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The little cat rode along in Jofrid's pack. The druidess talked
with both the lioness and the cub, they replied in their own way. The cats
did not have names, they knew each others smell and used a growl or purr
to show their pleasure or to command, to threaten or warn away, but they
listened to Jofrid's voice. Beory, the Mother of all who lived on Oerth,
she answered Jofrid's prayer. The cats could understand the human tongue
when Jofrid spoke and Jofrid understood the signs and signals they used
instead of spoken words.
"What does she say?" asked Turstin.
"She says her litter has been killed by the gnolls," Jofrid
replied, "this wounded cub is the only one that she could save."
"We are bringing them along?" Fulbert inquired. He was amused
and half-delighted with the cub. It slept, its wound healed but a great
lethargy had come with the touch of the goddesses beneficence.
"They are coming with me." Jofrid told him firmly.
"I'll call him 'sleepingcat' "said Fulbert reaching out to pet the
cub. Jofrid batted the mages hand away.
"You won't!" she said. "This isn't some child's pet."
Fulbert shrugged, he'd see about that, he thought to himself.
The lioness prowled ahead, Giannette as well, but both took
different paths. The southern woods were only a narrow strip between the
Olvewater and the road. Giannette found an old path beside the waters
edge, it was all rock and rough gravel, the weeds had not taken hold.
She looked down upon it from a cliff, the land rose, the path was far
below, then further west both cliff and path met against a roaring
waterfall.
Stairs had been cut into the rock, they marched up the cliff with
the fall on their left, sprays of water making them slick, years of use
wearing them down, and disuse layering them with debris. Giannette did not
like their looks, this would be a treacherous path, more so than the
gnoll infested woods.
The Rhennee thief rejoined the others, she had to do a bit of
backtracking to find them. The lioness had returned and Jofrid bent down
to speak with the large mountain cat. The little cub was awake and prowled
about the underbrush nearby.
Giannette went first to Turstin who stood with Alaric and spoke
of what she'd seen.
"Well we knew the water ran near," said Turstin. "I expected the
riverpath to be blocked or overgrown."
"It is rough, but we could use it." she told them. "I would not,
the path itself looks dangerous, we would be trapped against a cliff in
places, and always in view from the far bank."
"It also does not take us where we wish to go." said Turstin.
"The keep is further to the north."
"The road will lead us there, will it not?" asked Giannette.
"Oh yes, once we are past the path to Draupnir's mine the
road leads straight toward the keep." said Turstin. "There was little else
this far into the western mountains. No villages or towns, no farms, but
just some elves and humans living in the forest, a druids grove, I
remember the man who dwelt there well, " Turstin paused thinking about
the kind old man, Beli, who kept the grove. "That was long ago... there
were few others, just prospectors and hunters, then the mountain lands."
"And the monsters." added Alaric. Turstin looked at the youth and
smiled, "Well at least that's what I've been told."
* * *
(To Be Continued)