Akhal paused his troops right before they reached their destination. Lenny's footpaws shifted on the burned ground. What a desert...and no water in sight. Stupid vermin. He looked back slightly while the vermin who had been grouped around the other camp joined their ranks. Katze was in the back of the line, shivering in the cold wind that had begun to kick up dust. Lenny pulled his cloak closer around him, watching Akhal through screwed-up eyes. Immediatly he felt sorry for Tyra and Nicole, although at this time he didn't know exactly why.

************************************************************

Tyra dozed at the back of the trailer when the door opened. She shot to her feet as Akhal stood in the doorway.

He knew he was taking his chances. To any luck the two hares would be weaker from lack of food and water. His chances were dead.

By the time he knew what hit him, two of the "stronger" weasels had wrestled Tyra and Nicole out of the trailer and into the sunlight, not to mention a few ropes here and there.

It turned out that Tyra still had a rock that the vermin hadn't gotten her to drop. So when Akhal had opened the door she had made a slight paw movement and forced him to move to the side. Unfortuantly now both stood in the sunlight, rubbing their eyes and shivering. Akhal stood in front of Tyra.

"I bet you thought that was funny, didn't you, hare?"

Tyra stood there, her eyes meeting his, silent.

"Answer me, hare."

Lenny stood in the backround, almost biting his nails in suspense. Why didn't she just answer him? It was only going to make her die before she had a chance to fight back...

But Tyra still remained silent.

Akhal broke his gaze and turned to the troop. Tyra and Katze's eyes met over their heads.

"OK, troop, move out. Back to Predak."

Tyra, Nicole and Katze found themselves swept up in the troop's marching. Tyra was forced to stumble along beside Akhal, staring silently ahead, neither looking left or right. Lenny kept looking back, his eyes meeting her, wide-eyed and sorrowful.

************************************************************

Af ter a full day of marching they made it to Predak's camp-away-from-camp. Akhal stopped Tyra then, and the others progressed to the main body of the camp. Picking up a spare piece of rope, he tied it around her, and then pulled her off to where Predak was.

Outside of the largest tent that Tyra had ever seen, Akhal forced her into a sitting position against the tree.

"You're supposed to be out here, hare." He grinned evilly. "Predak'll want to talk to you very soon." He bound the spare rope around Tyra and the tree, then entered the tent.

Tyra glared around the clearing, her eyes taking in every inch. Not very far away, Akhal had laid her short sword. Tyra sighed. No way she was getting out of this one.