Second to last chapter! I can't believe that! I hope you like this chapter and let me know what you think!

I'm posting this a day early as I will not be able to post tomorrow.

This chapter is three chapters from Hunted that were short enough to get posted on the same day. At the end of the third one is one of my favorite interactions with Lucette.

-owl

Conor could hear the beginnings of a battle further ahead on the path. Birds squawked and cats yowled amid a multitude of other various animal sounds. There was also the dreaded sound of metal hitting metal. When Conor and Finn pushed through the bushes they stopped short at what was in front of them.

A huge boar was charging at a group of armored Conquerors. Nearby Abeke, Rollan, Meilin, and Lucette were locked in their own battles. Conor didn't see Essix or Uraza, though he did see Jhi squashing both people and animal beneath her, and Bryer fighting right next to Lucette. On second glance it almost seemed like they were fighting while Lucette's hand stayed on Bryer's back the entire time.

Conor let Briggan out of passive state and with a flash and a low growl, the wolf was next to him. While Conor hacked at the opposing forces with his ax, Briggan bit and clawed at those around him. The wolf was enjoying himself, at least until he was bowled over and pinned to the ground.

"How do you like me now, Conor?" Devin sneered. "You and your precious Briggan are nothing compared to me and Elda. The people want the black wildcat of the Euran legend, not a dumb wolf. Your friends are going to lose this fight, and you'll go down with them. Elda, destroy!"

Conor could only watch in shock as the cat leaned in for a killing bite. It never hit, though. A black blur pushed Elda off Briggan, leaving the wolf free to attack Devin with Conor.

Devin curled his lip at Conor, and called to Elda. There was a bright flash and the cat was no longer on the ground. The young Conqueror ran off, and only then did Conor look around and see that most of the Conquerors that had been fighting were either lying lifeless on the floor, or had also run off. Even Karmo had disappeared.

Conor turned around to see what had saved Briggan. And, standing majestically under a weeping willow, next to Finn, was a sleek, black, wildcat. Finn was beaming from ear to ear.

Suddenly the pieces fit together perfectly. Finn was the boy that legend had said would call the black wildcat and be the hero that Eura needed.

"I thought he was gone," Finn said with awe.

"Bond... not gone. Never gone. You both... needed to heal." Rumfuss said, gaining the attention of all present.

Meilin bowed her head. "Thank you for fighting with us."

Rumfuss dipped his head to her. "Thank you for fighting for me." Then the large boar leaned down, and at first Conor assumed that he was rooting for an apple or something, but when he raised his head again, there was something hanging from his tusk.

A perfectly and intricately shaped boar hung from an iron chain. The iron it was made from shining in the light. The two tusks on the pendant could not have been made with anything other than scraps of Rumfuss's own tusks.

Conor carefully claimed it and looped it around his neck.

"Thank you."

"What in the name of Erdas happened here?" The voice of Lord MacDonnell made them all turn to see him come running up to them, panting, at least ten guards behind him. "It sounded like a war."

Conor nodded his head sheepishly. "Um, well, it kinda was."

Lord MacDonnell raised an eyebrow. "Do you have my hare?" he asked. "That was our deal, I believe. The talisman for the hare."

Conor sighed. "We found him, but he ran away. We don't know where he is anymore."

"Well, that is a problem now, isn't it? And can someone bring that damned cat back to the young Trunswick?"

Abeke shook her head. "That's not Devin's animal, he pulled Elda into passive state and ran off. That is Finn's spirit animal."

"You three!" Lord MacDonnell pointed at a trio of guards. "Go find the boy and keep him contained until I can deal with him. As for the rest of you—"

Lord MacDonnell was cut off by soft gasps from the guards behind him. Everyone watched as the hare hopped cautiously out from the underbrush.

"Say... sorry." Rumfuss said.

There were tears in his eyes as he spoke. "I'm sorry!"

"Say... never again."

Lord MacDonnell was truly crying. "Never again! I promise!"

"Say... you want."

"What?"

Meilin interjected. "I think he wants you to say you're happy with him."

"I am! I am! Please come back to me!" Lord MacDonnell pleaded.

And, with a few quick hops with his strong hind legs, the hare shot across the clearing and became a tattoo on Lord MacDonnell's forearm. The man placed a gentle hand over the mark and turned to Rumfuss.

"You're free! I never should have kept you here! Please forgive me."

Rumfuss didn't say anything else, but walked nicely with a few of the guards as they went to open the gates. Once the gates were open, though, the boar put on speed and was bounding away.

While Lord MacDonnell was quite eager to let them stay longer, Lucette decided that they should leave Glengavin as soon as they could. They were convinced to stay for lunch, though. Finn had chosen to stay in Glengavin, as they needed a Greencloak representative there. He showed Lucette a couple of maps, though, so they were efficient in returning to Lady Evelyn's. Obviously, they bypassed Trunswick.

There they found Tarik, almost back to full strength. He was embarrassed that he had missed everything in both Trunswick and Glengavin. Now it was only a two day journey to get to Surtin and the port where they would get on a ship to sail to Greenhaven.

Conor was overjoyed, they had done it! The second talisman was theirs!

Conor kept watch that night. Everyone lay near the small fire, and all the spirit animals were in passive state, other than Essix and Bryer. Essix was in a tree somewhere, and Bryer was curled up with Lucette.

There was a single sound, the breaking of a stick, and a cloaked figure melted out of the shadows. Conor grabbed his ax and was prepared to swing when the figure raised his hands and lowered his hood.

"Conor, it's me, Dawson," the boy said. "I'm here alone, I promise. I have a letter for you."

"You know I can't read," Conor said sheepishly.

Dawson shook his head. "I'll read it. It's from my father. I'm... sorry.

Conor, son of Fenray,

I know that we last met under unpleasant terms, and you will not want to listen to what I have to say. However, I would like you to imagine the starving faces of your family as Dawson reads you this letter. Then you should imagine all the worse things than starvation that can befall a woman charged with betraying her lord to his enemy — even if this enemy is her own son. I have a bargain for you. Give the Iron Boar to Dawson. As soon as it is in my hands, I will forgive your family's dent and your mother will go free. They will own the land they work, and all the sheep they tent. They will be freemen, no longer my serfs. All you have to do is give Dawson the talisman. And if you do not? I will hold them to every last copper that they own me, and I promise you, they will starve this winter, and the fate of your mother will be far cruller. Rest assured this is the last you will hear from me either way. Devin has become involved in something that Trunswick can no longer afford to support openly, lest we collapse upon ourselves. Zerif tells me that if the Conquerors may have their talisman, then I may have my family back. And so you will have yours.

The decision is yours.

With regards, The Earl of Trunswick."

When Dawson was done reading, he folded the letter and placed it back into his pocket.

His mother had been proud of him, she had helped him and the others get out of Trunswick. She had taken his place in the Earl's servitude. And his brothers and father, out there all alone, herding the sheep. How could Conor do anything other than hand over the talisman? He had to help them.

Conor was at a loss for words. Dawson at least had the dignity to look horrified. Conor was crossing the campsite to grab the Iron Boar out of his saddle bags when he finally found his words. "I expect your father to keep his word."

Dawson nodded frantically. "I will. I prom—"

"Is your father really going to keep his word, boy?" a sleep-addled voice startled both of them. Lucette stretched as she got out of her make-shift bed. "I would be very surprised if he did."

The younger son of the earl looked down to the ground. "No. It isn't likely. However, I can't imagine that his threat against your family is in any way fake."

Conor was close to tears as Lucette pulled him into a hug. "I have to help my family. I can't stand by and do nothing when I can fix all their problems."

"He is not going to give it to you, Dawson." Lucette somehow always spoke in the kindest tone, as though there was nothing wrong even when it felt like the world was falling down around you. "Tell your father that."

"OK." There was the sound of branches being pushed out of the way, and Dawson was gone.

A small hand grasped Conor's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Conor. I don't agree with my father nor my brother. You and your family deserve better."

"Here's what we'll do," Lucette said, sitting down and bringing Conor with her, as she didn't let him out of her embrace. "When we return to Greenhaven, I'm going to talk to Olvan, then send my mother a letter. We will figure out a way to pay off your family's debt. There's nothing you need to worry about right now."

"Really?" Conor asked, not daring to hope.

"Really. Now, sleep, I'll keep watch."

Conor nodded and let Briggan out of passive state. The wolf laid down with his head on Conor's outstretched leg. Bryer did the same right next to the wolf. That was how Conor fell asleep, held closely by a mother-hen Greencloak, and cuddled by a wolf and a dog.