*~* What happened to all of my reviewers?!?! I'm starving for reviews here people!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Patricia C. Wrede, Mercedes Lackey, and Tamora Pierce own them.


In which Cimorene and Kazul are surprised by a young girl, a very large cat, and a blind man (who happens to be rather young himself) and many things happen as a result
(part 18)

Mendenbar held up his hand to silence the outcries at the silence of the trees.
"Someone is meddling with the magic of the forest. The trees do not speak because they cannot."

The group was silent for a moment in shock. Then chaos ensued.

"WHAT?!?!?!" "Who could be strong enough to-?" "Who would-?" "What are we going t-?"

"SILENCE!!!" Roared Kazul. When a dragon roars, you listen. The group stood at attention silently as Mendenbar considered their next move. Presently he began pacing and started thinking out loud.

"If we can figure out where the disturbance is coming from we should be able to undo it, right? I think I can do it if I just concentrate enough. I've got to have some quite. Stay here." Mendenbar turned to leave. Cimorene wordlessly walked to his side and took his hand. Mendenbar looked into her intense gaze and they both proceeded to walk off into the forest.

"Fitting. The King and Queen off together to face a challenge in their forest. Reminds me of the old days." Kazul sighed "Being a grandmother does things to you, I'm now referring to last week as 'the old days'. Morwen chuckled as Daine stared at the dragon.

Altra was puzzled "What is so challenging about this?"

Kazul sobered and looked at the firecat with a meaningful look in her eye. " This task takes a great deal of energy and concentration. Also skill, care, and endurance. Mendenbar and Cimorene must combine their energies and search through the magic web of the forest for the culprit. Not only do they need to watch out for whoever is disrupting the field, but there are also many natural dangers in the forest. Magical traps that will suck in their minds and never let them free, they could be turned into flowers or frozen for all eternity. If they are still in the field when the field manipulator happens to release whatever spell he has put on it, then also will the King and Queen risk being trapped as a part of the forest forever."

Altra was silent. Now he was absolutely certain he could trust these people. Mendenbar hadn't even met Karal yet and none of them knew him half as well as Altra did. Yes, he had definitely found the right group of people to fall in with on this world.



~I was right!! I got ANOTHER evil report to do! This huge English thing that I didn't understand in the first place, but oh well. I'm back and I'm in the mood to write so my stories are going to get updated! *crowd cheers* Oh wait, that's just me playing a track of a crowd cheering. Oops. *looks embarrassed and runs off*