Whose Sword is it, Anyway?

By Ralph Benedetto, Jr.

Part Three of Five

PART THREE:

Fang Mountain

"The dwarf is not inscrutable. The dwarven idea of subtlety is to hit someone with only a single axe instead of two. It is my personal belief that some of the better known dwarven eccentricities come from being snowed in underground for several months each year. Sometimes nondwarf visitors get snowed in with them. A few of these manage to retain their sanity.

"Oh, and one other thing. Dwarves simply have no fashion sense."

--from a lecture given to undergraduate students in fine arts by Redeanna Halic, Ph.D. Lecturer in Cultural Dynamics College of Ru'aath

SIXTEEN

"Is it just me, or did it get cold all of a sudden?"

At the sound of Rivenbark's voice, Caitlin looked back to see him rubbing his arms.

The town of Larsen was three weeks behind them, and Caitlin still had fond memories of the soft and comfortable beds in the inn. Each morning, she woke up cramped and stiff from sleeping on the stony ground. At least her nightly fighting practice no longer left her with aching muscles.

"You shouldn't wear such thin clothes," she told Rivenbark.

"But, it's the style. And they look good on me."

"It did get suddenly colder," Mal said. "It feels like the temperature's dropped by at least ten degrees." He looked around carefully, but the woods were just as they had been for the past few weeks, nothing out of the ordinary, and he shrugged.

"There's a storm moving in, I guess," he said, but he sounded uncertain. The sky was clear and there was no wind.

The temperature continued to drop as the day wore on. They all began to dig through their packs for extra clothing.

"I hope it isn't going to stay like this all the way to Fang Mountain!" Rivenbark said, shivering.

"Me, too!" Caitlin added. As the smallest of the group, she seemed to be suffering the most. "It's only early autumn. It shouldn't be this cold!"

"Have you noticed that we seem to have stumbled onto some kind of trail?" Mal asked suddenly.

The others shook their heads. They'd been too busy noticing the increasing cold to pay much attention to what was beneath their feet.

"It's gotten plainer and plainer as we've kept walking." Mal sounded a little uneasy.

"Where do you think it leads?" Rivenbark asked.

"Who cares?" was Caitlin's response. "It's taking us the direction we want to go, so why worry about it? Anything that makes walking easier is fine with me.

Behind her, one of the horses whinnied, though whether in agreement or disagreement, she couldn't tell. Then she shook her head and wondered why she even wondered which it had been. They were horses and would remain simply horses, no matter how much Rivenbark talked to them.

"It's getting late," Mal said. Why don't we stop and make camp?"

"Fine with me," Caitlin said. "A fire would be nice."

It continued to get colder as night fell. Their campfire was bigger than usual, and they all sat around it savoring the warmth. The flickering light cast uneasy shadows on their faces, but the snapping and crackling of the flames somehow made everything seem cheerier.

"What about the horses?" Rivenbark asked, rubbing his hands over the fire.

"Growler ponies," Mal said. "They're better off than we are."

And it certainly seemed to be true. Though their breath was misting the air in front of their faces, the horses seemed unconcerned by the cold.

"Is it my imagination, or are they shaggier than when we left Larsen?" Rivenbark asked, staring hard at Ewyn in the shadows.

Ewyn nickered and shook her head up and down.

"They're shaggier than they were this morning," Mal said. "Growler ponies adapt to the cold almost instantly. They're fine."

"That's more than can be said for me," Caitlin groused. "As soon as I move away from this fire to sleep, I'm going to freeze. I'm cold enough as it is."

"You should have brought a sleepsuit, like I did," Rivenbark told her.

"What?"

"It's the latest for camping out. Look, I'll show you." He began to dig through his pack. "I got it in Farfell Down," he said, "And I brought it along just in case, but it hasn't been cold enough for me to use it until now." Finally, he pulled out a small furry bundle. When he unrolled it, it proved to be a suit of clothes, all in one piece, that would cover him from his chin to the soles of his feet. He climbed into it and stood in front of them modeling it.

Caitlin laughed. "You look like a furry gingerbread man," she said.

Rivenbark grinned back at her. "Maybe so, but I'm warm." The part of the suit that covered his hands resembled mittens more than gloves, so Rivenbark wasn't at his most dextrous as he laced the suit up, but he managed it at last, and then he pulled up a hood which covered most of his head. "Even my ears will be warm," he said, settling into a comfortable position on the ground.

"He's got a point," Mal said.

"I still don't think I'd want to wear that thing," Caitlin said. "Suppose you got attacked during the night? How would you defend yourself?" She looked at Rivenbark again. She had to admit that he did look warm. "I guess one of us can have his blanket tonight, though. I don't think he's going to need it."

"You take it," Mal said. "I'm a little more used to the cold than you are."

Smiling gratefully, Caitlin took the extra blanket and tried to get comfortable, but she just couldn't get warm enough. The ground felt icy cold, and the chill seemed to be seeping into her bones. There had to be a way to get some extra warmth.

"Mal?" she asked after a long while. "Are you asleep?"

"Not yet."

Her back was too him, and she felt reluctant to turn and face him. "Listen..." She paused, feeling oddly hesitant. "Are you warm enough?"

She could imagine his familiar shrug. "I could be warmer, but I'm alright."

"I'm freezing."

And she was. He could hear her teeth chattering.

"Would you like my blanket?"

She blinked. She hadn't expected that. "No. You need it. I've already got more than you. But...I mean..." This was ridiculous, she told herself. This isn't any big deal. Just go ahead and say it. She took a deep breath. "I was thinking that it might make sense for us to...share all three blankets. I mean...if that's okay with you."

There was a very long pause, during which Caitlin felt oddly tense, and then he said, "Alright." There was something odd in his voice. Or maybe it was just her imagination.

Mal cleared his throat. "Should I...move over where you are?"

"All right."

She heard a rustling sound, and then she felt another blanket fall on top of her. She still wasn't looking in his direction. Hesitantly, Mal crawled under the blankets with her. There was a blast of cold air, and then he was beside her, not touching her. After a few seconds, she moved until her back was pressed against his chest, feeling the warmth of his body starting to seep into her almost immediately. She sighed and snuggled against him. Something inside her that she hadn't even known was knotted up, relaxed, and she felt more comfortable than at any time she could remember me. She set it down to being warm again after the biting cold.

"That's better," she said with a sigh. "Good night, Mal."

"Good night." Mal listened as Caitlin's breathing settled into a regular pattern, and he looked at her hair, at the side of her face, he felt the movement of her body against his as she slept, and he found himself afraid that, if he fell asleep, he'd wake up to find that he'd been dreaming and that this moment had never happened.

A short distance way, Rivenbark, still awake, watched them, a smile on his face.

SEVENTEEN

When Caitlin woke up, she was warm, comfortable and happy. Mal, beside her, was still asleep. It was the first time that he hadn't been the first one awake the entire trip. He was lying on his back, and her head was cradled against his chest. His arms were around her, and she found the sound of his heartbeat and the regular movement of his breathing very comforting. She didn't want to move, and that puzzled her. Normally, as soon as she was awake she was ready to get up, and here she found sleeping on the ground to be so nice that she was reluctant to move. Rivenbark took the issue out of her hands.

"Let's go, guys! Up, up, up, up, up!" He had gotten the fire going and was walking briskly around their campsite, rubbing his hands together. "Breakfast and then on our way again!"

Mal opened his eyes and looked at Caitlin's face, so close to his own. "Good morning," he said.

"Good morning."

He opened his arms and she climbed to her feet. Then she picked up the blankets and began rolling them up to stuff them back into the packs. "It's freezing!" she said.

Mal stood up and stretched, very carefully not staring at Caitlin.

"How long have you been awake?" Rivenbark asked him quietly.

Mal blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

Rivenbark grinned at him. "Oh, come on, Mal. You've been the first one up every single day of this trip. Now, how long have you been awake."

"Um...about an hour, I guess. I...uh...didn't want to disturb Caitlin, though."

"Uh-huh."

Caitlin finished stowing the blankets and walked back to join the two of them.

"How about breakfast?" Rivenbark asked loudly.

"And then let's get moving," Caitlin said, rubbing her arms. "That way maybe I won't freeze solid."

EIGHTEEN

"Look at that!" Rivenbark was pointing at a group of trees just ahead of him.

"What's wrong with them?" Caitlin asked, puzzled.. "Why have they lost all their leaves, already?"

It was an odd sight. All around them was leafy vegetation and trees saturated with green, as yet untouched by the first weeks of autumn. Directly ahead of them was a clearing surrounded by trees with skeletal limbs, almost totally leafless. The few leaves that clung to the branches were brown and red and gold.

Puzzled, Mal moved forward for a closer look.

"It's a village!" Rivenbark said, peering past Mal and into the clearing.

"That must be why there was a path here," Caitlin exclaimed. "It led to this village."

"Maybe we can get some new clothes!" Rivenbark cried, moving forward.

Mal, still busy staring up at the trees, didn't see Rivenbark push past him, but they all three heard a quiet chiming sound as Rivenbark passed the ring of autumn trees.

Rivenbark stopped and looked around. "What was that?"

"I don't know," Caitlin said. She walked to his side and they heard a second chime. "There it went again. Could you tell where it came from?"

"It must have come from the village."

There was a third chime as Mal stepped into the clearing. "I don't think so," he said. "Look at it."

The village was deserted and decaying. Most of the buildings seemed to be in a state of collapse, with roofs that had fallen in, cracked walls and broken doors. A sign was lying face down on the ground, the post that had once held it up decaying beside it.

Mal turned the sign over and read the single word that had been scraped into the wood. "Leaffall."

Rivenbark looked back the way they had come and called to the horses. "Come on, guys." The horses looked at each other and then plodded forward. There was no chime as they entered the clearing.

Mal cocked his head to one side. "That's interesting," he said, but Rivenbark and Caitlin were already moving toward the remains of the village and didn't hear him. He looked up at the trees again and saw a single leaf break free and fall. He watched it flutter groundward, spinning gracefully in the slight breeze. It landed on Ewyn's back, and her skin twitched once. The leaf, as it touched the horse's skin, seemed to melt away. Mal blinked and shook his head and then laid his hand on Ewyn's back. It was warm and solid. He patted her and then shook his head again.

Movement caught his eye, and he watched another leaf meander downward, spinning and twisting as it fell. As it struck the ground, it seemed to melt away or perhaps vanish into the brown grass. Mal bent down and felt the ground. It was cold and a little damp but unquestionably solid. He looked up at the tree just in time to see another leaf break free and flutter downward. He watched it all the way down and then watched it evaporate as it hit the ground. He looked back up at the tree. The leaf was still in place. He blinked once and then watched the leaf fall yet again. This time he reached out his hand and caught it. He felt it brush his fingers and heard the first crackle as his hand closed around it, but when he looked, his hand was empty. He looked up at the tree again.. The leaf was back in place.

Mal looked toward the village. Caitlin and Rivenbark were already out of sight among the decaying buildings.

"Caitlin?" he called. "Rivenbark?" He looked at the horses and he and Ewyn stared into each other's eyes for a long moment, then Mal said, "Come on," and got to his feet, heading for the remains of the village with the horses plodding curiously along behind him.

When Mal reached the first building, he peered inside. The interior would have been gloomy, but several holes in the roof let a fair amount of the watery sunlight seep inside. It had apparently been a one-room dwelling. The remnants of crumbling furniture could still be seen.

"Caitlin?" Mal called again. "Rivenbark?"

"Over here!" came an answering cry.

With a feeling of relief, Mal followed the call and found his two friends looking through another decaying building. Dust hung heavy in the air, dancing in the sunlight. Cabinets and scroll cases lined the walls. The remains of a single table and several chairs littered the middle of the room.

"It looks like it used to be some kind of library," Rivenbark said.

"But the scrolls have all fallen to dust," Caitlin added, sneezing suddenly.

"I think we should get out of here," Mal said.

Caitlin looked at him curiously, but Rivenbark protested. "Are you kidding?" He spun around, his arms outstretched. "Look at this place! Who knows what we might find in one of these buildings! This is like a treasure hunt!"

"There's something very...odd going on here."

"We know," Caitlin said drily. "It's like the calender is three months ahead here compared to everywhere else, or hadn't you noticed?"

"Yes," Mal said. "And that's why I think--"

"We should stay and investigate!" Rivenbark chirped.

Mal opened his mouth to tell them about the leaf and then changed his mind. Even though he'd seen it, he didn't believe it.

"What was that?" Caitlin asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Listen."

They were quiet for a moment. They heard one of the horses snort and then stamp. They heard another horse shake its head. They heard the breeze rustling through the building. They heard a thin, weak call from somewhere nearby.

"It's a woman!" Rivenbark cried. "Come on!"

He darted out through a hole in the back wall with Caitlin and Mal hard on his heels. The horses ambled slowly after them, walking through the gaping doorway, picking their way daintily through the wreckage and following the humans out the hold in the back wall.

Rivenbark peered quickly into several nearby buildings and then, with a cry, stopped at one and stepped inside.

When Caitlin and Mal followed him in, they found him kneeling beside an elderly woman who was lying on the ground. She smiled pleasantly up at them while they stood and gaped at her.

Her hair, white but very thick, would have reached nearly to her waist if she had been standing up. It was spread around her body like a cloak. Her skin was very pale and heavily wrinkled, but her eyes were a brilliant blue, luminous and clear. Rivenbark liked her dress. It's lines were clean and simple, and it had a timeless quality about it that he admired. It would probably still be in fashion in twenty years.

"Hello, there," the woman said softly, after a moment.. "I thought I heard voices. It's nice to see some people for a change."

They all stared at her for a moment, and then Mal asked, "Uh...can we help you up?"

"Oh, goodness, no," the woman said with a laugh. "I can't be moved."

"Are you hurt?" Rivenbark asked.

"No, no, just old," the woman answered with a laugh. "Very very old." Then she shook her head. "Oh, where are my manners? My name is Elyssa. I'd shake your hand, but, of course, I can't lift my arms from the floor." She said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

They were all kneeling beside her now, and Mal started to reach for her. "Let me put you somewhere more comfortable," he said.

"Oh, well, you can try if you like," she said with a smile, "But I'm afraid you'll find that you can't manage it."

She was right. Mal couldn't even get his hands under her prone form. It was as if she were stuck to the floor. No matter what he did, he was unable to move even a single strand of her hair.

"Satisfied now?" Elyssa asked, her smile still pleasant and gentle. "It's very kind of you to be concerned, but, after all, I didn't say shouldn't be moved, but can't be moved."

"What...what happened to you?" Caitlin asked, dismay evident in her face.

"Nothing," Elyssa replied. "I told you. I'm just old." She grinned happily. "Most delightfully old!" She said it with something like triumph. "And we're in Leaffall, of course."

"What does that have to do with it?" Rivenbark asked.

She laughed again. "Oh, everything! We're in Leaffall!"

Their total lack of understanding was so obvious that it drew yet another chuckle from her. "My goodness, I thought everyone knew about Leaffall! I suppose that all fame fades with time. Where are you children from?"

"Look, are you sure there's no way we can move you?" Caitlin asked. "Make you more comfortable?"

"Oh, I'm quite comfortable," the old woman replied. "I'm alive." She said the words as if they were an invocation. "And I've been lying here for such a long time that I'm quite used to it. But you're a dear for wanting to help. Now, where did you say you were from?"

"The College of Ru'aath," Rivenbark said before Caitlin or Mal could stop him.

"College?" Elyssa said thoughtfully. "My, my. I used to know Ru'aath quite well in my younger days. When did they build a college there?"

"Um...about a hundred and fifty years ago, I think..." Mal said slowly.

"My goodness. How fascinating!"

"You must have heard of the college!" Rivenbark said.

"No, I'm sorry," Elyssa told him. "I don't get out much anymore." She chuckled, making it clear that she was being humorous, but none of the others even smiled. "Oh, dear," she said mournfully, "Are all young people so serious these days?"

"Listen," Caitlin said, "Are you sure there's nothing we can--"

"Just a moment, dear," Elyssa said. "I'm so sorry to interrupt you, but I have to die in a second, so, could you just remember your question for later?"

Caitlin stared at her for a long moment while she thought about that, and then she said, "Excuse me?"

"Don't worry. I'm quite used to it, and it hardly hurts at--" Elyssa began, but then her eyes widened and her voice trailed off. She opened her mouth a few times without sound and then a deep gurgling noise rose up from her chest, she spasmed just once, and then her whole body relaxed in some indefinable way. Her final noise had been very quiet, but it made the sudden silence seem even more profoundly quiet.

It was broken when Caitlin yelled and reached for the old woman. Rivenbark simply stared at her, his mouth hanging open. Mal nodded slowly and then said Caitlin's name very quietly.

Caitlin was calling Elyssa's name and frantically trying to bring her back to life. She was unable to even shake the frail looking body.

Mal said Caitlin's name again, and she stared at him, a blank look on her face.

Mal took her hands in his and said, "It's alright, Caitlin."

"She's dead!" Caitlin said.

Mal shook his head. "Only sort of, I think.. I'm beginning to understand this place."

There was a quick gasp of indrawn breath, and Elyssa opened her eyes. "There," she said with a smile. "That's over for another little while."

Rivenbark's mouth opened and closed slackly several times, and he said, "Wubba...wh....wawa......uh..."

Caitlin simply gaped, looking from Elyssa to Mal and back again. "You knew..." she said very softly.

Elyssa smiled at Mal. "You've worked it out, then? What a clever young man."

"Wawawa.....?" Rivenbark asked.

Mal shrugged. He told them about the leaf he had watched, and Elyssa nodded.

"Yes," she said, "It's very much like that. You die and then you aren't dead. It repeats itself in a regular cycle. Different lengths for different creatures."

"Why do you stay here?" Caitlin asked.

"Because I'm alive here, dear. Do you know how old I am?"

"Well...no...sixty?"

Elyssa laughed. "Four hundred and twenty-seven."

There was a very long moment of silence.

"I don't understand this," Rivenbark said.

"You'll have lots of time to figure it out, dear," Elyssa said.

"What?"

"Oh, yes. There was a time when it was fairly easy to leave Leaffall, and everyone else did, eventually. I chose to stay, though, and I don't regret that choice at all, but I couldn't leave now, even if I wanted to. The town has grown stronger."

She moved her eyes to stare at each of them in turn. "And you're going to be here for a long time, too. It will already have caught hold of you."

"What are you talking about?" Caitlin asked, climbing to her feet and backing away from the old woman. "We're not staying here!"

"Oh, but you are. I'm afraid you have no choice, dear," Elyssa told her. "It's why I can't move from this spot. It's why I haven't moved from this spot for over fifty years. This place holds on to people. As time passes, the town has grown stronger and stronger."

"Then we're leaving now!" Caitlin said, turning toward the door of the building.

Elyssa smiled tenderly at her. "You can't." Her voice was very gentle. " Look at yourself, child."

Caitlin looked down at her hands. They weren't her hands. The skin was looser, more wrinkled. She lifted her hands to her face and looked at Mal. His hair was greying, fine lines appearing on his face even as she watched. She tried to run through the door. She could barely walk. It was as if the air had grown suddenly thick and her body heavy. It was like walking through honey.

"It's no use fighting it," Elyssa told them. "Besides, even if you could leave, you'd only die in the end.. You'll grow old fast here, and you'll still die, every once in a while, but you'll come back! Don't you understand? You can stay here and live!"

Caitlin didn't even bother to shake her head. She was using every ounce of energy to push her reluctant body toward and through the door. It was the hardest thing she had ever attempted to do, but she would not admit the possibility of failure...

Rivenbark made it to his feet and pushed himself after Caitlin. He was already breathing heavily, his face growing red with his effort, and he could feel himself growing faint.

Predictably, it was Mal who had the greatest success. Rivenbark couldn't push himself more than two feet toward the door. Caitlin made it several feet farther but finally collapsed, falling into a sunbeam that streamed through the doorway, her heart pounding, her head swimming with the effort she had made, only to fall short. She stared longingly at the outside world but could not move another inch.

Mal pushed himself forward, focused only on the square of light beyond the door. He remembered shifting rocks off of his father's land, slogging through thick mud to carry the heavy stones away. This was harder. This took every ounce of power that was left in his body. His vision began to blur and darken. He began to see spots flashing in front of his eyes as his sight clouded. He could hear the rasp of his own labored breathing and he could feel the pounding of his heart. He almost imagined that he could hear it. Even so, he pushed forward. He pushed forward blindly, forgetting in the effort why he was doing it and even what he was trying to do.

Finally, after more time than he could keep track of, he came back to himself, suddenly aware of the feel of the sun in his eyes and the wind against his skin. He could still hear his breathing, ragged and tearing, and he could hear another sound. It was a familiar sound, but he couldn't place it, somehow.

He listened carefully and it took a long moment before he realized that it was his own voice saying two words over and over again. "No chimes." No chimes? Why was he saying that? Then he remembered.

It was as if his eyes suddenly focused. He could see the world around him again.

"Norris," he said. His voice was a harsh croak, and he wondered how much longer he would be able to continue standing up.

Norris was the largest of the horses. He was also the only horse whose name Mal could remember at the moment. His whole body felt drained, his mind numb.

He went on saying "Norris" over and over again until Norris, who had been standing in front of him whinnying for several minutes finally shoved a cold nose against his face. Mal's eyes locked onto the horse's.

"Kellak... dar haan...." he said weakly. Norris turned his side to Mal, and Mal fell forward across the packs on the horse's back.

Norris trotted easily out of the clearing. As he passed the first ring of trees around the clearing, Mal heard the chime again, and he felt instantly better. The weight fell away from his mind and body, his breathing slowed, his heartbeat calmed. In a very few moments he was himself again.

"Yes," he said, standing up. He patted the horse. "Thank you," he said. He looked at the hand that was pressed against the horse's golden fur. It was his own hand.

Norris whinnied.

"All right, let's back go in there and get Caitlin and Rivenbark out." He stared at the ring of trees. He didn't want to go back into Leaffall. He shrugged his shoulders as if shaking off a heavy coat and took the first step.

Norris whinnied again and followed Mal back into the clearing.

As Mal crossed the treeline, there was another chime. As before, there was no chime when the horse entered the clearing.

Mal ran to the hut and stepped inside. He could already feel the weight bearing down on him again. Without a word, wasting no time, he scooped Caitlin up. She felt as if her weight had trebled. Her hair was grey, her face lined, but her eyes were clear and sharp. Mal laid her across Alison's back, said "Go!" and then went in for Rivenbark.

"Good-bye!" Elyssa called. "It was nice to have met you! You're making a mistake, though! You'll die out there!"

Mal laid Rivenbark across Ewyn's back and told the horse to follow Alison, who was already nearly out of the clearing. As he turned back to the hut, Mal heard the chime as Caitlin was carried across the boundary line.

"Elyssa," Mal began, but she cut him off.

"Don"t you dare try to carry me out of here, young man," she said curtly. "In the first place, you can't do it. In the second place, I don't want to go. I want to stay alive." She smiled again. "Perhaps you'll come back when you realize the mistake you're making."

"Good-bye, Elyssa."

"Good-bye, young man."

Mal turned and staggered out of the building. His limbs were starting to feel weighted down again. He turned to Norris and said, "I might need a little help."

He laid his arm around Norris's neck and, leaning against the horse more and more with every step, managed to walk out of the clearing, accompanied by yet another chime. Caitlin was leaning against Alison, shaking her head. Rivenbark was lying on the ground on his back, looking up through the trees.

"It's warmer now," he said. "Did you notice?"

"Let's get out of here," Caitlin said. "As quick as we can."

NINETEEN

The path that had led them to the village of Leaffall continued on the other side of the clearing, and it continued heading in the direction they wanted, so they continued to follow it. Several days later, they were still on it.

"Do you suppose it'll take us directly to the mountain?" Rivenbark asked.

Mal said, "I don't know. I think we'll find out soon, though. There it is."

He had paused at a point where the path, which had been climbing fairly steadily, opened out into a treeless area at the top of a hill. A range of mountains was clearly visible ahead, with one large and jagged peak thrusting upward out of the middle of it, higher than those around it.

"Are you sure?" Rivenbark asked.

Mal nodded. "I've never been there, but I've seen plenty of pictures. That's it."

Rivenbark jumped up and down, whooping at the top of his lungs. "We'll be there soon!" he said.

"Great," Caitlin said dismally. "I can hardly hold back my enthusiasm." She had been dispirited ever since they had left Elyssa behind at Leaffall, unwilling even to practice her fighting skills.

"Me neither!" Rivenbark crowed. "I mean, we'll probably find the man who--"

"Dwarf," Mal corrected.

"Dwarf who can tell us about the sword! This quest is practically over!"

"Or not," Caitlin muttered.

"Cheer up," Mal said softly. "It isn't as bad as all that. Rivenbark could be right, you know." He seemed strangely excited, a little unlike his usual self.

"Hah!" Caitlin snapped, effectively putting an end to the conversation.

After a moment, Rivenbark said, "I know! Why don't we--"

"It is to halt!" a deep, very loud voice suddenly cried. Surprised, the three friends halted. Ewyn bumped Rivenbark from behind and then whinnied in a startled manner, as if asking what was going on.

Three dwarves, two of them armed with battle axes and one with fighting hammers, seemed to appear out of the rocky ground. They were all heavily armored and had grim looks on their faces.

"Dwarves!" Rivenbark cried happily, clapping his hands. "Great! You know, we were just--"

"It is to not move!" one of the dwarves snapped. His tone was so commanding that even Rivenbark froze in place.

"What is name and what is doing here?"

Mal smiled and stepped forward. "Malledagarithon Stoneshifter," he said.

The dwarf who had been speaking cocked his head to one side, studied Mal for a few seconds and then grinned and lowered his weapon. He strode forward and buffeted Mal soundly. Caitlin winced at the sound of the blow, but Mal only grinned and returned the buffet.

"Kori Hemmonek," he said. "Hospitality!"

Mal introduced Caitlin and Rivenbark, and Kori introduced his companions in turn, Koimar and Kevek, and then asked again what they were doing there, this time in a conversational tone.

"We've got a delivery from the Growlers at Larchfield for you," Mal said, pointing at the three heavily laden horses.

"Ah!" all three dwarves said in unison, their smiles growing even broader.

"It is to hurry to mountain. Kori will guide on way."

The other two dwarves started to protest, and then Kori added, "While dwarves that Kori outranks will stay on guard here and have to wait for leftovers."

"Not are!" Kevek protested, waving his arms.

"What?" Rivenbark asked.

"Never are!" Koimar added. "Not is fair for Kori only to go. All should go!"

Kori frowned. "Then how to guard pass if not are guards?"

"Not know," Kevek said.

"Not care," clarified Koimar. "Want spicy dragon steak."

"And what is more important?" Kevek asked. "To guard or to eat?!"

Kori shrugged. "Hokay," he admitted. "Kevek is right. ALL WILL GO!!!"

With that, the three dwarves began to lead the way. In their haste to begin the feast, however, they nearly left the food behind.

"Wait for us!" Rivenbark yelled. "The horses won't go that fast!"

Kori turned and looked back. "Ho! Horses!" He called. "Hungry dwarves!!"

Ewyn, Norris and Alison suddenly spurted forward, putting on an amazing display of speed that left even the anxious dwarves behind. The dwarves hurried to catch up, leaving Caitlin, Mal and Rivenbark to make their way on their own.

As she watched the dust cloud left by the rapid passage of the horses, Caitlin said ruefully, "I didn't know they could move that fast!"

Rivenbark shrugged. "Live and learn," he said.

"Should they be leaving the trail unguarded like this?" Caitlin asked, looking around.

Mal smiled. "They don't actually need any guards. No one has ever attacked Fang Mountain. And this path is probably not as unguarded as it looks."

They eventually came to a large opening cut into the side of the mountain. A solitary dwarf was waiting for them.

"Where have been?" the dwarf asked. "Not want to miss feast! Come!"

He led them into the tunnel which quickly turned a corner, becoming pitch black.

"Wait!" Caitlin yelled, hearing the dwarf's footsteps vanishing ahead of her. "We can't see!"

"Oh!" the dwarf called back. "Sorry." There was a pause, and then their guide bellowed, "GUESTS!" Instantly, light flooded the tunnel. It was a clear steady brilliance that came from small globes hanging from the ceiling at regular intervals.

By the time their eyes had adjusted to the sudden brilliance, their guide was nowhere to be seen, though they could hear, from somewhere ahead of them, the sound of laughter, shouting and singing.

They followed the noise until they reached a large feasting hall. It was an oval chamber two hundred feet long with a ceiling fifty feet high. What little floorspace wasn't taken up by tables was packed with dwarves. Ewyn, Alison and Norris were also there, contentedly munching on the contents of feedbags. There was scarcely room to move about, and the noise was absolutely deafening. In the center of the room, several dwarves had unloaded the horses and opened the packages. They were busy dishing out food to all comers. The food was steaming hot, and the boxes appeared to hold more food than should have been able to fit inside them.

An impromptu band, consisting almost entirely of percussion and brass, had started up in one corner.

Caitlin and Rivenbark huddled together near the doorway, but Mal pushed his way into the room and headed for the food. He bellowed good naturedly at various dwarves, gave and received several bruising slaps and punches and generally appeared to fit right in. He might have been merely an abnormally big dwarf.

Caitlin and Rivenbark stared after him. They had each known Mal for a little more than two years and thought that they knew him well, but he wasn't behaving like the quiet and reserved Mal they thought they knew.

After a short while, a dwarf came and escorted Caitlin and Rivenbark to a table. Mal was already seated, eating and talking with several of the dwarves. He looked up when his two friends sat down.

"Oh, hi!" he said, with his mouth full. "I brought you some. Try the white sauce. It's extra mild." He turned back and picked up his conversation with the dwarves.

Caitlin looked around the room. The noise level was still horrendous, but she found that she could, through some trick of acoustics or magic, hear the people near her clearly.

Rivenbark reached past her, picked up a small chunk of meat and dipped it in the white sauce. Smiling a little nervously at Caitlin, he took a careful bite. His eyes immediately began to water, and his face flushed. He opened his mouth in dismay and reached desperately for a mug of anything to drink. Watching him, Caitlin decided to try her food with no sauce at all. To her surprise, it was very good. She continued to look nervously around her. The crowd was constantly in motion, with dwarves looking for seats while other dwarves were already going back for seconds.

Scattered crashes sounded about the room. Apparently, Caitlin thought, dwarves don't feel that a party is a party unless tables are upset, and things are tossed about the room, such as hammers, axes, chairs and the occasional dining companion.

"Uh...Mal..." she said hesitantly, touching his shoulder.

He turned to look at her. "Kai? Um..." he laughed. "Sorry. Yes?"

"You're speaking dwarven with them, right?"

He nodded. "Yes. Some of them don't know any human languages at all."

"Where did you learn it?"

Mal shrugged. "Didn't I ever tell you? My father's farm is in the mountains. I grew up about two leagues from Stonehaven." He looked around the chamber, smiling. "Fang Mountain is the only dwarven community that's larger."

"Oh..."

"I used to spend whole summers with the dwarves. I'm what they call a dekhai. The term doesn't really translate well, but what it means is that, as far as dwarves are concerned, I'm a dwarf." He grinned. "A little big, maybe, but still a dwarf. He gestured around the room again. "For me, this is like being home."

"That's why that guard talked to you like he did."

"Yeah. Dwarves can see it."

"Oh..."

The band continued to bang away in their corner, though the members were continually changing. Dwarves left their instruments behind to go in search of food and drink, while others, temporarily sated, joined in. As these newcomers didn't always know what song was being played, and often didn't care, the music had a certain spontaneity about it that was peculiarly dwarven.

As Mal turned back to continue his conversation with the dwarves, Caitlin turned to Rivenbark and called his name. Rivenbark, however, was involved in telling a complex story to the dwarf sitting next to him. Caitlin couldn't catch everything that Rivenbark was saying, but the story appeared to have something to do with a cross-eyed gnome, three weasels and a willow tree.

"Rivenbark!" Caitlin said. "Don't you think you should ask someone about the sword?!"

"What is?" the dwarf Rivenbark was talking to asked.

"This sword we--"

"What has to do with weasels?" the dwarf interrupted her to ask.

"Nothing!" Caitlin cried in exasperation. "But--"

"They why is in story?" the dwarf wanted to know.

"It isn't!" Caitlin told him. "You see--"

"Oh, hokay!" The dwarf turned back to Rivenbark. "What about weasels?"

Caitlin threw her hands into the air and turned back to Mal.

"Shouldn't we ask someone about the sword?!" she said sharply.

Mal shook his head. "After the feast," he told her. "Nobody will listen until then, anyway."

As Caitlin had been sure it would, the feast lasted until well into the night. Before it was over, she was slumped in her seat vainly trying to sleep. The noise prevented any possibility of rest. Eventually, the party began to break up, largely because the Growler food was all gone.

A dwarf led each of the three friends to a room, complete with a comfortable bed, a wash basin and a large pitcher of clear, cold water. Gratefully, Caitlin collapsed onto the bed and drifted immediately off to sleep.

When she woke up, she had no idea what time it was. The underground tunnels were still well lit in deference to the human visitors. It could be noon. It could be the middle of the night, for all she knew. She climbed to her feet, washed her face and tried to remember how to get back to the feasting hall.

There seemed to be a lot of dwarves wandering through the tunnels, and a sense of purpose filled the air. Caitlin tried to stop one of them to ask for directions.

"Uh...excuse me," she said. "But can you tell me the way the feasting hall, please?"

The dwarf didn't even slow down but called back over his shoulder, "Third tunnel, second right, third left, fourth right, first tunnel, second left. Not can miss it."

"But--" Caitlin stared helplessly as he vanished around a corner, then she shrugged and started to try and find her own way.

It seemed like every dwarf under the mountain was wandering through the tunnels excitedly, most of them carrying weapons.

Caitlin pushed her way through the crowd and only succeeded in getting herself thoroughly lost. Just when she was about to try and get directions again, she ran into Mal and Rivenbark.

"Oh, there you are!" Rivenbark said cheerfully. "Come on! We don't have much time!"

"Time?" Caitlin looked confused. "Time for what?"

"To get ready for the battle!" Rivenbark cried, his voice rising.

"Battle? What battle?"

"Well," Mal said, "It's sort of a dwarven custom. After a party, you go and beat upon...some creatures."

"Creatures?" Caitlin asked. "What kind of creatures?"

"O--" Rivenbark started to say, but Mal managed to clamp a hand over his mouth before he could finish the word..

"Don't say it," he cautioned. "Not in these tunnels."

"Oh, right!" Rivenbark said. "I almost forgot. Anyway, they're going to fight some of these...you know..."

"No, I don't know!" Caitlin said in exasperation.

"And we're invited to come along! Want to go?"

Caitlin's eyes sparkled. Here was her big chance to try out some of the things that she'd been practicing, even if she didn't know what she'd be fighting against. "Great!" she said, grinning. "Where do I sign up?"

TWENTY

When they finally reached the great hall, they found it filled to overflowing with dwarves and equipment. Weapons, shields and armor covered the tables. While each dwarf had his own weapons, some were borrowing extra ones from the community supply. Three dwarves in the center of the room were handing these out. Caitlin and Rivenbark fell in behind Mal, since he was the only one of them who could forge a path through the crowd.

"Ho, humans!" the dwarf in charge of the weapons cried in greeting. "Want go with dwarves to crunch ogre?"

"CRUNCH OGRE!!" the chamber resounded with the shouts of every dwarf in hearing distance, and several hammers flew through the air, one of them barely missing Mal's skull. Caitlin and Rivenbark stood for a moment with their hands clamped over their ears until the tumult died down, and then they both said, "Yes!"

"Is good!" the dwarf said. He looked at Rivenbark. "What kind of weapon does want?" he asked.

Rivenbark looked thoughtfully at the choices. "Well," he said slowly. "How about a bow and arrow? I can use that pretty well."

The dwarf looked at him strangely. "For ogre?" he asked, incredulous.

"Crunch ogre!!" several dwarves echoed.

"What think is?" the weaponmaster asked Rivenbark. "Does think is elf?"

"Crunch elf!" several dwarves suggested.

"Bow and arrow not weapon for crunching ogre." The weaponmaster reached into a chest at his feet and pulled out a large throwing hammer. He handed it to Rivenbark and then turned to Caitlin, which was fortunate, as it meant the didn't see Rivenbark drop the hammer and then try to pick it up again. His face reddened with the effort, and his eyes threatened to pop out of his skull, but he finally managed to lift it.

"What does human female want to use?" the dwarf asked Caitlin. "What does know how to use?"

Caitlin bit her lower lip and then pointed at a small club. "I'll take that," she said.

The dwarf looked at the weapon in some surprise. "That?" he asked. "Not is weapon for grownup! Is toy for child!"

"I'll take it anyway," Caitlin said firmly. She was watching Rivenbark out of the corner of one eye and didn't intend to find herself having the same problems he was.

"Speaking of children," Caitlin asked as he handed her the weapon, "I haven't seen any. Or female dwarves, for that matter. Where are they?"

"In other part of mountain," the weaponmaster answered her. "Not go to fight ogres."

"Crunch ogre!!" several dwarves called.

"Still want crunch elf!" came a lone complaint.

"Crunch both!" suggested a mediator.

This met with general approval, and the chamber shook with the force of the cheers.

After she had recovered from the sudden attack of sound, Caitlin asked, "Why don't they go to fight?"

The dwarf shrugged. "Who can understand females? Not want to go and fight. Who know why?" He looked at Caitlin approvingly. "Glad to see some females know how to have fun!" He gave her a friendly buffet that knocked her into Rivenbark, causing him to overbalance. He, his massive weapon and Caitlin all tumbled to the floor, unseen by the weaponmaster who had already turned to Mal.

"What weapon does Kaidekonai want?" he asked.

Mal shook his head. "Nothing," he said. "I'm not going."

The dwarf looked shocked. "Not go to crunch..."

"OGRES!!!" several voiced finished for him.

"No," Mal replied. Then he said something in dwarvish that appeared to satisfy the weaponmaster who then turned to hand out a small axe to an approaching figher who already had six of his own.

"You're not going!?!" Rivenbark asked. "But...the glory! The pageantry of it all! This is going to be great!!!"

Mal smiled gently. "The reason I flunked out was because I didn't want to be in fighter training anyway. Why would I want to change my mind now?"

There was a moment of relative silence, and then he turned to Caitlin. "Be careful," he told her. "You're going to find out that you don't know quite as much as you think you do, and ogres are big and strong."

"CRUNCH OGRES!!!"

Caitlin looked at Mal oddly for a moment. There was something in his voice that she couldn't figure out. Then she said, "Don't worry. I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure of it. And I'm counting on it." Mal turned to Rivenbark. "And you," he said with a grin. "Don't go and get your head knocked off, all right?"

"Me?" Rivenbark asked. "Why, I'm the most careful of persons." He managed to heave the massive hammer across his shoulder, though it made him lean slightly to that side. "Don't worry about a thing!" he said cheerfully. "We'll both be fine."

"TIME!!!" a dwarf suddenly bellowed, and, with an excited roar, the dwarves poured into the corridor, with Caitlin and Rivenbark close behind them. Caitlin looked back to see Mal staring after her with a somber look on his face. She smiled and waved at him before passing out of sight.

She couldn't even begin to count the number of dwarves in front of her, and more poured out of every tunnel they passed, swirling around the two humans, slapping each other on the back, singing and grinning.

"This is hardly the way to sneak up on the enemy," Caitlin remarked to Rivenbark.

"What sneak?" asked a dwarf who happened to overhear the comment. "Not are trying to sneak. If dwarf want to be sneak, then not would be singing."

"You mean you'd only stomp, shout and laugh, is that it?" Caitlin asked drily.

The dwarf smiled, slapped her on the behind and winked. "Does catch on fast for human," he said. Before Caitlin had a chance to reply, he had vanished in the crowd.

"Looks like you've made a friend!" Rivenbark said with a laugh.

Caitlin shot him a disgusted look and tried to remember everything Mal had taught her. Her heart was beating rapidly, and the pit of her stomach felt a little watery, but she was ready.

The ogres proved to be surprisingly close. Dwarves and ogres like to live in the same types of areas, and they tend to live relatively close to each other. Fights are frequent and thoroughly enjoyed by both sides.

Caitlin found the ogres to be, at first sight, rather, daunting. Twice as tall as she was and five times as massive, they were covered with a layer of yellow-white fur. Their faces were distorted parodies of a human face, with loose lips, jagged teeth and irregularly shaped eyes. They towered over the dwarves, who didn't seem bothered at all by the size difference.

"OGRES!!!" the dwarves screamed with one voice, and the entire crowd surged forward, the flow carrying Rivenbark and Caitlin along.

The two humans were reassured by the size of the crowd around them, as it meant that they wouldn't have to face any of the hulking monsters alone, but the tunnel opened out suddenly, and the dwarves in front went around and past the first rank of ogres, darting to the sides, running between the legs of their larger opponents or, in the case of one particularly determined fellow, actually grabbing handsful of ogre fur and hauling himself over the top and down the back of a startled ogre. By the time the scattering was done, Caitlin and Rivenbark found themselves alone with one of the ogres. The creature looked at them in surprise.

"What is wrong with these dwarfs?" it asked. "Have never seen dwarfs so tall!"

Rivenbark stared up at the massive creature, his eyes going a little glassy. Caitlin became aware of a thick rank odor coming from the ogre's fur. Her mouth was suddenly dry, and her hands weren't as steady as she would have liked. She stepped forward quickly and swung her club with as much force as she could at the monster, getting her body behind the blow and hitting it solidly in the side. The ogre didn't appear to notice.

"Oh, well," it said with a shrug. "Smash anyway. Maybe can make them proper dwarf height, hey?" One massive hand holding an even more massive club came swinging down. Caitlin jumped back, just managing to pull Rivenbark out of the way as well. The club slammed into the ground just in front of them, sending splinters of stone skittering up from the floor. One pointed shard grazed Caitlin's cheek, leaving behind a thin trail of blood.

The amount of noise in the cavern was deafening. Ogres and dwarves find it impossible to fight without shouting encouragement to each other and insults at the enemy.

"Here, ogre!!" one dwarf called, having dispatched his opponent and eager for another. A hammer came flying at him, nearly glancing off his skull. "No!" he shouted at the overanxious dwarf who had thrown the weapon. "No, not here ogre! Here, ogre!"

"Sorry!!"

Caitlin frowned at her opponent. As big as these things were, they had to have a weak spot! She darted quickly around the ogre and swung her club at the his elbow. There was a sharp crack! And the head of her club went spinning through the air.

"Good one!" a nearby dwarf called, pointing at Caitlin. His opponent, taking advantage of the momentary distraction, swatted the dwarf with a keg sized fist. The dwarf bounced off a rock wall, shook his head, and grinned ferociously, apparently unhurt. "So, ogre want play rough with Gamin, hey? Then will play rough!" With a shout of "Crunch Ogre!" the dwarf ran full tilt at his opponent, and the two of them came together with a tremendous thud.

Caitlin's ogre tossed a backhanded slap at Rivenbark that sent him spinning to the ground and then turned to Caitlin and raised his club. "Have figured it out at last!" he told her happily. "Is not dwarf! Is human! But is okay. Gurg will smash anyway."

As the ogre started his speech, Caitlin threw her broken club down in disgust. These things had to have a weak spot somewhere! She just had to find it and hit it! She took several steps back and, just as the ogre finished speaking and started to bring his club down, she launched herself at him in a vicious flying kick that caught him between the legs. With a surprised grunt, the ogre dropped his club and fell to the floor, nearly crushing Rivenbark who hadn't managed to make it back to his feet yet. Several nearby dwarves applauded Caitlin, and one dealt her a solid slap to the back that very nearly knocked her down.

"Is good!" he bellowed, pausing only to club the agonized ogre cross the skull. "Would rather be unconscious and miss rest of fight than have to feel like that!" the dwarf said in an aside to Caitlin. "Human does have good kick."

"Thanks," Caitlin said, breathing heavily and looked around. She spotted Rivenbark and ran over to him, kneeling at his side. "Are you all right?" she asked.

Rivenbark nodded, gasping for air. "Knocked...my breath...away...is all!" he managed to say. "I'm fine..."

"Good." Caitlin stood up and looked around for another ogre. She thought maybe she was getting the hang of this now, and she was definitely enjoying herself. She had a few moves that she wanted to try out now.

She quickly discovered, however, that there weren't enough ogres to go around, despite the fact that some of the dwarves were temporarily out of the fight. She pushed her way through the crowd, with Rivenbark on his feet again and stumbling along behind her.

Rivenbark, who didn't particularly want to tackle another ogre, having gotten more than his fill with the first one, had something about him that seemed to attract attention. Every time he passed within arm's length of an ogre that was fighting someone else, the ogre would reach out and take a swing at him. The end result was that Rivenbark was battered and bruised but never managed to hit anything back.

Caitlin finally got another chance, however. An ogre took care of his dwarven opponent by the simple expedient of throwing him against a wall hard enough to dent the stone. The dwarf then decided that he'd be better off just sitting where he had landed for a few minutes and then maybe going off and fortify himself with a tankard of ale before rejoining the fray. Caitlin immediately jumped in to take his place.

"All right, ogre," she said smugly, "Come and get me." She took a step back and then launched herself at him.

The ogre, as it turned out, had seen this one before. As she leapt, he simply plucked her out of the air.

"Hello, human," he ogre said, holding her face close to his own. She caught a whiff of his breath and gagged violently. "Think Tog could use some squeezing practice?" He began to tighten his grip.

Caitlin's breath left her in big whoosh, and her vision grew dim. She could hear her blood rushing in her ears, and a fierce pounding started in her temples. She tried to struggle, but the ogre had her thoroughly wrapped up.

Suddenly, with a piercing shriek, Rivenbark leapt on the ogre's foot as hard as he could. Puzzled, the ogre stopped squeezing Caitlin. "What you doing?" he asked.

Rivenbark looked up at him. "Put her down!" he ordered.

"Is mine!" the ogre protested.

"Put her down!" Rivenbark ordered again.

The ogre shook his head and kicked sharply. Since Rivenbark was standing on his foot, he flew through the air, a wildly gesticulating missile, bowling over several dwarves as he landed.

"He did it!" Rivenbark cried, pointing at the offending ogre who was still clutching Caitlin tightly.

"CRUNCH OGRE!!" the dwarves yelled, rushing forward. Seeing them coming, the ogre threw Caitlin at them and charged forward. Rivenbark rushed toward Caitlin who was lying, a limp mass, on the stone floor of the tunnel. Before he could reach her, something struck his head and he fell, wrapped in darkness.

TWENTY-ONE

A rising swell of noise announced the return of the dwarves. Mal was sitting near the entrance to the great hall when they all swarmed in, bruised and battered, some with broken bones, but happy. The last two in were Caitlin and Rivenbark, leaning heavily on each other. The right side of Rivenbark's face was swollen, covered with a purplish bruise. Caitlin was pale and out of breath, with blood smeared across her face, several cuts and scrapes on her face and a visible lump on her forehead. She walked with a pronounced limp. Mal rushed over to his two friends.

"Are you all right?"

"Never better!" Rivenbark insisted with a lopsided grin. "Well, that's not true. I've certainly been better, and Kate--"

"What happened?" Mal interrupted, helping Caitlin to a chair.

"It was wonderful, Mal!" Caitlin told him, her eyes shining. "In spite of the fact that I had the breath squeezed out of me, got thrown around and twisted my ankle, it was great!"

"Great?!" Mal was incredulous. "Are you crazy?!!"

"No, really," Caitlin said. "I loved it! I want to learn to fight now more than ever!"

Mal shook his head and then sighed heavily. "You are crazy."

"You won't stop teaching me, will you?" Caitlin asked quickly.

Mal shrugged. "I don't know much more," he said. "I did flunk out, after all."

Seeing the crestfallen look on Caitlin's face he added, "But I know someone who can help you."

"Who?" Caitlin was excited again.

"His name is Teged Hammerhand. He's pretty old now, too old to go out and fight ogres, but he knows more about combat than nearly any other dwarf, and that's saying a lot."

"That's great!" Caitlin cried. "When can I meet him?" She started to stand up and then winced and fell back into her seat as her ankle refused to bear her weight.

"Later," Mal told her. "Now I think it's time for you to get something to eat and get some rest."

Caitlin nodded. "I think you're right," she agreed. "I am kind of tired. Will you help me to my room?"

Mal grinned. "As you wish," he said. He reached over and swept her easily into the air.

"Mal!" she cried. "That isn't what I meant!"

"Well," he replied. "You can't always get everything your own way."

Rivenbark, clutching a mug of hot cider, watched them go, grinning.

Mal carried Caitlin all the way to her room.

"You found it right off," she said in surprise. "It would have taken me who knows how long."

Mal pushed aside the heavy curtain that covered the entrance and said, "I had to do something while you were off beating up ogres, so I learned my way around some of the tunnels." He laid Caitlin gently down on her bed and then poured her a cup of water. "Now, get some rest," he said. "One of the healers will come by to check on you in a little while. I'll make sure he brings you some food."

"Thanks," she replied through a yawn.

"Don't mention it." Mal dropped the curtain shut behind him and made his way back to the great hall with a look of curious longing on his face.

TWENTY-TWO

Caitlin slept late the next day, though both Mal and Rivenbark were up early and met in the great hall for a breakfast of spiced oatmeal.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Mal asked, eyeing Rivenbark's face critically.

"Not too bad, considering," he replied, his smile distorted by the fact that the right side of his jaw was swollen and his right eye would only open partway. "All things considered, I'm glad we're having oatmeal. I don't think I'm up to chewing."

When they had both finished eating, Mal stood up and stretched. "Come on," he invited."There's someone I'd like you to meet."

"I hope its not a girl," Rivenbark countered. "I'm not quite at my best at the moment."

"Don't worry," Mal told him as they headed down one of the tunnels. "I"m told that a few scars add character."

"That kind of character, I can do without."

They walked in silence for awhile. Mal tended to be quiet anyway, and Rivenbark found it painful to talk. After about a quarter of an hour, Mal stopped before a small cavern.

"Where are we?" Rivenbark asked, peering into the well lit chamber. Nearly a dozen dwarves were sitting at tables working, though Rivenbark couldn't make out what they were doing."

"Jeweler's Cell," Mal replied. "One of the few places under the mountain kept lighted whether there are guests around or not. Come on."

Mal walked over to one of the tables. A very old dwarf was sitting on a high stool and staring intently at a dagger. Tools and a pile of small, colored gemstones covered the top of the table, and a small glowing ball set into the wall bathed the table top in a soft steady light.

"Davak," Mal said deferentially. "This is the one I spoke to you of. His name is Rivenbark."

The old dwarf looked up at Rivenbark, squinting, and said, "It is to hold out hands."

Surprised, Rivenbark did. The dwarf examined them carefully.

"Not is bad," he rumbled finally. "Fingers long, steady." He indicated an empty stool next to his own. "It is to sit."

"What?" Rivenbark looked confused.

"Sit!" Davak said, louder. He looked accusingly at Mal. "Not did say human was deaf," he complained.

"He isn't," Mal said with a smile. "Just a little slow sometimes."

Rivenbark looked from Mal to Davak in confusion.

"It is to sit down!" Davak ordered, pronouncing each of the words slowly and distinctly, even louder still.

Wincing at the noise level, Rivenbark sat down.

Davak looked over at Mal. "Can go now."

"You're in charge." He patted Rivenbark on one shoulder. "See you later."

"Hey!" Rivenbark cried, starting to stand up. "What ow!!"

Davak had a small measuring stick in his hand. He had rapped Rivenbark across the knuckles with it. "It is to sit!!!" he yelled. Rivenbark sat.

"Now," the dwarf said, putting the measuring stick down and picking up a small pair of pliers. "It is to begin." He handed the pliers to Rivenbark and indicated the stones and the dagger, the hilt of which, Rivenbark could now see, was covered with very small indentations.

"What am I supposed to do?"

Davak shook his head sadly. "Use pliers to pick up stone and put in fifteenth hole from left of center."

"What?" Rivenbark cried. "But, I--"

Davak picked up the measuring stick and Rivenbark set to work. The stones were very very tiny. He didn't know that gemstones came in such small sizes. He selected one at random, a bright green one, and used the small needle nosed pliers to pick it up. Then he attempted to set the stone into the small opening.

"Let's see..." he told himself softly. "Fifteenth..." His hand started to shake, and the pliers closed on the small stone, crushing it.

Mal, standing in the hallways, heard a sharp smack followed by a yelp of pain from Rivenbark.

"It is not to crush stones!" Davak snapped.

A metallic clatter was followed by a second smack. "It is not to drop pliers!"

"I...I didn't know that gemstones would crush!" Rivenbark complained.

"Not are real stones," Davak explained. "Are for practice."

"Oh."

"It is to try again!"

"Right."

Smiling to himself, Mal made his way back to the great hall. Discovering that Caitlin wasn't there, he gathered up a tray of food and made his way to her room.

"Hello!" he called cheerfully through the curtain. "Are you awake?"

The only answer was a noncommital groan, so Mal pushed the curtain aside and walked in.

Caitlin was sitting up in the bed looking blearily at him. The cuts on her face had been cleaned and tended, and she no longer appeared so pale. She looked at the tray in Mal's hands.

"What's that?"

"Breakfast," Mal told her, setting the tray in her lap. "Eat it all. You're going to have a busy day."

Suddenly more awake, she started in on the food, casting a puzzled glance in Mal's direction. "What do you mean?"

"Eat," he ordered. "How do you feel?"

Caitlin shrugged. "Like I've been beaten with wet rocks. But at least my ankle doesn't hurt so hurt. One of the healers came by and worked on it last night."

There was a moment of silence, broken only by the sound of Caitlin scraping food off of her plate.

"Do you still want to learn to fight?" Mal asked suddenly.

Caitlin nodded, her mouth full. She swallowed and then added, "More than ever."

"All right," Mal stood up. "I'll be out in the hall. When you finish eating and whatever else you want to do, get into some loose clothing and come on out."

As he expected, she was out in minutes. She had changed out of the torn, stained and bloodied garments she had fallen asleep in and was now wearing rugged, loose clothing. Her face and hair were damp.

"Come on," Mal said. "Let's go."

He led Caitlin down several tunnels, through narrow passages and even down several flights of solid stone stairs. The trip took nearly half an hour, and when they arrived, Caitlin didn't have the faintest idea where she was or how to get back to where she had been, but she was relieved to note that, though she was still limping slightly, her ankle bore up under the walk well.

They stopped before a solid looking wooden door. The only door, in fact, that Caitlin had seen in any of the tunnels. Those chambers that needed to be screened were usually covered with heavy curtains.

From inside the room, Caitlin could hear a wide assortment of crashes and thuds, and once, the door shook violently in its frame as some heavy object struck it from the other side. A little nervously, Caitlin watched Mal pound on the door with his fist. A moment later, the noises stopped and the door was opened by a young dwarf.

"Kai?" the dwarf asked politely.

"Hodek davek katarrin," Mal replied.

The dwarf bowed low and led Mal and Caitlin into the room.

Caitlin looked around almost hungrily at the collection of targets lining the walls and the racks of weapons. The dwarves, she noticed, seemed to prefer blunt weapons with the exception of the axe. Hammers, clubs and maces abounded, though there were no swords or daggers at all.

Dwarves were ranged about the room, clutching various weapons. They had apparently been tossing them at the targets. Well, at least that explained the need for a door. It wouldn't do to have a wildly thrown hammer streaking down the corridor.

Mal led Caitlin over to one corner of the room. There, in a comfortable chair by a roaring fire, sat the oldest dwarf that Caitlin had ever seen. His hair, his beard and even his skin were a dusty grey in color, but his eyes were as hard as flint as he examined the two humans.

"Malledagarithon," the dwarf said, inclining his head gently.

"Ho, Teged," Mal answered. "This is Caitlin, the one I told you of."

Teged looked Caitlin over in a frank manner that she found embarrassing, and then he nodded. "Did hear of this one. Did fight well. Good accounting."

The old dwarf was silent for a moment, and then he nodded. "Not do usually teach humans," he said, "but will teach this one."

"Fighting?" Caitlin asked excitedly.

Teged frowned at her. "What did think? Elf basket weaving? Look around room. Yes, to fight."

Mal smiled at the shine in Caitlin's eyes, and then he bowed to the old dwarf. "I'll be leaving now," he said quietly.

Teged nodded, Mal already forgotten as he turned to his new pupil.

Mal let himself out and shut the door behind him. As he walked down the corridor, he heard the crashing of hammers start up behind him.

TWENTY-THREE

With the entire day stretching before him, Mal had two things that he wanted to do. One

of them had to be done quickly, before he lost his nerve.

Despite his familiarity with dwarven tunnels in general and the time he had spent wandering these tunnels in particular, there were still many places under the mountain that he didn't know how to reach. The first place he wanted to visit was one of these.

Stopping the first dwarf he passed, Mal asked, "Hodek kall tama?"

The dwarf looked at him in some surprise, but he gave the directions Mal had asked for. Somewhat anxious, Mal began to follow them.

He eventually found himself deep under the mountain and as far away from the main entrance to the community as it was possible to be. Directly ahead of him, the tunnel narrowed sharply, ending in a thick stone door, outside of which hung a small gong. Taking the padded mallet, Mal struck the gong sharply. Then he sat on the floor to wait. If they wanted to come, they would, but they might keep him waiting any length of time or not come at all, and he was only allowed to strike the gong once a day.

He sat practically motionless for just under an hour before the heavy door began to swing open. It was an excellent example of dwarven craftmanship and opened easily and silently, despite its weight, to reveal a dwarven female.

Mal had scrambled quickly to his feet the instant the door began to swing open, and now he bowed deeply, careful not to stare at her, though he had seen only two dwarven females before.

Short and stocky like her male counterparts, the dwarf was clothed in a flowing dress that brushed the floor, hiding her feet. The dress was richly embroidered, covered with lace and had a high silk collar studded with pearls. The dwarf's expression was somber, and she looked Mal up and down very carefully and with no sign of approval.

"Kai?"

Mal began to explain what he wanted in dwarvish, but she cut him off with an abrupt gesture.

"While your accent is not so barbarous as it might be," she said curtly, "I still have no desire to hear you massacre the language of my people. We will use yours." Her grasp of the human tongue was faultless. Her voice was imperious and cold. "Now, what do you request of us?"

"Uh...I understand that you have an extensive library, and I would like to..."

The dwarf's expression became so severe that Mal found himself faltering, at a loss for words.

"Seldom do we let one of our own into the library," the dwarf snapped. "So why should we let a human in?" She spat the word human as if it were distasteful and she wanted to get it out of her mouth as quickly as possible. "So why should we let you in?"

Mal opened and closed his mouth uselessly and felt the slow heat of a blush crawling up the back of his neck and face. Just as he was about to turn away, another voice spoke from beyond the door.

"Kali, to whom do you speak?"

The dwarf turned and looked behind her. "He is an outsider."

Mal stared into the darkness beyond the door and thought that he could make out a form, but he wasn't certain that it wasn't his imagination.

"What does the outsider wish?" the new voice asked.

"To visit the library."

"I will see him."

The young female stepped aside, gestured for Mal to enter, and then said softly, "Guests." A gentle light flooded the chamber, revealing a very old dwarven female dressed in a long flowing gown.

"Despite Kali's criticism, your grasp of the dwarvish tongue is excellent. However, I would like to use this opportunity to practice the human language. Now, what is your name?"

"Malledegarithon," he replied, bowing.

She nodded. "I am called Mika. Come and take tea with me."

She led Mal down a narrow corridor, the walls of which were covered with fine tapestries. Somewhere, a harp was playing an air. Mal had the impression that he had stepped into a different world. He was even more bemused a short time later to find himself sitting on a padded seat that was too small for him, drinking excellent tea out of a delicate bone china cup.

"Now," said Mika, after the tea had been served and she had tasted hers. "Tell me why you wish to visit our library."

"Pardon me for saying so," Mal told her hesitantly, "but you seem much nicer than I expected."

Mika smiled. "Have you seen one of us before?" she asked.

"Twice," Mal replied. "You see, I grew up near Stonehaven."

Mika nodded. "The mark is there for all to see. You have a dekhai. How would you say this...?"

"Um...brother of the stone is about as close as I can get. There really isn't any good translation."

"Yes. What is his name, this brother of yours?"

"Kori Stoneshifter."

There was a long moment of silence, during which Mika stared intently at Mal, and he began to wonder if he'd said something wrong.

"When you gave me your name, why did you not introduce yourself as a Stoneshifter?" she asked finally. "You have that right. You are of the Stoneshifter family."

"I didn't want to seem like I was trying to use that to get what I wanted."

Mika nodded.. "The name of your dwarven father?"

"Demek."

A smile seemed to pull at the edge of the dwarf's lips as she said, "Your brother Kori is my third daughter's eldest son." She paused. "As a dekhai, you are his brother and my grandson."

Mal stared at the aged dwarf, dumbfounded. "Uh..." he began, but she cut him off.

"I have known of you since the dekhai ceremony many years ago, but I never thought to meet you. Why do you wish to use the library, grandson?"

Swallowing audibly, Mal said, "I'm trying to learn magic, and I had hoped that you might have some books that could help me."

Mika took a sip of tea before answering. "Indeed, we do. And more." She set her tea cup down and stood up. "Come with me."

She led Mal to a room stocked with scroll cases. Shelves ran from floor to ceiling, each one full. Mal simply stood and stared at the collected knowledge all around him, until Mika broke in on his thoughts.

"You have some knowledge of magic already?"

Still staring at the scrolls, Mal nodded. "A little."

"Here!" she cried suddenly.

Mal turned toward her just in time to catch a small but heavy wooden horse in the pit of the stomach. He grunted as the air whooshed out of him and sat down suddenly on the floor.

Mika walked over to him and stared into his eyes which were now on a level with her own.

"The deflection spell is one of the simplest known. Haven't you learned it yet?"

Panting, Mal climbed to his feet and struggled to say, "Yes."

"And you don't have it on a trigger? Hah!"

Mika spun on her heel and walked over to a table of curios. Eyeing them critically, she picked up a stone carving of an elephant. "You were apparently not ready the first time," she called back over her shoulder. "Are you ready now?"

With a last wheeze, Mal straightened up and nodded. "Yes," he said. "I think so."

Turning, Mika threw the small statue she had selected at Mal. He gestured quickly, but nothing happened, so he ducked, allowing the statue to pass over his head. It was at this point that he discovered that Mika had thrown a paperweight at him while he had been distracted by the statue. The paperweight hit him in the pit of the stomach..

"Wrong," Mika said coldly. "You do not know the deflection spell. No grandson of mine can remain such a poor student as this. You and I have much work to do, and you may not leave until I am satisfied with your progress. Is this understood?"

"Yes..." Mal wheezed.

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, grandmother."

"Excellent." Turning, she reached for another statue.

TWENTY-FOUR

By the time the three friends met again, it was supper time. They joined a crowd of dwarves in the great hall for the meal.

Rivenbark was holding his hands tenderly. Two of his knuckles were bruised.

Caitlin had trouble moving. Every muscle in her body ached, and she was almost exhausted after the day's efforts.

Mal was in almost as bad shape as Caitlin. Mika had insisted that he get the deflection spell right and that he keep it on a trigger, so that a single gesture or word could be used to cast it. She had continually tested him by throwing things at him unexpectedly. The mental effort of maintaining the spell, along with the fact that most of Mika's missiles had ended up striking their target, had left him tired and in pain.

"I think," Caitlin said in a weary voice, "That I'm going to die."

"Take me with you," Rivenbark groaned, wincing as he tried to hold a spoon.

Mal looked unenthusiastically at the plate of stew in front of him. He wasn't really very hungry, just sore, and he had a tremendous headache. He looked up at Caitlin, blinked several times and then asked, "What happened to your hair?!"

Caitlin reached up self-consciously and touched her hair. When Mal had left her with Teged, it had hung down to her waist. Now it was barely shoulder length.

"Teged cut it," she said. "He said that having hair that long was asking for trouble in a fight."

"What did he cut it with?" Rivenbark asked, looking at the ragged line of hair that didn't quite reach Caitlin's shoulder. "An axe?"

"Well, yes," Caitlin said. "What...uh...what do you think?" She smiled nervously.

"It looks good," Rivenbark said promptly.

"Uh, yeah," Mal agreed. "I like it." He grinned, and Caitlin's smile grew bigger.

"Listen," Rivenbark said suddenly. "I've been thinking."

"That's what got us into this in the first place," Caitlin said.

"This place is nice and all..." Rivenbark continued and then winced at a sudden stab of pain from one of his hands, "But sitting here isn't getting us back in school."

Caitlin shook her head. "You know, I'm not sure I care, anymore. I can get all the training I need right here."

"No!" Rivenbark cried. "You can't let me down now! We're going to get the sword reforged and get back into the college!"

"Calm down, Rivenbark," Mal said quietly. "We'll get it done." He glanced at Caitlin. "You can't get sword training here, among other things," he told her.

"When will we get it done?" Rivenbark asked.

"As soon as we find Gadek Forgehammer," Mal told him.

"Well, let's do it now." Rivenbark set his spoon down and stood up. "Let's go find him."

"Rivenbark..." Caitlin protested in a tired voice. "I don't think..."

"Sit back down," Mal said. "All we have to do is ask. I was going to do it earlier today, but I got...ow...occupied."

"Then ask!"

Mal glanced at Caitlin and then shrugged. "All right." He turned to the dwarf sitting next to him. "We're looking for Gadek Forgehammer."

"Not will find here," the dwarf told him.

"Where can we find him, then?" Rivenbark asked anxiously.

"Not can."

"What?!" Rivenbark screamed. "Why not? Where is he? I need him!"

"Is on meditation fast."

"Uh-oh." Mal looked glum.

"Uh-oh?" Rivenbark and Caitlin echoed.

"When did he start the fast?"

The dwarf shrugged. "Last full moon."

"What's going on?" Rivenbark asked, looking almost comically tragic.

"Gadek's on meditation fast," Mal explained. "That means no visitors, and it will last at least until the next full moon. That's about three weeks from now. If he's on a greater fast, it could be longer. It looks like we're going to have to stay here for awhile."

Rivenbark sat picked up his spoon with a grimace of pain.

"Three weeks," he said mournfully. "I don't know if I can last that long."

TWENTY-FIVE

The time passed quickly for Caitlin, with nearly every day spent exercising, training and learning. After the first week or so, her muscles had begun to hurt less, and she was enjoying her lessons immensely.

For Mal, it was like being home again. He made new friends, and Mika, who turned out to have a large knowledge of magic, continually tutored him. He enjoyed himself immensely, though he found the study of magic to be sometimes tedious and always difficult, especially given Mika's rather abrupt style of instruction.

Rivenbark was the least happy of the three. The dwarves seemed to expect him to report to the Jeweler's Cell six days a week. As time passed, and under the influence of Davak's ruler, he eventually became reasonably adept at bejewelling hilts, but he never enjoyed it. Life underground was trying for Rivenbark, and no one seemed to appreciate his fine taste in clothes.

He at least had the consolation of knowing that, as time passed, the search for them must be dying down.

Eventually, the day arrived when, at breakfast, Mal told his friends that Gadek's fast was finished. It had been nearer eight weeks than three.

"You mean, we can go see him?" Rivenbark cried, his face lighting up as he danced a quick jig. "Great!"

Caitlin sighed and said, "So soon?" She shook her head. "I'm not ready to leave! I still have so much to learn!"

"You'll be able to learn all the fighting you want once we get accepted back into the college," Rivenbark said quickly. "And don't you want to see the sun again? Cities jammed full of people, taverns full of bright lights and quick music? Streets filled with--"

"All right!" Caitlin stopped him with a laugh. "We started this together and we'll finish it together, Rivenbark. Let's go."

They stopped by Mal's room to pick up the sword, still in the sack they had used to get it off the campus and made their way to Gadek's chamber.

Gadek was very old, and, like all elderly dwarves, he was very sensitive to cold. His room has a roaring fire in it, and the heat was stifling to the three humans.

"Gadek?" Mal asked, looking at the small figure wrapped in blankets and seated before the fire.

The dwarf looked up slowly. "Is," he confirmed.

"My name is Malledagarithon Stoneshifter." Caitlin and Rivenbark cast curious glances at Mal. "These are my friends Caitlin and Rivenbark."

Gadek stared at each of them with rheumy eyes and then nodded, smiling. "Ho." He gestured toward a pitcher of ale and a rack of mugs.

Mal walked over, took three mugs down, topped off Gadek's mug and then poured ale for himself and his friends.

There was a long awkward silence, and then Rivenbark said, "We'd like to ask you a question."

Shrugging, Gadek said, "Will answer if can. What is question?"

The three friends crowded around him, sweating as they drew close to the fire.

Rivenbark took the sack from Mal, opened it and pulled out the one of the pieces of the sword. Holding the hilt with its fragment of blade out to the old dwarf, he asked, "Can you tell us who forged this?"

Gadek closed one eye and squinted at the weapon. "Not did do a very good job," he said, his voice suddenly loud as he picked up the hilt with its stump of blade and slashed the air with it. "Is too short to do any good."

Mal smiled, but Rivenbark took the old dwarf's joke seriously.

"No, you see, that isn't all of it," Rivenbark explained, showing him the other two pieces. Here's the rest."

Gadek snorted. "What good is?" he asked. "Is no use to rely on weapon that breaks!"

"Look," Caitlin said, "Thank you for the words of wisdom, but what we really want to know..."

Gadek glared at her, and her voice trailed off. "Gadek knows what want," he informed her tartly. "Not is deaf. Or stupid." He paused, looking at the sword. "Or rude."

Mal very carefully didn't smile at that.

"Sorry," Caitlin said. "But, look," she took the hilt away from him and pointed at it. "It says 'githon' here. Could that be the name of whoever made it?"

"No," Gadek told her. "Not is."

There was another moment of silence while Gadek examined the weapon, and then Caitlin said brusquely, "Can we--"

"Caitlin." Mals' voice was soft, but something in his tone stopped her.

"What?"

"Why don't we just let him look at it?"

"Oh, all right." Caitlin lapsed into an impatient silence while Gadek examined every inch of the broken blade with both his eyes and hands, knocking it against the stone floor, even sniffing and tasting it. Then he moved on to the hilt.

"Well?" Caitlin finally asked, her patience exhausted.

"What?" the dwarf asked.

"Can you tell us who forged it?!!" Rivenbark, practically dancing in place, asked.

"Oh." Gadek looked at the blade again. "Is solid weapon. Curling technique used on blade take mountain fire. Few know how to use mountain fire. Key is word here." He pointed to the hilt.

"So that is the name of whoever forged it," Caitlin said smugly.

"No." Gadek shook his head. "Not is."

"Well, then, what is it?"

"Is very old word for type of stone."

"Stone?" Rivenbark asked, surprised. "That isn't very mysterious."

"What does stone have to do with anything?" Caitlin wanted to know.

"Long time ago," Gadek explained, "Was common way to sign name on weapon."

"With a rock?" Rivenbark asked, incredulous.

"No!" The dwarf sounded disgusted. "Use feature of landscape. Like kind of sand or tallest mountain, type of stone in tunnels."

"Ohhh..." The sound came from all three of them at the same time.

"Why didn't anyone else figure this out?" Caitlin asked. "It sounds awfully simple.

Gadek shrugged. "Githon is from tongue not used in centuries."

"Where can we find that type of stone?" Mal asked.

"Only one place anymore," Gadek said. "Near Damek Cleft."

"The Cleft of Torture?" Mal asked with a frown.

"Or Cleft of Testing," Gadek said. "Could be translated both ways."

"Either way, it doesn't sound like a fun place," Caitlin said.

"Not know," Gadek told her. "Only know would not go there self. Legend says is good place to go if want die for very long time."

"That's great!" Rivenbark cried. "If we get through this alive, they're bound to let us back into school!"

"Somehow, that totally fails to brighten my outlook about this," Caitlin said drily.

"How far away is the Damek Cleft?" Mal asked.

"Not sure," Gadek told him, handing back the broken sword. "Gadek not go above ground in hundred years, and not can get there through tunnels."

Caitlin shook her head in dismay and glanced at Rivenbark. "How did I ever let you talk me into this?"

TWENTY-SIX

It took them three days before they were ready to leave. It was winter above ground, and the dwarves had fitted them out with warm clothing. A search of the library had turned up a map which showed the location of the Cleft, and they were allowed to make a copy to take with them. They gathered provisions and new gear, and Mal made one last visit to see Mika.

She escorted him into the small sitting room where they had first talked.

"Your progress has been satisfactory," she told him, "but no more. You still have a great deal of work to do."

"I know. But I thank you for the help you've given me."

She nodded and then reached beneath her chair and took out a small parcel. She handed it to him and said, "Do not open this until the time is right.."

He took it curiously. It was heavy. "What is it?"

"If I'd wanted you to know what it was right now, I wouldn't have wrapped it, now would I?" she said tartly.

"I guess not. Um...how will I know when the time is right?"

"Questions questions. You need to figure some things out on your own. You don't want your brain to go soft, do you?"

"No, I guess I don't." Mal grinned, stood up, walked over and hugged her. "Thank you, grandmother."

She smiled at him. "Go," she said. "And practice hard so that you don't embarrass me!"

The parcel was in Mal's pack, unopened, when, shortly after daybreak, he, Caitlin and Rivenbark found themselves in a narrow tunnel. Rivenbark had been quite upset to learn that Norris, Ewyn and Alison had already been sent back to the Growler restaurant on their own.

Since they had arrived under the mountain, every tunnel they had ventured into had been well lit. The dwarves had no need of the light, but the humans would have been lost without it.

This tunnel, however, was always kept dark.

"No need to tell world is here," one dwarf had explained to them. "Is secret tunnel. Not light up secret tunnel."

Unlike all the other tunnels, this one was wet and cold, apparently untouched by dwarven hands. That was an illusion that had been carefully crafted. The three friends made their way down it carefully, their only light a dim patch of brightness ahead of them.

Mal led the way, one hand brushing the wall, until they stepped out of the tunnel and into a thick tangle of briar and foliage.

Caitlin looked at the solid mass of thorny plants around her and her mouth twisted. "Oh, this is going to be fun," she said.

"I hope I don't mess up my new clothes," Rivenbark worried.

"This is just to make it look uninviting," Mal said. "It's meant to keep people out, not to keep people in. Watch."

Holding both hands in front of him, Mal murmured something in dwarven, and the snarl of vines opened up before them. The three friends walked forward, and the vines closed up again after them, leaving behind an apparently impenetrable wall of vegetation.

The morning sunlight caught them all by surprise, and they squinted, shielding their eyes with their hands.

"I'd forgotten how bright the sun is!" Rivenbark said, smiling. "Isn't it beautiful?!"

As soon as she was able to, Caitlin looked around. The ground was rocky and uninviting. "Come on," she said. "As long as we're going, let's go."

"We're on our way again!" Rivenbark said cheerfully.

To Be Continued

Bio:"I am a college biology teacher living in the southeastern US with my wife, one dog, and one cat, which is plenty of cats but several dogs too few. All in all, I think the universe is a lot sillier than we can possibly imagine, which won't stop me from trying."

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Ralph Benedetto, Jr.

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