this fight. The priests rule the capitol and the southern half of the country. The anti-royalists control the north. All the other factions exist in small, underground pockets of resistance within Rikifur or have been pushed outside the traditional boundaries of your country entirely. It is one of these latter groups that will be of the most interest and value to you, Princess."

"What is this group? For what or whom do they fight?"

"They are more of a cult than a legitimate army and few in number, but they do have some of the best cavalry. I think with your appearance, their numbers could grow into a respectable force provided you have time and outside help."

"Why should I be interested in a cult? It seems the priests and other religious zealots have their own agendas. I can't see how their interests would coincide with mine."

"Don't discount everyone just because they are driven by mystical beliefs. It is the object of this cult's worship that should be of interest to you, Princess."

"Which is what?"

"Not what, who."

"All right. Who then?

"You."

Aghast, Airy blurted, "What?"

"It's true. They are convinced that you still live. Their leader has been preaching your return for over a year saying the Great Maker saved you from the volcano and will deliver you back when the time is right. Though I had previously discounted them as a bunch of powerless crackpots, it seems they are right. Bizarre isn't it? I guess even delusional fools can sometimes hold the truth.

"But, whether they are delusional or divinely inspired as they claim, they are your means to reclaim your throne. In times like these when people suffer the depredations and dislocations of constant war, people look for miracles. They pray for miracles to bring back the good old days. Your return will be seen as divine intervention and the answer to their prayers. Much of the general population would likely rally to your side if they thought you could win. They need a leader, and a reason to fight."

If what the Fox was telling Airy was true, then his suggestion made sense. Though she no longer believed in a Great Maker as a source of her power, she would use this opportunity if she could to heal her country and make it whole again.

"Where is this cult, and who is its leader?"

"Not so fast. I think it is my turn for another question first."

Airy growled in frustration. The information the Fox was providing was invaluable to her, and Jak had indicated no sign that Esseff was lying. In the short time they had been talking, everything about her future and what she had planned had changed irrevocably. She needed his cooperation.

"Fine. Ask your question."

"I want to know all about your companions; specifically what their relationship is to you. Most of all I want to know how you came to have a Wolf in your service. A Wolf and Rabbit as allies is beyond unheard of and into the realm of the unique. There is no love lost between your races. Everyone knows that."

"The Wolf is Jak. He saved my life and I saved his. In return for his help, I have promised him a place in Rikifur. Now that I am queen, there shall be no question of his admittance."

"That title is rightfully yours, but you will have to fight for it, Princess. You need allies. Though you need more, it seems that you have already begun to cultivate some."

Esseff glanced at Jak as he spoke.

"This Wolf named Jak may be of more value than you imagined, especially if he is more than you have revealed."

"What do you mean?"

"I am well steeped in Wolf culture. Unless they have diverged significantly in the East, he is or was a chief."

"Why do you say that?"

"He is wearing that blood paw amulet. Only chiefs are allowed to do that. So, why then, I wonder, is he using a pup's name instead of a proper warrior name?"

The Fox was observant and clever. He had told her much that she needed to know, but she was unready to trust him with too much information until she understood his motives and goals. There was an uncomfortable silence that Camorra filled with a distracting question.

"Does it matter who or what he is? Do any of us matter besides the Princess?"

Esseff became mildly peeved at her question.

"It matters a lot. It is clear that our level of trust is still low despite how forthcoming I have been with information that is vital to your future and safety. You need more convincing to trust me."

Beckoning Jak to come near, the Fox continued.

"I shall make a statement of my honest intentions. Jak, or whatever his true name is, shall determine the truth of what I say. Then perhaps we can speak more openly. Do you agree?"

Airy looked to Camorra, who nodded, and then to Jak.

"Can you tell when he is being truthful?"

"I think so. So far, he has not lied much or has only exaggerated some things. I suspect that he may not be an ambassador as claimed. That had the greatest smell of a lie about anything he has said. All of what he has described about Rikifur so far appears to be true. His sorrow for distressing you with the bad news was genuine. Remember, though, that my senses are not infallible. According to his own admission, this Fox has spent a great deal of time among Wolves and may have learned how to cheat our senses."

Camorra added, "Mistress, I have spent much time in the...in my previous position participating in similar negotiations. I do not have Jak's native abilities, but my experience has helped me become a decent judge of character and honesty. I agree with Jak's assessment, and respectfully suggest you let him set forth his intentions so that together, Jak and I may judge his sincerity."

Esseff observed this exchange closely to ferret out clues concerning the roles each member of Princess Airy's entourage played. When Airy nodded her agreement for him to proceed, Esseff drew a breath to calm himself. He did know some tricks to fool a Wolf's senses, and wished he had thought to use them earlier to hide his gaff about being an ambassador. Still, tricks were unnecessary since what he was about to say was the truth as he felt it in his heart even if he did not necessarily have the authority to deliver on everything he was going to promise.

"The current affairs in Rikifur are not conducive to my people's best interests. Both the priests and the anti-royalists have expressed their intent to expand the realm once they are victorious. Your land is densely populated compared to the Packlands, and many Rabbits have greedily eyed Wolf lands for expansion for centuries. Your royal forbearers have fought to keep your borders static countering the expansionists who now fight to rule.

"The Wolves will be the first target of their aggression, but we have no doubt they will eventually attack Feneval. We are also not a populous a nation, and like the Wolves lack the resources to repel such an attack. Aware of this threat already, the Wolves are contemplating an invasion of Rikifur to take advantage of its civil war. I doubt if they will succeed. They are too disunited, but such a move by them would no doubt hurt the anti-royalists the most and ensure victory by the priests. That is the worse outcome for Feneval. The anti-royalists are pragmatic and would likely expand southward rather than northward if Feneval and the Wolves combined to resist them. The priests are bigoted zealots who see all other races as a scourge on the earth. They would not stop no matter what the cost of victory, because their desire is genocide. Feneval has been searching desperately for a way to resolve this situation in our favor.

"And then you appear, unlooked for but welcome indeed. You could be the answer to end the war quickly and restore the balance that we enjoyed for centuries. Perhaps you will even see fit to reward those who helped you by agreeing to favorable changes to the long-standing policies between our nations. In exchange for promises to do what you can to help my people, I will ensure that you reach this cult. From there, I will do whatever I can to bring forth armies from among the Wolves and Foxes to help you reclaim your throne."

Finished, Esseff crossed his arms over his chest and awaited their judgment.

"I detect no lie," said Jak, adding no more.

Airy looked to Camorra for her analysis.

"I also believe he is telling the truth, but many things about his proposal concern me. He is vague regarding the details of what kind of policy and governmental changes he wants in return for his help. Also, we need to know if he is truly an ambassador or not who can speak for his people."

Airy was in agreement with their assessments. Esseff was a slippery character, but everything he said made sense.

"Those are fair questions, Camorra, but I am concerned most of all with his proposal to use Wolf and Fox armies to attack my own people. How will I win the love and trust of my subjects doing that? How will I control such an army?"

She spoke directly to the Fox.

"What would stop them from turning on me when I have victory?"

"I am not a general. Those will be your problems. The details are something that we would have to consider later. As to policy changes, I cannot expect to hold you to ill-defined promises. I only ask that you promise to be generous to your allies and negotiate in good faith with them when you are restored to your throne. As to my ambassadorial powers, I can also not be held to detailed promises. I cannot promise that Feneval or the Wolves will help or know for certain what they may demand in return for their help. As I have asked of you, I will uphold my part of the agreement to do whatever is within my power and abilities to ensure you succeed."

The expression on Airy's face was skeptical and gave Esseff pause.

"Before you decide, Princess, consider this. You will not find a better offer from anyone in these lands. Our interests coincide making us perfect allies. I can see no down side for you or me. You need to make a bold move, and so do I. Life is like a game of poker and our lives are the ante. The pot is worth far more than the ante, which we all lose eventually when we play our last hand. Bluff, cheat, trust to luck and leverage what skill you have to win. We are both fighting against long odds, but the spoils of victory are huge."

There was a silence as Airy looked inward to herself to make this decision and not to the advice of others. Jak and Camorra remained quiet knowing it was Airy's decision and responsibility.

Calling the odds against success long was an understatement, but she could see no other route for her to follow than to take Esseff's help at least as far as being reunited with loyal subjects who would fight for her. After that, if he could be helpful in some way, she would use him as best she could. If it were in her power and interest to forge new alliances and reshape the political landscape, she would do that, too. There was too much uncertainty in her mind still to plan the future any better than that.

She held out her right paw to the Fox.

"I accept your offer of help, and I promise to return your help in kind to the best of my abilities."

Eager to cement the deal, Esseff grasped her paw and shook it.

"Excellent. I swear also to honor all of the promises I have made. Now please continue the introductions, beginning by telling me more about Jak."

Having no further justification to withhold all information about themselves, Airy let Camorra explain what she knew of White Paw's history and exile, the sanitized version of Airy and Jak's rescue by Cat, their encounter with and escape from Storfay, and their crossing of the ice. Camorra deliberately left out Jorveth's importance to the Juht and their meeting with Olivia. She did mention Isven, but explained his role as that of a chance encounter that helped resupply their dwindling food stores and guided them around the Earth Spine.

Esseff paid close attention and continuously peppered Camorra for more details. The Cow did a masterful job of weaving a complete tale while avoiding giving away information she instinctively understood needed to be kept secret: knowledge of Olivia and the Makers in particular. As agreed, when Esseff commented on some of their Maker technology that he so astutely observed, she told him they had found it in a hidden cache far to the north. That engendered a thousand more questions, but they all feigned ignorance of the origins of the marvelous items and explained it as a gift from the Maker to help Airy regain her throne.

When Camorra finished, the Fox pondered what he had heard.

"Gifts from the Maker will add credence to your divine authority, which can only help your cause. Finding them was stroke of great luck. Having a Wolf on your side is also a boon. It's a pity, though, that Jak is no longer a chief. His standing and influence with the Wolf chiefs here would be greater. They are more likely to listen to a fellow leader than an outcast no matter how important he once was."

Jak, Airy and Camorra exchanged glances. Airy spoke up in Jak's defense.

"That will not be a problem when the time comes."

"What do you mean?"

"We have not told you everything about ourselves. No offense, but some things will remain our secret to divulge when we think the time is right. However, I think that part of our secret will reveal itself eventually. Jak, remove your shirt and show Esseff. I know you hate wearing so much clothing anyway."

Jak did as Airy asked, and the shock she witnessed on Esseff's smug face was worth giving up this secret. Esseff moved close to Jak to inspect the blood red paw that adorned his chest.

"May I touch it?"

Jak shrugged, and Esseff probed the fur to satisfy himself that it was a natural coloration and not dye.

"This is a most fortuitous birthmark. I have never seen anything like it. Blood Paw is worshipped by the Wolves as the first chief and thus the chief of all chiefs. Of course, you know that. This mark on your chest...well, that will sway opinions for certain. Have you had it since birth?"

"Would you believe me if I told you that the Maker gave me this mark to be her champion to lead all the Wolves to glory?"

Esseff's laugh was loud and genuine. He was becoming fond of this unusual Wolf and wondered what he would look like without the rest of his unusual clothes.

"You surprise me, Jak. I didn't think you were capable of humor. I don't believe in Makers intervening in our daily affairs, but that is a fine tale to use to impress the other Wolves. We can improve our odds greatly with a scam...let's call it a story...like that. It is wise that you showed me the mark. I can plan our inevitable dealings with the Wolves better."

Esseff's paws wandered over Jak's chest a little longer than necessary, and the Fox gave Jak a sly and flirtatious glance before he returned his attention to the Princess.

"Continuing in that vein of information sharing, please tell me about the missing member of your party. I am talking about the Cat."

Confounded by the Fox's ability to unravel secrets, Airy stuttered, unable to reply.

"Don't bother to deny her existence. I was aware of her before I presented myself to you. I do not fault you for leaving her out of your introductions. She is an excellent asset to keep secret. Besides, I have misled you twice as much."

"How so?"

"I have two secret companions to you one. Your Cat is very difficult to track, and she is capable of ruthless acts of violence as the job requires. I felt it best to keep her occupied while we talked. I think you can understand why I didn't feel safe with her about. My associates have been leading her on a merry delaying chase. It is past the time we agreed that they would let themselves be caught. They should be here shortly."

"You seem to have known a lot about us before we even met. How did a mere ambassador manage that?"

"My associates are very good at tracking and...investigating. It is lucky for you that we stumbled upon you before the Wolves did. They might not have taken the time to talk to you and think about the advantages of keeping you alive. As it stands, I can help you avoid disadvantageous encounters with the Wolves and possibly secure your safe passage even if we are discovered before we reach your supporters."

There was no higher power guiding her. She knew that now, but old habits led her to thank the Maker anyway for sending her this Fox as a helper. His trustworthiness was uncertain, but as long as he continued to keep them out of the Wolf packs' paws, he was a godsend. Still, questions regarding his motives needed answers. The abrupt return of Cat with two Fox prisoners in tow prevented her from pursuing further interrogation.

The newcomers had their wrists tied behind their backs with cord that Cat held tightly with one paw as she shoved them forward into the clearing. More akin to the manner of Wolves rather than like Esseff, they wore only loin coverings colored to blend in with the natural surroundings. Their fur was covered with a motley mixture of reds, browns, grays and black giving them natural camouflage that was perfect for the forest or any shadowy place. Significantly younger than Esseff, they appeared to be teenagers, who were nearly identical to each other except for being of opposite sexes.

The prisoners stopped abruptly at a tug on the cord from Cat when she noticed Esseff. A puzzled expression preceded her report to Airy.

"I caught these two tracking us. They vere sneaky, but could not escape me. How did you catch this other Fox?"

Esseff laughed at Cat before answering her question.

"They were not caught, friend Cat, and neither was I."

To the young Foxes he said, "Good work, Mislei and Glic. You have earned a reward. You may have a break and something to eat. I'm sure our new friends will share."

As though they had not been shackled at all, the cords fell from their wrists, and the two young Foxes strolled casually over to sit by Jorveth and Tigan. Food disappeared into their mouths as if they hadn't eaten in days. Their easy escape from their bonds and their casual consumption of what Cat considered her food stirred the rage within her that always lurked just beneath the surface. The fur on the back of her neck stood out and her claws extended.

"Vhat is going on here?"

Airy secretly enjoyed seeing the smug feline perplexed, but was shrewd enough not to let it show.

"It's OK, Cat. We've all been out-foxed. Pardon the colloquialism, Esseff."

The Fox smiled at her joke and bowed slightly accepting it in good humor as Airy continued.

"This Fox has offered to help us, and has provided valuable information about Rikifur."

Esseff approached Cat.

"My apologies...um, I did not get your name."

"And you never vill. It's mine to keep or give to any I find vorthy."

Camorra attempted to explain.

"She is known as Cat in our group."

"Well, Cat, did my associates keep you entertained while I opened negotiations with the Princess?"

Understanding that she had been duped, Cat snarled at Esseff. Airy intervened by stepping between them to prevent violence.

"Don't hurt him, Cat. He's here to help guide us through these lands. There are people in Rikifur he knows who are friendly to me. I'll explain the politics later. Unless I say otherwise, Esseff, Mislei and Glic are now members of our group deserving the same protection as the rest of us."

Cat's menacing posture did not abate, but Esseff dared approached closer to her anyway.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, at last Cat. I've been admiring your handiwork for several days. You are not easy to find or follow. We may never have known your little party had passed at all if we had not stumbled upon the Wolf scout you killed. My associates are very in touch with death. Even a someone fresh kill attracts their attention. The boy is Glic, by the way, and the girl is Mislei."

Mislei and Glic's ears swiveled back at their mention, but their eating never slowed. Tigan was impressed by their appetite.

"We didn't all eat t'is much in a day on t'e ice."

"What can I say? They're teenagers, and they never stop moving, except to eat and sleep."

Cat walked over to the kits and pushed them aside roughly to help herself to what was left of the meal. When the Foxes eagerly reached for more, she growled at them and flashed her claws. They leaned away and waited eagerly for her to finish. Their large, round eyes remained fixed, hungrily, on the dwindling supply of food. Tigan cackled hysterically.

"You two should not be afraid of t'is overgrown house cat. Here. Have t'is."

A bag full of dried, exotic fruits from Olivia's valley landed in the teen's laps. Suspicious at first of the strange food, they sniffed it and took tentative test nibbles. They then began shoveling the mix into their mouths when they discovered how sweet and delicious it was. The kits were still eating when Esseff began to drag them away to send them out to scout the safest path through the Wolf pack lands.

"As I said, they never stop moving, and I have work for them to do. Am I safe to assume that you will now let me guide this group to your supporters? It means a change of course to the southwest. Cat is free to continue to help scout ahead to ensure I am not leading you into a trap."

Moving deeper into the populated portions of Wolf country made Airy nervous, but she now had more scouts who were familiar with this land. Their progress would be faster, and she was more eager than ever to be among her own people now that she knew of the political upheaval in her country.

"Yes. We will follow where you lead."

"You two did excellent work delaying Cat. She is dangerous, and if she had been sneaking about, she probably would have killed me before I could reach the Princess. Did you discover her secret of moving about so stealthily?"

"No, boss," answered Glic. "Neither of us working alone could have kept her occupied. We found her by scent and what little tracks she left behind. Otherwise, it was like she was invisible."

"She is crazy fast, too, boss," interrupted Mislei. "She almost caught us early several times. Are all Cats like her?"

Esseff scratched his chin.

"I don't know. There are none left in the West to my knowledge. Whether she is or not, she's a potential threat to our interests."

"You want her eliminated, boss?"

Glic grinned with feral glee at the prospect. Mislei shared his anticipation.

"No. Not unless I cannot find another way to neutralize her. Her potential value to me is just a s great. No killing unless I say so. Understood?"

"Yes, boss," they replied in unison.

"Good. Always remember that as long as you obey me, you share in my success. Great rewards await us if we pull this off, but there are tasks that need completing first. Mislei, you will scout ahead working with Cat to take us down the known safe paths and keep us clear of Wolf scouts and patrols. Glic, you will visit the following five packs: Midnight, Long Fang, Spirit, Raven and Waterfall. They are all on our way, more or less, and they are the largest and most important Packs.

"Convince the chiefs to meet us at Border Pack. Do not tell them about the Princess or anyone in this traveling group. My name won't help much, since I'm not an official ambassador. Use the name of any other Fox with clout you know to convince them that we have an urgent opportunity to influence the civil war in Rikifur to our mutual advantage. Lie and coerce if you have to, but get them there."

"Yes, boss."

"Now go, the both of you."

Esseff sat on a fallen tree for a while after his associates departed considering his options and possible future outcomes of his machinations. Many unknowns troubled his thoughts, yet the entire enterprise held great promise. If he succeeded, his fortunes would increase beyond what he ever thought possible. No longer would he be a lowborn spy executing the dangerous and distasteful but necessary tasks of his betters. Instead, he would rise in the rigid hierarchy of Feneval to a position of power and prominence. He would become one of his betters and surpass many who now looked down on him with distaste. What a joy it would be to have them mewling at his hindpaws for scraps.

On the other paw, if he failed, he would be put to death. Daring something as audacious as trying to direct the future political landscape without permission held more risk than anything he had ever attempted before. If his plans came to naught, he would have no choice but to flee for his life.

Exile, though, wouldn't necessarily be a fatal consequence. Learning of the Princess' adventures had awoken a desire within him to explore other lands and meet new people besides the Wolves and Rabbits that were his closest neighbors. What else was there back in Feneval for him anyway? Thus far, his life among his own kind had not been pleasant. Having been mired at the bottom of Fox society because he was born and orphaned in the slums left him few options. To improve his life, he chose to twist the survival skills he learned in his harsh puppyhood to benefit those in power. They rewarded him by making him a spy and an assassin. It was a better life, but not by much, and a price came with it. A taint of evil stained his very soul. It was more than a mere discoloration; it was an indelible tattoo that he could never remove, no matter how high he rose. He would always be a murderer and a thief. He longed to be more than that, but even if all of his wild schemes bore fruit, he was not assured a happy life. He was stuck with his past.

The same was true for Mislei and Glic, whom Esseff had rescued from similar circumstances to be his accomplices. In many ways, their lives had been harder than his. They were also orphans, whose origins and relationship to each other was uncertain. Even Mislei and Glic could remember little before being paired together around age six and told to act as though they were siblings. They certainly looked alike, and that was enough for the purpose for which they were used.

Esseff found them in the brothels where he was often a patron himself. They had been kept together as sex slaves for years to appeal to clients whose tastes included children. Though Esseff never partook of their services, he used them for a few small jobs he needed done and recognized their potential as more than sex toys. He helped them escape in the sense that they were free of the brothel, but belonged to him instead. They followed him and stayed loyal for four reasons: he let them kill their pimp, he took them from the city, he gave them meaningful work that they enjoyed and he let them stay together.

Esseff did not fool himself into thinking he had acted with charity. The teens were tools for him to use, nothing else. He did not wish them any harm, but the good he did was just a pleasant byproduct of his needs. Every day, he convinced himself that he did not care for them. Emotional attachments were subordinate to his goals. The same lack of feeling applied to the Princess. If she benefitted from his schemes as Mislei and Glic did, then lucky her. If things turned out bad for her, he would be too busy fighting to save his own life to care.

Ruminating over moral issues was wasting his energy and producing nothing, so he rose to return to the Princess and her party. Before he took one full step, he was struck from behind and knocked snout first to the ground. Strong paws grabbed his wrists and held them tight against the small of his back. Esseff knew it was Cat without looking. He had expected her to confront him eventually, just not this soon. It didn't matter. He was prepared for her and welcomed the chance to talk with her in private. He offered no struggle; it was pointless to bother. Besides, the air had been knocked from his lungs making him unable to speak as he fought to breathe. That gave Cat the initiative to talk first in a voice infused with venom and death.

"You are liar trying to get us all caught by the Volves. I vill kill you and your creepy helpers. Tell me first of your plans, and your suffering vill be less."

"Hello, Cat," he finally wheezed through clenched teeth. "It is nice to see you again, too."

A twisting upward of his arms brought with it agony that made Esseff grimace and grunt. She wasn't amused by his pretense of being calm and unafraid.

"Don't fool vith me, Foxy, unless you enjoy pain."

Esseff controlled a laugh as he thought on how he would enjoy a little pain from Cat's strong paws under the right romantic circumstances. Uncharacteristically, he found himself aroused by her strength, deadly efficiency and her ruthlessness. He had never met anyone quite like her before except for maybe Mislei and Glic, but she was everything they were and more. The pulse racing exhilaration he felt in her presence was novel and puzzling to him because romance was foreign to him. Sex had always been a mechanical act done to relieve the longings of his body or to gain some personal or professional advantage.

His attraction to her was different in some way, but he hadn't the time to ponder how. Such thoughts were distracting. Distractions killed fools. Being nobody's fool, he suppressed the feelings of desire. His life depended on winning her confidence and convincing her that he was an ally. Other aspects of their relationship could be explored later.

"As you wish. You are in control after all. I recommend that you not kill me for two reasons. First, I do not intend to bring any harm to you or the Princess. I don't know what you heard of my conversation with Mislei and Glic, but the success of my plans and schemes depends on delivering the Princess safely to the right people in Rikifur. Everything that I am doing is to ensure that happens. Second, my associates will seek vengeance upon anyone who does me harm."

"I am not afraid of them."

"You should be. They already tricked you once. You only caught them because I ordered their surrender in advance. If they end up hunting you, they won't be playing hide and seek."

"I vill be ready next time. They von't catch me unavares."

"Perhaps, but the odds are not necessarily in your favor. It's two against one. They are cunning, vicious and without mercy. If anyone can take you down, it is they. Saying anything contrary to that is false bravado and you know it."

Cat growled in his ear but did not dispute him. They both knew he was right.

"Vhat about first reason? Explain."

"I am happy to, but it will take a little longer. This position is not conducive to a lengthy discussion. I have dirt in my teeth and leaf mold up my snout. My arms and back are in terrible pain. If you let me up, I won't run away. It wouldn't do me any good to try. You are stronger and faster."

There was silence as Cat considered his request. She then began to search and disarm him. His sword was removed from his scabbard first. Next, she ran her paws under his clothes, where she found three hidden daggers: at his waist, attached to his right thigh and in his left boot.

Her paws covered every inch of his body including a rough padding of his groin and backside. He found himself enjoying the vigorous attention. He was grateful she didn't linger there long to notice his arousal.

Finished and satisfied she had missed nothing; she took her weight off his back and stood.

"Get up. Tell me how gathering Volf chiefs helps us. No more funny stuff."

Esseff admired Cat for not having bothered to threaten him with any of his own weapons or toss them into the bushes. They lay in a neat pile behind her, tantalizingly out of his reach. If he made a move for them, she would kill him with her claws. He still had a small, foldable blade in the heel of his boot, but he would not have time to recover it before she jumped him again. Dwelling on her lethality excited him, but he needed to recruit her carefully. He made a show of brushing the dust and grit off his clothes and snout before responding.

"Thank you. I was not being flippant with you when I said earlier that it was good to see you. This talk between you and me about my plans and our relationship is necessary and is better done early than late."

"Vhat do you mean relationship?"

"If you dwell on the facts, I think you will find that we share some common traits and desires."

With a swift paw, Cat clutched Esseff's shirt and hefted him off the ground with one arm.

"Didn't I say no funny stuff?"

"Ok. Ok. I'll answer your question first, and then we can discuss how we can help each other."

The Fox looked down at the fist holding him suspended in air.

"I'm cooperating. You may put me down now."

"After I get answer."

"Very well. It will be extremely difficult, maybe impossible, to get the Princess to her people without encountering Wolves along the route I propose."

"So you lied."

"Omitted information, I'd say. Jak would have detected a lie. It was necessary to convince her that I can get her safely to her people so that she will let me lead her. Without me, she stands virtually no possibility of avoiding capture by Wolves or the Rabbits who will kill her when they realize who she is. I recognized her easily enough. Her own people will know her on sight.

"With me helping her, she has a chance to survive the Wolves that stand between her and her only supporters. I can convince the Wolves to not only let her pass but also to help her build an army capable of defeating the Rikifurians who are aligned against her. She needs that help. There are not enough Rabbits loyal to her to field an effective army."

"Vhy not explain this to bunyic?"

"Do you think she would listen or agree to it?"

"No. She is..." Cat struggled to communicate the notion of Jak and Airy's love but found she could not voice it directly. The word, "lover" would not form on her lips. "...friends with Jak but mistrustful of Volves in general. She vill not trust them or like begging for army from them."

"Exactly. She won't accept the wisdom of doing so until she sees for herself how little support she has. By then it may be too late. She will be trapped between her internal enemies and the Wolves. Too weak to fight either, she will fall to one side or the other. Either way, she is dead."

The Fox's words made sense, but she didn't trust anyone who claimed to be so noble and selfless that he would put himself in danger just to help a total stranger.

"Before I came and found you plotting vith your creepy kits, Princess tells me you are helping her to help your people. Bullshit. Vhat is real reason?"

Since lying would only get him killed, the Fox responded with the truth.

"Personal gain, of course. I will be richly rewarded by my country for accomplishing this."

"That, I believe."

Esseff was smaller than Cat, but he was not light. That Cat could hold him in the air for so long without showing any sign of strain amazed him. A partnership with her became a desperate craving within him.

"I answered your question. Please put me down."

"Only if you promise to keep answering qvestions."

"I swear it."

Cat released her grip, letting him fall to the ground. He was unprepared for her callous release and nearly dropped backwards on his tail.

"Vhy are you having your little helpers bring other Volf chiefs to the border? That sounds suspicious to me."

"It is another element of my plan that the Princess would not understand. The border packs hate Rikifur more than the others because they fight more frequently with the Rabbits. They are the least likely to agree to help a Rabbit for any reason, but we have no choice other than to cross their territory to get to the Princess' allies. My people have worked for decades with all of the packs and know which ones are the strongest and most influential. In our dealings with them, we have promoted the concept of peace and reconciliation with Rikifur."

Cat was skeptical, and her expression showed it.

"Please don't smirk and belittle our intentions. It is true that Feneval acts in its own interests and that we align more closely with our kin the Wolves than the Rabbits, but we are a practical and pragmatic people. War hurts everyone. No one benefits from it. It inhibits trade and the sharing of knowledge and ideas. We want peace.

"However, we provide succor and aid to the Wolves, and Rikifur knows it. That makes the Rabbits suspicious of us and adds to the difficulty of ending the conflict. However, we believe that the Wolves will never seek an armistice as long as they are the disadvantaged and weaker race, so we have been helping them. Our tactics are beginning to bear fruit. Some of the Wolf packs have indicated they are open to the concept of reconciliation with the Rabbits. A Rikifur weakened by civil war has also made them feel stronger. I am convinced they will side with the Princess if they receive assurances of a new political order when she is queen. If we are caught at the border, we will need these chiefs present to tip the balance of opinion in our favor among the Wolves."

Cat considered the canny Fox's argument. She despised governments and wars and wanted nothing to do with them. Being ignorant of the local politics left her unable to evaluate the veracity of his claims. Everything he said fit with what she had heard him tell his minions and what Airy had told her, except for one thing.

"I heard you say that you are not ambassador. Vhat are you then?"

"Ah, yes. That was my one true lie. I am like you, a spy and an assassin. I sneak about and learn other people's secrets and when ordered, I kill."

"I kill when I vant, not vhen ordered."

"A subtle distinction and a fine line that is easily crossed. The moment that you take money for murder, you become an assassin."

"No vun pays me. I am not hired goon like you being told vhat to do."

"Aren't you? I was under the impression that the Princess was in command of this expedition and that you are one of her subjects."

Cat growled deep in her throat while her claws slowly extended. Provoking her was risky, but Esseff needed to know how deep Cat's loyalties lay without getting killed in the process. She did not strike him. That was promising.

"Only as long as I decide to stay in her company. I am free to leave vhenever I vant."

"Ah. Then if you ever become dissatisfied with your current situation, I will gladly accept you as a partner. You will be much better off with me. After I deliver the Princess safely home and she regains her throne, I will become something much more in Feneval than a spy. I will be among the elites, where intrigue reigns. A Fox in that class will definitely have need of your services."

Cat said nothing. A flinty glare was her only response. She had no interest in working for anyone, especially someone she considered to be nothing more than a conniving dog. Airy's authority was to be endured so Cat could be with Jak. Cat would go where he went or leave alone.

Esseff shrugged at her nonverbal refusal.

"The offer stands. Until you decide to become my partner, do you agree to help me help the Princess? If capture by the border Wolves becomes inevitable, will you cooperate and help prevent bloodshed? Will you do what it takes to keep the Princess alive so that she can negotiate with the Wolves? Will you agree not to tell her about what you learned here from me today? If she knows what you know, she will reject my advice and wander into greater peril."

Faster than he expected, Cat answered him.

"Yes. I can agree to that, but know that I vill kill you and your kits if I discover you are betraying us."

Esseff was elated, but kept a neutral expression.

"Fair enough. We are working together to keep the Princess' best interests a priority."

He held out his paw to her.

"Partners."

She didn't deny his assertion nor agree to it. Instead, she glared down at him as though she were looking at an annoying insect she was considering swatting. Embarrassed, Esseff withdrew his paw.

"We should return to the others. May I have my weapons back now?"

For an answer, Cat took a step backwards so his arsenal lay between them. Cat slid one hindpaw under a dagger, balancing it horizontally on the top of her paw. With a quick upward jerk, the dagger flew to her right forepaw. Another rapid movement by her arm sent if flying through the air, narrowly missing Esseff's snout, to stick in the trunk of the tree behind him. The quivering blade drew his attention. When he turned back around, Cat had vanished.

"Definitely a female to my tastes," he said aloud as he retrieved the dagger and began rearming himself with the rest of his weapons. To himself he thought, "One day soon you will be working for me, and I will discover your secret of disappearing so easily. I will discover all of your secrets including your name."

[END OF CHAPTER]