Twisted Tortallian Tale

by crosseyedbutterfly

Me and some pals get sucked into Tortal, but why?? *Chapters 1-11 reloaded with errors fixed. Others will be shortly!*

30.

Alright, we're rolling again and hopefully this one is up real soon after the last update. I'm typing as much as I can during my break, so you'd better be happy! Then again, it's not like I have a whole lot else to do...-_-;; Yeah, just be happy I'm doing this and not sleeping the whole time. That was the original plan after all.

Now as for some other news: I'm running a contest for the sequel of TTT, which all details will be announced at the end. The prize: a couple lucky people will get to be in the next one as characters that they will create with me. Excited? Want to know more so you can go and win it now? Tough.

Just go on and read.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Sarah and Jon walked along the crowded streets of the fief as they searched for the supplies they need to buy: boots with metal studs for the ice, some extra blankets, a few good knives, some other weaponry like bows and arrows, leather they could make tack out of, and dried goods they could add to their diminishing stack of food back at the ranch. Some of it Amanda had already provided for them, but she wasn't a goddess who could make things appear out of thin air and they had been forced to go and find some of it on their own.

"There he is," said Jon out of the blue, dragging Sarah with him through the crowds. "Sir!"

"Yes, sonny?" asked a man in his fifties, a cart of skins behind him ready to be sold to willing owners. "Can I help you?"

"I was wondering how much those skins are there," said Jon quickly.

"How much do you got?" asked the man, eyeing them suspiciously. In that town it didn't matter what you looked like, you could be a homeless beggar or the head noble herself. Amanda walking about in rags so she could meet people without having them suck up to her hadn't helped that much, though.

"Enough," replied Jon quite simply as Amanda had told him to. "Look, just tell me how much, alright?"

"Depends on the skin," explained the man. He touched a large pelt that had belonged to a full grown bear. "This beauty will cost the likes of you an arm and a leg." His hand moved on to a deer skin with the fur taken off for other uses. "This one, she might be in your price range, though."

"We only want one good for making tack out of," explained Sarah. "You know, like horse leads and such."

"Ranchers, then, are you?" asked the man in surprise. "Alright, you can have it for two silver nobles."

"One and 6 copper nobles," bargained Jon carefully.

"One and 8."

"One and 7."

"Done." They traded the money for the hide, Sarah folding it up and throwing it over her shoulder.

"What's next?" asked Jon, counting out what money he had left in his pouch.

"I believe we need to find someone who can sell us the nails and tools now for repairing the house."

"We're getting those from Amanda, remember?"

"Oh, right. Then onto the mill it is!"

"Alright."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Kyle finished putting all this things in the drawers of the room and stood up as he stretched his back out slowly. It was nice enough, that was for sure, though not as nice as his room back at his fief. Then again, he had gone from being a noble to a so-called servant.

His bed had been moved beside the balcony, his feet right by the doorway and his head by the window that also took up part of that wall. The balcony itself was the only one along this hall, given to him specially because of his possible nighttime visitors (both human and bird). With his spies always flying about and Elizabeth's bedroom right above with a convenient ladder for climbing between the two, you never knew when you might be receiving someone late at night.

His dresser and desk he had pushed to the walls, giving him a large area for him to warm up in everyday with his rapier. He would find other uses for the large area later, he was sure, but still just having it like it was right now was good enough.

Kyle glanced at the door to the washroom he was to use. He would share it with Joe, not that he minded though. He nice enough in his own way, a little on the devious side at times but you had to give him credit for keeping Vixen under control.

She was most definitely a foxy lady to the bone. Besides, if he ever needed it and Joe had taken over it for awhile for whatever reason, he could always go and use the public servant baths on the ground floor. It was inconvenient, yes, but Joe would probably have to do the same thing some other time because of him so he really didn't mind.

On the other side of Joe was Mouse, and beside Mouse Vixen, and beside Vixen Allie. Somehow he'd gotten the feeling when everyone had been settled in their rooms Mouse and Vixen were both fairly annoyed by the order but had let it drop for the time being. Chucking softly to himself, he couldn't wait until he saw what kind of mischief those thieves got into. Vixen already had a sore lip from the other night, and the rest of her group was certainly interesting enough.

Sarah and Jon's rooms where beyond that, which were full right now since they where here on a visit, and last room along the row was empty until they found someone to put in it. Probably the Commander Lyssa if she ever came for some reason, or the helpers of the horse people.  Eight rooms in all, if you had some reason to count them. Then again, he tended to notice odd things like that at times.

He had little else in the room, his satchel hanging on the back of a chair for when he went spying, special green-gray clothes laid out that he used to blend in with the woods better. His pendant lay beside the clothes, reminding him of his duty and how it would protect him later on. A leather glove sat alone on a shelf, reinforced at the wrist and down for where birds would land without piercing his skin. Other than clothes, a set of boots, and his rapier; that was it. Oh, and a dagger he carried with him always, but that didn't really count...

The fourth bell rang and Kyle smiled, throwing open the door to the balcony and climbing up the ladder to Elizabeth's room where she was waiting. "Oh love..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Amanda and Levi walking along the top of the wall with the guards as they discussed the changes that had happened as of late, the towns that were no longer there an the large assortment of people at the fief. Unlike most fief's, Lynx Mountain was a tight-knit community where most were trappers that lived in town instead of farmers that lived on the outskirts farming land. The fief itself did most of the farming for wheat and grains, the people trading it for the skins of bears and lynx, which the fief in turn sold to merchants in the south.

The walls of the fief itself held most of the village on the inside as well, only a few hundred living there at the at the peak of times and with room inside the walls for at least a few hundred more. Right now, Lynx Mountain housed its entire village people as well as refugees from neighboring towns whose fief couldn't take them in. They were lucky as it was to have so much food and room left over even now, other fiefs were packed full with their people and were turning others away who were in need of shelter and food.

The three towns that had once been only an hours walk away were now all deserted, their people divided between Lynx Mountain, a camp to their a camp to their east, or becoming soldiers at Northwatch. Two other towns just beyond the three had reinforced their walls and gained commanders with soldiers who could fight, turning them into forts over night.

"How do you think we will hold?" asked Levi, a note of worry in his voice. "During the immortal wars, we were hardly touched. We locked the doors and only had a skirmish with the immortal soldiers occasionally, usually seeing nothing for weeks at a time. That isn't going to be the case here, is it?"

"No, it's not," replied Amanda solemnly. "I read a preview for this part of Kel's history, and it was grim enough as it was. Those metal monsters won't be going away anytime soon, and I'm afraid it might just be the trump card those Scanran trash need to get through..."

"We'll stop them," said Levi firmly.  He lowered his voice so others couldn't hear. "We have to. This is my home, Amanda. Even if you or the others left right now, we would still find a way to hold strong. I don't care how long I live or where I may go, this is where I belong and where I will remain."

"I feel the same, as far as Tortall goes," replied Amanda softly. "I would give a lot to return home and to see my friends, but even more to have the chance to return here someday."

"Then why don't you just stay here?" asked Levi, frowning slightly. "Surely...it's your choice, isn't it?"

"I don't think it is..."

"Considering that you've been here about a month, I think it will be awhile yet," commented Levi with a slight grin. "I could be wrong, yes, but considering all the power you have here you would think your mission would be bigger than bringing some farmer his lost goat."

"News from Mastiff, milady," said a guard as he came and handed her a letter, the seal still intact.

"Thank you," said Amanda, breaking the seal and opening it quickly. "Hm...news from Mastiff indeed..."

"What's going on?" asked Levi in alarm.

"Nothing serious," replied Amanda lightly. "They're building another refugee camp and asked us to send any we can't keep there. Thing is we're holding refugees for other fiefs as it is and still have room to spare. Send word to Mastiff that Lynx Mountain and hold it's villagers and others if the need arises."

"Yes, milady."

"Refugee camps," muttered Levi. "Awful places, they are. Used to hear about them from Pa from when he was a child and lived by the Drell River. There was some war over it years ago that Alanna was a squire in with her Knight master the Prince, who is now the King."

"I'd hate to be the person who runs one then," replied Amanda firmly. "Come on, the others will be wondering where we are."

"Not that they have anything to wonder about..."

"We're not Joe and Vixen," retorted Amanda. "Let's keep that clear, shall we?"

"Alright, alright..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

"Argh, it's still sore," growled Vixen, rubbing her tender lip gently. "It was only a fork, why the heck is it taking so long to heal..."

"Maybe because you won't give it a rest," commented Joe teasingly, ducking the punch sent his way.

"Not like you're any big help, though," added Mouse, watching as both the King and Queen of thieves turned an interesting shade of red.

"Don't you have something Mouse-ish to go do?" asked Vixen in an irritated manner. "Like go nibble something?"

"I think you've done enough nibbling for both of us plus Amanda, Allie, and Liz as of late...."

"Mouse...!!"

"What?" Mouse looked so cutely innocent that Allie couldn't figure out why in the world Vixen was glaring daggers at the girl when she rounded the corner. "Right...if you're done arguing or whatever, the Captain of the Garrison wants to see us."

"Arguing? What arguing? Who said we were arguing? There was no arguing," snapped Vixen. "There was merely a discussion in which Mouse practically forfeit her life."

"Gee, that's really convincing, Vixie, let me tell you," said Allie, rolling her eyes as she did. "You may make Hollywood someday if you keep it up."

"Gee, thanks. Just show us where he is." They met the man on the ground in front of the main building where he and the other three officers slept, most of the soldiers out doing their weapons training or riding in the forest guard.

"Hello," he said in a deep voice, nodding respectfully to them while sizing them up carefully. "I am Tao, head of the garrison."

"I am Vixen, head of this troop," she said, motioning to her thieves who standing around fighting playfully in the courtyard or playing games of dice to pass the time. "This is Joe, my second, and my sisters Allie and Mouse."

"Greetings to you all," said Toa formally. "I assume you are all capable of handling weapons."

"Of course," replied Vixen somewhat hotly. "We do try to keep ourselves in shape, after all."

"I see." Toa watched as two of the thieves fought, one easily throwing the other to the ground. "We will test just how good your fighters are tomorrow when they spar with my men. See the man there in the blue with the black hat on?"

Vixen nodded, noting how skinny he looked for a soldier. "Yes, the one with the brown hair and low boots."

"Yes, he is my second, Ion. Both of you report to me, your second and sisters will be Captains under you and each of you will lead a squad of ten from your troop. I will try to keep the ten together with their Captain for training and missions, but it cannot be guaranteed."

Vixen nodded. "I understand."

"Good. I will see you out here tomorrow, then."

Vixen smiled at the thought of some fresh meat for her thieves to fight against. "Tomorrow."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Jennifer smiled to herself as she checked the pie again. Almost done, just another 5 or 6 minutes should do it at the most. "Get down from there, Tigress," she chided her cat, placing her on the floor where she belonged. "You know better than to get up on the counter when there's food up there, you might get cat hair in it."

*meow*

"Don't give me that indignant look, young lady," replied Jennifer with a deft nod of her head. "I might not give you dinner of you're going to act like that."

"Jennifer, you're talking to a cat," said Levi as he poked his head around the corner. "Do you really expect her to understand what you're saying?"

"Yes, I do," replied Jennifer smugly. "What are you doing down here, though? A message for me from Amanda?"

"Actually, no," he replied sheepishly. "I smelled something along the lines of a pie from my room..."

"Apple blueberry," said Jennifer with a grin as she checked it again and deemed it done. "Do you want some?"

"If I could...I mean, if it's for someone else..."

"It's for me and those I choose to share it with," replied Jennifer firmly. "A Mid-Winters gift to myself that happens to be almost four months late."

Levi smiled. "I see." They were soon seated at the table with a large slice apiece, a good portion of the pie still left in the pan.

"Do I smell something fresh from the oven in here?" asked Jon, sticking his head in the door suddenly.

"Pie, apple blueberry," replied Jennifer, remembering how much Jon liked food and could eat at one time. "Do you want a slice?"

Jon beamed. "That's why I'm here." Jennifer got him some and set it at the table, letting him take a seat with them and eat the pie while talking amiably. Kyle was the next to find his way down from the smell, and was soon seated with his own plate of pie as well. Half the pie still remained, and Jennifer wondered just how much longer it would last with all the guys being drawn to the kitchen.

Artman and Joe wandered in a few minutes later, having met on the way while trying to figure out where the pie was. Each gratefully accepted a slice and took a seat, Jennifer retreating to over by the counter with her cats so there would be room for them all.

"What's all the commotion down here?" asked Vixen when she, Mouse, and Allie appeared, having tracked Joe down to the kitchen.

"She made pie," said Joe quickly. "I couldn't resist, I'm a guy."

"Make that a bottomless pit."

Jon smiled. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Do you three want some?" asked Jennifer, hoping to smooth things over. "Here, there's more than enough for each of you to have a good slice."

Vixen felt her mouth begin to water as she looked at the pie longingly. "Well...if you insist..."

"I do." The three 'sisters' were given slices of pie, finishing it entirely. Jennifer was glad she'd gotten hers earlier or she wouldn't have gotten any at all.

"What's everyone doing down here?" asked Amanda when she appeared a few moments later, a puzzled look on her face. "I've been trying to find you guys forever, what's going on?"

"Pie!" cried all the guys together, finishing what little bits were left on their plates all at once. Amanda looked at the empty pie tin and shook her head despairingly.

"I supply these things, you make a pie, and you don't even save me a slice," she said mock sadly. "Just shows how much I really am appreciated..."

"Actually," said Jennifer, opening the bottom oven and pulling out a chocolate cake. "You are. Happy belated Mid-Winter."

"Happy early Birthday is closer at this point," Amanda reminded her teasingly, taking the cake and heading for the door. "Thanks, Jen."

"No problem!" Jennifer laughed as all the guys followed Amanda up to her study where she planned to eat it, all begging for a taste. "At least they're not begging me anymore!"

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Lyssa smiled as she finished putting everything away, her things put back in their old places and her weapons in their stands. She had finally settled back in, and she was happy to be home.

"Commander," said someone as they knocked on the door.

"Come in," she replied with a smile. "Took you awhile to get here, Eric. Been taking your sweet little time, haven't you?"

"I've enjoyed being in charge," he admitted, sitting himself at her desk backwards in the chair. "But I'm also glad to have you back in lead. It's nice to be able to just follow orders for once rather than to give them all the time."

"So you finally know how I feel?" said Lyssa teasingly, taking the staff and the set of keys to the fort that marked her as the Commander. "Well, you'll soon get sick of taking orders again, I'm sure."

"Just as you will of giving them?"

"Probably."

"We could switch for a day..."

"No." Lyssa turned serious, thinking of the news she had heard of the raids on outlying towns. "If this were last year's war, I wouldn't have a problem with it, but it isn't and things are more dangerous now than ever."

"Then things have gotten worse, Commander?" asked Eric, fear showing in his eyes.

"I'm afraid so," replied Lyssa quietly. "Much worse...I am glad to be back in charge here, but it disheartens me to think of the many we will lose in the months to come."

"Then it is all out war?"

"Soon." Lyssa sighed as she looked out the door, seeing her men and women train for the bloody days again. "Soon..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Libby and Artman had been on the move for three days straight, traveling from town to village, helping people put their lives back together after Scanrans had hit there and guiding them to the nearest refugee camp where they would be safe. Things like that been so for awhile lately, calls coming in groups for days at a time, then a few without any news at all, giving them time to catch up on their sleep and get themselves back together.

"Are we almost there?" asked Libby, tied to her horse Veety with a rope so she wouldn't fall off. She had healed for three hours straight, and almost drained herself completely except for one tiny spark that was still alive.

"Almost," replied Artman, seeing the fort appear over the horizon in the distance. He, too, had been on the move the whole time with her but hadn't need his gift as much as was doing fairly well as being powered up. He was physically exhausted though from helping villagers bury their dead and pack their things to leave. Goatstrack had been the worst a few weeks ago, and he would like nothing more than to forget the image of the miller and his daughters slaughtered together on the ground.

They were let in without a word, Amanda still being up as always and half-carrying Libby to her room while others took care of the mounts. Artman was helped by a guard and taken to his room as well, both given hot baths and a meal before being ushered into bed where they stayed for two days straight.

"Oh, come on," whined one of the thieves as he held his broken finger gingerly. "Just a tic, that's all it will take to wake her and have me healed."

"You'll live," growled Amanda, glaring at him. "Go on, get back to your training. I've endured far worse and kept fighting, you wussy."

"Males are less resistant to pain than females," Vixen reminded her later and with a wry grin.

"That doesn't give them any excuse to wake Libby while she rests after working so hard," replied Amanda firmly. "Males, always whining about this or that... But I would've sent him away even if it had been a her. Libby deserves her rest and I won't have them bothering her until she wakes up on her own."

When Libby and Artman awoke they stayed at the fief for another two days, taking the time to rest and regain their strength before they were called out again for another week's worth of work. It was hard and rough, often times overwhelming to the two mages who would like nothing more to go far away and rest. But lives were to be saved, people helped and others buried. Some one had to do it, they just wished it didn't have to be them.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Alyse and Ronnie strolled through the waking gardens of the fief, the dog jumping and prancing about as he chased after the fleet-footed squirrels and fluttering butterflies in the area. Alyse examined the plants that had survived the winter as she went. These roses would be fine once pruned some, and the majority of the flowering bushes had made it through as well. Perhaps she would be bale to convince Amanda after the war to install a koi pond back here and a few cherry trees. Yes, cherry blossoms floated down over her shoulders in the spring...it would be nice. That is, if they were there after the war.

Ronnie came back to Alyse covered in splotches of dirt and mud. "Ronnie," she scolded gently. "Now, don't you go and get yourself any more...Ronnie?"

The dog dashed off, leaving his owner to follow him at a swift trot through the mixed snow and mud. Most of it had already melted off and they were only expecting one last big snow before it all melted away.

She followed him through the bushes and into a secluded corner behind the fief, generally reserved for whatever the gardener kept back there during the spring and summer. There was a two foot six inch deep mud puddle, perfect for dogs Ronnie size as he wallowed and rubbed in it, covering himself entirely in the muck.

"Ronnie!"

The dog sat on his rump and cocked his head to the side also as if he were confused about something. He patted the mud a few times with his paw as if to show how smooth it was, perfect for rolling in.

"No, I'm not going to roll in the mud with you," retorted Alyse, glaring at him half-heartedly. "You're all dirty."

Ronnie seemed disappointed, whimpering slightly before snorting softly, as if to say that was the whole point. How could one get clean if rolling in the mud? It didn't make sense.

"I think we're going to have to give you a bath," said Alyse scooping him up in her arms. He wriggled around, getting her kimono and arms all muddy. "And give me one too," she added, wrinkling her nose. "Stop moving! Ronnie...!!"

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Sarah and Jon surveyed the old ranch and made a list of the repairs that were to be made, leaving the horses to the young twins while they worked. Fences had to be mended, holes in the roof of the barn patched up, a few loose planks nailed back into place, the clearing scoured of braches and stones the horses could injure themselves on, water troughs fixed, the house cleaned with all it's repairs done. There was a lot to do.

Sarah went and started on the house while Jon went and worked on the barn, doing his best not to fall through the roof this time and fixing the holes in record time. Shingles were replaced and thatching added to keep it warm throughout the year for the poor beasts. Things got chilly at night, and Jon didn't want to risk the horses getting sick and dying when they were needed in the war.

The wall was done next, Dar holding the boards in place as Jon banged in the nails. He did get his hands once or twice with the hammer, but it was less than normal and he knew better than to complain. The wall surrounding the place was five feet high except at the main gate, where it was only four. It would be enough to help repulse any attackers if they were given decent warning, something that would come with the special rope and pendant Amanda had given them.

"Careful, there," he said, taking part of the wood Dar was carrying as he almost dropped it. "You don't have to take so much at one time, you know."

"Yeah, but it means I can have a longer rest before I go get more," Dar pointed out with a grin.

"You really are lazy," muttered Jon, shaking his head as he did.

"Like you have room to talk."

"More than you."

"Geez, adults get all the fun..."

"Not all of it, just most."

Sarah cleaned all the windows of the cottage and swept out the rooms, getting rid of all the dust and dirt that had accumulated over the years. Counters and tables were wiped clean, and chairs set upright from their places on the floor. The small house had four rooms; a kitchen and three bedrooms. The largest one was set aside for Cor and Dar, two mats put on the floor for them to sleep on with all their things beside them. The next biggest was for her and the smallest for Jon, though of the last two there was really only a small difference so it didn't matter much. The loft above the kitchen was used for their supplies, and Sarah couldn't count the number of times she'd gone up and down that ladder to put things away before the day was through.

Cor spent the day feeding and grooming the 80+ mares and geldings that had accompanied them north, making sure each was comfortable in their stalls. The barn had a double row and could hold around a hundred in all, and Cor used the extra spaces to hold the horses as he mucked out eat one's stall. He didn't mind working alone, in some ways he actually preferred it and a horse's company was always welcome over his brother's.

It was a little rough on the edges, but by putting their own sweat into making it livable all four knew it was worth the effort and felt it become their next home.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Kyle and Daine sat cross-legged from each other on the ground outside the fief, a map spread between them and a charcoal stick in Daine's hand.

"This," she said quietly, a ward around them to keep unwanted visitors out. "Is the area you will have to cover for me. From Northwatch to the Great Road are the boundaries, though if you go over on the occasion I certainly won't begrudge you for it. I will cover the rest of the boarder, though to the east of the Great Road very little has happened at all and I think they're concentrating on breaking through our western defenses the most."

"Alright," agreed Kyle. "How many spy hawks and falcons should I collect to work for me?"

"Oh, eight or nine ought to do it," replied Daine, biting her nail as she thought about it for a moment. "Yep."

"And will I be given any companions this time?" Kyle grinned hopefully.

"These three will help you," said Daine, producing a trio of foxes from a den underneath a tree.

"Aw, how cute..."

"See how this tree is bent? With the trunk going at several angles at once?" asked Daine, pointing to what she meant.

"Yes," replied Kyle, taking note of some other surrounding as well.

"Remember it. It's their den, and they will wait here for you until you come get them," said Daine carefully. "They understand more than normal foxes, and will be your scouts and guides. That alright?"

"It's great," replied Kyle with a huge, grateful smile. "With help like this, it is almost impossible to get caught."

"Still, accidents and slips can happen," added Daine. "Which is why I'm also giving you this." She handed him the amulet, shaped like a leaf with designs cut into it. "It will help you blend into any background until you're almost invisible. Stay perfectly still, and you will be invisible."

"Wow, Numair make it?" asked Kyle, fingering it lightly before slipping the leather cord over his head.

"Yes, I have one as well," replied Daine with a slight grin. "See?" She slipped it back in her shirt, saved always only for emergencies. "I've only had to use it once, but that one time was certainly a life-saver."

"I'll remember that," said Kyle, putting his under his shirt as well.

"There is one problem with it," added Daine solemnly. "If they have a mage with them, one who can see through magic, you're dead. Just run then, run and call for others to help you with your wildmagic and hope they'll answer. I know I'm putting you in a lot of danger with this..."

"Everyone who fights in this war is in danger, Daine."

"This is more than most. But still..."

"But it's worth it if we can predict the enemies' moves ahead of time," finished Kyle with a knowing nod. "I'll be careful, I promise."

"Good." Daine sighed, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"When am I to start?" asked Kyle, knowing she had to get her spies out of the area so his could come in.

"Sometime soon," replied Daine vaguely, waving a hand as she did. "I'll let you know when, and how long you're to be out as well. "You'll have one more companion as well." *whistle*

A small, slim hawk glided from the trees above, landing on Kyle's shoulder with a deft whistle.

"Well, hello there," said Kyle, stroking the bird's head gently. "What's his name?"

"Her name is Emila," replied Daine with a small smirk. "I wouldn't call her a he again, she might get angry." The hawk nodded curtly in reply.

"I won't," promised Kyle with a smile. "You are beautiful. Emila, does it mean something?"

"Hm, closest I can guess would be 'Soul-wind'," replied Daine with a shrug. "I don't know, really. You'll have to ask her yourself sometime. She's got a good lock on my gift, and if you ever need anything send her to me with your message."

"Then she is like the carrier pigeons we used before?"

"Only a whole lot faster."

"I'd better get back," said Kyle, checking the position of the sun.

"One more thing," said Daine, rising to her feet as a hawk similar to hers came and landed on her shoulder. "This is Trimon, Emila's brother. I will send him to you with your details later, alright?"

"Ok, we'll talk again later."

"Bye, Kyle."

"Bye, Daine, and good luck."

Daine watched sadly as he walked back to the fief. "You may need it more than I..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

"Milady," said a guard as he met her on the wall. "Another message from Lord Wyldon."

"Thank you," she replied, taking it from him and breaking the seal before pulling out the note and scanning it quickly.

"What's it say?" asked Levi, who happened to be filing reports in her desk at that moment.

"Something about Haven," replied Amanda. "That's the name of the new refugee camp on the other side of Northwatch. Hm....nope, we've got room here so there's no need to send our 'extra' people there....I wonder who's in charge..."

"Probably some seasoned knight," commented Levi.

"Well...it isn't a seasoned one," replied Amanda with a slight smirk. "In fact, she's a first year..."

"She? Is in the Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan?" asked Levi in surprise. "Hm, I knew she was a good warrior and had been trained in command posts, but to put her in charge of a refugee camp when she hasn't even completed her first year..."

"I think she'll be fine," murmured Amanda absently to herself. "Hm...they're short on supplies there. Weapons, clothes, and food, mostly. What do you think, Headman Levi?"

"What do you mean, what do I think?" retorted Levi, getting a little annoyed by Amanda's talking in riddles.

"What I mean is, do you think we should do anything about it," said Amanda somewhat sharply. "We have plenty here, it wouldn't hurt us at all to give up some things that we don't need. I'm not saying a whole ton of food or something, but a wagon of food and clothes stuff and another of weapons would be sure to help..."

"I think we could manage that," admitted Levi with half a smile. "I do feel bad for those in the camps...and we could certainly manage only two wagons worth of goods. What about the smiths? They aren't going to like the extra work, you know."

"We have the iron," said Amanda practically. "With that new mine they found right behind the fief that they've digging into. All that's needed is people to work it. I'll fill the majority of the weapons for the camp myself, then, and whatever they can add in will help along the way."

"I think we could get the weavers to turn out a few extra blankets and bolts of cloth," said Levi in a calculating manner. "We could give some fruit and vegetables from this years harvest, Mithros knows we'll never use it all."

"Meat they won't need," said Amanda. "Perhaps, if the catch comes in well, we'll send them some leather from the fur trade..."

"Probably not," said Levi. "We lost a lot of our work this year due to Scanrans killing the trappers while they were out on their trips and then stealing the furs they had taken."

"That's true," admitted Amanda solemnly. "We'll pay them back for that, though. Right now, however, let's just concentrate on the camp."

"I have an idea of what we need to get," said Levi. "I'll be by later with what we can spare."

"Alright."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Vixen walked around and stopped pairs at times as they trained, giving them pointers or correcting their stance. The hand-to-hand combatants were doing very well, beating the heck out of each other without actually inflicting any damage because both knew what they were doing.

She moved onto those who were learning to use weapons, wincing as she saw one of the thieves who was helping another thief get his hand hit against from his clumsy counterpart. It was either one's fault, really. It just happened that one didn't have much control and the other wasn't used to fighting others like that.

"Block it as it comes at you, not before," said the woman, flexing her hand as the young boy nodded determinedly. "And don't move your feet, how many times do I have to tell you!"

"Alright," he said, nodding again. He seemed to lose confidence as the woman set herself back a little and looked at him in concentration. Her strikes weren't coming that fast or hard, but the look in her eyes was enough to unnerve him and again his blocks were off.

"Silas, it's not that hard," growled the woman in frustration.

"It's that look in your eyes, Miranda," whined the young man. "It's like you're going to kill me..."

"Then attack me and we'll work on that instead," sighed the woman, shaking her head in resignation. "You're hopeless, Silas, as long as you fear me things can't go well..."

The young man hung his head for a moment and sighed, looking a few minutes later with a calm settled over him. He attacked, but it went wide and grazed Miranda's hand instead. He attacked again, but it was off and well smacked the other hand with the flat of the staff.

"Oh no!"

"I'm alright," said Miranda, pushing him away and examining the backs of her hands. "Hm...one's bruised and the other has a few burst blood vessels, no big deal. Pick your staff back up and get ready."

"No," said Silas firmly, holding his head in his hands like he'd murdered someone. "I'll never use a staff again! Just let me stick to my bow, alright?! Please, just let me use my bow..."

"I'll take care of this," said Vixen, leading the boy back to the archery section while Miranda massaged her hands some more before heading over and helping another pair with their stance.

"You're ground is doing very well, indeed," said Toa, coming up behind her silently out of the blue.

"Hm? Oh, thank you." Vixen's voice held a hint of pride. "They are the best of the best."

"I'm sure they are. You have a wide variety of talents here, but all can hold their own in hand-to-hand, can't they?"

"Of course, it was necessary for them to learn that first."

Toa lifted an eyebrow slowly. "What was is exactly they were before they came here, Captain Vixen?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about," she replied coldly, meeting his gaze head on. "Lady Amanda is aware of our past, as is the King. Our deal is with him, so you don't need to worry about a thing."

"Just watch yourself," said the Captain. "Pasts have a way of catching up with people..."

Vixen rolled her eyes as she saw Libby talking with Alyse on the wall and Amanda walking with Levi towards the forge. "You have no idea..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Jennifer sneezed as the dust was stirred again, wondering once more what had possessed Amanda to ask her to sort and clean out the old storage rooms. She had found old casks of honey comb, some baskets of rotten fruit and vegetables, and a pile of dried corn that would be useful one they cut off the rotted or chewed bits.

Her cats were making small work of the mice and rats that inhabited the place at that moment, gorging themselves on the plump little creatures. All she'd asked was that she didn't have to pick up the little carcasses later on, and of course the cats had been more than obliged to take them and put the carcasses in the trash when they were finished picking the meat off the bones.

Jennifer looked down as Tigress tugged on her pants, pulling her over to a corner covered in cobwebs and shadowed from the lanterns used to keep the room lit. "What is it, Tigress?" she asked, seeing the other cats gathered around it as well. "Is there something back here? There isn't a door....oh..." Her words faded away as she saw a handle sticking out, covered in a thick layer of dust and grim from not being touched in a long time

Hesitantly, she put her hand on the ring and pulled, feeling the door give and swing out to show a dark, damp void beyond. Chocolate brought her a lantern, and she slowly went forward with her cats surrounding her on all sides. Casks lined the wall, a small plaque by the doorway entirely covered in dust. Jennifer pulled out a rag and wiped it off as best she could, reading the words to herself aloud.

"Wines and Currents,

The drink of the divine and holy.

Spiced Cider,

A taste of autumn days.

Beers and Ales,

A hearty warmth on a cold winter's night.

Flasks of Juice,

A burst of summer in a sip.

Enjoy these as you will,

Whether in celebration or tears.

Here lines the finest of Lynx Mountain

Sealed until better years.

254, In the 10th year of King Jonathan the III."

Tigress pawed her leg as Jennifer picked her up, absently stroking the cat's head as she thought about it for a minute. Wines? Ciders? Ales? All from at least 200 years ago? She knew there were a few casks of such things made every year, but she'd never heard of this. Maybe Amanda didn't know about it either...

"Go get Amanda," said Jennifer, pointing at Caramel quickly. The light brown cat nodded and bounded out the door. "I think she'll be interested in this find, it might help more than I originally thought..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Lyssa rode at the head of the column of Riders that were out scouring the forest for signs of Scanran movement. Twenty in all, four scouts surrounded them with two straight ahead and one on either side. It made her nervous, having a riding scout going everyday and her leading it at least four times a week. It was risky and dangerous, but the enemy rarely came to them so it was up to them to find the enemy.

"Commander," said one of the men in a low voice, making a motion with his hand. Lyssa had her bow out and an arrow knocked before she had even sighted the sniper in the trees. Shooting him down in a wink, war cries rose to their right as the guide came galloping back with fifteen Scanran soldiers on his heals.

"Attack!" cried Lyssa. "But keep together, they might have more in the bushes!"

Her mount wheeled around, hooves flailing as a man tried to grab her and pull her down to the ground. Making short work of him with her short sword, she crossed blades with a mounted swordsman and found herself in a jam, two on the ground on either side and the one on the horse hacking at her mercilessly.

"Commander!" Lyssa felt the two on either side drop away as they were taken out with arrows, concentrating on the foe before her. He left his ribs open and she dove for it, driving the short sword in to the hilt.

"Thank you, Unta," she said gratefully, facing the young mountain boy who had joined the Riders recently. His aim could not be matched when it came to the bow or the sling, and she was glad to have him at her side.

"Can't have those dirty barbarians slashing our Commander, can we?" he called back with a grin, sighting another Scanran and letting the arrow lose with remarkable speed and precision. "Hm, got me another one! That's five today already!"

"Commander, another ground of at least 20 is heading for us from the east," said a scout, riding him with his mount covered in sweat. "What shall we do?"

"Hold our position here and wait for them to attack," she said quickly. "Archers, bows out and shoot on sight. Unta, I'm counting on you to take out at least another three or four, boy!"

"I'll make it six as a belated Mid-Winters gift," he said confidently.

"Fine by me..."

The Scanrans came at them from the side, several falling at once from the archer's arrows, Lyssa among them before she put the bow down and drew her short sword once more. "Hold fire, charge!"

Everyone surged forward as one, plowing straight through the lines of Scanran forces that were all on foot. Lyssa hacked left and right, her horse shot in the eye and tumbling to the ground.

"Son of a...argh!! I liked that horse!!" Lyssa went at it with renewed vigor, spitting one straight through the middle as a second went down with her dagger imbedded in his skull.

"Commander! Watch out!" Lyssa turned around and almost froze with fright. It was one of those huge metal things...and it wasn't more than three feet from where she stood...

"Oh no..." Lyssa grabbed a war hammer from a fallen Scanran and held it before her, knocking away one of the arms as it came towards her. Its mouth popped open, revealing the row upon row of sharp teeth. "Someone get it with a bolt!" Lyssa ducked and rolled away as the arm swung toward her again, Eric fumbling with his crossbow as more Scanrans came at him from all sides.

*twang* *thunk*

Lyssa saw the bolt on top of the things head and gulped, she was going to have nightmares about this for weeks... Dropping the weapon, she jumped up on the thing's arm, then on it's back; grabbing the bolt and yanking it out just as one of the arms reached back to slice her to bits. The child's voice creeped her out even more as the white steam rose from the hole, blowing away in the wind.

Her men and women around her finished off the rest of the Scanrans, killing them all as none stopped to surrender. A few broke for the trees and were taken down with Unta's arrows in their backs.

"How did we fare?" she asked the nearest Rider, a woman in her 30's who had seen far more battle than her.

"Three horses dead, two Rider's dead, and about five or six wounded," she replied quietly, helping Lyssa mount up behind her in the saddle and handing her a water flask. "You came pretty close to being mincemeat there Commander..."

"I'm not, though, that's what matters," replied Lyssa as she took a breath from drinking to deep. "What killed the other two horses? Arrow?"

"That metal thing."

"Then it got their Rider's too?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I hate those things..." Lyssa looked around, seeing her people were tired and in need of a safe place to rest. "We're going back. Keep your eyes and ears open, these barbarians like to spread little traps. Let's go."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Libby looked at the book oddly. It was a cookbook. Why had he given her a cookbook? She didn't cook, she could hardly make something that was passable as soup without her kitchen back home. There she could make tuna melts and cookies and brownies....but she didn't cook here.

"What'cha looking at?" asked Artman, peering over her shoulder like he had a right to be that close to her at all. Libby whipped out a mallet and knocked him into the stratosphere without even thinking about it and kept on musing over the leather bound book before her.

"Hm, might as well open it and take a look..." She turned the pages carefully, reading over the recipes and their uses as she realized what she'd received it for. It was a healer's cookbook, one filled with salves, balms, and such that one could use to heal without expending your gift. Excellent! Now if she could find someone to make all these for her...

"Jennifer!" she chirped happily, sticking her head in the kitchen brightly.

"Yes?" replied Jennifer, looking up from the pan of apple fritters she'd been making. "Ah! ....owies..."

"Get hit with some hot grease?" asked Libby, coming and inspecting the burn. It wasn't anything serious, but she healed it anyways with a touch of her gift. "Hm...here, you can have this then since you probably need it more than I..."

"What is it?" asked Jennifer, taking the book from Libby gingerly. "It's a cookbook....why do you have a cookbook?"

"It's just not any cookbook," replied Libby solemnly. "It's a cookbook of cures for things like burns and cuts. You can have it since I don't need it."

"Thanks," replied Jennifer, opening the cover and flipping through the pages. "I'll make some of these right away. I hurt myself enough working down here, and I know others will need it as well.... Thanks, Libby."

"No problem, and have fun," said Libby, waving as she left the kitchen. "Let me know how it works, ok?"

"Ok."

Laughing to herself quietly, she reminded herself to drop back by the kitchen sometime soon to take some of the salves and balms Jennifer made to use on her own trips. It was nice to have helpers around now and then...

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Alyse went through the things the weavers had made as Amanda had asked her too, also digging through the old blankets and clothes Lynx Mountain still had in storage from years past. Several had holes and needed to be mended before they were usable again, but that would certainly be easier than making all of it new.

Spreading another blanket out before her, she checked it for holes and tears before folding it up and placing it in the stack with the rest. Seeing she had enough for this load, she went on out to the wagon and firmly stacked them there, pushing them down so they could make room for others.

"How many bags of grains did you want again?" she heard Jennifer asking Amanda, who was still working in the forge.

"As many as are reasonable," came the usual reply. "Just don't over pack the wagons. A four-horse team will pull each, yes, and our sounds will be muffled by a spell, but regardless..."

"I  know I know, it can only hold so much and still be safe...."

"Exactly."

Alyse smiled and turned to find one of the servants behind her, a young lad who was the son of one of the maids. "Milady, the weavers and tailors said they have the clothes you sent to them mended and done," he said pertly, nodding slightly.

"Good," she replied, nodding slowly. "Have it brought here and packed down tightly, we need all the room we can get."

"Yes, milady." He ran off, bare feet kicking up a cloud of dust as he went.

Alyse went on back inside to the blankets and got the next stack ready, but this one was for casing the weapons that Amanda and the other smithies pumped out everyday. They couldn't be rattling around in there lose, she'd have to make sure it was all latched down so nothing bounced around and broke on the hectic ride over there.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Cor and Dar both laid in the loft during their daily break, the fixing up of the Ranch finally complete and a daily schedule put together for the daily chores. Work was split pretty evenly, giving the boys at least a few hours a day to sit around and relax while their keepers went and did something else.

That something else usually meant figuring out what they were going to eat for Sarah and for Jon teaching himself to use the spear he'd gotten to help defend the Ranch incase of an attack.

"You know," said Cor out of the blue. "We should be practicing our shooting right now. Especially you, you're an awful shot."

"Gee, thanks," growled Dar, taking a swing at his brother. "If I'm awful, then you just suck, though. I've always been better than you."

"Have not," argued Cor, sitting up and throwing some hay at his brother.

"Have too," retorted Dar, sitting up as well. "I've always been better at everything than you."

"No you aren't," growled Cor. "So what, you're somewhat stronger 'cuz you always lifted logs with Pop while I went and ran messages for Mum. I'm faster'n you any day."

"Ha, yeah right. A turtle is faster'n you, you fat, lazy pig."

"You're lazy," replied Cor lightly. "I'm just leisure oriented."

"You got that from Jon."

"So, he got it from someone else, I heard Sarah say so."

"Ha, you're as unoriginal as he is, then."

"Hey, you know that's not true."

"Yeah, he is alright. You, however, are just a brat I'd gladly get rid."

"Get rid of, ha! You can't even stand up straight on your own!"

"Wussy coward."

"Thick-headed bully."

"Weak moron."

"Idiotic Jerk."

"You are worth less than the dirt on my feet."

"And you not even that!"

"Some brother you are!"

"I could say the same for you!"

Dar lunged at his twin, the two of them rolling around in the straw trading blows with their fists and feet. Cor rolled away for a second as Dar leapt at him with enough momentum that it sent the two over the edge into space where the barn floor was a long ways down...

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

*SLAM*

"What happened?" asked Jon, bursting in the barn with Sarah right on his heals. Seeing the two lying in the middle of the isle with hay all around them and stuck in their clothes, Jon easily guessed what had happened a few moments ago. "Brotherly love strikes again..."

"Are you two alright?" asked a horrified Sarah, running to their side and kneeling beside them.

"Jes....had...the wind....knocked....from us..." said Cor in between gasps, his twin unable to speak at all. "Ow..."

"Come on," said Jon, helping Dar to his feet slowly. "Let's get these to back to the house so they can lie down."

"Don't you two ever do that again!" scolded Sarah, frowning the whole while. "I though you'd broken your necks! Do it again and if you don't I will!"

"Yes, ma'am," sighed Dar. Not that he'd want to do it again any time soon. That really hurt...

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Kyle fed Elizabeth a grape as they sat together on her couch, a small meal before them to share before he left for his week-long scouting trip. Emila waited patiently on her perch below on his balcony, and the foxes would be expecting him sometime soon. Still, he could linger here awhile yet. Just little while, anyways...

"Must you go?" asked Elizabeth, cuddling up to his side warmly.

"I have to, for the good of this country," replied Kyle, kissing her on top of the head gently. "I will be back, you know that. It's only a week..."

"It was hard enough when you came up with Jon and them instead of us from the South," she said sadly. "Now I'm going to worry about you to. There's no one with you, Kyle, how will I know if you're hurt, out there all alone...?"

"I will be fine," replied Kyle, cupping her face in his hands. "I have my guides and scouts, they will care for me."

"Not like I could," said Elizabeth with a naughty look in her eyes.

"Never like you could," amended Kyle quickly. "But still, they will do their best and keep me safe until I return here once again."

"They had better or their skins will hang from the wall as decorations in my room," replied Elizabeth vengefully, a fire lighting in her eyes suddenly. "For putting you in danger and not keeping you safe, I will avenge you that much. Trust me on that one, Kyle."

"There will be no need to do that, for I will return safe and sound," replied Kyle quickly, calming her as he did.

"You know," she said slyly, glancing over at the bed. "There is still some time left..."

"Not until I get back," he said, rising quickly as he heard Emila screech a few times. He kissed Elizabeth quickly, leaping out the window to land on the balcony. "Goodbye, Elizabeth, I'll miss you." Gathering together his things, he leapt again and let himself out the small side gate that was hidden from view to most unless you knew it was there.

"Good bye, Kyle," she whispered back, watching him disappear into the woods. "Good luck..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Amanda wiped the sweat from her brow with her sleeve, holding the cherry-red iron before herself carefully. Bringing the hammer up again, she began to beat it into the spear-head it would become. Cooling it in the water, then sticking it back in the coals, she pumped the bellows a few times to keep it hot then grabbed one of those that had been in the coals for awhile.

"How many do you have going at once, milady?" asked one of the forge workers, a hefty fellow who had been a blacksmith his whole life. "Too many, an you can't keep up with them properly."

"Only five," said Amanda confidently. "I can do that many at once, I know that. And how many times do I have to tell you? When I'm in here, working, I'm Amanda; your apprentice. Not Lady or Milady. Just Amanda. Think you can remember that, Brent?"

"I think I can," he replied with a wry smile. He himself put the finishing touches on a sword and plunged it into the trough of water at his side. Putting it on the rack with the others, someone picked it up a few moments later and took it over to the wheel to grind edges into it.

"We're not giving them any weapons with beaten edges, are we?" asked Amanda, deeming her spearhead done and sticking it in the bucket of water nearby before throwing it in a pile with others.

"Course not," replied Brent roughly. "Takes too long, and these are all light arms, things that regular men and women can wield. If I was to smith a real broadsword, one with a six-inch wide blade, then yes I would put beaten edges on it. You know yourself how hard those things are to wield, though, and one who doesn't know how to use it is more of a danger to those around them than those who they are fighting."

"I know," replied Amanda, taking another spearhead and beginning to beat it into its final shape. The rest of the smiths in the small shop went along with their usual work, making tools and weapons the fief needed to survive. One worked on bolts that would be used to reinforce all the outside gates, another a set of war hammers one of the Captains had asked for.

Spearheads finished awhile later, Amanda went outside and took some of the polls that leaned against the wall, glad for the short break from the heat of the constant fires in the forge. Most of the men didn't wear shirts period, and both her and the other woman in the forge wore only a loose sleeveless shirt on top besides the heavy leather gloves and apron that all wore to protect them from the sparks and such.

Taking a pole and heating the other end of the spearhead, Amanda began the arduous process of attaching the two together to make a weapon of worth. It was more time consuming than anything else, and Amanda had never been known for her patience in the least. She had finished three all together and tacked on the leather handles each bore when the fifth bell rang out through the courtyard where the shop stood.

Amanda continued to work, ignoring the looks she got from Brent and some of the others. "Mi-....Amanda," said Brent respectfully. "That would be when you promised the Headman you'd quit for the day and come in to get cleaned up."

"Looks like I'll be breaking the promise then," said Amanda absently, inspecting one of the shafts she'd brought in and deeming it good enough to use. Bringing it over to the anvil, she pulled out the end of the spearhead she'd put in there and banged it into the right shape before fitting it on the end of the pole.

"Amanda," said Brent more firmly this time. "I can finish those after I make this sword, you need to go as you promised to. Headman will get angry at us for not making you go."

"He will not," retorted Amanda, glaring at him slightly. "He'll get mad at me, yes, but not you. However, if you insist, I will leave. I'll be back tomorrow at dawn to keep working, though."

"Yes, milady." Amanda was about to object but saw she now stood outside the door of the forge and merely gave the smith an irritated look which he replied to with a knowing grin.

"You're looking ever so lovely today," said Alyse teasingly as she watched Amanda remove her gloves and apron and put them on the rack with the others.

"Why, thank you Alyse," replied Amanda, holding her arms out as if showing off her new outfit. "I think soot is in this year, I'll have to check with Vogue before I know for sure, though."

"Right..." Alyse surveyed her friend lightly. Hair streaked with soot, face dirty with black and gray smudges, streaks from the sweat dripping down her face soaking into the collar of her light cotton sleeveless tunic. Bare arms all but black from the grim that covered them, calluses covering her clean hands that had only remained so due to the gloves. Even her boots were covered in soot. "You really are quite filthy...Levi's going to have a fit if he sees you out in the open like this."

"Levi can shove it," replied Amanda lightly, making her way towards the fief. "I'll see you at dinner, alright?"

"Ok, try not to miss the soot behind your ears this time," called Alyse after her friend with a grin. The night before she's scratched behind her ear and came up with some soot she'd missed. Quite amusing, really...

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Vixen warmed up by herself on the practice courts in the early morning dawn, the sun not even over the edge yet. She used torches to light the ground around her, fighting invisible enemies with her pole arm that seemed to swarm the shadows around her.

She was so into the imaginary battle she danced that Vixen was jarred back to reality when her pole struck something solid. Or rather, something struck her pole...

"Morning," said a familiar voice, coming out of the shadows to stand before her with a plain staff in their hands.

"Amanda," said Vixen in surprise. "Aren't you usually at the forge right now? I mean, the weapons aren't finished yet..."

"I need something to wake me up," explained Amanda with a grin. "I'm sure such a seasoned warrior as yourself wouldn't mind to spar some."

"Of course not," replied Vixen with a confident grin. "Don't worry about the blades on my pole, I'll go easy on you so you don't get hurt with them."

Amanda laughed quietly to herself. "That's ever so generous of you, Vixen dear."

"Well, I thought so..."

They faced off and circled each other warily, Vixen striking first with a thrust to Amanda's middle. She easily dodged and blocked it, striking back with a swift blow to Vixen's shoulder. "Hm..." said Vixen, rubbing it carefully as Amanda backed off and gave her time to recover. "Not bad..." She charged and this time didn't leave her side open, trading several blows with Amanda that were all blocked or dodged with ease. Occasionally the other girl would find a small hole and shoot through it, tapping Vixen with her staff, but Vixen had yet to lay a blow on her.

"What was that about going easy on me?" asked Amanda teasingly, taking a few steps back as Vixen charged again. She was about to lunge in low for a blow to Vixen's stomach when her back heal slipped, her staff flying from her hand as she fell to the ground on her back.

"You're mine now," growled Vixen, victory in her eyes as Amanda dodged the blows thrust at her by rolling back and forth. Flipping to her feet, the noble waited for Vixen to attack again, her staff far on the side of the court and her not bothering to go for it.

The attack came and Amanda dodged for all she was worth; doing spins and rolls she didn't know she was capable of doing. Her instincts kicked in, and she grabbed the staff bringing the attacks as well as her attacker to a halt.

"Truce?" asked Amanda, seeing the sun rise completely over Vixen's shoulder. "I need to go work and I'd hate to deck you in a few seconds...I'd have to leave you here for the others to find."

"Get going," said Vixen with a good natured grin. "We'll go at it some other time."

"Thanks, bye."

"Later."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Jennifer furrowed her brow in concentration as she carefully sliced the dried herbs and barks into the proportions the recipe called for. A pot of thick syrup from the sap she'd boiled down simmered on the stove, settling down some as she added the powdered bark and leaves to it all. She boiled it for a little longer, letting it all mix together before pouring it into a jar and setting it to the side gently. A few other jars sat along side it, each one with a different label on it:

Bruise Balm~ Heals bruises within hours rather than days

Burn Salve~ Starts new skins growth and minimizes scars.

Itch-B-Gone~ Takes the itch from stings, poison ivy, and poison oak.

New Skin~ A layer over cuts will protect it while the wound underneath heals.

Her new one was labeled 'Cleansing Cream~ Cleans wounds of germs and such while repelling insects as well.' Hopefully, all of these would work when she tried them out later on. Right now she couldn't be sure, though, because there was no one to try them out with. Also, she was limited to what recipes she could create because they required fresh ingredients and spring had not fully come into bloom as of yet.

Jennifer opened the book and began to flip through it some more, looking for another one she could start. Cough syrups, flu remedies, pain reducers....all required fresh plants from the forest that she didn't have access to right now.

Seeing one labeled 'Summer Tonic', she began to look down the list and gather the ingredients needed since it didn't mention anything about them being fresh. Two apples, a couple cherries, some cinnamon, a pear, half a melon....yup, she had all those things. Jennifer let her mind wander as she once again followed the instructions in the book and tried to unlock these things healing powers with all her might.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Lyssa looked up from the map in surprise when the guards called down to say a whole platoon of Riders and King's Own were coming towards them at a swift rate. She ordered them to open the gates and let them in, quickly finding the leader of the group and demanding to know what was going on.

"Commander Lyssa, I presume?" said the slim young man lightly.

"Of course," she retorted. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I am Captain Gean. From General Vanget, ma'am," he said respectfully, handing her an envelope with a closed seal on it.

"Hm." Lyssa took it and pulled out the note quickly, scanning the whole thing before giving a satisfied nod and beckoning for the stable hands to come forward. "Get them stalls and bunks, these are the reinforcements I asked for."

"Will all of us be staying here?" asked one young man, seeing how many soldiers and Riders there were at the fort already.

"No, part of you will ride will me tomorrow to Lynx Mountain and install yourselves there," she replied quickly. "The other part will go to the other fort nearby. I will decide who goes and stays tonight, as for now just stick with your groups and don't make trouble, it's not something I allow in my fort."

"Yes, Commander."

"Commander Lyssa," said Eric since they were in the presence of others. "We have room to keep forty of these, thirty should go to Lynx Mountain and thirty to the General."

"Fine," said Lyssa with a curt nod. "Get me lists of the groups and their leaders in an hour, then have them ready to prove they should stay here or leave within two. I will make my decision then."

"Should I also find out what groups generally stick together?"

"It would be appreciated, I'm sure."

"Alright."

Lyssa looked over General Vanget's orders again. He had taken away part of her boarder to give to the new fort that had been constructed along the lines of the defense, which didn't bother her in the least. The Scanrans would have less wholes to slip through, if things went as planned. She was to have two riding patrols, not just one, to go in either direction of the fort. It was becoming increasingly harder to predict the Scanran's movements, even with Daine's help.

There was something about the meets between her and the General being off from now on as well, she would take her orders directly from him as would Lynx Mountain and the other fort. Oh darn, she wouldn't get to make fun of the old fart anymore, small loss.

"Commander," said one of the new Captains, coming up and saluting while he waited for her to take notice of him.

"Yes, Captain...?"

"Roger, ma'am," replied the man with a grin. "Captain Roger of the sixth squad in the Fifth Group of the Rider's."

"Well, Captain Roger, what do you want?"

"When this war is over do you want to go on a date?"

*SMACK*

"Eric, make sure is squad does not stay here, as well as demote that moron and put a more capable person in his place," growled Lyssa as she marched into her room and slammed the door shut. Eric glanced at the Captain lying on the ground with a hand-print on his face.

"Idiot."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Libby stood at the top of the walls as the Scanrans battered at the door below, a metal monster on either side and a magical shield over the top keeping them from getting at the Scanrans holding the battering ram.

"That's it!" yelled Amanda, grabbing a war hammer and jumping over the edge of the wall. "AAARRRHHH!" She landed on top of one of the machines and smashed through the lid on top with the spikes of the hammer. Yanking it back out, she felt it fall beneath her feet and jumped to the solid ground where she went at it with the Scanrans at the ram.

"Get the mages!" yelled Levi, taking control from there. Archers! Shoot for the mages!!!" Those on the wall nodded and took aim for the two oddly-garbed spell workers in the back.

"I'm going to help Amanda," announced Vixen, jumping over the side with Mouse and Joe at her side.

"Ah!"

"Mouse?!"

"Arrow grazed her arm," said Joe, checking it for a moment before heading to where Amanda was in the middle of a mass of Scanrans. "She'll be fine. Let's go!"

Vixen grinned and charged into the fray, her pole arm with the crescent blade on each end flashing about her in a blur as she cut down her enemies right and left.

"I'm going to have a lot of healing to do when this is over," sighed Libby, following others out a side gate to smash into those at the main doors from the left. The waves of soldiers overwhelmed the Scanrans and smashed them to bits, leaving none alive as those who survived begged for the stroke of mercy and quickly received in a blink.

"You alright?" asked Libby, coming to Amanda first and seeing her lean on a spear she had grabbed.

"Yeah, just tired," replied Amanda, drinking deeply from the flask she was given. "Fourth squad, suit up and get out there! I want a search done to make sure no one else is around. Fifth squad, you've got burning detail!" Those in the fifth squad groaned. Dragging dead Scanrans to the pit a mile out and then burning them there was not something they enjoyed immensely.

"Hold still," said Libby as she healed up Mouse's graze, a small pink scar being the only thing that remained. "Vixen, what's wrong?"

"Just let someone slip through my guard is all," the Queen replied roughly, holding her head with one hand.

"Let me see." Libby laid a cool hand on Vixen's forehead and relieved her off the pain, reducing the size of the bump and letting her go back on it. Several others had received minor injuries, but they were lucky this time. None had died. The sight of Libby moving through the crowd was a welcome one, and as soon as everyone could stand on their own feet again they were moved inside for further healing or to go back to their posts as always.

"Thank you," said Elizabeth, giving Libby a hug when she had finished. "You really are a god-send here, you know that?"

"Hm, you wouldn't be saying that if I couldn't heal," replied Libby with a smirk. "So you can sleep with those guys who would otherwise be unable to keep you company while Kyle's gone."

"I wouldn't let you set foot in this fief period, you'd get yourself killed you fluff brained anime girl," replied Elizabeth mockingly, giving her a knowing smile. "Let's see...what were the requirements again to be one of those?"

"Grr..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

"Finished," sighed Amanda, stretching upwards. The fight a few days ago plus her days of working in the forge had been wearing on her greatly, and her muscles welcomed the break from the hot forge. "Levi, make sure everything's packed up and those going with us are ready to go, we leave tomorrow."

"Yes, milady."

Amanda finished packing the arrowheads she'd forged and placed the crate with the others, checking the edges on the axes and blades before heading inside.

"You're filthy again," said Alyse, meeting her right before she went inside."

"Yeah, somehow that always seems to happen when I work in the forge," replied Amanda, scratching the back of her head as if in thought. "Someday I'll figure out someday, I'm sure. It just-"

"Won't be today," Alyse finished for her as always. "Tsk, tsk, Lady Amanda, what would the other nobles think if they saw you like this?"

"I don't know Alyse," replied Amanda, putting a grimy hand on her shoulder and letting it smudge the shirt some. "You let me." She then patted the girl on the face and went inside, knowing she had left a hand-mark there from the soot that covered her being.

"Such a nice 'cousin' I have," muttered Alyse, inspecting the marks and heading in as well to change. "So courteous and kind to those around her..."

"I noticed that you're saying that with lots of sarcasm," commented Levi as he passed her in the hall.

"The words practically drip with it. If sarcasm was water, we'd be drowning in it," replied Alyse, turning to go to her room.

Levi laughed to himself. "Right."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Jon looked at the mare standing in the field with the rest of the horses, knowing from the nip in the air that he'd have to get them in before the night set. It was going to snow again soon, probably the last one of the year since it was getting into April, and he didn't want them out if it did. Cold could kill a horse, and it was his job to make sure these horses lived long enough to have some use.

"Do you ever think you'll break that devil of a mare?" asked Dar, showing up by his side suddenly.

"How the heck do you do that?" asked Jon, turning to face the boy partially. "You and your brother, you just pop up at the oddest of times..."

"Eh, it runs in the family..."

"I see."

"But what about my question?" persisted Dar stubbornly. "Are you ever going to break her to riding?"

"You're talking about Mandie, right?" asked Jon slowly.

"The only mare, or horse period, that can't be ridden here."

"True....I really don't know." Jon paused and looked at the sky, figuring he had a half an hour left before he had to bring them all in.

"Have you ever tried before?" asked Cor, popping up on the other side.

"What the devil....knock it off!"

Cor backed away a little. "...sorry."

"S'ok," said Jon, taking his spot back on the fence. "Just don't do it anymore, it creeps me out..."

"Again," said Cor, repeating his question. "Have you ever tried before?"

"Of course," replied Jon proudly. When he remembered that all attempts had failed he felt his ego deflate a little and frowned. "Obviously, it didn't work though..."

"Did you try sweets?"

"Yep."

"Shock treatment?"

"Yeah."

"Jumping on her back?"

"Uh huh."

"And the-"

"Probably."

"What about-"

"Most likely yes."

"How about-"

"Yup."

"Wow," said Dar slowly. "You really did try everything...she's just unbreakable, I guess."

"I guess."

"But you don't really know," prodded Cor carefully. "I mean, you could try it again...if you really wanted too..."

"I could also hang myself from the barn rafters," retorted Jon. "But I won't."

"So says you."

"That' right."

"Oh, come on..."

"No."

"I bet he could do it, he's great with horses."

"Yeah, he's just too scared."

"No, I happen to like my life. I'm too young to be dead yet. I have at least another year or two left in me."

"Scradey."

"Shove it."

"No, you try to ride her again and I will."

"No, you shove it before I shove you down your twin's throat."

"Eck, I'd never get rid of his taste."

"Hey, you'd tasted worse that I would."

"I swore I'd never ride her again," said Jon firmly. "And I won't. I have too much going on right now to just die one people. I do have some sense of duty, you know." With that he left them at the fence and stalked back to the house.

"He's scared."

"Yep, definitely scared."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Kyle flew twice over the group in his hawk friend's mind, watching Amanda and her entourage gallop on towards Haven and the other forts in the west. Several others accompanied her, who he couldn't be sure but none of them were Elizabeth and that's all he really cared about.

It was his second trip and he was three days away from returning again, giving him a four day break before he had to head back out once more. It wasn't so bad, the foxes found him small dens and caves to hide in when danger was around, showed him warm places to sleep, helped him find food at times, and they always knew where the nearest source of water was in the area.

He hadn't found much, though. Other than the Scanran attack, which had happened right after he'd left that morning, there had been no activity in his area what so ever. None at all. Not ever a scouting party. It was like they were drawing back, waiting for something...

"Whatever it is, it better stay away from Lynx Mountain," he told Emila who rested on his shoulder quietly, a vengeful tone in his voice. "I swear, if they do...it will be much worse for them than they can ever know." Emila just ruffled her feathers and preened herself calmly, ignoring him in general.

Kyle sighed, they didn't understand it in his terms. Oh well, he'd keep his ranting to himself until he got home and would tell them to Elizabeth. She'd understand, it was her home too after all. He went back up into the hawk and soared some more over the area before moving farther east along the front. Nothing at all.

Kyle checked with the smaller birds that inhabited the trees around him, but none had seen any odd two-leggers other than him for days. It had been quiet, they claimed, and they were glad for it too.

[Three more days] he kept telling himself as he scanned the area back towards the west [Just three more days and I can go home...]

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Amanda and Levi rode at the head of the column, a wagon behind them and a wagon behind it with everyone else spread out along the sides. At every fort they saw along the way they stopped, trading their mounts for fresh ones that would last longer than their worn out ones would. Travel was never slower than a quick trot, and if they kept up like this they would reach Haven within a day or two. Already they were halfway there, and they had yet to meet trouble along the way.

Vixen and Joe rode on either side of one wagon with a driver in the front and the soldier in the back with a crossbow locked and loaded in case of any unwelcome travelers they might meet. Alyse and Luke, a soldier, rode on either side of the second one with Libby in the driver's seat, another man in the back on a horse and one in the wagon with a crossbow. It was tense and nerve-wracking, but with the spells Artman had used to keep the horses' hooves and the wagons quiet, it made it less likely that any would be attracted to them through noise and all they had to do was do their best to keep out of sight.

Amanda pulled up beside a streamed and halted them with a quick hand signal, everyone else getting down from their mounts and giving the horses a quick drink and rest before remounting once more. They set out at a canter and flew over the road beneath them, Libby feeling like she was going to be bounced out of the wagon completely with it's wooden wheels hitting all the ruts and four powerful horses plowing through everything in front of them.

"It's getting dark," said Levi quietly, his voice hardly more than a whispered. "Can we make the next town before dark?"

"We have to," replied Amanda softly. "There aren't enough of us here to defend two wagons at night, we barely have enough to cover ourselves when we're on the move."

"It was you who wanted a small group."

"If we had anymore people we'd be going slower than this, what with extra supplies and horses...no, we'll just keep going until we reach the town and then call it a night."

"The moon will be full tonight, which will help some.." observed Levi lightly, glancing at the rising orb.

"Only if the clouds don't cover it from view," countered Amanda, seeing a storm brewing in the east. "We will get snow before we get back, you can count on that."

"Great..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Vixen groaned as she stretched out her back, it had been a long and grueling ride but they finally made it. They hadn't been received with shouts of joy or even a cheer, but Amanda didn't seem to mind and she and Levi were helping them unload everything into its proper places.

"Wanna walk around?" asked Joe, ignoring the fact that everyone was looking at them oddly. They were dressed as regular guards, but obviously didn't act like it as those who were guards were helping put the weapons where they belonged at that moment.

"Are you a soldier?" asked a young girl, tugging on Vixen's tunic gently.

"I'm a warrior, and I fight for Lady Amanda as she asks me to," replied Vixen with a small smile. "Why do you ask?"

"Pa said women can't be soldiers," replied the girl softly. "He don't like the Lady Knight too much either."

"Tell your Pa that if he can beat me in a fair fight, I won't be a soldier anymore, but personally I think it would be a waste of his time since we both know I'd win," said Vixen, smiling tightly until the girl was out of sight. "That poor girl, I hate her father whoever he is."

"She be the daughter of Idrius Valestone," said a young boy beside them.

"Who are you?" asked Vixen, looking at the small boy who had appeared beside them out of the blue.

"I be Tobe," explained the boy pertly. "Servant boy of Lady Knight, who be wishing to see you right now."

"Then let's go," said Vixen with a wry grin. This lad, Tobe, she wondered how Kel had come across him and vowed to read Lady Knight the moment it came out back home. "Lead the way, Tobe, we'll follow you."

"As ye wish." They followed the boy at a trot back to the main gate of the camp, Amanda already there talking with Keladry and Master Numair. Neal and Dr. Baird stood nearby conversing quietly with Libby over some magic or other, and Daine was talking with the horses who had pulled the wagon for them the last leg of the journey.

"I'm assuming you would be the infamous Vixen I've heard others speak of so?" said Kel when she noticed Joe and her standing there beside Tobe.

"You would be assuming correctly then, and this fellow here's named Joe," said Vixen with a crooked smile and a nod. "A pleasure to meet you at long last, Lady Knight Keladry."

"It's just Kel, and it is a pleasure to meet both of you as well," replied the young knight with a slight nod and grin. "Master Numair says you have a rather...colorful background."

"No more colorful that our Lady's here," replied Vixen innocently while motioning towards Amanda.

"That doesn't help you much, if you remember correctly," Amanda reminded her lightly with a grin. "I've got about as bad a reputation as noble can have without committing treason."

"Shoot...you're right..."

"I take it then everyone is settled in at the fief?" asked Numair, drawing attention to himself for the first time.

"At long last," sighed Amanda. "It was rough, getting everyone up there...but they're there now and settled as they'll ever be."

"I need to be back in Corus in the Dancing Dove," griped Joe, putting his arms behind his head as he did. "It's the only place I've really called home. No offense meant, milady..."

"None taken," replied Amanda simply. "But call milady again and I'll deck you across the face."

"Would you prefer 'Mistress' then?" asked Kel slyly.

"That's her title, with 'Foxy' added at the beginning," explained Amanda with a grin, dodging Vixen's punch with ease. "Easy, girl. Joe, you're letting her get out of control again..."

"If I could control her, I would," replied Joe with a lopsided grin. "But I think it's been proven that none can."

Amanda shook her head mockingly. "A shame, a shame..."

"Enough," said Kel. "Before she decides to kill you."

"Too late for that." Amanda whistled innocently as Vixen glared daggers in her direction.

"Perhaps." Kel glanced over her shoulder, seeing the cooks gladly take the fruits and vegetables that had been brought to them and the soldiers inspect the weapons with appreciation. "But I must thank you for everything you've brought to us. Vixen, Amanda says you shot a Scanran scout out a tree that could've altered others of their presence."

"That wasn't anything compared to her nearly killing herself getting those weapons made," replied Vixen with a slight blush.

"You smith tools and weapons?" asked Kel in surprise.

"Makes sense to me," said Numair. "She uses well what she makes in the smith's forge."

"Uh...one of my less known talents..." replied Amanda sheepishly. She liked having hobbies that others didn't know about.

"I see...well, thank you all again for making this trip to bring it to us," said Kel, turning back to the original subject. "I and my people are grateful for your assistance."

"Not all fiefs as us lucky as us and have room in their walls for all their people as well as a the ability to feed and cloth them all," said Levi, appearing by Amanda out of the blue. "Everything is set, we can leave now."

"Keep the wagons, four of the horses, and the tack," said Amanda. "We can get them replaced as we must. It will only slow us down on our journey back."

Kel's eyes widened in surprise. "Lady Amanda, you mustn't...."

"She can, and she will," replied Alyse with a shrug. "Use them well, for you probably need both far more than we do." She brought the rest their horses and mounted up quickly. The four they kept were give to Libby and the other three who had ridden in the wagons, everyone well armed as before and ready for the long ride home.

"Good luck, friends," said Numair as they prepared to leave. "I wish you well in this war."

"As we do you," replied Vixen with a wry grin.

"Please, Amanda," said Daine. "Give Kyle my greetings and tell him he shall receive a message from me soon."

"I shall," promised Amanda with a nod. "He is out right now helping you keep the boarder safe, and enjoying helping you, I'm sure."

"Take care," said Kel. "Mithros speed as your paths lead you home."

"Same to you, as your paths lead you to your destiny," replied Alyse, getting an odd look as Kel realized what she might be referring to.

"Take care of yonder ladies, good fellows," said Tobe to Joe and Levi. "They be hard to look after and harder to keep up with at times, I knows after trying with milady here."

"Hush you," said Libby good-naturedly. "We take care of them far more than they take care of us."

"What's sad is how true that is," said Numair, shaking his head as he did as Daine leaned on his arm some.

"Goodbye!" called Amanda once more, galloping out the door with everyone else close behind.

"Goodbye!" Kel called back, holding her hand up in a sort of salute. "And thank you!!"

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Jennifer paced nervously as she and Elizabeth were handling everything while Amanda and Levi were away. She didn't like being in charge like this, she was only a chef! Leave her to her kitchen domain and she was fine, she could give orders like no one's business! But this...she couldn't run a whole fief...

"Relax," said Elizabeth as they ate dinner together on the raised dais. Allie hadn't been seen for most of the day, and Kyle was to return that night from his travels so they were the only two at that meal. Normally Jennifer would eat before dinner and help with the serving, but Elizabeth had insisted she eat with her since there was no one else to eat with. "It's not that big a deal, alright? As long as no one attacks we'll be fine."

"That's what's making me nervous," replied Jennifer, picking at the delicious stew she'd made. "If they attack, how will we counter it? I don't know how to fight, neither do you....oh, I wish they were back here. I'm worried about them being out on the road without a proper guard as well."

"They're all big boys and girls, Jennifer," said Elizabeth lightly. "They can take care of themselves."

Jennifer sighed, taking another bite of the soup. "I hope so..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Lyssa sighed as the Scanrans dashed into the woods, another attack on the fort repulsed by her quick actions and the courage of her fighters. "Fall back!" she ordered, heading for the main gate at a trot.

"Commander!" argued one of the Captains who were mounted on his horse. "They're on the run, let's chase after them and kill them all!!"

"I said fall back!" Lyssa ordered again, helping a Rider girl with an arrow in her leg get inside the walls. "Son of a- Walt! Don't you dare ride after..."

"They're fleeing from us!"

"No, you could get your squad killed doing that!"

"How so?! They're barbaric rabble!!"

"It could be a trap. I said fall back!!"

"They're not that smart!! We have our chance now to rid ourselves-"

"I SAID FALL BACK!!!"

"I'm going to kill them all!" yelled the Captain angrily, thinking it was foolish for them to stay there and wait. "My squad, let's go!!" All of them cantered into the forest after the fleeing Scanrans, riding down on them hard.

"That idiot," growled Lyssa, hurriedly helping everyone else get themselves inside the gates. "Get my squad mounted up and ready to ride now! He's going to get them all killed. That stupid, moronic, brainless, freaking son of a meecrob is going to pay for this...whether it be at my hands or the Scanran's..."

She thundered after him a few moments later, meeting five fleeing Riders along the way. Two were on horses and the other three on foot, all stopping and mounting with someone or waiting for their orders when they met.

"What happened?" demanded Lyssa, not seeing Walt among them all.

"It was a trap, Commander," said one of the girls angrily. "All of them, all but us, killed by the two metal monsters and a host of Scanrans when we rounded a hill. That moron, got himself cut right into before he could even scream..."

"Then you are the only survivors?" asked Lyssa, hesitating for a minute. "If there is any possibility of any others...."

"There aren't," said one of the runners, holding a gushing wound with strips from a comrade's tunic. "I was the last to make it out. Metal thing almost got me, though..."

"Let's go," said Lyssa, turning her back on them and heading for the fort. "We'll hold services for the rest later tonight, and if we can send others to collect their bodies. Tuck, take note of where we are for future reference."

"Aye, Commander."

"I'm sorry you lost your squad," said Lyssa sincerely. "I should've demoted that moron the moment he got here..."

"It is no one's fault but his and ours," said one of the Rider's a hard voice. "We know better than to go against your commands, just as he did."

"Still," said Lyssa to herself as they rode back to the fort. "I wish it didn't have to end this way..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Libby held tightly to the gelding she was riding, having left Veety back at the fief just incase something happened and he got injured along the way. She wasn't sure if this fellow would let her fall or not if she fell asleep so she kept shocking herself constantly so her eyes wouldn't close, letting her mind drift back to her conversation with Dr. Baird and Neal, the resident Healers of Haven. Or at least Neal was, Dr. Baird was only to stay for awhile to make sure his son was getting along all right.

She had given them a few opals filled with her power, enough to help Neal through three or four serious days of battle if he needed the extra power, she explained. Neal had flat out refused them until his father pointed out there would be no way for him to replenish his gift in a squeeze, and he didn't have the time to store up his power in stones on his own due to the number of health examines and such he had to do everyday alone.

After getting that squared away, their talk had turned to the convicts and the health most of them had. It was sad, really, seeing those pitiful beings who hardly looked human labor harder than most. She wished there was something she could do about it, and knew the supplies she and the others had brought would help with feeding them all somewhat. It hadn't been much, maybe enough for a few days, but it would help relieve some of the load on the hunters and supplies coming in for awhile.

They had left the wagons behind, and that did tick her off some. She could've laid in the back and slept, then. But she knew as well as any of the others that they needed the speed they gained to get back to the fief as soon as possible. She was probably supposed to be out helping some for or village right now, but she really didn't care. All she wanted was to find her bed and sleep...

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Alyse sighed as she walked out in the morning sun, glad to be back after a full day's rest. They had gotten back two days ago and she'd finally dragged herself out of bed yesterday afternoon to get up and dress for the first time since then. A fresh snow had fallen for the past two days, giving them their last glimpse of winter as the two-foot snow drifts blanketed everything in sight.

She spotted Amanda walking with her back to her a few yards away, quickly scooping up some snow into a ball. Alyse paused for a moment, weighing the odds of how much trouble it could get her in before shrugging and launching it at her friend anyways.

*splat*

"Hey!!" Amanda turned around to see Alyse laughing, bent over slightly at the sight of the noblewoman with snow on the back of her head. She wiped it away and scooped up two balls of her own. "Heh, two can play at this game."

*zip*

*splat*

*zip*

*fwap*

"Hey!! Who threw snowballs at me?!"

Amanda's eyes went wide. "Uh...oh..."

"Amanda!!!"

"No, you....I....aah!!!" Amanda dodged to the side as Vixen threw several snowballs at her at once. Alyse sat laughing from her spot in the snow, she had managed to duck the second ball and it had hit Vixen right in the face as she came around the bend. This was getting interesting...

The two traded snowballs, Joe coming up behind Vixen and stuffing one down the back of her shirt. The Queen of Thieves tackled him and sat on his stomach will shoving snow down his pants, still throwing snowballs the whole while at Amanda who just ducked and threw hers back.

Mouse and Allie decided to come from opposite directions just then, both getting hit with snowballs and joining in the fight at once. It was a complete free for all, Levi coming down and getting two in the chest before jumping in and clobbering Joe (whom he assumed had thrown them) in the back of the head. Libby and Artman came out to see what the commotion was and got dragged in immediately, both taking several hits and Libby getting Artman several times in the face with the crystallized flakes of vapor.

Elizabeth and Kyle, who had been in the garden at that time, happened to walk by and get pulled in as well, still no teams formed and everyone attacking everyone because it was fun. Jennifer came up from the kitchen to inform everyone breakfast was ready when someone hit her in the face, everything pausing for a second as she slowly wiped the snow from her eyes with her hands.

"Why are you guys fighting?" she asked. "Who started this?"

"Wasn't me."

"Joe hit me first."

"I just came and got Vixen 'cuz she and Amanda were throwing them."

"Amanda threw it at me first."

"I was trying to hit Alyse, cuz she hit me..."

All eyes turned to the partial Yamanis, Alyse suddenly feeling very, very small. "Uh...sorry?"

Everyone looked at each other in agreement. "GET HER!!!"

"AHHH!!"

*Zip*

*Thunk*

"That was me!"

"I missed!"

"Sure you did."

*Swoosh*

*Thwap*

"Hey!!"

"Oops..." ^_^;;;

"I'm gonna get you!!" -_-*

"Urk..." 0,o

*smack* *thwap* *thunk*

"Ow!!!"

"That's what you get for staring this whole mess!!"

"I said I was sorry..." *sniff* *ducks* "Ahh!!" *runs around as others still try to get her while hitting each other at the same time.*

That's how much trouble one snowball can get you into.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Yeah, I like the ending, I like indeed. Now, you probably want the details for the contest.

The Rules:

1. You must be 21 years or younger to participate.

2. You must be an avid reader of Twisted Tortallian Tale

3.You cannot play if you have been/will be a character in this Tamora Pierce fic and sequel I'm doing.

4. You cannot play if you have talked with me in the past about this contest and I know who you are.

5. You must be willing to be a part of the next fic if you win, which does mean talking with me some to get your character set then giving me full rein. Really, it's not so bad, ask those from this time around.

Here's what you do, leave me a review with your email in it saying you want to enter the contest. If you're an author, just sign in so I can get to your email and let me know that you want to enter. Please make sure all email addresses are correct because if it don't go through it don't go through and there's nothing I can do about it.

I will then send you three questions that have something to do with this fic, and the first couple people to reply with the correct three answers win. All questions will be the same and will be fair questions as well, ones that you can find and don't have to guess at. They can require multiple answers, however, and all must be right in order for you to win. Winners will be announced at the last chapter of Twisted Tortallian Tale.

Simple, right? Good luck!

~Crosseyedbutterfly~