Chapter Eight

Testing Tolerance

It was nearly dawn by the time the two met up on a cliff overlooking the Bramble's resting place. The Helios landed first, choosing a perch in the tangled leafless branches of a lightening-struck tree, blending in perfectly within its wispy arms. Lady Setsuna appeared next, crouching at the foot of Lord Helios's tree amidst more scattered twigs and moss. Resuming their normal selves they huddled behind a boulder to talk. Lady Setsuna wasted no time. "Are you trying to find Lord Danburite as well?" She questioned, looking at him severely. "I am," He answered shortly, not bothering with the interrogation more than necessary. Lady Setsuna tried again, firing questions faster than he could answer them. He only had time for mere phrases but they were truthful ones and that was all she cared about.

"Why are you hunting the Danburite?"

"He's Queen Beryl's advisor."

"Why are you interested in Queen Beryl?"

"My sources indicted she's been manipulated.

"Why do you think she's been influenced?"

"She's declared war on Illuseon."

"And?"

"Her reasons for doing so are six years old."

"Is Illuseon going to go through with it?"

"Yes."

"When did they decide this?"

"A week ago."

"Why are you interested in Illuseon's affairs?"

"Swenyos is going to war with Illuseon against Calpeart."

"Because of the betrothal?"

"Yes."

"I figured as much. Now how did you find out where Lord Danburite was supposed to be going?"

"A little bird told me."

Lady Setsuna eyed him suspiciously. "Really?"

"Yes, it was a robin." He said somberly.

Lady Setsuna rolled her eyes and let the questioning pause, ignoring the amused smirk on the man's face. For a moment there was a lull in the conversation as they sat watching the sky become bright red and mellow into magenta. Them a slow smile rose on Lord Helios's lips as he threw her a question of his own. "What makes you think you have the skill to capture the Danburite?" She grew rather hot in the face. "My skills in tracking and stealth are nothing to be laughed at," She replied tersely, irritated by the doubt in her abilities. "Besides," She countered, "I have a pack of loyal friends would be willing to help me corner and trap him."

"Which is all fine and good but suppose he hides his scent or misleads you and gives you the slip? It's extremely difficult to capture an enemy in a chase when you can't pinpoint his location, isn't it?" Lady Setsuna scowled. Lord Helios continued, taking no notice of her obvious displeasure. "Now if I were to hunt him down on my own, I would be able to track him undetected and attack him from above at whim."

"You talk as if he were a common beast. He is an Immortal, he can detect glamour."

"Not if it stunk of eagles' feathers and talons. If neither you nor Lord Dionysus can detect it, no one can." He said, distinctly self-satisfied. Lady Setsuna looked disgusted and turned away to glance at the landscape. Treeless and wide as the eye could see, the view from the cliff was most likely what Lord Helios saw below him all the time. From this perspective it would be child's play to watch a fox running around below.

Below…

Realization struck her as Lady Setsuna mentally reviewed Lord Helios's plan. There was a snag in the scheme and she'd just found it. "Lord Helios, what did you expect to do if he popped into a foxhole? Would you follow in after him?" Lord Helios frowned and Lady Setsuna thought she could hear him mentally cursing himself. He did not speak. Lady Setsuna's lips curled in triumph but she did not speak, trying to come up with a way to solve the situation. After a few minutes' pondering she had it.

"Lord Helios?"

The Immortal grunted, absorbed in devising a new tactic. Lady Setsuna tapped his shoulder. "I've got it; I know how we catch him."

The man's head shot up. "How?" He demanded. Lady Setsuna leaned in. "How do you feel about a little co-operation?"

He shook his head in disbelief. "That might be the most ridiculous strategy I've ever heard and I know you've dreamed up stranger. How am I supposed to trust you and your party to keep your side of the bargain?" Lady Setsuna looked amused. "I guess you'll just have to." She shrugged, stretching out her cramped limbs. "Do you know all of the signals?"Lord Helios nodded and morphed into his animal form. He unfurled his wings and flew, stopping to hover in the center of the plains. At the sound of his screech, Lady Setsuna transformed and pounded in the opposite direction. She howled, calling for the alpha wolf and his pack. Several cries answered her and she rushed to them, blood pounding in her ears.

Lord Helios circled lazily in the skies. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Lady Setsuna and her followers cluster then spread out, waiting for his signal. He locked his gaze onto the ground watching for a flash of red fur.

Where was he…?

There he was. He was stooped in the tall grasses, looking up as if almost daring the raptor to swoop down upon him. Trapped, He thought smugly as he screeched again, alerting the wolves to the Danburite's position. Lord Helios stayed above, keeping himself directly above his target.

The wolves closed in on their prey, snarling and snapping as they made the circle around him smaller and smaller. Trapped on all sides, he looked around frantically for a burrow but none of them would work, the few available were covered by growling pups and their mothers. Desperate, Lord Danburite jumped, attempting to flee but was caught in Helios's mouth by the scruff of his neck.

At once the wolves stopped and the leader changed into a woman with a triumphant smile, identical to the one that was worn in her animal form. Lord Helios followed her lead and soon it was only Lord Danburite who held his disguise. "Show yourself." Lord Helios commanded, still keeping a firm grip on the creature. The Fox squirmed and grew, its feature shrinking and changing into that of a young boy.

"What was the point of avoiding us, Lord Danburite?" Lady Setsuna asked him angrily. Lord Danburite closed his eyes. He didn't look to be more than eight years old but the sound of his voice echoed centuries. "Peace, Lady Setsuna, Lord Helios. You can interrogate me to your heart's delight later and I'll tell you what you want to know. But for now, can't you allow me to get dressed first?"