Gardrania, Medda, and the boys rode in pairs across the meadow. From the back up it was Race and Crutchy, Medda and Snipes, Mush and Blink, and Gardrania alone in front. "Hey Drania," Blink said, eating an apple, "where exactly are we goin'?"

"Well," she began, "although you can't see it, there's a kind of fortress in these mountains. I'm almost positive Ista's there. That's where Stamel lives, and he's probably behind this."

"Ohhh," Blink said, nodding. "But, uh, what if she ain't here?"

"She is."

"Okay…." he turned to Mush, who was his best friend. "She can be pretty blunt sometimes."

"I noticed," Mush said, grinning. All of a sudden, he paled. "G-g-g-Gardrania? What're those?"

Gardrania and Blink both looked in the direction he was pointing. The fifteen year old's sharp ears caught Blink's sharp intake of breath. Three winged animals were gliding towards them. They were about three meters long and two tall, with the appearance of cats. Snipes was clutching his reins with white knuckles, while Crutchy, Race, and Medda showed almost no fear. The horses had stopped and were rolling their eyes in fright. "Don't be afraid of them," Gardrania soothed the equines. "They won't hurt you." By this time the cats had reached the small band of travelers. They sat back on their haunches and stared at the humans. "Do you know where the fortress is?" Gardrania asked politely. The cats looked at each other and nodded. "Can you tell us how to get there?"

The biggest cat stepped forward. "I am Ake. You ask about the fortress. It is evil. Of what use it is to you?"

"My friend's there. We're going to get her."

"Are you the one called Gardrania?"

"Yes."

Ake nodded. "Bellavia." The smallest cat stepped forward. "Bring them to the fortress." Bellavia nodded curtly to them. Ake continued, "Jerl, you go with her." The other cat stepped up to stand next to Bellavia and the two cats twined their tails together. Crutchy, seeing that, glanced quickly at Race and Medda. They hadn't seemed to notice. "They will find the fortress for you. I must go know." He turned and walked away.

As soon as the obviously older cat was gone Bellavia's eyes lit up and she smiled. "So, as long as that old windbag's gone and we're taking you up there, what are your names? We already know Crutchy, who I'm assuming is you." Crutchy nodded.

Gardrania grimaced. Her crippled friend was getting too well known. "Well, this is Blink, Mush, Snipes, Medda, and Race."

Jerl looked towards the nearby mountains. "The desert lizard, her name is Ista?"

"Yeah," Crutchy answered. "What're you?"

Jerl rustled his wings. "Winged cats. I never really understood the name—we aren't cats. Humans can be very strange sometimes."

"Don't we know it," Crutchy said dryly. Race grinned and put an arm around his friend's shoulders.

Bellavia's mood suddenly changed as she folded her ears back and spat, "If we're going up to that hellhole, let's get it over with."

--

Crutchy trudged up the mountainside path, far behind everyone else. I just ain't fit for mountain climbing, he thought glumly. Probly woulda been better off staying behind.

The group had been forced to leave their horses in the care of several winged cats when the trail started to get rough. The horses had, of course, been terrified, but it was better than abandoning them. Crutchy had voiced doubts about his going on, but Gardrania wouldn't hear it. So, he was stuck way behind. "I knew this would happen someday. You just can't get around it."

He was still grumbling when he noticed the man standing in from of him on the path.

The man folded his arms across his chest and said, "I was wondering how long it would take you to notice me. That will get you killed someday."

Crutchy's mouth fell open in surprise as he thought, you'd have to be an idiot to not notice how much this guy looks like Drania. And I ain't no idiot. So who is he?

It was, in fact, Kris. He eyed the crippled boy he was standing in front of, thinking, this kid holds some significance. But what? "What exactly are you staring at? Haven't you ever seen a gypsy?"

Crutchy wasn't sure why, but he felt like he could trust this man. "Actually, no. It's just, you look a lot like a friend of mine. Uh, in case you're wonderin', my name's Crutchy."

Kris looked at him sharply. "Kris Trouillefou. What is this person's name that I bear so much resemblance to?"

"You ain't out huntin' for her, are ya?"

"Yes. But for reasons other than you think. If this is the person I'm looking for, I will not harm her. Of course, if I have no idea who you're talking about, it won't matter to me and you can just go on your merry little way," Kris stated, becoming sarcastic.

"Her name's—Gardrania."

Kris clenched his fist and his eyes looked suspiciously wet. "Where is she?"
Crutchy put his hands on his hips. "What's she to you?" he asked vehemently.

"My daughter!"

--

A young male fox silently crept through a clump of bushes. He soon sighted his quarry. He leaped, and—

"Blazer! Get off me!" a female fox about the same age as Blazer yelled.

"Got ya that time, Streak. Consider it payback."

"For what?"

"Never mind."

A woman with black hair standing near the fighting siblings said, "Blaze, take this to Clopin." She handed him a rolled up piece of paper. "Don't lose it."

"Sure, Jade."