14. Taming the White Tiger

We didn't leave as quickly as I had hoped. One reason was that my broken rib had gotten irritated from my insistence at helping around the house. That rewarded me with a good scolding from Anita. Another reason was that an ice storm blasted through the small hollow two days later. Even with Anita yelling at me to go back in the house, I pulled on a thick wool coat that once belonged to her husband and helped her corral her sheep into the long barn. Freezing water poured from the sky and quickly crusted on the ground, trees, and buildings. Jump, who quickly grasped the problem we were having with herding the panicked animals, gathered the strays and expertly drove them into the sheltered pens.

Anita darted about, shuttering windows and barring stalls. I followed her up to the loft, nearly bent double under the roofing and helped toss down bundles of hay. Once the place was secure for the time being, we fought our way through the half frozen rain back to the house. Breathless, Anita immediately tossed fuel into the fire and set water to boil.

"Take that coat off. It sheds water just about as quickly as it soaks it up. I never liked it. You can change into..."

She climbed up into the half-loft where she had been sleeping. I took off the coat and ruefully looked at my damp shirt. Something hit me in the face from above.

"That."

It was an odd garment. The outside was clearly leather, but the inside had been lined with cloth and apparently wrapped around the waist, crossed in front, and tied with leather straps. My arms were left bare, but that was quickly remedied by a short cloak made with the same cloth and leather combination. I ducked into the bedroom.

Stripping my shirt, I used the dry part of it to wipe the excess water from my face and hair. Donning the Scanran clothing, I went to the window and opened the shutter a crack. The storm was blowing full force. The world outside had become a dreary gray that was slowly fading into black from the late afternoon that cut away the sun. A sudden feeling of loss and loneliness swept over me. I didn't want to be here. I wanted to be back at Steadfast or New Hope with Keladry only a call away.

The two remaining sparrows sensed my sudden depression and landed on my shoulder, peeping softly. I smiled half heartedly before ducking back through the curtain which hung as a doorway. Anita was once again next to the fire, stirring another pot of stew. On the stand where she had been working her skins lay an unstrung bow and quiver of arrows. A long bundle of what looked like tent canvas lay next to them - my tent canvas. She turned and saw me looking at it.

"Atch, that is what you think it is. I went out and found it, the rest of your things were useless."

Drawing my sword, I couldn't help grinning. Careful of my healing ribs, I made a few passes in the air. Now I could fight.

"You lied."

Anita's voice was emotionless.

"You are a noble. I know only the noble are trained in the sword."

Swallowing, I placed the sword on the table, firelight dancing along the edge of cold metal. Best to be completely honest.

"My family has been loyal to the kingdom of Tortall for more generations than I can remember. My cousin is a knight. I am a Sergeant in the King's Own." To my shock, my voice cracked slightly. "I'm here because of Keladry." Embarrassed, I shoved my fingers through my damp hair. "I - I'm in love with her. That is why I came alone."

"Your kingdom would not rescue a knight of their own?"

"They can't. The snows, and that wind in the valley would not let them."

"Yet you came." She was still hurt about my omission.

"Yes."

Without another word, Anita climbed up into the loft and left me standing alone, feeling like the ultimate enemy. I had betrayed her confidence.

The storm passed after a full night of fierce howling winds an creaking ice. Three days later, the ground had softened enough that the roads were safe to travel. They were a strained three days. Anita said only what was necessary and nothing more. My greatest fear was that she would refuse to take me to Cairo. The fourth morning I pushed back the curtain hanging over the bedroom door and froze.

Anita stood on the hearth, arrow drawn back against her cheek. Before I could blink, she had loosed the arrow straight at my head. Not quite straight, but close enough that I felt the blade nick my jaw. In the time I had to flinch and glance at the quivering shaft in the door frame she had nocked another arrow and stood in the same position as before.

"What do you want with the White Tiger clan? What do you want with my people? Why should I help you in what looks like an attempt to spy on Scanra?"

Peacefully holding my hands out in full view, I tried to read her cold blue eyes.

"I don't want to use you or your clan, but if you think they're willing to help me get Keladry back, I'll do just about anything they ask if it's in my power. I am no spy."

One corner of her mouth twitched in either scorn or dry humor. Perhaps a little of both.

"A noble answer."

"I didn't want this war, any more than you appear to. I'm here for only one thing, and then I will leave. You'll never have to see or hear of me again."

For what seemed like a lifetime she didn't move. The hand holding back the shaft began to quiver and abruptly went slack. Lowering her bow, Anita shuddered violently.

"You bring death to my country. The gods cannot help us. This Keladry holds their fate and ours in her hands."

With a jerk, she picked up two bulging sacks and dumped one on the table next to my sword. Pouring water on the kitchen fire, she turned at walked out the door. Confused, I grabbed the sack she left behind and buckled the sword around my waist. Folded neatly beneath the sack lay the cloak I had worn from Steadfast. I wrapped it around me and used a corner to swipe away the trickle of blood from the cut on my jaw.

Outside, I heard an eery whistle. Anita wasn't in the barn, but Peachblossom had been tacked at stood eager to leave. A faint thudding of feet led my to the back doors of the building. Strange grunts and whistles greeted me, along with three of the oddest creatures I'd ever seen.

Various blotched colors of brown, white, black, and tan covered the ground-heavy bodies. Their necks stretched to nearly above my head as they looked down long, drooping noses which made a y-shaped line at the mouth. Their feet had toes and their ears waved at me like odd banners, presently at attention. A black and brown one was eye to eye with Anita while the other two stood an arms length away and stared. I stared directly back until Jump came trotting around the corner. The creatures instantly swung around to face him, voicing a call that sounded like a cross between whistle and bark. Jump stopped, puzzled, then dove for the cover of the fence as the two much larger beasts charged.

"Nietch! Nietch! He's friend!"

Anita intercepted them, holding her arms out. "Domitan, get Jump back to the house. Lamas don't like dogs. They're natural enemies."

Jump needed no advice and took off on his own.

"Llamas?"

"They will guard the herd till we get back. They're very loyal to those they trust."

"Uh... right."

With a flick of her wrist, a rope halter was placed on the black and brown creature. She lead the way back to the house, the lama following with his head head snobbishly in the air. I couldn't help wondering how he and Peachblossom would get along.

I didn't have to worry too much. One look at his traveling companion and the war horse froze, ears at nearly painful attention. Snorting, he rolled his eyes at me, asking plainly Is this thing a joke?

I laughed as I tossed my bag across the saddle. "Sorry boy, I'm just as clueless as you."

The llama's own ears were up and pointed at Peachblossom. When he stretched his neck out to take a cautious sniff, the llama gave an alarmed whistle. Peachblossom jumped - so did the llama. Then they promptly turned their backs to one another. I shook my head at the childishness of it all and started to mount. Anita, however, placed her sack on the lama, slung her bow and quiver over her shoulder and took up the lead rope on the halter.

"You're not riding?"

She gave me a patient look. "As if Kai could carry me."

"Well, I assumed..." With a sigh I took the reigns in my hand. "Right then. Off to Cairo."

Walking next to me, Anita glanced sideways at me. She kept doing it for the entire first two miles until I sighed.

"If you're concerned about the cut you gave me, I've had much worse."

"You're a noble of Tortall yet you walk with me when you could easily ride. You are a Sergeant in the King's Own, yet you brought only birds, a dog, and a horse. You've lived with me for weeks, yet never tried to take advantage of me. I don't understand."

What sort of things have the Scanrans heard about my kingdom? Surely they couldn't be that bad.

I gave her my best ladies smile. "I'm a noble, but I've never felt truly like one - I enjoy the company of anyone willing to make intelligent conversation. The reason I'm here with animals is because I'm a fool, they came on their own. And I would never take advantage of a woman who saved my life and can draw a bow like you. I'd bet you could be a match even for the Wild Mage."

She blushed slightly. Nice to know that she's not all cold to the world.

"I apologize for earlier. I panicked."

I couldn't understand why, but I nodded.

"I - I saw something else in my dreams. I've been seeing it for three nights. When it storms, they come clearer."

She didn't elaborate and I had no urge to press her.

The trip took only one day. Less if we had been on horses, but the journey was quite pleasant by foot even if we had to follow a trail that twisted and turned through the bases of the mountains. Nari and Quicksilver were quite happy to be on the move once more, trying to make friends with Kai though he gave no indication that he even felt them perched between his ears. Jump was careful to use Peachblossom as a wall, but his broken tail waved happily.

Cairo was a settlement compared to Tortall. A decent sized camp compared to Steadfast, but slightly larger compared to New Hope. The wooden wall surrounding the town looked like it had been built mostly for show - or animals. The eye catcher of the place was the main building set halfway up a slope. Trees far larger than any I'd seen in the sparse forests along the way made up the frame The walls appeared to be woven out of thin branches and covered with mud. Parts of it had been damaged by the ice storm and a handful of youth were replastering the West side. A feeling of power emanated from that place. It was searching for something.

Anita led the way through the gates. Surprisingly, neither of the two guards said a word, only averted their eyes and remained at their posts. The people walking in the paths stopped to stare at me, but did not look at my partner. More and more slowly began lining the way up to the center of Cairo, giving us no other option than to approach the head building. Anita's step did not falter as she held her head high passing the eerily silent crowd.

A white haired man appeared on the steps as we neared. He was old, a black and white skin engulfing his frail form. It was a white tiger, the head of which rested atop the man's in a protective embrace. Anita left the llama at the foot of the steps and slowly walked up to stand before the chieftain. I remained at the bottom of the steps, knowing something far more important was about to happen.

"Anita Karr, it has been some years since you left us. Why do you return to the clan you abandoned?"

Anita knelt at the man's feet so that she had to hold her head back to look at him.

"I have returned with a man from the other lands. I've seen his coming and the coming of the Key."

This strange statement sent a rustle of wonder through the people behind me. Feeling completely lost, my hand strayed to my sword.

"You bring an enemy." The man turned to stare down at me, his eyes a cold pale blue. "You claim that your forbidden Sight has given you reason to return and say that the Red has found the Key. But we already know this."

Anita's back stiffened in surprise.

"However, Thoth and Nut have sent word that you will return. The way of the world is turning. Your coming was not a surprise, neither was that of the stranger." The white haired man reached out to place two fingers against Anita's throat. His face softened. "I have missed my fighting cub."

She smiled, tears in her eyes. "It has been long, I've missed the den of my family."

These allusions were getting way over my head. Everything seemed to relax as the people of Cairo began talking excitedly. No one dared to speak to me, darting curious looks and whispers, but I stood by, feeling more and more like a meat head.

Anita stood and turned, motioning for me to come forwards.

"I introduce Domitan of Masbolle, Sergeant of the King's Own of Tortall."

I cringed insided at the last part and waited for the angry shouts to condem me having my entrails torn out.

"Domitan, this is my father, Leon."

Now everything made sense - and I very much wanted to return to being ignorant. Nervously I bowed.

"It is an honor, sir."