Jald found Eroket by the corpse of Curian Silak, the golden fox's eyes closed in death. A bloody slash had been cut into the fox's throat like a second mouth. His expression was one of anguished sorrow, the expression of a beast who had died after seeing every one of his dreams crushed, his hopes destroyed. Jald had often seen this expression, he'd seen it on many a face as his sword drove into the body of his victims.

He repressed a shudder at the memory that he enjoyed that look once and looked to Ero, who had dropped his bloody dagger as if the hilt had grown to red-hot heat.

Eroket's voice came out in a soft whisper, "I didn't want to leave him. He told me to kill him, to bury his swords with him…"

Jald nodded once and walked to his friend's side, pressing a hand to Eroket's shoulder and giving it a light squeeze, kneeling down and removed two gold coins from the pouch on his belt, placing one upon Curian's right eye and one upon his left. "Find your way to the Dark Forest safely, old friend," The ferret whispered.

Eroket's canines bit into his bottom lip as he looked up to Jald, for a moment his lifetime in the underworld as an assassin fell away, revealing the visage of a frightened boy who didn't know what to do. Sometimes, Jald reflected, he forgot how young Eroket really was.

"We can't stay," Jald replied slowly and Eroket looked up, shock in his eyes.

"Are you mad? Of course we ca-"

"Don't argue. Don't speak. Curian would understand. Jirik and the others are on the road back to Kirathal and we have to stop them. Burying Curian could take hours and we don't have hours to spare. Curian was a soldier and a soldier's life is sacrifice for the common cause. You know this."

Eroket's teeth ground and his fists clenched, his eyes flaring for a moment before all the anger left him and his eyes closed, fingers limply uncurling and his head lowering, his voice muted as he replied, "Let's go then…before I changed my mind. It never gets easier…First Kalis, and then Deran…it never gets easier!" He snarled, seizing his bloody dagger and removing the blood with a wipe of his cloak, replacing the blade in its sheath. "If I was going to kill Jirik Valrik for this before, now I'm going to tear him apart with my bare damned paws!" He snarled and rose to his feet. "Let's get to their camp. You remember the way? They may've left some clues."

Jald nodded and without another word, turned and ran into the forest, Eroket hot on his heels.

----

Garic Riverblade lay unconscious in the midst of the abandoned camp of the Ice Wolves, a huge mark on the back of his head. His body had been stripped of weapons and armor, it seemed, leaving him in only rough traveling clothes.

Eroket swore lightly, "Looks like Jirik and the others got out of here in a hurry…" He folded his arms and walked to Garic, kneeling by the motionless otter before pressing two fingers to his neck and looking up to Jald, "He's alive. Just got knocked out. Looks like he was hit by a damn club."

Jald's mouth formed a mirthless smile, "That'd be Hallic's fists at work. Even if he's not an idiot, I doubt he was faking his strength."

Eroket shrugged and bit his lip, "He may have a concussion. Waking him up could be dangerous and we don't have time to spa-"

"Not for the dead. The living are another matter," Jald corrected, kneeling by the unconscious Iridian. Moments later, Garic moaned lightly and stirred, opening his eyes and looking around. "Wh-wh-?"
"Try to stay still," Eroket cautioned, taking Jald's waterskin and gently pressing it to the otter's lips. "Just a few drops, sip slow."

After the otter had a chance to wet his mouth, Eroket passed the waterskin back to Jald and looked to Garic, "Your head hurt?"

"I have a headache the size of Mossflower, but aside from that? Nothing."

Eroket nodded and replied, "Any chance of knowing what happened?"

"After YOU knocked me out and Jirik came back and woke me up…He and Hallic wanted to kill me, but Hardran wouldn't have it. He said we'd been companions and I deserved some mercy for that," He growled, "Hallic took my weapons and knocked me out. From what I can guess, they're heading back to Calishan. That's all I know. My mission is over…"

Garic sat up slowly, burying his head in his paws, "There's nothing left now…even if we kill Hallic and Jirik, Kirathal will just bring down Nidas's forces…they'll destroy Calishan and attack whatever else. Kirathal's dream will come true…"

"Not yet," Jald snarled, "He can get a few wars here, but that's hardly eternal or perpetual. Kirathal's a fish in a big pond. We can-"

"You don't understand!" Garic cried, turning to face the ferret, "This is just the start! Kirathal already has something going in the north. I heard him and Jirik talking about it one night…"

Jald bit his lip, "The north…? It still hasn't recovered from the Unification Wars…and with Snowshadow's recent issue with Vandashira it's even more fragile."

Garic nodded, "And there's something behind the corsair attack, there has to be."

"Think, dammit!" Eroket yelled, causing Garic to wince and put a paw to his head, "Isn't there anything we can do!"

"The Iridians…" Garic replied quickly, then shook his head, "But that's a wild card. They may not even come…"

"What? Speak slowly now…" Eroket replied, leaning close to Garic, "What about your people?"

Garic looked to Eroket seriously and sighed, "The Iridian fleet is fast and damn strong and that's not me bragging…but now that the mission is failed and my cover's blown, I don't know how to send a message, if it'll reach them in time, if they'll get here in time."

"How much time do we have, Garic?" Eroket asked.

"I don't know. We can't have more than a few weeks."

Eroket looked to Jald who shrugged and then back to Garic. "Fine then, Commander Riverblade…that just means we'll have to count on a bit of luck and speed. Can you keep up with us?"

"I-what?" Garic raised an eyebrow, "Are you-?"

"Yeah, it's an offer, take it or leave it," Eroket growled, "I've already told you I don't have ill will. Albeit your intelligence is still in question, but if you have a warrior order that we can use then fine." He looked back to Jald and then to Garic once more, "We have to make it for the next town and rent a really fast bird to carry a message. After that, we need to get back to Calishan."

Jald nodded, pressing a paw to his sword hilt, "that means we're relying on luck and these otters' reliability. I for one have my doubts."

"Got a better idea!" Eroket growled to Jald, "The Nameless Clan will move for us, but they don't have nearly enough numbers or strength to fight both Nidas's fleet and Crimson Tears. At the very least…we have to kill Jirik, Kirath and Geras. If we cut off the heads, the body could follow. Geras is bound to have lieutenants who won't agree with his plans and without Kirath the plan can collapse. That's our objective. By the way, Garic, you need me to loan you a dagger?"

"My main skill's with paw to paw," The otter replied with a light smile, "But I could make do with a dagger." Eroket nodded and passed the blade to him.

Eroket rose. "The Nameless Clan territory is on the way. If we're lucky we can grab a messenger from them…and then to Calishan."

Jald Nightson watched the newest addition to their group with light interest and smiled. "Alright then…if this be our last job, let's make it a good one."

Eroket Nightblade looked to Garic Riverblade, "No matter our past, if we work together on this you're our comrade. Stopping Kirathal is paramount and if you're helping, then I've got no problems with it."

"You're not the only beast with something to lose on this and you two aren't the only ones who'd give your lives to stop an eternal war. My people died in the Unification Wars too. I'll be damned if I see their sacrifices brought to nothing." Garic Riverblade's dark eyes held no hesitance, no fear: Only hard commitment and dedication, a look both Jald and Eroket knew and respected.

"Well, then, comrades," Jald Nightson replied, "Back to Calishan."

Eroket's amber eyes narrowed and he smiled, "If the wolves want a final fight, let's give it to them."

There were no objections.