Chapter two: Preparations
Lirael opened her eyes excitedly as the bright glow of stars faded. She smiled as she saw a large black and tan mongrel dog who smiled more often than she growled. But her smile faded as she noticed that the dog currently wore a look of disapproval. An awkward silence stretched between them. Finally the dog spoke.
"That was stupid, Lirael," The dog scolded, making her feel as if she had done something horribly wrong. "What did I do?" She said frantically, racking her brain for anything that she had done recently. Maybe she didn't approve of her plan. Maybe she didn't think that she made the right decision on that last attack.
Then the dog smiled, banishing these fears. "I was just kidding. You should have seen the look on your face!"She let on a half woof, half chuckle.
She was too happy to be cross with her. "Oh, dog!" She cried, throwing her arms around her. The dog met this with enthusiastic licks to her face.
"So, planning a trip, eh?" the dog asked. Lirael knew better than to ask how she knew about that. "Well, yes. To the Clayrs glacier," She said.
The dog wrinkled her nose. "Maybe not there. I was thinking that maybe somewhere like Ancelstierre. That might be more exciting than you think. There are...ah, Clubs and such down there. You could go out dancing and such. And you know that Nick misses it," She said, a grin on her face. She could tell that she was planning something more, but she decided not to question her straightaway. Not until after they had a walk, and maybe a nice, long talk.
"All right, dog. That might be exciting. But first, let's have a walk," she declared.
The dog jumped up joyously and barked her agreement.
Lirael found herself standing in front of Sam, feeling more than a little foolish. Just because he didn't approve of her idea didn't mean he had to look at her that way.
"Ancelstierre? Are you serious? What are we going to do down there?" "Well, you know, there are fun things down there like.... clubs........ and stuff...." her voice trailed away at the look he now gave her.
"Clubbing? You want to go CLUBBING? I don't know, there's just so much to do around here." C'mon, you know you need a break!" she put on a wheedling tone of voice. He looked down at her face and laughed.
"All right, I'll go." Lirael smiled and gave him a hug. "Do you think mogget might come, too?" she asked , looking up into his face.
Sam sighed. "I don't know. Even imprisoned, he was always stubborn. And now that his true form is released..." "But he spends a lot of time in his cat form when he comes to Belisaere, doesn't he?" A small white cat leaped gracefully onto the wall. "Talking about me, are we?" he yawned.
"Mogget! You scared me." Lirael breathed.
"It's Yrael, if you don't mind." He said disdainfully.
"Sorry. So, uh we were wondering-" "If I would come with you on some pathetic little trip?" "You were eavesdropping!" "Just one of my gifts. I suppose I might tag along to make sure you kiddies don't get hurt. I can't take this form, though." Lirael blinked and he was a tall, thin pale man with light blond hair.
"Don't sound too exited, Mogget. That'll tell us how much you're dying to go" Sam teased.
He simply turned and glared before walking, catlike out of the room.
'Well, "said Lirael "the gangs all together again.
"That was stupid, Lirael," The dog scolded, making her feel as if she had done something horribly wrong. "What did I do?" She said frantically, racking her brain for anything that she had done recently. Maybe she didn't approve of her plan. Maybe she didn't think that she made the right decision on that last attack.
Then the dog smiled, banishing these fears. "I was just kidding. You should have seen the look on your face!"She let on a half woof, half chuckle.
She was too happy to be cross with her. "Oh, dog!" She cried, throwing her arms around her. The dog met this with enthusiastic licks to her face.
"So, planning a trip, eh?" the dog asked. Lirael knew better than to ask how she knew about that. "Well, yes. To the Clayrs glacier," She said.
The dog wrinkled her nose. "Maybe not there. I was thinking that maybe somewhere like Ancelstierre. That might be more exciting than you think. There are...ah, Clubs and such down there. You could go out dancing and such. And you know that Nick misses it," She said, a grin on her face. She could tell that she was planning something more, but she decided not to question her straightaway. Not until after they had a walk, and maybe a nice, long talk.
"All right, dog. That might be exciting. But first, let's have a walk," she declared.
The dog jumped up joyously and barked her agreement.
Lirael found herself standing in front of Sam, feeling more than a little foolish. Just because he didn't approve of her idea didn't mean he had to look at her that way.
"Ancelstierre? Are you serious? What are we going to do down there?" "Well, you know, there are fun things down there like.... clubs........ and stuff...." her voice trailed away at the look he now gave her.
"Clubbing? You want to go CLUBBING? I don't know, there's just so much to do around here." C'mon, you know you need a break!" she put on a wheedling tone of voice. He looked down at her face and laughed.
"All right, I'll go." Lirael smiled and gave him a hug. "Do you think mogget might come, too?" she asked , looking up into his face.
Sam sighed. "I don't know. Even imprisoned, he was always stubborn. And now that his true form is released..." "But he spends a lot of time in his cat form when he comes to Belisaere, doesn't he?" A small white cat leaped gracefully onto the wall. "Talking about me, are we?" he yawned.
"Mogget! You scared me." Lirael breathed.
"It's Yrael, if you don't mind." He said disdainfully.
"Sorry. So, uh we were wondering-" "If I would come with you on some pathetic little trip?" "You were eavesdropping!" "Just one of my gifts. I suppose I might tag along to make sure you kiddies don't get hurt. I can't take this form, though." Lirael blinked and he was a tall, thin pale man with light blond hair.
"Don't sound too exited, Mogget. That'll tell us how much you're dying to go" Sam teased.
He simply turned and glared before walking, catlike out of the room.
'Well, "said Lirael "the gangs all together again.