he Lutin Chronicles
Chapter 20
A Distant Thunder
by Oren Otter

Eighteen years had passed since the exile of the original Omega Squadron.  The Federation continued to grow.  A railroad now ran all the way around the above-ground cities.  From Sun Harbor, it crossed a bridge over the highway toward Oom, took a hrd right and ran south of Point Grove before running past Seven Towers and turning south again to run beneath the highway at North Hunger.  The lake between Spiritfell and Anhunger had grown, and on its shore, where the east-west road crossed the one from Mountainshade to Bounty, the small town of Sweetwater was created.  A real peace with the wood elves had been created, not the taciturn truce which had immediately followed their failed attack.  They remained fiercely independent and did not deign to join their own village, which they called Opele, to the Federation.  Next to it, however, had grown the town of Deepwood, which had been primarily populated by refugees from lands conquered by the Burning Sun.  They did join the Federation, and many elves had moved in there and were busily helping it to grow.  One might suppose they felt better being surrounded by people who hated the Burning Sun as much as they did.

Indeed, many chapters of the Burning Sun still remained.  Villages within the Forest of Darkness were being taken still, and the survivors were fleeing to the south, to this tiny but very well defended land.  The cities continued to grow and grow.  Spiritfell had positively swollen, and was now bigger than Mountainshade.  It now boasted a school of its own.  To cut classes down to a managable size, many students who had formerly attended school in Mountainshade had been moved.

Kara was one of the students who had been reassigned to the new school.  She would be starting today, which made her rather excited.  The girl was up at the crack of dawn.  Humming to herself, she dressed hastily in a pair of canvas pants, leather boots and her best one-armed pink blouse.  She almost dashed out of her room before remembering her necklace.  That wouldn't do at all.  Kara was a Yarasa, a werebat who had been adopted by her lutin father.  Having one arm meant she had only one wing, and therefore could not fly without the powers of the magic feather on her necklace.  Magnets at both ends of the chain found one another behind her neck.  Kara looked into the mirror and smiled.  She was good to go.

Booli arose to a wonderful, sweet smell filling the entire house.  Dressing quickly and heading down the stairs, he found Kara in the kitchen cooking bacon and hotcakes.  "Whatever you're cooking, I hope there's enough for two." he said.

"Morning, Daddy!" said Kara.  "I was going to make waffles, but then I remembered we don't have a waffle iron, so you're getting pancakes."

"And what's the special occasion?" asked the father.

"First day of school!  I've only been talking about it all week."

Booli watched his daughter as she cooked.  "You're almost grown." he observed.  "It won't be long before you're attending your last day of school."

Kara brought the pan to the table and slid a hotcake from it onto her father's plate.  "Never." she said brightly.  "I'll be going to college till I'm old and grey."  She then sat down to her own breakfast.  With a word of thanks to Vertarbna, the lutins dug in.

"I have to head up to Bounty today." said Booli.  "I'm helping move some supplies from the food bank down to Sweetwater.  Maybe I could get you to transform me before you go."

"You don't need me to do that." said Kara around a mouth full of cake.  "You can activate your charm as easily as I can."

Booli looked a little sad.  "Well, that's true, I suppose."

Kara looked up at the clock.  "Is that the time?" she said, rolling up the last half of her pancake and shoving it into her mouth.  "I gomma go!  I bom'b wamma be wate!"

"Swallow, girl." said Booli.

"Sorry.  I said I gotta go.  I don't wanna be late."  She gave her father a syrupy kiss on the cheek and dashed out the door.  She then returned thirty seconds later and grabbed her bag.  "Forgot my books!" she explained.

Booli finished his breakfast and went to the doorway where all of his animal charms hung from nails.  Taking the horse charm, he placed it around his neck and spoke the activation phrase.  "Daddy gladdy moresy horsie."  His clothing disappeared and his flesh was rapidly transformed into that of a white stallion.  "It's not the same as when she does it." he said to no one.

* * *

Vycam awoke feeling groggy.  He tumbled out of his bed onto all fours,  He stood up in front of the mirror and stared at himself.  He was mostly bear, his body covered in shaggy, brown fur, his hands bearing enormous claws.  His face was that of a bear, but where his eyes should have been, there were only two depressions.  Instead, he had a single, large eye in the middle of his forehead.  The overall impression was that he had three eyes and simply kept two closed constantly.  There was also the impression of one who had been tossing and turning all night and had the badly toussled fur to show for it.  Vycam licked his hand and slicked down his fur as best he could.

"Good morning, son." said Algene brightly as Vycam entered the dining room.  "Your mother made..."

"Waffles." said Vycam.

"Algene smiled.  "Are we developing some prognosticating ability?"

Vycam's eyebrow furled.  "No, Dad.  I can smell the waffles."  The family sat and ate together, Algene looking uncomfortable the whole time, as if he were harboring some disturbing thought that didn't quite want to leave his lips.  "Some of the kids from school are going down to Moondark." said the boy.  "They've just opened up a hall full of games, including some clockwork ones I've been dying to try."

"I'm sorry, son, but you're going to be grounded after school." said his father.

"WHAT?"

"There's going to be an incident at school." said his mother.  "Your father and I have already discussed it, and we've decided that a week's restrictions are an appropriate punishment."

"But I haven't even done anything!" Vycam exclaimed.

"But you will." said Algene.  "And when you do, at least don't use your claws."

"This is bogus." griped Vycam as he rose fom the table.  Grabbing his rucksack, the bear boy stormed out of the house.

* * *

Mem was a happy lad.  the half lion half goblin boy loved one thing more than anything else in the world, and that was flying.  Oh, not like the werebats, of course, nor like the reindeer with their flying charms, but with his own small airship.  Suspended from a balloon filled with a mixture of helium and hydrogen, it was made magically lighter by flying charms built firectly into the wings.  It was surprisingly fast and maneuverable, powered by a tiny radium steam engine and constructed from illuminum.  It even had small fireball launchers front and aft.  There were many airships like this, but this one was his, and he loved it.  He had dubbed it the Aquilla, after the popular express train, the Aquila Queen.  Presently, Mem was flying over the lake where he had been "born", or rather, rescued from his mother's womb when she had been killed by a dobhar-chu.  He never knew his mother, and his father was quiet and solitary, but Mem was outgoing, and never wanted for love or friendship.  below him was one of his friends.  Mem descended to say hello.

Patrolling the lake between Sun Harbor and Prosperity sailed the Forest Pearl.  Her crew of five looked every inch the professional sailors dressed in their uniforms of blue.  These were part of the new Federation navy, defenders of the lakes and rivers of the forest.  There was a koalinth, two gageets, a werepenguin, and the ship's captain, good old Kyrk.  And of course, wherever Kyrk went, there was his faithful dog, Bonegnaw.

"Ahoy!" called kyrk.

"Ahoy!" returned Mem.  "Navy life looks good on you, Kyrk!"

"Thank you!" said the captain, grabbing a wing of the aircraft to keep it from drifting.  "And that contraption looks good on you."

"Don't know what I ever did without it." said the lion boy.

"Mem, have you ever thought about joining the military?  I heard that Kayrok is putting together a sort of an aerial force.  You would be perfect."

"Me?  But I'm just a kid." said Mem.  In some ways it was true.  He was about eight years younger than Kyrk.  If he were a normal lutin, he would have still been in elementary school.  However, he wasn't normal.  Being half lion, he aged quickly.  He had studied very hard to keep up with children his own biological age, and was now entering the "high" school.  Someplace he needed to get to soon.

"You don't have to be an adult.  There's a program for junior soldiers.  You receive training without being put into dangerous combat situations."

Mem smiled.  "Flying... for a living?  Count me in!"  he waved a hearty goodby to Kyrk and his crew as he sped off to school.

* * *

Mem was no the only one who advanced through school quickly.  Rose Junior had done the same thing.  Today was also to ge her first day within the higher grades, and she was extremely nervous.  "Where is my quill?" she cried.  "I can't write anything without my quill!"

"Have you looked in your bag?" asked her father, Pureheart.

"Why would I be looking for it if it were in my... Oh.  It's in my bag."

Pureheart nuzzled his daughter.  "Don't be nervous, swwetheart.  You'll be fine."

"I can't help it." said Rose.  "Everyone is expecting me to be so great.  The alicorn daughter of the wizard's unicorn and the nightmare."

"I think you're only an alicorn if your wings have feathers."

"You know what I mean, though."

The unicorn thought back to his time when he was merely Blotchet, the boy from Prendor who was pretending to be a real unicorn.  He'd spent years training to make good on the farce.  "Oh, I know the feeling." he replied.

Rose Senior entered with a bag clutched in her bat wing.  "I packed you a lunch." she said.  "A couple of apples, some juice and some oats."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Better get going now." she said as she dropped the lunch into her daughter's schoolbag.  Rose strapped the bag to her front leg and tightened the straps with her teeth.  Stepping out of the little house in ponytown, she flapped her wings and rose into the air.  Almost immediately, she met Sualocin the reindeer in the air.

"Hey, Sual!  What are you doing out this way?" Rose asked.  Lat she'd heard, Sualocin and his family were living in Iceberg.  Ponytown was definitely not on the way to school.  While many might have thought it strange to see a reindeer in midair, Sualocin had been using a flight charm for many years and was a better flier than most of the werebats.

"Good morning, Rose." answered the reindeer.  "I was out for an early morning flight when something caught my attention, so I decided to check it out."

"Oh?  What was it?"

"Lemons."

"Lemons?"

"Yes.  I smelled lemons.  And it wan't coming from Anhunger, which is the only place around here lemons will grow.  It was coming from the mountains.  So i flew down to check it out."

"Did you find them?"

Sualocin shook his head.  "I turned around because I didn't want to be late for the first day of class."

As they flew side by side, they watched Mem flying his airship in from the west, and Kara just ahead of them.  Below, students were getting off the train.  Among them was their friend, Vycam, who looked like he was having a rotten morning.

* * *
"I'm sorry," said the otter, cupping a hand to his ear.  "I didn't quite catch that."

"You were right." said Captain Kayrok.  "I was wrong.  Nasoj was evil the whole time."

"One more time?  I'm a little deaf in this ear."

"Oh, stop it, now."

The otter chuckled.  I'm just glad that you and I can meet as friends."  He raised a glass in salute to his dining companion with whom he shared a table at Splim's.

"Who would have thought?" mused the lutin.  "But I'm likewise glad that there is no more reason for enmity between us, Oren.  So, tell me about this new form you have."

Oren's cheeks reddened beneath his fur.  "It's only when I relax." he explained.  "You see, Hipocci are resistant to magic, so when the curse of Metamor Keep tries to change us, it doubles its efforts.  Most of us are transformed in two different ways.  I was already half otter, so I became a child, and female.  but like many others, I can alter the degree of my alteration..."

"I know about all that." said Kayrok.  "We've had Mara with us for years."

"That's right.  She's one of us, isn't she?"

"I want to see what you look like."

"Yeah, show us!" shouted another of Splim's patrons.  Soon all the lutins were calling for Oren to show his new form."

"All right, all right,  Only because you asked."  The otter began to shrink, his body becoming more feminine.  He became younger and younger until he, or rather she, seemed to be a little girl of about five years old, and still very much an otter.  "Satisfied?" she asked in her adorable little voice.  The tavern was filled with a chorus of "aaawwwww!"  Oren wanted to dig a hole and hide in it.

"You are absolutely adorable." said the captain.

"iI don't want to be adorable." responded the former soldier.  "I want to be... a bit more manly."  He returned to his normal self.

"Of course.  I understand."

The two got into a conversation about the events of the last two decades.  Kayrok was explaining about the battle with the Yarase when a humanoid anteater woman walked through the door.  With her, she brought two teenage girls.  One had the face of an otter, the other, a weasel.  "Captain, you've met my wife, Fnaire.  These are our daughters, Sira and Amanda."

The otter, Amanda, did a polite bow.  She was the spitting image of her father.  Like him, she had no mane of hair on her head.  Her body was straight, almost masculine, but her soft, green eyes were definitely those of a young lady.  She smiled and said "How do you do, Sir?"

Sira, the weasel, was much more curvaceous than her sister.  She was lighter brown and dressed in a red minidress.  Also unlike her sister, she had a full head of frizzy blonde hairwhich hung down around her shoulders.  Her eyes were completely unlike Amanda's, being amber and filled with a fire.  She grasped the captain's hand and shook it.  "Hey, Captain" was all she said.

Kayrok shook hands and bowed.  "Such lovely daughters." he commented.  "But I thought the curse of Metamor didn't affect children."

"It didn't." replied Oren.  Not directly.  They were born this way."

"But isn't the change one of form only?  I thought that keepers still had human children."

"There is an exception." Oren explained.  "When two keepers are the same species, the chikdren are born into that species as well.  Vitra, their biological mother, had been turned into a zorilla, a type of weasel.  Apparently, otters and weasels are close enough."

Kayrok greeted the girls' stepmother with a bow.  "Fnaire, delighted to see you again."

"Thank you, Captain.  It's good to be here." said Fnaire.  There wasn't a hint of insincerity when she spoke, yet she seemed to be hiding a smidgeon of sadness.

"What exactly happened at the keep, if I may ask?" the captain inquired.  "Why did you leave and come here of all places?"

Oren's eyes narrowed as if he were in pain.  "It was a lot of things.  I think it started with the kudzai plants.  Many never forgave me for bringing Vitra into the keep.  Others hated me because of the tower.  Some of it was my fault.  I was young and foolish, and very brash.  But the thing that brought it all to a head..."

* * *

It was a dark and stormy night.  Timeus the mouse poured feverishly over his notes.  He was on the verge of something big.  If this spell did what it was supposed to, the whole of metamor Keep would be far less vulnerable to attack.  The entirety of the valley would be safer.  He had organized the spell so carefully, anf now needed only speak a few words to activate pages and pages of instructions and directions for the power he was invoking.  He placed a tiny mockup of the keep squarely in the middle of the table before him.  Lifting his hands, he spoke.  "Naktu skutu elminaris kumvatch vo phodaro."  The model was awash in shadows.  Timeus struck it with a hammer.  The hammer simply stopped as it hoit the shadows, its energy stolen.

Suddenly the door burst open.  There was Oren, flanked by a sea otter and one of the enormous otters known as river wolves.  Timaus spun around in fright.  Immediately, the shadows leapt off of the model and onto the sea otter, threatening to choke him.  The river wolf tried to help his companion, but his hands merely went through the darkness.  Oren shot forward, staff in hand, bringing it down swiftly on Timeus' head.  As the mouse fell unconscious, the shadows disappeared.  Oren grabbed the model and the spell and threw them both into the fire.  An unholy shieking noise came from the spell as it burned, as though it had been alive.

Now a new trio rushed in through the doors.  It was a trio of patrolmen.  The senior patrolman, a, imposing wolf, surveyed the room.  "Oren of Hipocc, you were warned.  You are under arrest."

"For saving Metamor Keep?" Oren objected.

"Save it for the duke." replied the patrolman.  Oren was forced to take his smallest form and locked in a cage, as were the two other otters after him.

* * *

Duke Hassan was a pleasant fellow to those on his good side, but when he was angry, he was quite frightening.  The sight of this man-horse with his nostrils flared, brows furled, ears pinned back and lips in a scowl that did not belong on any horse's face was an intimidating combination, yet Oren stood there and faced him without flinching.  "I have given you a great deal of leeway." said the duke.  "You put this keep in danger, committed acts of treason..."

"The acts you call treason helped save this keep!" Oren argued.

"You were found guilty, and yet I suspended your sentense because I was told you would play an integral part in our salvation."

"And haven't I?"

"Not the point.  i have allowed you to walk all over law and order here at Metamor, and you have continually pushed me.  Now you have assaulted a mage in my employ..."

"Do you know what he was doing?  He was practicing shadow magic.  the very same type used at Devil's Strand!"

"I am aware of that!  He did this because I asked him to!"

Oren was speechless.  He couldn't believe his ears.  "But why?  Why would you do that?"

"not that I owe you san explanation, but we need to learn to control this magic so that it cannot be used against us again in the future."

"Sir," said Oren, using a term of respect for the first time in this conversation.  "This magic can't be used for good.  If you try it, this whole keep will become a slaughterhouse."

"Are you a mage?" asked Hassan.

"No.  I'm an antimage.  My people fight magic.  We don't practice it."

"I trust the magical experts more than I trust one who uis admitedly biased against magic."

"Sir, hmmmmm." The sheer emotion Oren was experiencing caused his speech impediment to surface.  "You're making SQUEAK a mistake!"

"Enough!" shouted the duke.  "I didn't bring you here to argue.  I brought you here for judgement.  You were warned not to interfere with our magical practices, and you ignored my command such that Timeus now lies on the point of death.  I should have you put to death, but I gave my word that I would not.  Instead, you are to be banished to the northlands."

Oren's voice caught in his throat.  F... For how SQUEAK long?

"How long?  What makes you think this is temporary?  You are to be banished forever."

"What of my family?"

"Take them.  Leave them.  I really don't care.  They aren't the ones being judged."

* * *

In the present, Vycam stared at the paper he had just been given.  It was a test he had recently taken, and at the top was written a bold 100%.  he excitedly showed his paper to Tse.  "A hundred percent!" he whispered loudly enough for the entire class to hear.  "What did you get?"

"Wow!" responded the beaver.  "I got 76%."

"No way!  But you're so smart!  Sual, how about you?"

"68%." said the reindeer.  "And I studied, too."

The teacher, a half-drow elf, placed a hand on Sualocin's back and smiled.  "Don't feel too badly." she said.  "It was a difficult test.  Almost no one received a high score.  Not a single student answered the question about Mr. Hardy's village correctly.  No one but you, Mister Altair." she turned to Vycam.  "I'm surprised someone your age does so well at recent history."

Kara twisted in her seat to look at her friend.  "I didn't know you had a last name." she said honestly.

Half of Vycam wanted to puff out his chest with pride.  The other half wanted to dig a hole and avoid the gaze of the other students, especially Voik and Lanch in the back.  He could feel their stink eyes on the back of his head.

* * *

Oren and his family rode the train next to Captain Kayrok.  The locomotive on this train was the Pegasus, a new engine with terrific acceleration.  It was fantastic watching the scenery go by at such high speed.  They exited the train in a wooded area north of Prosperity where there seemed to be nothing but a lake, a train stop, and the end of a waterslide.  "This is it." said Oren.  "This is where we're staying."

"Where?" asked Kayrok.  There's nothing here."

Something very large moved.  What Kayrok had thought was a collection of boulders lifted its head at the unfamiliar sound of his voice.  The creature was a giant stone jaguar with very squarish features, similar to statues from Khumar.  It sniffed at the lutin, its breath coming back out in a cloud of steam.  It smelled faintly of strawberry jam.  "This is Juan.  It's okay, Juan.  He's a friend.  This is Captain Kayrok."

Kayrok bowed respectfully to the behemoth.  Juan bowed back, acknowledging Kayrok as a friendly.  He then went back to his nap.  :Where did you find him?" asked Kayrok.

"We found him in some ruins some distance east of Lik.  Or was it Bremen?  I forget.  It was Maurice that tamed him.  He and Juan were just beating on each other until Juan grabbed his hammer and wouldn't let go.  What started out as mortal combat turned into a tug of war.  He's been looking out for us ever since.  We're not sure if he can speak.  he understands us well enough, but he only says things like "Golly" and "Zapa... I can't even pronounce it."

"I see."

"Anyway, in answer to your question, here."  Oren led Kayrok to a well-hidden door set into a small hill.  It seemed to be badly scratched, but Oren explained that the scratches were a form of writing, and that they designated the home below as "Laughter".  he led the captain down a flight of stairs and into a surprisingly well-lit room.  More surprising was the size.  this was an immense cavern. 

A small otter, one who looked very much like normal wildlife, ran up to Kayrok.  "I Jair!" he said.  "This my house.  It Laughter.  You sit.  Sit on rug.  No that rug.  That Jair's rug.  You sit on this rug.  Sit by fire.  No touch.  Fire is ouch.  But you can touch rug."

"Thank you for allowing me in your home." said Kayrok.

"I get you fish.  You eat.  No eat all fish.  That bad.  Eat one fish.  That good."  Jair scampered off to grab some food for his guest.

"So, is he descended from giants, or a keeper, or...?"

"Honestly, who knows?" replied Oren.  "The giantdowns are so full of hexes and curses and whatnot, there's no telling what used to be whom."

Kayrok looked around the cavern.  There were many creatures assembled.  A great many of them seemed to be otters, but there were others.  A draconian approached him, bending low, perhaps to appear less threatening to the small goblin.  "Greetings." he said.  "____ ___________ is the name."

"I've never before had the pleasure of addressing a draconian." said Kayrok.  "Forgive me if I seem a bit whelmed."

Next, a large, shaggy creature approached him, much like a great ape, but having the ears of a cat and the nose of a man.  "Jonathan _____, ex navy soldier.  I've heard good things about your troop."

Kayrok crisply saluted the creature, sho saluted back.

Oren extended a hand toward the back of the cavern.  "And over this way, we have..." but then he stumbled.  The otter coughed and clutched his abdomen in pain.

"Oren, what's wrong?"

Fnaire was immediately at his side.  "He's been having bouts of sickness like this for some time." said the anteater.  They pass quickly."

While Oren was incapacitated, a cyclops burst through the door.  "Very sorry to intrude." declared Algene.  "very sorry, but this is an emergency."  He regarded Jonathan for a moment.  "Good news.  You turn into a dragon and marry a kitsune.  The otter is going to develop powers.  But neither of those are why I'm here.  Captain, the Burning Sun are going to attack Wadogo!"

"How soon?"

"Two days hence, at dawn."

Kayrok was up the stairs and speaking into his communicator, ordering Sytet to mobilize the troops. "Contact the werewolves.  Ask them for any assistance they can send."

* * *

"Hey, eyeball head!" called Voik down the hallway.

Vycam turned around.  "Really? A thousand and one possibly clever insults, and you're going with 'Eyeball head'?"

"Shut up!" groused Lanch.  "You cheated on that test."

"That's right.  I had the answers hidden in my head.  Ooh, so illegal!"

"You used your seer powers." 

Vycam's eye narrowed.  "I don't have seer powers."

"Everybody knows your parents are both psychic." said Voik.  "You expect me to believe you don't have any?"

"Believe whatever you want." said the bear, turning his back.

"Hey, we're not through here!" bellowed Lanch.

Vycam's hands rolled into fists.  Kara put her hand on his shoulder.  "Just ignore them.  They're not worth it."

Vycam nodded.  He wasn't going to let his parents be right this time.  He wasn't going to get into a fight.  He turned his back on the lutin boys.  When he did, Voik thrust his foot into Vycam's butt, knocking him over.  Vycam snarled, but he was determined not to retaliate.

"Vycam!" called Sualocin, racing to his friend's side.  "Are you okay?"

"I will not hurt them." growled the bear.

Sualocin lowered his antlers menacingly.  "Nothing says I can't, though."

Kara glowered.  "Sual, no!"

"Go for it." growled Vycam.

The students who had been gawking at the scene when Sualocin charged down the hallway, flinging first Voik and then Lanch into the ceiling.

* * *

Almach the weasel was principal of the new school.  She was also the professor of transformation.  In her office sat a pair of pigs with three eyes between them, staring at the floor.  When all four of their parents had arrived, Almach turned them back into Vycam and Sualocin.  "Mister and Missus Altair, Mister and Missus reindeer, thank you all for coming.  I wish our meeting was under happier circumstances.  I'll come right to the point.  Your sons were observed attacking a pair of lutin boys by the names of Voik Longclaw and Lanch Bloodmoon.

"But I didn't fight!" Vycam objected.

"But you were heard asking Sualocin to attack on your behalf.  I'm afraid that makes you as guilty as he is."

"In all fairness, Voik attacked first." said Sualocin.

"And Mister Longclaw is being dealt with.  Do not concern yourself with him."

Mister reindeer sighed.  "This is far from the first time these two have gotten into trouble together." he said.  "These two have a tendency to egg each other on."

"And that is not entirely something I wish to squash." said Almach.  "Such comeraderie can be a highly valuable asset is channeled in the right direction.  And so I have a suggestion."  She slid a piece of paper across her desk.  It was an advertisement for the new branch of the military.

"The air force?" said Sualocin, brows raised and ears up.

"I think that's an excellent idea." said Mrs. Reindeer.  "He's an excellent flier, and it'll do him no harm to build up a few new skills."

"But won't it interfere with his classes?" asked his father.

"Not at all." said the principal.  "Part-time duty schedules are available to allow for education, both for adults and youngsters."

Sualocin raised a hoof.  "Um, isn't anyone going to ask me how i feel about this?"

"No." said the three adults in unison.

Vycam scratched his head.  "But what would I do in the air force?"

"Oh, I'm sorry son, but I am afraid the best thing foir you is to spend a little time away from Sualocin.  Your mother and I are denying you permission to enlist."

Vycam didn't even realize he wanted to enlist until he had been denied.  He wanted to object.  He wanted to raise his voice.  He didn't want to be turned into a pig again, so he kept his mouth shut.

* * *

Rose carried Tse on her back as she flew above Spiritfell, Kara beside her.  "So, you still want to go check out the clockwork games in Moondark? she asked.

"Nah." said Kara.  "It's not the same without Sual and Vycam."

"Another day, then.  Have a good afternoon."  Rose handed Tse off to Kara, then flew off to Ponytown.

Tse and Kara stopped to pick a few red apples near mountainshade, then flew on to the clifftops above Dimtorch.  There they sat, munching fruit and discussing nothing of consequence, when a V-shaped formation of bats flew overhead.  It was a team of Yarasa, with Sopok in the lead.  They were lutin sized, and wore the bright golden uniforms of the air force.  Kara waved with her only hand.  Sopok looked over his shoulder and shot her a smile.  Kara seemed to be lost in thought for a while, then said "Tse, have you ever thought about joining the military?"

"Every boy does that." replied Tse.  "But I'm no fighter."

"Neither am I." said kara.  But think about the stories we've heard in recent history class.  Splim wasn't a fighter.  Neither was Udge.  Or Gitch.  Or Jun."

"But what would we do?" asked Tse.

"I'd join the air force as a scout, naturally." said Kara.  "And you, you'd be an engineer."

"Me? An engineer?"

"Why not?  You're briliant at it!  You build working model trains and ships all the time, and you built that set of radios for us and our friends."

"I did do that.  And I am pretty handy with machines, including magic ones."

"Let's do it."

"What now?"  Tse wasn't sure about making such a big life decision in one afternoon.

"Why wait?  We know Captain Kayrok's military.  We know it'll be good for us."

"I... don't have any argument against that." said Tse.  "Let's do it!"

Down below, Sytet was very busy, working to make sure everything was ready for the coming trip to Wadogo, when Kara flew down from the cliffs, Tse on her back.  "Kofak-Sytet" she called, using the officer's prefered vocative.

Sytet paused in his work to give the young woman his full attention.  "Hey.  You're Booli's girl, aren't you?" he asked.

"I am.  I'm Kara.  And this is my friend, Tse.  We want to enlist in the air force."

"Are you sure about that?  We'd be happy to have you.  I'm told you're a top-notch flier, better than most others with two wings,. but it's a lot of hard work."

"I've never been afraid of hard work." said Kara.  "My father can attest to that."

"Speaking of parents," said Tse.  "Don't we need a note from our parents or something?"

"You're both of age." replied Sytet.  "Whether you want your parents' permission is up to you."

Tse turned to Kara and was about to say something when she looked over the top of his head into the distance.  "Hey... is that Sual?" she asked.

"Oh, you know him?  That's rightl, his parents have mentioned you a few times.  Yes, he just arrived here a short while ago."

Kara called to her friend.  Sualocin came over.  He was wearing a gold air force uniform, modified for his cervine frame.  "Oh, uh, hi, Kara, Tse." he said nervously.

"You joined the air force?" said Tse.  "YOU?"

Sualocin's ears drooped with embarrassment.  "Yeah." was all he would say.

"This must be fate." said Kara.  Tse and I were about to enlist.  Maybe we could all be in the same unit."

"That's up to your superiors, but I don't foresee a problem." said Sytet.  "And I'll tell you what, if you can start right away, we can use some help around here.  We have a big away mission in two days and we need to prepare."

Kara raised an eyebrow.  "Away mission?  Dad didn't say anything about an away mission."

"It came up rather suddenly." Sytet explained.  "Do you know where the uniform shop is?  It's on the fifth floor of the post exchange.  They'll get you outfitted.  When you come out, report to Sergeant Springleaf."

"Who's he?" asked Tse.

"She is a flying squirrel from Bounty, and she'll be the senior air force NCO for the next few days."

"Come on, I'll take you to the uniform shop." said Sualocin.  Now that his friends were joining up, he didn't feel so bad about his forced service.

* * *

Oren was on the floor, writhing in pain.  Mom!  Mom! Called Amanda.  "It's happening again!"

Fnaire leapt to her feet.  "Sira, go get the green bottle from my bag.  Amanda, find Doctor Mikhail."  She rushed to her husband's side.  "How bad is it?" she asked.

"It's burning." Oren responded through gritted teeth.  "It feels like my whole body is on fire."  His voice was calm, like one eho had gotten used to pain.  Sira arrived with the green bottle.  Fnaire poured a small amount into her husband's mouth.  It would relieve the pain, but it would take time.

An anthropomorphic wolf with jet black fur hurried in with his bag of tools.  "How much has it spread?" he asked.

"It's everywhere." Oren replied.

Jair stood nearby and looked frightened.  "Why Oren got ouch?" he asked.

"It's the bite."

"What bite?"

"That's right.  We hadn't yet met you when it happened.  We were traveling north of Sever, hunting a herd of hairy elephants.  Out of nowhere came a herd of caribou.  They were extremely aggressive.  We managed to fight them off, but not before one bit Oren.  Got him right in the foot.  The creature wasn't a normal caribou.  We're certain it was a werebeast, but we don't know what kind."

"There different kinds?"

"At least four.  We don't even know what the bite DOES, or I might be able to treat it.  What I do know is that it's magical in nature.  Oren is extremely lucky.  His body is full of antimagic, and it's been fighting the effects of the bite.  However..." he held an instrument close to Oren's chest.  "The level of antimagic has been diminishing.  If it continues to fall, the bite will take effect, whatever that effect may be."

"How much is left?" asked Fnaire.

"Six and a half antithaums.  Lower than it's ever been."

Oren looked down at his foot.  The flipper seemed to deform, as if someone was massaging it into a thinner shape.  "I see it too." said the doctor, who offered him some herbs.  "Here, eat this ferrosalum.  It may help replanish that antimagic."  The otter chewed the leaves and immediately began to feel better.  

"Thank you so much." said Oren.  "The pain is getting worse with each attack." he stood up and brushed himself off.  "Now come on, everyone.  We have a fight to prepare for."

* * *

Kara and Tse looked resplendant in their golden uniform shirts.  Tse had foregone the black pants and boots, electing to go botomless as most animals did.  Kara's right sleve had been removed and sewn shut with barely a seam visible.  

"Ah, you must be the new junior recruits." said Springleaf as she saw them approaching.  What are your names, soldiers?"

Kara saluted smartly.  "Kara Fireeyes and Tse Beaver reporting for duty."

The sergeant returned the salute.  "No need to be so formal." she said.  "If we spent all day saluting each other, we'd never get anything done.  So what can you two do?"

"I'm a pretty good mechanic." said Tse.

"And I think I'd make a very good scout." said Kara.

"Mechanic, eh?  all right, I'm assigning you to the Aquilla."

"That's my unit." said Sualocin, happily.  "Come on.  You're going to like Mem."

Kara and Tse know OF Mem, but didn't really know him personally.  They had heard that Mem was the first of the impossible children.  His father was a lutin, his mother was a lioness.  They never should have been able to conceive Mem, but they did, and he grew up to be a perfectly healthy lutin/lion hybrid.  Vycam had been the second.  Many more children had been born who were medically impossible, but they lived just the same.  They also knew that Mem didn't have much of a home life. His mother was dead, his father was a recluse.  Neither of them knew what to expect.

"Mem, this is Kara and Tse.  They just joined our unit." said Sualocin.

Mem, who had been cleaning his craft, smiled warmly and shook the newcomers' hands.  "Hey, welcome!" he said.  "Looks like I get to hang out with the popular kids!"  his face was bright and happy, but his tail lashed as he spoke, sending a mixed message.

"I'm Kara, this is Tse."

"I know.  I've seen you around the school.

"That's a beautiful craft you have." said Tse, looking it over.  "I love the paint job.  It's so smooth."

"She's beautiful on the inside, too." Mem bragged.  "Variable speed engine.  Illuminum body.  Hydrogen-helium balloon made of high-grade leather.  Fasstest airship in the fleet."

"Are these guylines spider silk?" asked Tse, touching a cord holding the balloon to the craft.

"You've got a good eye.  Yes.  Strong as steel."

"Wow.  And these wheels, are they air filled?"

"Right again.  Made from rubber tree sap using special techniques known only to Bhuka craftmen.  They make landings super smooth.  And check this... These springs absorb the shock when we hit the ground."

"That is one amazing machine." said Tse.

Mem grinned.  "Want to go for a ride?  He fired up the engines and pulled up the anchor rope.  Flipping switches, he activated magic amplifiers which boosted the feather charms in the wings.  The airship rose into the air, and was soon level with the clifftops.  Mem piloted the craft over the mountains, looking down on Havensreach and Sky Valley far below.

Sualocin gazed at the passing rocks and occasional trees.  His eye caught something in the distance.  "Is that a castle?" he asked.

Kara and Tse looked where he was pointing.  "I don't see it." said the beaver.

"Hunh. Must have just been some rocks."

The sky was a perfect cyan, without a single cloud from horizon to horizon.  Inspired by the vastness of the atmosphere, Kara became a bat, and fluttering her single wing, flew in wide circles around the Aquila.  Mem got a mischevious gleam in his eye.  Without warning, he opened up the throttle.  Tse had to grab onto Sualocin's leg to avoid sailing over the edge of the craft. Kara grinned back at Mem and picked up speed.  Mem picked up speed as well.  Kara flew even faster and did a barrel roll.  Mem spun the Aquila in a complete circle without ever losing forward momentum.  The two of them were absorbed in their little competition when a rumbing sound filled the air.

"Is that Thunder?" asked Sualocin, rising up and away from the Aquila to try to get a better look at the southern sky.  It was all still the same brilliant, pristine cyan.  Not a single cloud could be seen.

* * *

Pythonus breathed deeply as he took in the afternoon sunshine.  After years of working in the mines, the council had finally decided that he'd earned a little bit of leniency for his good behavior.  He had been sent to Point Grove to help with the latest crop.  Snow pea vines had been planted around the fruit trees to help put some nutrients back into the soil which repeated quick-aged crops had begun to deplete.  At the end of a long chain, Pythonus picked bushels of peas alongside the other workers.

"Nice job." said Grux, a chartreusse-skinned gatherer from one of the villages in the north.  "You keep this up, you're going to make me look pretty good in Lord Gravelsong's eyes."

Pythonus sat down on a stump for a rest.  "I don't mind the hard work." he said.  "I'm certainly used to it.  I'm just happy to get out into the fresh air."

Grux uncorked a bottle of beer, then offered one to the prisoner.  "Here.  Make sure you don't overheat."

"Thanks." he replied.  He looked down the road at the tiny empire below.  "Quite the picture, isn't it?" he mused.  "I have to hand it to him.  Kayrok's really made the valley a nice place."

"You sound as though you like the man." said Grux.

"I suppose I do.  I can't muster any hatred for him these days.  I've had a lot of time to think down in those mines.  I have to be honest with myself.  I was a dirtbag back then."

"Oh?" was all Grux could say.

"It started with despair.  I lost the will to fight.  I did what I was told.  And I began to notice that the better I behaved, the better I was treated. Not something I ever expected as a goblin slave.  So I made up my mind to be a model prisoner.  I began to like being good.  But it was still only acts.  The outside of my house was beautiful, to borrow a metaphor, but the inside was still a shambles.  Well, an increased level of freedom meant that I was able to interact with more free lutins in the mines.  I knew that they had something I was missing.  They introduced me to the way of Vertarbna, the scarred god."

"I never would have taken you for a religious man." said Grux.

"Not religion." said Pythonus.  "Religion is action.  It's all the outside of the house.  But this... this changes the inside."

A crack of a twig anounced that someone was coming down the road from the north.  Heads turned to see a group of humans, whose footsteps were getting much louder as they approached.  They carried weapons, and on their shields was an unmistakable red sun.

"RAIDERS!" shouted Grux.  He called out instructions to the other workers, ordering them to retreat to safety.  He herded them all into a nearby cave with a narrow entrance.  Pythonus almost reached it when the chain clamped to his ankle became taut, and he fell.  Grux was nearly in a panic.  He had the key, but his key would only open the lock on the far end, which was wrapped around a tree some distance away.  He shot out toward that tree.  Flaming arrows shot past him.  One did not.  It pierced his right shoulder.  Struggling, he opened the lock and freed the prisoner.

Pythonus pulled in his chain.  It would be his weapon, now.  "Get into the cave." he shouted to Grux.  "Defend the others!"

"What about you?"

Pythonus didn't answer.  He began swinging the chain.  He had become quite strong working in the mines.  Being a lutin, he was strong to begin with.  He knew he could take at least some of these raiders.

Two days ago, this band ambushed a young magic user.  They had taken three magic wands from his dead body.  Now those who held them were begging their leader for a chance to use them.  "Kill him." he said.  "Then kill the ones in the cave."

Three barbarians stepped forward and took aim with their wands.  These were no wizards, but they knew enough to cast a simple eldritch blast.  One hit Pythonus square in the chest.  He staggered.  It hurt like Everdark, but he did not fall.  "I won't let you harm those people." he declared.  More magic missiles.  The raiders were laughing at his agony.  Some of them were already in Point's house, ransacking it.  Let them.  The people were more important.

"You're a funny little man." said the commander.  "Archers, make him dance."  The archers began shooting arrows at Pythonus' feet.  One stuck in his right leg.  Still, he stood.

That was when HE appeared.  He was a head taller than the other raiders.  Instead of clothing, his body was covered in armor made of tree bark.  Indeed, his right arm seemed to be made purely of wood.  His legs had been extended by the strange covering, lifting his heels a good foot off of the ground and making him walk like a satyr.  He pushed his way through the crowd and approached Pythonus.  "Where is Kayrok?" he demanded.

"I don't know." Pythonus replied.  It was true.  He had no knowledge of what was happening in Wadogo.

The half-wooden man smashed his fist into Pythonus' face.  "Where is he?" he demanded again.

"I told you, I don't know!"

The burning sun commander looked around at his subordinates.  "Who is this guy?" he asked.  "Is he one of us?"

"We've never seen him before." came the reply.  "Should we kill him?"

"Why?  He's doing our work for us.  Let him do his thing, THEN kill him."

Grux was shouting into a radiant on his wrist.  "MAYDAY!  MAYDAY!  THE BURNING SUN IS ATTACKING POINT GROVE!"

* * *

Springleaf swore under her breath in squirrel.  The main body of the army was already on its way to Wadogo.  Chances were that most of them had already gone through the teleport station.  This problem would have to be handled by her reserve force.  She pressed a button on the radiant which allowed her to make a general broadcast.  "All combat personnel, report to Point Grove immediately!  All combat personnel, report to Point Grove immediately!"

A soldier entered the CQ building.  "Sergeant?" he said.  The soldier was none other than Micho the pony.  Micho was the quartermaster for Camp Dimtorch.  Currently, he was the second highest ranking official in the Federation.

"Sergeant Micho, I am leaving Camp Dimtorch in your hooves."

Outside, Kara watched soldiers pile into train cars while airmen zoomed north overhead.  "Does that include us?" she asked.

"Not us." said Mem.  "We're junior airmen.  Strictly non-combat.

Tse's ear twitched.  Something didn't sound right.  It was difficult to tell what it was amid all of the hubbub.  Then he realized that it wasn't a sound, but the lack of a sound.  "The water." he said.

"What about the water?"

"Listen.  It's not flowing."  It was true.  The water flowing into the pond was completely still.

Kara and Sualocin exchanged a glance.  "Want to go take a look?" she asked.  Sualocin nodded.  Kara transformed and the two of them rose into the air.  They flew to the west, following the stream, which remained perfectly still.  The aqueduct, when they reached it, was dry.  The riverbed feeding into the aquaduct was also completely dry.  The fliers returned to Dimtorch to report their findings.

Kara was surprised to find Micho in the CQ instead of Springleaf.  Nevertheless, she told him about the water and waited for orders.  "I'm sorry to have to put you to work on your first day, but we're in a bind.  The regukar army is in Wadogo.  The reserves are in Point Grove.  I don't have anyone here but skeleton crew.  I want your unit to investigate this matter."

"Yes, Sir!" said Kara, giving him a crisp, left-handed salute.

"I'm a sergeant." said Micho.  "You don't have to call me 'Sir'.  And we;ve never saluted.

"Oh.  Well I don't mind."  Kara waited for Micho to dismiss her.  It took Micho a moment to catch on that this was what she was doing.  "You can go." he told her.  She spun around and walked smartly outside, smack into a bear.  It was Vycam.

"Vycam, what are you doing here?" asked Kara.  :I thought you were grouded."

"I was.  It wasn't doing it for me.  I came down to join the air foirce."

"But your parents forbade you to join the air force."

"I'm of age,  I don't need their permission.  Isn't that right, Micho.

"Well... I, uh..."  

:Isn't it?"

Micho nickered.  "You are right.  If you wanted to join, I would have no choice but to let you.  So, what skills do you have?"

Vycam blinked his one eye and paused before answering.  "I'm a flipping grizzly bear."

"Good, good.  What else?"

"I'm super-smaet.  I know six martial arts, speak seven languages, can predict the weather, I know first aid, cooking, sewing, and did I mention I'm a bear with six inch claws?"

"Fine, fine.  If you know weather, you might be an asset on the mission Kara's squad is undertaking.  Kara, please take Vycam to get a uniform, then you can oth proceed with the assignment."

Sualocin and Tse were overjoyed to be joined by their friend. Mem wasn't very thrilled, but after some quick calculations, realized that Vycam wouldn't weigh down the airship too much.  "Hold on tight." said Mem as he fired up the engines.  The oddball crew of a half lion goblin, a one-armed werebat, a one-eyed bear, a reindeer and a beaver, dressed in their bright yellow uniforms, rode on the little airship toward the southwest.  They followed the dry riverbed until they came to Sky Valley.  It was as dry here as it was to the north.  the blockage had to be further to the south, higher in the mountains, outside Federation territory.

"So... um... which one of us is in charge?" asked Tse.

"Good question." replied Kara.  "You, me, Sual and Vycam, we all joined today.  The most senior soldier here is Mem, not to mention this is his ship.  That makes him captain."

Mem tensed.  He didn't want the responsibility of leading the unit, but Kara was right.  Should he be giving out orders, then?  "Kara, Sual, why don't you scout around, see if you can spot anything out of the ordinary."

Kara fired off an unnecessary left-handed salute and jumped off of the craft, changing into a bat in midair.  Sualocin followed.  The two of them flew in huge circles around the Aquila.  "What do we do?" asked Vycam.

"Um... look over the side?"

The Great Barrier Mountains weren't devoid of life, but they certainly were close.  There was mile after mile of barren rock, with only the occasional very hardy tree or shrub.  Some animals were able to survive by consuming lichens from the rock face.  The majority of ther animals here either preyed on those, or preyed on the ones who preyed on them.  Spiders, for example.  Kara saw plenty of spider webs, and in one, she even saw some poor pink animal struggling to free itself.  Wait... That wasn't just any creature.  That was a pony... with bat wings and a horn!  It was none other than Rose Pureheart Junior.

"Sual, you go get the others.  I'll try to get her free."

"Roger." replied the reindeer, who zoomed back toward the Aquila.

"Kara!  Thank Vertarbna you're here!" cried Rose.

"How did you ever get caught in this web?"

"It's a long story."

"We have time." said Kara, taking out a knife and slashing at the cobweb strands.

"I've been having strange dreams lately. In my dreams, there's a terrible drought.  Everything in the valley just dries up.  First the grass, then the trees, then even the people whither and die."

"How come you never said anything?"

"I'm half nightmare.  People don't understand when I talk about bad dreams, so I tend to keep them to myself.  I tried not to think about it, but this afternoon, as I was studying, I nodded off, and I had an extremely vivid instance of the dream.  I was rattled, so I went flying to try to clear my head.  That's when I saw the water in the aqueduct stop flowing.  I flew south to investigate what had stopped the water.  I couldn't find the blockage, so I went further.  I got hungry, so when I saw the kumquat tree, I flew down to get some kumquats.  That's when I hit this web."

"What kumquat tree?"

"The one right over...  It was an illusion, wasn't it?"

"Which means we're dealing with a giant either magical or psychic spider.  Either way, we need to get out of here before it gets back."  Kara feverishly worked to cut the strong strands of spider silk which held her friend, but it was slow going.  It wasn't long until the spider did appear.  Kara faced it with her knife in her one hand, slashing defiantly at the beast.  The spider, for its part, mostly just observed the lutin.  Equal in size, it knew it could probably take her, but it was a spider.  It was used to waiting.  The one-armed girl would eventually go back to trying to free the pony, exposing herself to attack.  It was a standoff which the spider knew it would win.

from the heavens descended four hundred pounds of grizzly bear directly onto the spider.  Claws savagely ripped at its carapace.  Vycam roared as he opened up fountains of blue blood.  The spider screamed in its own strange way, creating illusions of flashes and masses of color with its mind.  For Rose, a natural telepath, the experience was excruciating.  "NEVER! EAT! MY! FRIENDS!" vycam shouted as the light drained from the spider's eyes.  Once he was satisfied that the threat was neutralized, he pulled Rose from the remaining part of the web.  "Is everyone okay?" asked the bear.

"We're both all right." Rose reported.

Mem brought the airship down, allowing Vycam to climb on.  Mem's smile didn't falter, even though he felt that the Aquila was becoming rather crowded.

Hour after hour the little airship flew.  Kara, Sualocin and Rose would take turns scouting, but they didn't see much, just rocks, scrubs, and dry riverbed.  Vycam turned to the engineer.  "Tse, you're pretty good at doing math in your head, aren't you?"

"I'm okay at it." replied Tse, modestly.

"Do you know how fast our river flows?"

"Faster than usual.  About ten miles per hour."

"Assuming the water stopped about the same time that peal of thunder was heard, how far away would the stoppage have to be for the aqueduct to dry up when it did?"

"That's easy.  There was a difference of about three hours, so thirty miles."

Vycam looked back northward.  "Sky Valley lies at about half that distance.  From this altitude, we should be able to see something by now."

"I can see something." said Mem.  "The mountains ahead are getting higher."

"Tell me something I don't know." said the bear.

"No, he has a point." said Tse.  "Look at what's happening to the riverbed.  It's been gradually getting narrower, and it's been getting much steeper.  That means it would have been moving very fast here.  This could easily double, maybe even tripple the distance the water could have traveled in three hours."

Vycam looked to the west, where the sun hung very close to the horizon.  "It's almost night.  We won't be able to see anything soon.  We'd better stop until morning."

"Stop?  Up here?" Sualocin protested.  We have no food or water, no beds or blankets, and no fuel for a fire.  I would be fine.  I don't get cold and I can eat lichens, but what about you five?"

"That's actually not entirely true." said Mem.

"You have supplies?" asked Rose.

"Not with me.  They're down there."  He pointed to what had until recently been a waterfall.  There, on a nice, flat patch of ground, marked with a Federation flag, stood a large crate.

"How did you know that was here?" asked Kara.

"Because I put it there.  It was a special mission I performed for Vycam's dad several weeks ago."  he took the airship down to the flat ground.  "Anybody got a crowbar?" he asked.  Vycam tore the crate open with his bear hands.  Amid boxes of food, blankets and firewood was a letter addressed to him.

"Dear Vycam, Hello, Son!  Well, it looks like you've gone and joined the air fiorce even though your mother and I are goiing to forbid it.  Truth be told, we both think you'll be a fine airman.  The only reason we forbade your signing up is because we foresaw it was the surest way to get you to do just that.  You always did have a contrary streak.  You're going to do a wonderful job on this mission.  To help you on your way, I have asked Mem to drop off these provisions in advance.  Mom made your favorite- chicken and mushrooms in walnut sauce.  There's also a little something for you personally.  Look next to your left foot."  He looked down.  There was a beaded necklace with a feather in the middle.

"Is that a flight charm?" asked Tse.  "Lucky you!"

Vycam sighed.  "I've never been able to get one of these things to work." he said.  "Kara let me borrow hers five times as a kid. Sual three.  I never got off the ground."

"You've just got to believe." said Rose, who was gathering stones to form a fire pit.

Tse got a fire going.  Kara opened a jar of food, poured it into a pot and began heating it.  Sualocin set out the bedrolls and blankets.  Vycam sniffed for threats and declared the area all clear.  Mem passed out bladder bags full of water, then began loading whatever supplies were in excess onto the Aquila, includng a small barrel of lubricating oil, though he knew it would be completely unnecessary.  He patted the aircraft's side fondly.  "I know the load's been heavy." he said to it.  "I'm proud of you for carrying it all."

Sualocin looked over at Mem and turned to Kara.  "He talks to his ship as though it's alive and talks about us as if we're cargo."

"I'm sure there's a reason." Kara responded as she stirred the pot.  

"Such as?"

"Well, his mom died before he was born.  His dad was never really there.  The guy just shut down when his mom passed.  The other kids his age made fun of him because he's half animal.  He's never really had any friends."

"Not even you?  Champion of the underdog?"

"I didn't know him until he was older.  By that time, he'd become closed off."

Mem walked over and sat down by the fire.  "I can hear you, you know.  I have feline hearing."

Kara's voice took an apologetic tone.  "I wasn't trying to gossip or anything."

"It's okay." replied Mem with a smile.  "Everything you said is true.  There was a point in my life when I realized I was never going to make friends among people.  People let you down.  But the Aquila, she's never let me down once."

"Well, I don't intend to let you down." said Kara.  Mem just smiled and nodded.

The troop ate well that night.  As they were cleaning up, Vycam volunteered "I'll take the first watch."

"Let me." said Rose.  "I'm a night mare.  I'm literally made for the night watch."

"All right.  But do me a favor and brew some coffee before you wake me for my shift."

"I promise to."  Rose flew up and perched near the top of the dry waterfall where she could see well in what would be inky blackness to the others.  She kept her senses sharply focussed on sensing danger while the others went to sleep.

Vycam had a strange dream.  He found himself on a beautiful caravel, sailing the high seas.  He was dressed in a red vest and wore a three-cornered hat with a large plume.  He was a proud pirate captain.  Mem stood at the wheel, tail lashing even as his face beamed.  He turned and saluted his captain, revealing a tatoo of a broken heart on his chest.  That tracked.  Tse was over on the starboard, mending a railing, removing a damaged piece by chewing it.  Kara stood near the bow, eyeing the clouds.  She looked back at Vycam, her face that of her bat form.  "Storm coming in from the north, cap'n!" she reported.

"Thank you, Kara.  Mister Mem, take is southwest.  Keep an eye out for land where we can shelter."

"Aye, Cap'n!" came the reply.

Something jabbed Vycam's arm.  He turned to see Sualocin, the ship's doctor, holding a syringe.  "What was that?" he demanded.

"A vaccine for scab flu." replied Sualocin.  "You'll need it when we get to Pig Island."

"Arr.  Good thinking, doctor."

"LAND HO!" came a cry from the crow's nest.  Rose pointed with her wing.  "Ten degrees to starboard, Cap'n!"

"Heading ten degrees starboard!"

"Aye, Cap!" Mem replied.

The final member of the crew was adjusting the sails.  She was a harpy, half lutin, half bird.  Vycam regarded her for a moment.  He knew this woman, but for the life of him, he could not think of her name.

"That storm is blowing in fast!" Kara reported.  Vycam looked northward to see the storm bearing down on the ship.  The stormfront took the shape of an angry bird, its long beak open, as if poised to strike.

"Evasive maneuvers!" Vycam ordered.

Back in the real world, Rose noticed that Vycam seemed to be uneasy as he slept.  She decided to take a peek into his dream.

The ocean was roiling now, rain and hail pouring down from the sky.  The tiny caravel was tossed to and fro as the pirates held on for dear life.  "Vycam!" called Rose.  "This is only a dream.  You can take control of it."

"What do you mean take control?"

"This is all in your mind.  You can calm this storm."

"You want me to control the weather?" Vycam shouted over the wind.

"Yes.  You can take control of the wind and rain."

"No one can control the weather!"

"Yes you can.  You just have to believe."

"That's sheer nonsense!"

In the sky, the giant bird that was the storm opened its beak to fire out a hailstone the size of a boulder.  It hurtled straight for Vycam.  The one-eyed bear stood transfixed, unable to dodge.  At the last second, the harpy shoved him out of the way, being crushed by the mass of ice.  Vycam roared in dismay as her broken body fell over the side of the ship into the sea.  In doing so, he woke himself up.  Vycam sat upright with a gasp, looking around to get his bearings and seeing his friends sleeping by the dim light of the fire.  "I told you it was a dream." said Rose.

Vycam shook his head.  "You did.  Thanks, I guess.  That... that harpy woman, who was she?"

"No idea." Rose replied.  "Never met a harpy before."

Vycam looked up and observed how much the strs had revolved.  "I guess it's my turn to stand watch.  Get some sleep."

"Aye, Cap'n." Rose responded playfully.

While Vycam's one eye wasn't suited for night vision, he trusted his nose, which was more than up to the task.

* * *

Pythonus awoke in extreme pain.  The last thing he remembered was being beaten to death by a gang of human barbarians.  Was this Stormhaven?  Certainly, it was clean and white enough.  Not that the former despot expected to ever come here.  He was laying on a comfortable bed, covered in white sheets.  The room was nearly bare, save for a table next to the bed with a pitcher, a small glass of water, and a potted plant.  "Oh, good, you're awake." said an angel.  Pythonus turned his head to see a halfling dressed in a white robe.

"Am I dead?" he asked, his voice thin and raspy.

"No, thank goodness, though you might have been had you not been tended to in time."

"So you're not an angel?"

"Dpends on who you ask.  But no.  I'm a doctor.  My name is Laura Brandycup."

Pythonus blinked.  "A female doctor?"

"Is that so surprising?"

"Considering where we live, I suppose not."

Doctor Brandycup poured some water and offered it to Pythonus, who attempoted to take it, only to find his right arm stuck in place.  "You'll have to do everything left-hnded for a while." said the doctor.  "Your right arm is broken, along with both your legs, several ribs and one foot.  You suffered damage to your right lung, your left kidney and your pancreas."

"How do you know all that?" asked Pythonus.

"We looked at your insides using heatstone.  It's a device the dwarves invented.  they call it an examination-ray.  Basically, they put heatstone on one side and phosphor paper on the other.  Energy from the heatstone goes through your body and creates a picture of your insides on the phosphor paper."

"I thought heatsone was deadly."

"It's fine in small doses.  Anyway, you're going to be out of commission for a while as you heal.  Most of your fractures will take six to eight weeks to heal.  That right leg will be close to five months."

Pythonus frowned.  "It would be better if I had died in battle.  Just kill me now.  Don't make me live like this."

"Hogwash.  You lutins love a good fight, right?  Well this is going to be five months os fighting.  The enemy has taken your bones and you're on a long-term campaign to reclaim them."

Pythonus chuckled.  The analogy seemed stupid, but it did strangely make him feel better.

* * *

Vycam remained vigilant, taking a sip of coffee every now and then, swallowing it piping hot, allowing the pain to keep him from nodding off.  The coffee was fragrant and delicious, made just the way he liked it- 3/4 coffee and 1/4 chota, giving it a mild mocha flavor.  He sniffed the air, but aside from his coffee and his comrades, all he could smell was damp rocks.

"SQUAAAAWRK!"

The entire troop was instantly scrambling to their feet.  Vycam hastily threw some wood on the fire to better see what had made that horrible noise.  As the flames grew brighter, a monster became visible.  It was a gigantic bird, with a head not unlike the one which had appeared in his dream.  But instead of stormcloud, this bird was made of stone.  It squawked again and spread its wings menacingly.  Kara was immediately in the air, buzzing about its face to distract it from the rest of the troop.  "What is that thing?" called Vycam.  He braced himself as the monster's beak shot right toward him.  The ground where he had been standing exploded with the impact, but thanks to Sualocin's body check, Vycam was no longer there.

"It's a petrican." replied Sualocin.  "And you're welcome."

"How do you know what it is?"

"I pay attention in zoology, especially on sections regarding monsters."

"I don't remember that in any of our lessons."

"It was in a research project i did."

"Guys, focus!" called Rose, who was trying and failing to hit the petrican with a psychic barage.

"What are its weaknesses?" Vycam asked the reindeer.

"It doesn't have any weaknesses.  It's made of rocks!"

"Think.  Any information you can come up with might be useful."

"Uh... they feed on magical creatures to power their flight.  They're most commonly seen before a storm.  They'll go for miles to collect the perfect stones for their nests.  They're mostly made of granite, marble, gneiss, schist, quartz, sandstone... their rocks are joined by joints of organic galium..."

"hold up.  Organic galium?"

"Not organic like you and me, but living metal."  The petrican struck again.  This time, it was Vycam who pushed Sualocin out of the way.  

Tse ran out to try to distract the stone bird.  Being the smallest, he thought himself the most difficult target.  The monster wasn't interested, but remained focused on Vycam.  "It eats magic!" exclaimed Tse.  "Vycam, you must have magic!"

Magic?  no.  His parents had magic.  He was just a one-eyed bear.  He was, however, very smart.  "Mem, get the barrel of oil from the Aquila.  Rose, fly up and pour a goodly amount on the bird."  Neither one questioned him, but did as he said.  The petrican barely noticed as it became covered in slimy goop.  Vycam grabbed a stick from the fire and threw it at the creature.  At first nothing happened, but then, the oil ignited, setting the bird ablaze.  Immediately, the metal joining the rocks together began to melt.  Rocks fell to the ground one by one.  The monster screamed as it disintegrated into a heap of small, flaming boulders.

"Galium melts at ninety degrees." Vycam explained.  "Science for the win!"

"Let's get out of here in case it's able to pull itself together again." Mem suggested.

"Agreed." said Vycam.  Everyone, grab your bedrolls."  Then once everyone was aboard the Aquila, "Mister Mem, full speed ahead."

"Hey, I give the orders on this ship." Mem brked.

"My apologies.  Captain?"

"Full speed ahead." Mem muttered.

The sun was soon lighting up the eastern horizon.  Sualocin peered over the side of the craft at the dry riverbed.  "hey, what's that?" he asked.

"What's what?" asked Kira, seeing nothing out of the ordinry.

"That bright blue spot." Sualocin replied.  "I'm going to check it out."

Vycam and Tse looked down, but could see nothing.  Rose and Kara followed Sualocin down as Mem circled the ship around.

"There." said Sualocin.  "That rock.  It's glowing super bright blue."

Kara gave a half shrug.  "All I see are ordinary river rocks."

"I feel something." said Rose.  "Yeah.  It's magic.  It must be glowing in the ultraviolet range.  Goblins, bats and equines can't see ultraviolet, but reindeer can."

"Seriously, neither of you can see that?" said Sualocin, dubiously.  "It's so bright."

Rose touched the stone.  "I might be able to tell you something about the nature of the magic.  It's... It feels familiar.  Like Count Dupris."

The airship was low enough for Vycam to jump out.  He looked at the rock between Rose's hooves.  "Are there any markings on it?" he asked.

"I didn't see any." said Rose.  "Here.  Take a look."  She placed it in Vycam's outstretched paw.  As soon as he touched it, his eye opened wide and the pupil dilated. He stared in confusion.  He saw Count Dupris enchanting stones and placing them in the river.  he saw lutins in the valley below mutating from drinking enchanted water.  He saw the lake in Prendor turning people into fish.  He saw the stones being removed from the river.  He also saw the one stone that he held being picked up in the beak of the petrican.  He saw the petrican place the stone in its nest.  He saw the nest be struck by lightning, and the magic stone tumble down the mountain to land in the riverbed.  Then he was back in the present.  He stumbled backwards in shock.

"Vycam, what just happened?" asked Kira, placing a hand on his arm.

"I... I had a vision.  A psychometric vision."

"i thought you didn't have psychic powers." said Tse.

"I don't.  At least, I didn't.  I don't think I like it."

"What did you see?" asked Mem.

"The stone, it's one of the stones Count Dupris once used to bespell the river, turning the water into a mild transformation potion.  The petrican took it before the count could retrieve it, and it ended up here.  It's been affecting the river for years."

"That would mean that every goblin, gnome, human, dwarf, halfling or elf in the Federation is a little bit animal." said Sualocin.

Mem gasped involuntarily.  "This... is huge." he said.  "This... is why I exist.  this is why my parents were able to conceive me.  I'm the product of a rock.  A total accident."

"Not just you." said Vycam.  "Me too.  I guess my dad is just a little bit bear."

Kara moved her hand to Vycam's shoulder.  "Vy, are you okay?" she askesd.

"No.  My parents are both seers, but I've always been the normal one.  I can't be a seer.  I can't handle that level of responsibility.  And the vision I just had was so... overwhelming."

"I mean with finding out you exist because of this rock."

"That?  Oh yeah.  Pfft.  I'm fine with that."

Mem smiled as the group re-entered the airship with the stone.  He wouldn't let anyone know what was going through his head.  All his life, he'd believed that he was special, that there must be some reason the universe had broken the rules of biology to bring him into being.  That thought made his life as a near orphan bearable.  And now, to find out that he was merely an accident... A tear escaped his eye.  He wiped it away before anyone could see.

The riverbed grew much more narrow as they followed it.  This meant that the water had been flowing very fast here, and the original estimate of the distance they would need to travel had been far too conservative.  As they traveled, the sky gradually darkened.  Mem especially grew extremely nervous.  There were flashes of lightning and peals of thunder.  Soon, it was raining.  Fortunately, the Aquilla's balloon provided some shelter from the downpour.  As abruptly as it had begun, the rain stopped.  everyone breathed a sigh of relief.  This was premature, because it immediately began to hail.  Bullets of ice shot from the sky and struck the Aquila.

"We have to find shelter!" shouted Mem over the sound of the hailstones.

"Where?" Vycam responded.  We're in the middle of nowhere!"  But in a couple of seconds, he answered his own question.  "There!" he said, pointing to a rocky overhang.  Mem did his best to pilot the airship into the sheltered space beneath the ledge.  On the way there, a horrible sound announced damage to the propeller.

"My baby!" cried Mem as he surveyed the damage.  The ship's illuminum hull was dented and pockmarked.  The wings were cracked. One of the blades of the propeller was severely bent.  the Aquila would not be flying soon.  Mem turned to Tse.  "You're our engineer." he said.  "Can you fix it?"

"I can." the beaver replied.  "But I will need an extremely hot fire."

"I'll get some firewood." said Kara.

"Hold on." tse requested.  "I have something for you."  He pulled an object out of his tool kit.  "Here.  Take a radio."  He placed a communicator on Kira's wrist.  I made these to take the place of the set we have at home.  I brought a spare, so there's one for each of us."

"Thanks." said Kira.  She transformed into a one-winged bat and flew off, her flight charm allowing her to fly straighter and faster than others with two wings.

Tse began gathering stones for a fire pit.  When he turned his back to the group, Rose gasped.  "What's wrong?" Tse inquired.

"There's a hole in your back!"

Tse knew he'd been struck by a hailstone.  It hurt tremendously.  He didn't know how severe the damage was.  "Who here knows first aid?" asked Vycam.

"I do." said Sualocin.  He moved in to look at the wound.  "There's no blood." he observed.  Somebody get me some light."

Mem lit a torch from the Aquila's furnace and held it near the wound.  What the two of them saw left them scratching their heads.  "Tse, your insides are... clockwork."

"What?  What are you talking about?" Tse demanded.

The looseness of Tse's skin meant that Sualocin was able to move the wound and get a better look inside.  Unless he was halucinating, Tse was made of gears, springs and belts.  
"What am I?" asked Tse as Sualocin bandaged the wound.  "Some kind of robot?"

Vycan patted Tse's head.  "You're Tse Beaver.  You're an engineer, and our friend.  It doesn't matter what your insides look like."

It was an hour before Kira came back with the firewood.  "Not many trees up here." she explained.  "I had to go pretty far afield."  Without a word, Tse took the wood and made a fire in the stone pit.  

"I'll need a bucket of water and an anvil." said Tse.  Vycam found a nice, flat rock and set it down near the fire pit.  Sualocin retrieved a bucket from the Aquila which had previouslty contained some of the food that Algene had left for them.  The bucket contained oranges.  He dumped them out and placed the bucket near the makeshift anvil.  Kira and Rose collected hailstones and filled the bucket.  They would be water soon enough.  Tse made some tools from rocks and sticks.  When everything was ready, he heated the metal propeller blade and beat it back into shape.  Once he was satisfied with the shape, he dunked it in the hailstones to cool.  They instantly melted and boiled.  At last, when it was cool, it was placed back on the Aquila.  The balance was not perfect, but it would do until it could be properly mended by the dwarves.

Mem rubbed his ship in a comforting manner.  "Poor baby." he said.  "I'm sorry you got all banged up."  The Aquila rose into the air once again, as though encouraged by Mem's soothing words.

As they flew on, Sualocin looked down, literally and figuratively.  As he watched the riverbed below, he heaved a sigh.  Kira asked him what was wrong.  "I'm just... wondering why I'm here." said the reindeer.  "Everyone else has contributed so much. Mem flies the airship.  Tse fixed the airship.  Vycam has become our defacto leader.  Rose detected the magic in that stone.  What have I done?"

"What have you done?  Don't be ridiculous.  It was your ultraviolet vision that found the cursed stone in the first place.  And you identified the petrican.  You figured out how to take it out."

"That was Vycam.  I only provided the raw data."

"Which saved us all.  You're tremendously helpful, Sual."

The reindeer lifted his head.  "We're here." he said.

Kira flew down to take a closer look.  They were on the edge of a mountain lake.  Where the riverbed normally met the lake, there was a barrier of rock.  An avalanche had occurred, blocking off the river.  Flying to the other side of the lake, Kira could see a second river emerging from the lake, this one flowing toward the south.  This river was obviously flowing higher than its normal capacity, water gushing over its banks.  This was where the Federation's water supply was going.  Kira came back and reported her findings.

"How can we remove this dam?" asked Vycam.

"Can we use the stone-to-flesh spell, and dig through it that way?"

"No.  That spell requires blood and dirt.  We don't have enough blood between us, and there's no dirt here, only rock."

"It would take weeks to dig out by hand." said Tse.  

Vycam motioned to his comrades.  "Kira, Sual, you're scouts.  Check the area and see if you can find anything useful.  Rose, you take a look around as well.  mem, Tse and I will try to figure something out from an engineering perspective."

The three flew around the edges of the lake.  Kira went to the east, toward the nearest peak.  As she flew, she came upon a forest, or what had once been a forest.  Trees had grown here.  Not big ones, but stout.  They had grown here in defiance of the sheer altitude.  They had done so until they had been struck by lightning.  A fire had devastated the small forest, destroying everything and leaving only charcoal.  Kira tried not to cry as she reported her findings.

Rose was exploring to the south.  The view was breathtaking.  From here, she could see all the way to Aelfwood.  But while it was a feast for the eyes, it was hard on the ears.  Water bird cries rang loudly in her ears.  They were such a nuisance.  Indeed, many of the rocks in this area had been painted white by the birds.  As she tried to ignore that fact, one of the birds delivered a package right onto her mane.  Rose bellowed and chased after the offending avian, only to lose it in a huge flock.  She called Vycam and reported her findings, leaving out the part about the special present.

Sualocin had gone to the west, down te mountain slope.  He came upon an area of hot springs.  That made sense.  It was well established that these mountains were vocanically active, and full of underground water.  he flew down for a closer look.  He hadn't gotten very close when his nose was assaulted by a truly awful smell, like rotten eggs.  the reindeer looked around at the large, yellow rocks around the springs.  "Sulphur." he said to no one.  That was it.  Sualocin knew exactly what to do.

Mem and Tse had boiled a pot of chota.  They had been unsuccessfully putting their heads together, trying toi come up with a way to open the dam.  Tse was moire than a little distracted.  understandable, of course, since he had just discovered he was part clockwork.  Since the conversation had died, Mem silently stared into his cup, and had soon nodded off.  He was soon dreaming, and in his dreams, he saw a beautiful, eagle-headed woman.  In her hand, she held the string oif a small balloon.  "Who are you?" Mem asked.

"why Mem, don't you recognize me?"

Mem instantly knew her identity.  "Aquila?"

"Yes.  Hello, Mem."

Mem threw his small arms around the woman.  "Aquila, I love you so much!"

"And i love you, Mem. But listen.  You must take my balloon."

"Why?"

"It is the key to releasing the river."

Mem frowned.  "You need your balloon.  Without it, you can't fly."

"I can always get another balloon.  But this is important.  we have to carry out this mission."

Mem snapped awake.  Sualocin was returning with a large chunk of sulphur between his front hooves.  Kira arived a little later with a charred log gripped in her toes.  Finally, Rose arrived with a sack full of bird droppings.  The next hour was spent grinding these three items to dust, after which Sualocin mixed them in just the right proportions.  "Ta-da!" said the reindeer.  "Blasting powder.  We'll blow a huge holemin the dam.  The gushing water will take care of the rest."

"I think we've found your job title." said Kira.  "Demolitions."

"It's not going to be enough." said Mem.

"What do you mean?" asked Sualocin.

"Blasting powder alone won't blow up enough rock.  we need a bigger bomb."

"Do you have something in mind?" asked Vycam.

"The Aquila's balloon.  It's mostly filled with hydrogen.  Combine that, the leftover oil and the blasting powder."

Vycam scowled, a look that was almost lost of his ursine face.  "If we use the balloon, there goes our way back home.  Why don't we think about heading back home and coming back with some adults to take care of this problem?"

There were sounds of disappointment before Tse said "No.  We are Federation warriors.  we are... whatever this squad is once we come up with a name.  If we quit this mission and hand it off to someone else, how can we ever look ourselves in the eye again?"

"Tse is right." said Kira.  "If we don't finish, our elders will never respects us as adults."

That struck a chord with Vycam.  "All right, then.  Mem and Sual, build us a bomb."

It didn't take very long.  The balloon was released from the Aquila one line at a time and secured to boulders, and the body strategically placed.  It was doused with oil mixed with a fair amount of blasting powder.  A rope soaked in oil was used for a fuse.  As the others watched from a safe distance aznd behind a boulder, Sualocin struch flint and steel to light the fuse, then joined the others.  The fire snaked along the rope.  There was a moment of silence, and then a huge KA-BOOM!  At first, it seemed like nothin had happened, but cracks formed in the dam, allowing water to squirt through.  Those squirts enlarged into big gushes, until finally, the rocks could not withstand the water pressure.  The dam gave way and the river flowed once again.

* * *

Spirits were high as the Federation's warriors returned from Wadogo.  Kayrok and Sopok rode on the back of one of the four massive mastadons which they had received from Wadogo as a solstice present.  Next to them sat Oren and Fnaire on the back of their giant stone jaguar.  "I never did thank you properlyfor joining us." said Kayrok.  "Did you see the expression on the enemy commander's face when you showed up with the mastadons and a monstar of stone?"

"We would have been there sooner." said Oren.  "But we had to come the long way, since the mastadons and the JAM won't fit in the teleporters."

Kayrok's ears perked as they passed through Mountainshade on the way back to Dimtorch.  "I don't hear any water." the captain noted.

"that's odd." said Sopok, who transformed into a bat to scout the area.  After circling the town, he landed and reported "There is no water in the aqueduct.  The stream that flows back to the south is likewise completely dry."

"That's a little worrying." said the captain, who spurred his mastadon on to Camp Dimtorch.

Upon arrival, Kayrok was greeted by Springleaf.  She told him about the attack at Point Grove, and how Pythonus heroically saved all of his fellow laborers.  She also told him about the trouble with the river and about the mission on which Micho had sent the brand new cadets.

Kayrok turned to Algene.  "Can you see them?" he asked.

"I've already tried to follow them to the end of their mission." said Algene.  "But it's too bright.  They have a highly magical item with them, and it's clouding my vision.

"Let me give it a try." said Chara.  The bear closed her eyes.  "I see an airship split in two.  The balloon is wedged into a wall of rocks.  They're settting fire to it.  OH MY!  It exploded!"

From far away, a deep boom sounded, followed by what sounded like thinder.  "Sopok," called Kayrok.  "Take some airmen and see if you can spot anything."  Sopok assumed his giant bat form and placed a communicator on his leg.  Taking two other werebats and a pair of harpies, he rose into the air and sailed up to the top of the cliffs.  

"There's a huge plume of smoke." Sopok reported.  "It's very high in the peaks."

"Head toward it.  That's where you'll find the cadets.  bring them back alive."

"Aye, Father." Sopok replied, leading his team up and southward.

Three hours later, water began to flow.  It first hit Sky Valley, then the aquaduct, spilling over generously.  Still, no sign of the Aquila or its crew.  Below the cliffs, worried parents wantched and prayed.  Prijipati Beaver, Mister and Missus Reindeer, Booli, Algene and Chara, Mara and Urik.  Noticably absent was Mem's father, Chow.  They watched expectantly as three bats and two harpies appeared above the cliffs.  There was a pregnant pause before the Aquila appeared, minus her balloon.  Mem and tse stood proudly at the front.  Kara and Sualocin each supported one of her wings while Rose pushed from behind.  And flying a little bit clumsily, carrying the bow of the ship, was Vycam.  The parents all breathed sighs of relief.  Some expressed frustration at their children being put in danger.  Algene pumped his first in the air.  "THAT'S MY BOY!" he crowed.  "That's my baby bear!  Flying with the bat and the deer!  I foretold you so!"

As he debriefed the team, Kayrok was on the edge of his seat.  He was amazed by their ingenuity in defeating the petrican, their observation skills in discovering the cursed stone, the sudden emergence of Vycam's psychic power, and the courage it took to blow up the obstruction and free the river.  He had nothing but praise for them.  At the end of the debrief, he asked them "What should we call this amazing unit?"

"The Pi squad." said Tse.  "Pi goes on forever, and we're best friends forever."

"Also, we like pie." added Sualocin, eliciting a round of laughter.

* * *

"I'm so glad to have you back!" said Prijipati to her son, Tse.  "Why didn't you TELL me you joined the air force?  You had me worried sick!"

"Mom, what am I?" Tse asked her, his face looking distraught.

"What do you mean?  You're a beaver.  You're my son."

Tse pointed to the point where his back had been laid open, now covered by bandages.  "Why do i have gears inside me?"

Prijipati fell to all fours, then sat down hard on the ground.  "You saw them."

"Not personally.  I mean, the wound is on my back."

Prijipati took Tse home and explained it all to him as she fixed a pot of mint tea.  "You were sick." she told him.  "You were extremely sick.  You don't remember it because you were so young.  You had a terrible disease that was causing your body to waste away.  You didn't have very long to live.  I took you to healer after healer, but all the could do was slow the pregression of the disease."

"What disease?"

"Something with a terribly long name.  I can't remember it.  In desperation, I chased after a rumor about a great healer in Khumar."

"You went all the way to Khumar?"

"Yes, my son.  There we met a man named Fa Tyao.  He was making... Well, it doesn't matter what he was making.  he said he could save you by rebuilding your body.  He explained that the disease was weakening your muscle tissue, making it difficult for you to move.  soon, it would become difficult to breathe.  In time, your heart would have stopped beating.  Using a combination of technology and magic, he replaced all of your muscles, including your heart, with machinery.  He rebuilt you as an older child.  That is why you remain so small.  Your body does not grow."

Tse stared into his teacup, absorbing all of this.  "So what did it cost?"

"Much." Prijipati replied simply.

"How much?"

"Ten years of my life.  He took it to give life to one of his experiments.

Tse spilled his tea.  "What?  No!"

"It's all right." said Prijipati.  "It was well worth ten times the price."  Tse hugged his mother and wept.  "There, there.  Here.  I have something to show you.  Feel your arm.  Do you notice a little bump?"

"Yes?"

"That's your gear shifter.  Push it down to become stronger.  Push it up to become faster."

"How strong?  How fast?"

"According to what Fa Tyao said, as fast as a falcon, or as strong as an elephant.  Just don't do either for too long, or you might put too much stress on the gears.

Tse was speechless.  he had superpowers!

* * *

Mem walked into his home to see his father, Chow, asleep on the couch, empty bottles littering the space around him.  He could smell that his father was drunk as soon as he walked in.  mem ignored him and went to his room.  As he lay on his bed with his eyes closed, the vision of the woman came to him again.  "Aquila!" he cried.  "I'm so sorry for what we did to you."

"Nonsense." replied the vision.  "I was happy to do my part."

"I will get you a new balloon as soon as I can.  I promise."

Aquila smiled.  "Thank you.  You're so good to me."

Mem was jolted out of his vision by a knock at the door frame.  His father stood there in a mildly intoxicated state.  "hey." he said.

"Hey."

"I heard you saved the river."

"That's right."

"Good.  I'm proud of you."

Those were the kindest words Chow had ever spoken in Mem's hearing.  "Thanks." responded the son, simply.  Chow wandered off back to his couch.  Mem felt confused.  He wanted to be angry at his father for his constant neglect, but right now, it was difficult.

* * *

Akhfa and Polaris, the reindeer couple, listened raptly as Sualocin told them all about his adventure.  He did this as they rode back to Iceberg on the train.  While they could have flown, Polaris decided that his son had done enough flying for a while and deserved to rest.

"We're so proud of you." said Akhfa.

Sualocin looked out the window at the passing forest.  "I don't feel very pride-worthy." he said.  "I didn't contribute much to the team."

"Didn't contribute much?" Polaris echoed.  "It was your eyes which spotted the magic stone, solving a mystery many years old."

"And you figured out how to mix up blasting powder and blow up the avalanche." said Akhfa.  "You did very well, son."

Sualocin had a hard time believing in his own worth.  As a fawn, the other children put him down because of his family's poverty.  Now his parents were wealthy, living in a subterranean chalet in Iceberg, but as he had grown, his teachers were always down on him for being a troublemaker, always getting into fights and pulling pranks on the other children.  They had drilled it into Sualocin's head that he was worthless.  It came as quite a shock, therefore, when, upon returning to Iceberg, the whole town came out to celebrate his victory.  "I don't understand." said Sualocin.  "How could you possibly know how out mission went?"

"Rose already told us everything." one of the were-penguins explained.  "Besides, we heard that boom from here.  We knew instantly that had to be you!"

* * *

Booli was bubbling over with pride as he escorted his daughter home.  He was overjoyed that his little girl had turned out so magnificently.  this little one-armed girl that would have been tossed out with the trash in normal lutin society had, with love and nurture, grown into a warrior, a problem solver, a champion flier, and one of the best young soldiers he had ever known.  His joy turned to melancholy when Kara had spoken about getting her own place in Camp Dimtorch so as to be closer to work.  "I knew this moment was coming." he said.  "You've been growing more and more independent with each passing day.  I am going to miss you so much."

:Daddy, I'm only going to Dimtorch." said Kara.  "You can come and visit me any time you like, and you know I'll be visiting you."

"I know." said Booli.  "But it's not going to be the same."

"Nothing ever stays the same." said Kara. Look at us.  I've grown up.  That happened because I've been changing a tiny bit every day.  And you, you have your form-changing charms.  Every time you change your form, it alters you just a tiny bit within.  We'll continue to change.  I'll probably get married and have children.   There are still plenty of good times ahead for us."

Booli smiled as he looked into his daughter's eyes.  "When did you get so wise?"

"I think it started when you adopted me." she answered in full sincerity.

* * *

Vycam was very confused by the beaming smiles of his parents.  "I don't get it." he confessed.  "Why aren't you two telling me off right now?  You forbade me from joining the air force and I did it behind your backs."

Algene laughed.  "Son, nothing you do is behind our backs."

That much was true.  It stank being the son of two seers.  he couldn't get away with anything.  "But that doesn't explain why you aren't mad."

Chara put a paw of Vycam's shoulder.  "You have a little bit of a contrarian streak in you." she explained.  "We saw long ago that you would do great things, and that you would fly with the reindeer and the bat.  Joining the air force would help you fulfill your destiny."

"But if we pushed you toward that destiny," said Algene. "You would have balked.  The best way to help you along was for us to deny you your destiny, and in doing so, give you the chance to pursue it on your own."

"So it was a trick!"

"Not a trick." said Chara.  "You could have stayed at home.  Then you would have gone some other direction.  You chose this path all by yourself."

"I did, didn't I?"


* * *

Rose sat in her room seriously thinking about the choice she had just made.  Was it the right thing to do?  Her thoughts swirled around in her brain on an endless loop, a sense of worry growing ever thicker.  Suddenly, a great, black stalion with red bat wings and fiery red hair appeared before you.  Rose jumped.

"Don't be afraid." said the stalion.  "It's me, Grandpa Urik."

"Grandpa?  How did you get in here?"

"I didn't.  This is a psychic projection.  I'm a nightequus tonight, obviously.  I heard your troubled thoughts.  They were making a lot of noise.  I came to see if I could help."

Rose pointed to her bed, where a custom-made air force uniform lay.  "When we got back, I wanted to do what my friends were doing, so I joined the air force.  Did I do the right thing?"

Urik, or rather the psychic projection of Urik, sat down.  "My dear granddaughter, when I joined the army, it was absolutely the wrong thing to do."

"It was?  You regret it?"

"I was working for an evil despot.  I didn't know it at the time.  I thought he was our great savior.  While I was on patrol one night, I was bitten by a werewolf.  Not the type who live in Prendor, but the cursed kind.  My teammates tried to lift the curse, but they made it worse.  Now I'm cursed for life to turn into different animals.  And because of my curse, I was assigned to the omega squad.  I was sent out here to the wilderness to toil and die.  So was it the wrong decision?  Absolutely.  Do I regret it?  Not at all.  It was here that I met your grandma.  I helped bring about the Federation.  I am the happiest I've ever been.  So make that wrong decision, and make it with gusto."

Rose smiled.  "Thank you, Grandpa.  I feel much better now. 
 
* * *
Pythonus struggled to sit up as Kayrok approached his bed.  "As you were." said Kayrok.  "Everyone has been telling me about how you heroically saved the harvesters." he said.  "That was incredibly courageous."

"I did what had to be done." Pythonus replied.

"I believe your actions demonstrate a true change of heart.  I've spoken to the council.  Pythonus, you're a free man."

The man who had been a prisoner until seconds ago blinked.  "What?"

"You're free.  When you get out of the hospital, you may do as you please.

"Then... One more thing I ask.  Captain, give me a new name."

"A new name?  Why?

"So that I may break completely with the man I was."

"Very well." said Kayrok.  "What's the opposite of a Python?  A rabbit?"

"Rabbit.  Yes.  From now on, I shall be Rabbit."

"As you like."

"Captain, one other thing I must tell you."

"Yes?"

"The man who beat me, I recognized his face.  Sir, it was Mumbor."

A chill went through Kayrok.  "But Mumbor is dead.   He died in the battle against the giants."

"I assure you, he is alive, and he wants to kill you."

"Kill me?  Mumbor?  Why?"

"I don't know, Sir."  Rabbit confessed.  "But I'll wager that when you find out why he's half tree, you'll find your answer." 

* * *

High above the forest, a castle sat on the mountainside looking down upon the lutins and other creatures.  No one really noticed it.  they only perceived a faint smell of lemons.







































meanwhile...

Mumbor has been searching for Kayrok, entering towns and attacking people, demanding Kayrok, then disappearing into the forest.

The romp at Laughter proves a valuable ally, but because the great stone jaguar cannot travel by cabinet, they swoop in at the critical last minute to save the day.