As we walked on to the Tower of Palanthas, we got a few stares for my
companions clothing. We even once got accosted by a kender, who asked,
shrilly and loudly, why on Krynn were they wearing such awful clothes.
"Pay them no mind; You'll be home soon enough that you'll just become a silly little story that they'll tell their children."
"Who's this wizard your taking us to?" Jake asked.
"The great and powerful....George," I replied lamely.
"George?! What kind of name is that for the most powerful magic- person here?" Rachel asked incredulously.
"It's a fine name. 'What's it a name?' Shakespeare said in 'Romeo and Juliet'. Just be careful about what you say to him. Make sure you don't say anything about dwarves, hammers, or red dragons, got it? Don't even mention the color red to him," I warned them.
Why? Tobias asked from his perch on Rachel's shoulder.
"Because, once, when he was younger, he went on an adventure with a few warrior friends of his. They met up with a red dragon. His friends killed the beast. It rolled over on top of him. He was stuck with his arms and hands pinned to his sides for three days. He survived only by chewing on the dragonflesh and drinking the blood that dribbled on his face. His friends came back soon enough, though, with a whole army of dwarves. They hacked through the dragon's body and finally came upon George, lying there with his red robes much redder. One dwarf had accidentally bashed him on the head with a war hammer, so they had to dragger him through the hole they had made. Which was in the dragon's anal cavity. He smelled like dragon crap for weeks. That's why he's a bit....odd."
They all made a face, except Tobias and Ax, who couldn't, really.
Marco gave a low whistle and Cassie said, "Poor guy. That must have been an awful experience for him."
"Yeah, so don't mention dragons or dwarves, got it?" I asked. They all nodded.
We came upon the Shoikan Grove. It was silent in this part of the city. The leaves in the giant oak trees hung limply. No breeze had ever blown through this wood. A chill fog radiated from it. I suddenly didn't want to go in there. I really didn't want to go in there.
"Uh...Y-you guys go ahead in....I'll just...uh...stay out here," I stuttered to the Animorphs.
They looked at me curiously, like I'd suddenly gone insane. Again.
"And how are we supposed to tell them what we need?" Jake asked. A little frantically, I noticed.
"I-I don't know. Talk to them in Solamnic, or Dwarven, or Elven, or whatever language you know! Just don't make me go in there," I pleaded.
"Oh, God! You big baby!" Rachel cried in exasperation. "If you're too scared to lead on, then I'll do it! Come on!"
She started walking then stopped dead in her tracks.
"Uh, maybe Jake should lead on," she said. "He is our fearless leader, right?"
"Y-Yeah, Jake should go in first," I stated as firmly as I could through chattering teeth and slightly quivering lips.
"What is wrong with you two?" Jake and Marco's looks said. Jake shrugged then started walking towards the trail that had opened up in the center of the Grove. He also stopped dead in his tracks but he looked frantically behind him, too.
"If you're too cowardly to enter the grove, I suggest you state you business with us mages and leave," a voice said suddenly from the darkness created by the sinister trees.
The Animorphs looked at each other curiously, then at me for an explanation.
"Whoever it is wants to know why we've come," I told them.
"We've come to speak with the great George!" I called to the unseen speaker.
"Well you can't very well do that from out there, now can you?" the voice asked in laughing mockery.
"Uh, yes. That's what we're standing here debating. We're trying to see who's to go in first," I said with a smile.
"Ah, yes, yes. I know what that feels like. I felt the same way the first time I came to this Tower, for my Test," the speaker said, coming from the shadows at last. He was a pudgy little man, dressed in white robes, with brown hair and deep blue eyes.
He looked a little startled to see that it was a half-elven warrior seeking the powerful George, in the company of a handful of humans in Spandex and a blue centaur-looking demon. But he soon recovered from his surprise and said, "And what business would a group such as yourselves have with the great George?"
"I am Lady Ariel Half-Elven," I told him. (Yes, I am a lady on my world, and, yes, I can use Half-Elven as a last name if I want to, though I prefer to use my father's name.) "And these are the Animorphs."
"Animorphs, eh? Odd name for a group of adventurers. Sounds like polymorph." he commented under his breath. "And a lady? Hmm....who's your husband?" he inquired rudely.
"I haven't a husband," I said to him. "At least, not on this world," I muttered in English under my breath.
"Huh. Anyway, I'll only say this once more, what's your business with the mighty George?"
"My friends need his help," I told him coolly. "Urgently."
"Urgent? Well, then. Come with me. Mustn't leave a lady waiting!" he said, slightly mocking.
"What'd you tell him?" Jake asked as we nervously followed the pudgy White Robe through the Grove.
"That I'm a lady, and that you're in need of urgent help," I told him. "I didn't lie!" I added when I saw that dangerous look in his eyes.
"Your a lady?" Marco asked.
"Well, I am a Knight, thank you."
"So that makes you a lady?" Rachel asked. I nodded.
Does that mean we have to call you Lady Ariel, or something? Tobias asked.
I grinned and shook my head. "I've always preferred just Ariel. I hate all that 'Sir' or 'Lady' or 'Lord' crap being a Knight from either Order does to your name. A person doesn't need a title to be someone magnificent."
Jake nodded and looked pointedly at Ax. "I agree completely," he said. "But what do you mean, from either Order?"
I grinned. "I'm a Knight of a New Age, but these mages don't need to know that. The other order is the Knights of Solomnia. Both are basically the same, except that New Age Knights aren't as strict and we're neutral, not good. We both distrust magic, but Solomnic Knights hate it. But there were rumors when I...was forced to leave this world, that their was a new order of Knights arising, Knights dedicated towards evil. They embrace magic, the idiots."
By then we'd finished our terrifying journey through the Shoikan Grove. The wizard had watched curiously as we carried out our conversation in English. I was sure he wouldn't be able to understand.
When I looked at him curiously and asked "What?" he just shook his head, spoke a word of magic, and POOF! We were in an audience chamber in what I hoped to be the Tower in Palanthas.
I looked around nervously, as did my companions. Voices murmured out of air everywhere in the huge room. Mists flowed freely from door to door. (There were many.) We once saw a disembodied hand reach out and pat the little White Robe on the shoulder. Ax's eyes widen at this.
The pudgy man led us through the vast chamber to a narrow corridor. Here he stopped, chanted a bit in a whisper, then seemed to start a one- sided conversation with the air in front of his face.
"Yes, yes. I know, Master. But they do seem to be rather important people..." The pudgy wizard said. He paused for a moment, seeming to listen to someone. Then, "Yes, but one is a lady, Master, in company of a demon, and what seems to be a group of scantily dressed gypsies. Please, they say that they need you. Urgently."
He waited another moments, then smiled. "Yes, Master. I'll tell them." He spoke a quick, magical command, then turned to us.
"He said that you had better not have any purple custard," the wizard said. At my confused expression, he chuckled a little.
"Don't worry," he assured me. "You don't have any. All right, come on." He started leading us down the corridor.
"What was that all about?" Marco asked.
I shrugged. "I don't know. Something involving magic," I said, making a face. "And purple custard."
Marco looked like he was going to ask another question, but he just shook his head and sighed. I grinned. I love having that effect on people.
At the fifth door on the right we stopped. I'd kept track just in case we had to make a quick get away.
The fat little mage knocked on the door, nervously saying, "Master? They're here."
A squeaky, slightly annoying voice replied cheerfully, "Let them in! Let them in!"
The White Robe smiled in relief, then opened the door and ushered us in. Once he'd made sure that we were all in there, including Ax, he closed the door and left.
I saw the tall, thin man sitting in a large, plush chair by a well- carved wooded desk covered in runes. He was dressed in blood-red robes, and had a pair of spectacles on that made him look like his eyes were as large as shields.
He looked up from a few sheaves of parchment, blinked, then stood up and bowed to me.
He either didn't see, or chose to ignore, my startled expression. "You must be that lady poor Unthgar spoke of. He's a little senile, you see. All the mages here are, except for me. What is your name and the names of you companions?" he asked, looking at Ax like a warrior looks at a rack of swords. To say the least, Ax looked extremely uncomfortable under the wizard's scrutinizing gaze.
I cleared my throat. "Yes, I am Lady Ariel Half-Elven. This is Jake Giantslayer, his cousin, Rachel Bloodbath. Here is Marco Swordbender," the wizard look skeptical at this alias (Marco was still as short as the first day I'd met him). "Cassie Beastfriend. Tobais, and Ax."
The wizard ignored my friends, and looked at me. "You sound as if you've earned that title you use" he remarked.
"I did," I stated proudly. "I am a Knight of a New Age, of the Order-- " I got cut off by his expression of pure rage.
"You said it!!" he shrieked. "You said it!!" He started chanting strange, spidery words that I still cannot remember. His face was contorted in a mask of pure and total hatred. His eyes were suddenly blood shot, his pupils dilated. He looked very much like a caged beast of prey that had gone mad. Then I felt a dizzying sensation and I saw only darkness for a moment.
When the darkness cleared, I saw that we were somewhere filthy, with small bundles of clothing shifting around all the time.
"Was it something I said?" I grunted.
Jake was shaking his head like he was trying to clear it. "What was that all about?" he asked.
I could only shrug. Then I looked more closely at the bundles that crawled around. They had all scattered, screaming, when we appeared, but they were coming back.
Then the stench hit me and I knew exactly what they were.
"Ugh! What are those things?" Rachel asked in disgust.
I grinned. "They're gully dwarves!" I told them.
"Whats?" Marco asked.
"Gully dwarves. The stupidest, ugliest, filthiest race on Krynn. Also the typically sweetest," I said.
You mean, the ones you ate rats with? Tobias asked.
I nodded. "They make pretty good stews."
I looked around for a minute, then I spotted one of the filthy little creatures that was taller than most of the others. I think it was a male, but I couldn't tell very well. They all had whiskers, and they all dressed in rags.
I kneeled down by the gully dwarf, who shrank away only a little. Very brave, for one of his race.
"Hello," I said as gently as I ever talk "Who are you?"
The little fellow pointed at himself and glance around like maybe I was talking to someone behind him.
"Yes, you," I told him.
He sighed greatly for one his size. "Me thought you talking to ghost behind me. My name Gar. What yours?" he asked.
"I'm Ariel. Tell me, Gar, where are we?" I asked him.
He looked at me like I was an idiot. "Why, you in This Place," he said.
I thought that reply over a little. Then I said, "Are there any mountains near This Place? Or lots of trees?"
He nodded so vigorously that I thought his head might pop off. "Yep. There mou...mount...There big hills, that way," He said, pointing to the west. "And lots and lots of trees that way," he said, pointing north.
"Thank you, Gar. Oh, is there a way out of This Place?" I asked.
He nodded again and said "That way," he pointed over to a wall to my left.
"Thank you again, Gar."
I reached into my pocket and drew forth a copper coin, handing it to him. He grabbed it eagerly and ran off.
I walked back to the Animorphs. "Come on. Follow me. I think we can find our way to some kind of town or city if we go north," I told them.
I walked over to the wall the gully dwarf had pointed out, and immediately spotted the door. We stepped through the ruined doorway, and looked around.
"There," I said, pointing. There was a hole in a crumbling wall just big enough for a gully dwarf to squeeze through.
And how are we supposed to get through that? Tobias asked.
I smiled. "Well, you can all morph into something small, mice, rats and the such. And I've been known in many a city for my ability to squeeze through almost any hole." I winked. "Made me quite popular among the various thieves' guilds."
Cassie looked at me sharply and I laughed. "Hey, I was down in the dumps at the time, and I needed to make a living somehow."
"Is there anything you haven't done?" Marco asked wearily.
I glanced at him sharply, narrowed my eyes and fingered the hilt of my sword before I gained control of my temper. Luckily, no one noticed. At least, no one said anything.
"Of course," I said, shrugging. "I've never, ever prostituted. I would never sell myself so," I shuddered. "I've never assassinated anyone, unless they truly deserved it. I've never killed an innocent, I've never fought dragonback, and I haven't done so many other things."
They all just shrugged at my reply, then started morphing various rodent morphs. Tobias morphed a rabbit, Ax and Marco morphed little white mice, Cassie and Rachel morphed large rats, and Jake morphed a mole.
"All right, you guys go first. If I get stuck, I don't want to slow you guys down," I said.
But how are we supposed to get to the hole? I'm nearly blind! Jake exclaimed.
"Here, let me help," I said, grinning.
I picked him up, and he squirmed a little.
"Hold still!" I said sternly.
Sorry. Mole instincts, he told me.
I grinned again and placed him gently in the little escape-hole. I went back over, and grabbed Marco and Ax. They didn't just squirm a little. They squirmed a lot! And Marco, I think it was Marco, bit me.
"Ow! Hey!" I exclaimed.
Sorry, Marco said sheepishly.
"Bite me again, and I'll bite back," I told them angrily.
I stuck the little mice in with Jake, and they all crawled out as I went back for Cassie and Rachel.
Just then, a gully dwarf came in with a rather big stick.
"Rats!" he exclaimed, looking at my friends eagerly. "Dinner!"
He started after them, probably looking to bash them over the head with his stick. Thank the gods I'm just slightly fleeter of foot than a gully dwarf.
I ran in front of the rats, both of whom looked extremely terrified.
"Hey, stop that!" I yelled.
"Eek!" was all the gully dwarf said in reply. He pivoted around and ran right in the opposite direction. I cringed a little when I saw him run into the wall beside the ruined doorway with a thunk! He fell over, stunned.
I shook my head and looked for my two little rat-friends. They'd fled when I had stepped in front of the gully dwarf.
"Rachel? Cassie?" I called.
What? was their thought-spoken reply.
"Where are you?"
All ready up and out of that hole, Cassie replied.
I sighed, then went over to the hole and examined it, making sure that I could wiggle through it. It was just wide enough.
"Good," I said to myself. Looking up out of the hole, I saw my friends looking at me from the top, probably wondering if I could really squirm through this little hole.
I grinned and started sliding up the hole. My arms were up front, searching for hand-holds that I could pull myself up with. My shoulders were squeezed up close to my chest and I let all the air out of my lungs to make myself smaller. I wiggled my spine and legs back and forth like an eel.
I slivered so quickly out of that hole that my friends didn't have enough time to out of the way.
Ow! Hey, get off me! Marco exclaimed from under me. I grinned and rolled over.
I got up and shook of like a dog. Dirt flew everywhere. I was filthy.
The others demorphed. As they were doing this, I looked around curiously, then sighed.
"Gar doesn't know his directions," I muttered. The forest was to the south of us, the mountains to the east.
"You know what? I haven't felt this good in years. And I'm saying this dirt-encrusted, with few friends left on this world, and no idea where I am," I told them, grinning.
They looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. Then I realized I had been, so I repeated what I'd said in English. They all just shrugged, so I led them on through the forest, looking for any kind of civilization.
"Pay them no mind; You'll be home soon enough that you'll just become a silly little story that they'll tell their children."
"Who's this wizard your taking us to?" Jake asked.
"The great and powerful....George," I replied lamely.
"George?! What kind of name is that for the most powerful magic- person here?" Rachel asked incredulously.
"It's a fine name. 'What's it a name?' Shakespeare said in 'Romeo and Juliet'. Just be careful about what you say to him. Make sure you don't say anything about dwarves, hammers, or red dragons, got it? Don't even mention the color red to him," I warned them.
Why? Tobias asked from his perch on Rachel's shoulder.
"Because, once, when he was younger, he went on an adventure with a few warrior friends of his. They met up with a red dragon. His friends killed the beast. It rolled over on top of him. He was stuck with his arms and hands pinned to his sides for three days. He survived only by chewing on the dragonflesh and drinking the blood that dribbled on his face. His friends came back soon enough, though, with a whole army of dwarves. They hacked through the dragon's body and finally came upon George, lying there with his red robes much redder. One dwarf had accidentally bashed him on the head with a war hammer, so they had to dragger him through the hole they had made. Which was in the dragon's anal cavity. He smelled like dragon crap for weeks. That's why he's a bit....odd."
They all made a face, except Tobias and Ax, who couldn't, really.
Marco gave a low whistle and Cassie said, "Poor guy. That must have been an awful experience for him."
"Yeah, so don't mention dragons or dwarves, got it?" I asked. They all nodded.
We came upon the Shoikan Grove. It was silent in this part of the city. The leaves in the giant oak trees hung limply. No breeze had ever blown through this wood. A chill fog radiated from it. I suddenly didn't want to go in there. I really didn't want to go in there.
"Uh...Y-you guys go ahead in....I'll just...uh...stay out here," I stuttered to the Animorphs.
They looked at me curiously, like I'd suddenly gone insane. Again.
"And how are we supposed to tell them what we need?" Jake asked. A little frantically, I noticed.
"I-I don't know. Talk to them in Solamnic, or Dwarven, or Elven, or whatever language you know! Just don't make me go in there," I pleaded.
"Oh, God! You big baby!" Rachel cried in exasperation. "If you're too scared to lead on, then I'll do it! Come on!"
She started walking then stopped dead in her tracks.
"Uh, maybe Jake should lead on," she said. "He is our fearless leader, right?"
"Y-Yeah, Jake should go in first," I stated as firmly as I could through chattering teeth and slightly quivering lips.
"What is wrong with you two?" Jake and Marco's looks said. Jake shrugged then started walking towards the trail that had opened up in the center of the Grove. He also stopped dead in his tracks but he looked frantically behind him, too.
"If you're too cowardly to enter the grove, I suggest you state you business with us mages and leave," a voice said suddenly from the darkness created by the sinister trees.
The Animorphs looked at each other curiously, then at me for an explanation.
"Whoever it is wants to know why we've come," I told them.
"We've come to speak with the great George!" I called to the unseen speaker.
"Well you can't very well do that from out there, now can you?" the voice asked in laughing mockery.
"Uh, yes. That's what we're standing here debating. We're trying to see who's to go in first," I said with a smile.
"Ah, yes, yes. I know what that feels like. I felt the same way the first time I came to this Tower, for my Test," the speaker said, coming from the shadows at last. He was a pudgy little man, dressed in white robes, with brown hair and deep blue eyes.
He looked a little startled to see that it was a half-elven warrior seeking the powerful George, in the company of a handful of humans in Spandex and a blue centaur-looking demon. But he soon recovered from his surprise and said, "And what business would a group such as yourselves have with the great George?"
"I am Lady Ariel Half-Elven," I told him. (Yes, I am a lady on my world, and, yes, I can use Half-Elven as a last name if I want to, though I prefer to use my father's name.) "And these are the Animorphs."
"Animorphs, eh? Odd name for a group of adventurers. Sounds like polymorph." he commented under his breath. "And a lady? Hmm....who's your husband?" he inquired rudely.
"I haven't a husband," I said to him. "At least, not on this world," I muttered in English under my breath.
"Huh. Anyway, I'll only say this once more, what's your business with the mighty George?"
"My friends need his help," I told him coolly. "Urgently."
"Urgent? Well, then. Come with me. Mustn't leave a lady waiting!" he said, slightly mocking.
"What'd you tell him?" Jake asked as we nervously followed the pudgy White Robe through the Grove.
"That I'm a lady, and that you're in need of urgent help," I told him. "I didn't lie!" I added when I saw that dangerous look in his eyes.
"Your a lady?" Marco asked.
"Well, I am a Knight, thank you."
"So that makes you a lady?" Rachel asked. I nodded.
Does that mean we have to call you Lady Ariel, or something? Tobias asked.
I grinned and shook my head. "I've always preferred just Ariel. I hate all that 'Sir' or 'Lady' or 'Lord' crap being a Knight from either Order does to your name. A person doesn't need a title to be someone magnificent."
Jake nodded and looked pointedly at Ax. "I agree completely," he said. "But what do you mean, from either Order?"
I grinned. "I'm a Knight of a New Age, but these mages don't need to know that. The other order is the Knights of Solomnia. Both are basically the same, except that New Age Knights aren't as strict and we're neutral, not good. We both distrust magic, but Solomnic Knights hate it. But there were rumors when I...was forced to leave this world, that their was a new order of Knights arising, Knights dedicated towards evil. They embrace magic, the idiots."
By then we'd finished our terrifying journey through the Shoikan Grove. The wizard had watched curiously as we carried out our conversation in English. I was sure he wouldn't be able to understand.
When I looked at him curiously and asked "What?" he just shook his head, spoke a word of magic, and POOF! We were in an audience chamber in what I hoped to be the Tower in Palanthas.
I looked around nervously, as did my companions. Voices murmured out of air everywhere in the huge room. Mists flowed freely from door to door. (There were many.) We once saw a disembodied hand reach out and pat the little White Robe on the shoulder. Ax's eyes widen at this.
The pudgy man led us through the vast chamber to a narrow corridor. Here he stopped, chanted a bit in a whisper, then seemed to start a one- sided conversation with the air in front of his face.
"Yes, yes. I know, Master. But they do seem to be rather important people..." The pudgy wizard said. He paused for a moment, seeming to listen to someone. Then, "Yes, but one is a lady, Master, in company of a demon, and what seems to be a group of scantily dressed gypsies. Please, they say that they need you. Urgently."
He waited another moments, then smiled. "Yes, Master. I'll tell them." He spoke a quick, magical command, then turned to us.
"He said that you had better not have any purple custard," the wizard said. At my confused expression, he chuckled a little.
"Don't worry," he assured me. "You don't have any. All right, come on." He started leading us down the corridor.
"What was that all about?" Marco asked.
I shrugged. "I don't know. Something involving magic," I said, making a face. "And purple custard."
Marco looked like he was going to ask another question, but he just shook his head and sighed. I grinned. I love having that effect on people.
At the fifth door on the right we stopped. I'd kept track just in case we had to make a quick get away.
The fat little mage knocked on the door, nervously saying, "Master? They're here."
A squeaky, slightly annoying voice replied cheerfully, "Let them in! Let them in!"
The White Robe smiled in relief, then opened the door and ushered us in. Once he'd made sure that we were all in there, including Ax, he closed the door and left.
I saw the tall, thin man sitting in a large, plush chair by a well- carved wooded desk covered in runes. He was dressed in blood-red robes, and had a pair of spectacles on that made him look like his eyes were as large as shields.
He looked up from a few sheaves of parchment, blinked, then stood up and bowed to me.
He either didn't see, or chose to ignore, my startled expression. "You must be that lady poor Unthgar spoke of. He's a little senile, you see. All the mages here are, except for me. What is your name and the names of you companions?" he asked, looking at Ax like a warrior looks at a rack of swords. To say the least, Ax looked extremely uncomfortable under the wizard's scrutinizing gaze.
I cleared my throat. "Yes, I am Lady Ariel Half-Elven. This is Jake Giantslayer, his cousin, Rachel Bloodbath. Here is Marco Swordbender," the wizard look skeptical at this alias (Marco was still as short as the first day I'd met him). "Cassie Beastfriend. Tobais, and Ax."
The wizard ignored my friends, and looked at me. "You sound as if you've earned that title you use" he remarked.
"I did," I stated proudly. "I am a Knight of a New Age, of the Order-- " I got cut off by his expression of pure rage.
"You said it!!" he shrieked. "You said it!!" He started chanting strange, spidery words that I still cannot remember. His face was contorted in a mask of pure and total hatred. His eyes were suddenly blood shot, his pupils dilated. He looked very much like a caged beast of prey that had gone mad. Then I felt a dizzying sensation and I saw only darkness for a moment.
When the darkness cleared, I saw that we were somewhere filthy, with small bundles of clothing shifting around all the time.
"Was it something I said?" I grunted.
Jake was shaking his head like he was trying to clear it. "What was that all about?" he asked.
I could only shrug. Then I looked more closely at the bundles that crawled around. They had all scattered, screaming, when we appeared, but they were coming back.
Then the stench hit me and I knew exactly what they were.
"Ugh! What are those things?" Rachel asked in disgust.
I grinned. "They're gully dwarves!" I told them.
"Whats?" Marco asked.
"Gully dwarves. The stupidest, ugliest, filthiest race on Krynn. Also the typically sweetest," I said.
You mean, the ones you ate rats with? Tobias asked.
I nodded. "They make pretty good stews."
I looked around for a minute, then I spotted one of the filthy little creatures that was taller than most of the others. I think it was a male, but I couldn't tell very well. They all had whiskers, and they all dressed in rags.
I kneeled down by the gully dwarf, who shrank away only a little. Very brave, for one of his race.
"Hello," I said as gently as I ever talk "Who are you?"
The little fellow pointed at himself and glance around like maybe I was talking to someone behind him.
"Yes, you," I told him.
He sighed greatly for one his size. "Me thought you talking to ghost behind me. My name Gar. What yours?" he asked.
"I'm Ariel. Tell me, Gar, where are we?" I asked him.
He looked at me like I was an idiot. "Why, you in This Place," he said.
I thought that reply over a little. Then I said, "Are there any mountains near This Place? Or lots of trees?"
He nodded so vigorously that I thought his head might pop off. "Yep. There mou...mount...There big hills, that way," He said, pointing to the west. "And lots and lots of trees that way," he said, pointing north.
"Thank you, Gar. Oh, is there a way out of This Place?" I asked.
He nodded again and said "That way," he pointed over to a wall to my left.
"Thank you again, Gar."
I reached into my pocket and drew forth a copper coin, handing it to him. He grabbed it eagerly and ran off.
I walked back to the Animorphs. "Come on. Follow me. I think we can find our way to some kind of town or city if we go north," I told them.
I walked over to the wall the gully dwarf had pointed out, and immediately spotted the door. We stepped through the ruined doorway, and looked around.
"There," I said, pointing. There was a hole in a crumbling wall just big enough for a gully dwarf to squeeze through.
And how are we supposed to get through that? Tobias asked.
I smiled. "Well, you can all morph into something small, mice, rats and the such. And I've been known in many a city for my ability to squeeze through almost any hole." I winked. "Made me quite popular among the various thieves' guilds."
Cassie looked at me sharply and I laughed. "Hey, I was down in the dumps at the time, and I needed to make a living somehow."
"Is there anything you haven't done?" Marco asked wearily.
I glanced at him sharply, narrowed my eyes and fingered the hilt of my sword before I gained control of my temper. Luckily, no one noticed. At least, no one said anything.
"Of course," I said, shrugging. "I've never, ever prostituted. I would never sell myself so," I shuddered. "I've never assassinated anyone, unless they truly deserved it. I've never killed an innocent, I've never fought dragonback, and I haven't done so many other things."
They all just shrugged at my reply, then started morphing various rodent morphs. Tobias morphed a rabbit, Ax and Marco morphed little white mice, Cassie and Rachel morphed large rats, and Jake morphed a mole.
"All right, you guys go first. If I get stuck, I don't want to slow you guys down," I said.
But how are we supposed to get to the hole? I'm nearly blind! Jake exclaimed.
"Here, let me help," I said, grinning.
I picked him up, and he squirmed a little.
"Hold still!" I said sternly.
Sorry. Mole instincts, he told me.
I grinned again and placed him gently in the little escape-hole. I went back over, and grabbed Marco and Ax. They didn't just squirm a little. They squirmed a lot! And Marco, I think it was Marco, bit me.
"Ow! Hey!" I exclaimed.
Sorry, Marco said sheepishly.
"Bite me again, and I'll bite back," I told them angrily.
I stuck the little mice in with Jake, and they all crawled out as I went back for Cassie and Rachel.
Just then, a gully dwarf came in with a rather big stick.
"Rats!" he exclaimed, looking at my friends eagerly. "Dinner!"
He started after them, probably looking to bash them over the head with his stick. Thank the gods I'm just slightly fleeter of foot than a gully dwarf.
I ran in front of the rats, both of whom looked extremely terrified.
"Hey, stop that!" I yelled.
"Eek!" was all the gully dwarf said in reply. He pivoted around and ran right in the opposite direction. I cringed a little when I saw him run into the wall beside the ruined doorway with a thunk! He fell over, stunned.
I shook my head and looked for my two little rat-friends. They'd fled when I had stepped in front of the gully dwarf.
"Rachel? Cassie?" I called.
What? was their thought-spoken reply.
"Where are you?"
All ready up and out of that hole, Cassie replied.
I sighed, then went over to the hole and examined it, making sure that I could wiggle through it. It was just wide enough.
"Good," I said to myself. Looking up out of the hole, I saw my friends looking at me from the top, probably wondering if I could really squirm through this little hole.
I grinned and started sliding up the hole. My arms were up front, searching for hand-holds that I could pull myself up with. My shoulders were squeezed up close to my chest and I let all the air out of my lungs to make myself smaller. I wiggled my spine and legs back and forth like an eel.
I slivered so quickly out of that hole that my friends didn't have enough time to out of the way.
Ow! Hey, get off me! Marco exclaimed from under me. I grinned and rolled over.
I got up and shook of like a dog. Dirt flew everywhere. I was filthy.
The others demorphed. As they were doing this, I looked around curiously, then sighed.
"Gar doesn't know his directions," I muttered. The forest was to the south of us, the mountains to the east.
"You know what? I haven't felt this good in years. And I'm saying this dirt-encrusted, with few friends left on this world, and no idea where I am," I told them, grinning.
They looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. Then I realized I had been, so I repeated what I'd said in English. They all just shrugged, so I led them on through the forest, looking for any kind of civilization.