Crutches and Buttons

[Zevka]

Zevka leaned against the wall drumming her claws while she waited for Nyika to finish bathing. Leave it to a wildcat to be thorough. The marteness had spent the first few minutes surveying her surroundings, and what she had seen was not encouraging. The guards looked fit, alert and well-equipped, with many wielding crossbows that reminded Zevka of those used by the ermine.

The door next to her opened, and Nyika came out. The young wildcat looked outwardly calm, but Zevka's practiced eye could see the tension in her swishing tail and slightly backed ears. She leaned towards the wildcat.

"Relax. You'll do just fine. You're the real deal, remember?"

"Thanks, Thetsa," Nyika replied, using Zevka's assumed name. Using it had brought a twinge to Zevka's heart, but the more she had thought about it, the more sure she was that the saucy Bayguard stoat jill wouldn't have minded.

The two walked back to the main hall together, arriving as the other guests were taking their seats. Zevka took her place next to the "Duke," and was pleasantly surprised to see that he had found another owl to converse with. She started to take some salmon and cheese, and was pleased to find that apparently Tikora's interpretation of the All-Mother's will allowed for brandy.

Then, Zevka looked up and saw him: Beechton Valash, her erstwhile employer.

Scatscatscat SCAT!

She tried very, very hard to not make eye contact with him, knowing even as she did so that this was utterly futile. Her stomach clenched and turned, and the generous repast in front of them suddenly looked totally unappetizing as her heart started pounding in her chest.

Dammit, why didn't I disguise myself better? He's Beechton Valash -- of course he's going to be at the center of society! He's going to see me, and he's going to raise the alarm, and they're all going to be captured and killed because of me and the fact that I came along.

The marteness considered trying to leave, but these thoughts went out the window as the fox looked up at her and grinned, raising his glass in a mock toast. Zevka forced her ears not to go flat against her head, trying to remain calm. Her brain scrambled for something to do to salvage the situation, but came up with nothing. However, Beechton made no attempt to either raise an alarm or accost her, continuing instead to hold a side conversation with one of the owls instead.

What is he playing at?

Zevka's attempts to figure the situation out were forestalled as the double doors at the head of the banquet hall swung open. From out in the corridor came a beautiful melody played on unseen flutes. All of the beasts from Carrigul rose from their seats, and the guests soon followed suit. A single beast walked into the room. She was a female weasel with piercing eyes and a haughty bearing, her heavily pierced ears filled with bone jewelry. Her entire body appeared to be covered with religious tattoos, which started on her face and neck and paws and vanished into her voluminous, deep purple robes. Her gaze seemed to bore deeply into the viewer's soul. She took her place at the head of the table just as the haunting fanfare ended.

"I present to you all my lady Tikora, the Lamp of the All Mother whose light guides us to the path of righteousness." Rikkareed had entered the room after Tikora, and now addressed the room. "She is the Joy of the All Mother, and proof of her love for us, for the Mother would never abandon us to face this depraved world without a guide. And she is the Sword of the All Mother, who punishes and maims those whose acts bring dishonor upon themselves and upon the Mother's gift."

"Greetings, to all of you. Please be seated." Tikora smiled munificently at the beasts before her, who did as she said. "I am pleased to receive such distinguished guests tonight -- may the All Mother look after each and every one of you." The weasel's words were pleasant, but her voice was loud and harsh, and somehow the benediction felt like a threat.

"Lord Cleite and Lady Breda -- I hope that your journey was a pleasant one. The Court of the Seven Winds and its distinguished representatives are always welcome in Carrigul."

"You honor us with your hospitality, High Priestess Tikora," Cleite replied.

Tikora, Cleite and Breda exchanged diplomatic niceties for a few more moments, but Zevka's mind qas quickly drawn from the platitudes to the presence at the table of a fox who could have killed them all by opening his muzzle, but thus far had not.

For his part, Beechton was presenting an excellent imitation of rapt attention as the weasel and the two owls conversed. He leaned forward, eyes never leaving whichever one of the three was speaking at a given moment. However, his paws continued to play with his buttons, and his tail was swishing back and forth quite rapidly. No mistaking it, the fox really had something else he wanted to be doing right now. Zevka had a sinking feeling that she knew what it was.

"And Duke Metzger, our honored surprise guest from the Kingdom of the Northern Skies. I hope that your journey here was a safe one. The Mother has blessed our land with many natural defenses, and unfortunately these defenses sometimes claim...unexpected travellers."

"It vas ein rather unauff?l-- uneventful journey, mein lady." Noonahootin replied. "Ve rezearched our route zoroughly in ze Great Library, and vere vell prepared for ze hazards. Ve arrived safely...mit ze blessings of the All Mother."

"Ah yes. I was...pleased to discover that word of the Mother's love has reached into lands as far away as yours."

"No distance is too great for ze love of ze All Mother."

"Indeed." Tikora said, and Zevka's heart rate increased slightly as she caught a note of hostility in the weasel's voice. The weasel turned towards Zevka.

"And what is your name? You must serve your lord well, for in my land it is unusual for a valet to be invited to dinner."

Zevka stood and gave the weasel a formal bow, complete with a flourish of her paw that Madame Stevat would have been proud of. "My name is Thetsa, my liege."

Tikora favored her with a smile that would have seemed completely genuine coming from anybeast else. "I see that you have been well trained...as pine martens usually are."

Zevka wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a compliment, but decided to behave as though it was. "You honor me," she said, beaming.

"And last, the beast who has helped to force so many far away hearts to see the truth." Tikora's smile at Nyika positively radiated benevolence, respect and love.

Alarms instantly went off in Zevka's head.

Nyika met the weasel's gaze head on. "I have found that most beasts want to know the truth; they do not have to be forced."

"The All Mother has been truly generous to send the beasts of the Kingdom of the Northern Skies the guide that they deserve, so that they, too, may not wander this world abandoned." Tikora's smile did not waver. The alarms in Zevka's head grew even louder.

The weasel bowed her head, bone jewelry clattering softly. The priestess closed her eyes. Everybeast else followed suit.

"Oh, great All Mother, you who fill these empty vessels with life..." Tikora's prayer over the food lasted entirely too long for Zevka's taste. It would have struck her as over-written at the best of times, but when she was this tense, it was even worse. The marteness opened an eye impatiently and was startled to see that Beechton was silently popping currants into his mouth, both eyes open. He made eye contact with her and grinned. Zevka closed her eye again.

Finally, Tikora was done saying grace. The weasel turned back to the rest of the assembled beasts. "Now, please partake fully in the All Mother's bounty."

The assembled beasts began eating. The food was absolutely delicious, but Zevka found she had little appetite for either the food or the many side conversations going on around her. Beechton ate his food across the table, never taking his eyes off of her. The fox's smile had taken on a slightly sinister quality.

The fox caught Rikkareed's eye. He gestured at himself and Zevka, then jerked his head to the side. Rikkareed stared at him incredulously. Beechton returned this look of disbelief with one that could only be termed "fox kit eyes." Rikareed rolled his eyes in exasperation, and Beechton grinned.

"Mr. Valash would like to speak with you outside, and in private," Rikkareed said, sounding a mix of exasperated, amused and disgusted.

Zevka felt nothing but resigned, but made a credible attempt at a smile. "I will be right there."

Rikkareed walked off. Zevka was sure he heard him mutter to himself "That damn fox and his conquests..."

Zevka couldn't help but laugh just a tiny bit.

So much for death with dignity...

As soon as Zevka and Beechton were out of sight of the great hall, the fox's previously jovial demeanor vanished, and a burly stoat stepped out of a side corridor to walk behind Zevka, sword at ready as he fell into step behind the marteness. Any remaining thoughts Zevka might have had of trying to overpower Beechton or the stoat were quashed by the presence of many well-armed Carrigul guards in the corridor.

"So...I take it the purpose of this meeting isn't to raise my pay?" Zevka's effort to keep her voice light wasn't terribly successful. This was not how she had imagined the encounter with Beechton starting. Her version of it had involved a lot more punching Beechton in the face repeatedly and a lot less feeling like she was being taken to her execution.

Beechton chuckled. "You know, I might have considered it, just for the feat of making it up here -- nobeast was supposed to survive that avalanche." His voice grew colder. "But your presence here isn't what I had planned for at all, and I really don't like it when beasts mess up my plans."

"Oh come on...you're not even the slightest bit curious how we survived? You have no interest in figuring out how eleven beasts came out relatively unscathed?" Zevka asked.

Let him worry about who else might be out there...

Beechton tsked. "Oh, I am very much curious to know how you survived. And that's the only reason you didn't get a vial of poison in one of the many, many ales you and your friends consumed at the Green Campfire -- did you know that that place was the second tavern I ever opened?"

Zevka sighed. "I thought the menu seemed a bit familiar."

"This way, please." Beechton indicated a winding staircase that took the trio up a tower and progressively further away from the main hall. They walked up the stairs in silence for a few moments, before Beechton spoke again.

"I don't need to ask why you're here, of course -- only one real answer to that. I read Mekad Mayvery's letter to you before allowing him to send it, but I suppose in hindsight I should have realized that a beast who's known you since you were a kit would have too many options for a distress signal. To be honest, I just didn't think he was bright enough -- always struck me as a bit of an overgrown kitten at heart."

Zevka scowled. "Then I think you don't actually know Mekad that well. Where is he, anyway?"

"Not here, and that's all you're going to get out of me at the moment." Beechton said as they reached the top of the stairs, and a heavy wooden door. The fox opened the door and lead the marteness and her chaperone into the room. "By the way, you'll never guess who I found wandering around the city alone..."

The room behind the door was occupied by several large crates, a table, and two chairs. Inside, sitting with her footpaws on the table like she owned the place, was Poko. The ferret gave a cocky smile.

"See, didn't I tell ye the treeweasel was looking for ye, Beech?"

Zevka gawked at Poko, almost not noticing as the stoat led her over to a chair and pushed her down into it.

"Poko? What are you doing here?"

The sprite leered at her in a most un-Poko-like way as the stoat pulled Zevka's arms behind the chair and manacled them together.

"I found somebeast smarter -- not to mention richer -- than all of ye dumb saps I've been puttin' up with fer the whole time we were travelin'," Poko drawled, the unsettling leer never leaving her face. "It's not hard ter see which side's the winning team here, and I'm plannin' on bein' on it -- especially since Beech here says ye can get away with not really believin' in the All-Mother."

The fox in question just grinned as he walked over to Poko's side of the table and began pacing back and forth behind the sprite, fidgeting with the buttons on his tunic as he did so.

Zevka was so shocked that it took several seconds for her brain to register just how odd Poko's voice sounded. The marteness snarled, and for just a moment, it was genuine. Then a more rational part of Zevka's mind kicked in.

Wait...wait a second...

Poko just shrugged, the smirk still on her muzzle." Hey, sorry, Zevka, but when yer parents die in a flood when yer seven, ye quickly learn that ye've gotta look out for just one beast."

Poko, you magnificent beast!

Zevka widened her eyes. "Seven? You told us they died just last season! You cried, and I hugged you! We all felt sorry for you, protected you --"

"Gave me bits of yer food, too!" Poko looked at Beechton and gave a slightly melodramatic shrug. "What can I say, Beech? A decent dead parents story and a few tears go a long way with some beasts."

Beechton just laughed, shaking his head. "This one is just a gem, Zevka!" He paused, and gestured to the stoat, who tossed him the key to Zevka's manacles. The fox tossed it up and down a few times as he kept talking. "Maybe I can still use her, even if I might not be able to use you..." The fox caught the key one final time and slipped it into his pocket, then resumed pacing back and forth behind Poko.

"Use me?" Zevka said.

Poko leaned back perilously far, then leaned forward. "Ye weren't suppose to come up here in the first place, ye bushy tailed idjit. Right, Beech?"

Beechton snapped and pointed at Poko. "Eeeexactly! You were supposed to stay in Yew like a good tavern employee. I had no idea you would just ignore my instructions, drop everything and charge up here so quickly!"

Zevka blinked. "But...why send Mekad while keeping me in Yew?"

Beechton smirked at her. "Wouldn't you like to know? In fact..." The fox stopped pacing and let his fangs creep into his smile. "I'm considering just killing you without ever telling you. Let you fail at one last thing, and make sure you don't even know what I'm killing you over."

"Oh, where's the fun in that, Beech?" Poko asked. "Doncha want her realizin' how bright ye were with this whole thing? I mean, she thinks yer just a flunky for Carrigul -- she doesn't know how much smarter ye are than them...I mean, it was just so clever the way ye told it to me..."

"Point." Beechton said, fiddling with his buttons some more, and resuming his pacing. "Fact is, I had you figured out from day one, Zev--"

Poko leaned back just a bit too far, right as Beechton was walking behind her. The fox, the ferret and the chair all crashed to the floor. Poko sputtered some curses that Zevka hadn't realized that Poko knew, trying to right herself and Beechton while dusting off the latter. The fox's grin never left his muzzle.

"Sorry, Poko, but you still have a few seasons to go before I let you tackle me to the floor..."

Ewwwwwww! Zevka's grimace of disgust was not an act.

Poko perched herself on the corner of the table, instead, while Beechton resumed pacing and the stoat went back to looking bored.

"I'm really good with first impressions, Zevka, and my first impression of you is that you're the sort of beast who needs somebeast else to act as your conscience and your emotional crutch. You and Mekad just screamed 'total dependence' from the first time I saw you. You're also decent with a sword, and a bit clever -- although not as much as I thought, apparently."

"She was up against you, Beech!" Poko chimed in.

Beechton chuckled. "Well, that just goes without saying. Point is, you're the sort of beast that Carrigul could use in a position of authority. Not to mention that you don't believe in their daft All-Mother."

"I was wondering how the owner of a bunch of taverns fit into their religion..." Zevka drawled.

"They found it useful to have a beast who could do their bidding in Yew -- gather information, keep an eye on Aster's doings and the Yew Guard, buy things they want, that sort of thing. They've given me plenty of gold over the years to take care of their affairs in Yew, but the way I've always seen it, they could use a few more beasts around here who recognize the All-Mother for what she is: a handy way to keep the city together. Oh, a few of them get it, but I see far too many among the leadership who have actually bought what they're selling -- and I'll be frank, that scares me a bit."

"So where do I fit into this?"

"I was going to wait until you started getting really lonely without Mekad. That's when I would have started in on you, taking you into my confidence, assigning you more sensitive things to do, that sort of thing. I would have watched you, groomed you, and eventually, brought you in as part of the next generation of Carrigul's leadership. Then Mr. Mayvery would have met his unfortunate demise soon after you got here, and you would have been left without anything to cling onto except Carrigul. Maybe I could have even found a way to blame his death on attackers from Yew."

Zevka leaned forward, rage etched on her face. "Listen, you scat-eating, manipulative --"

The fox leaned towards Zevka, his smile fading. "But you just had to come charging up here, didn't you?  Just had to go barging around the city, punching information out of beasts, killing poor Corporal Tobley, and generally making a nuisance of yourself."

"Who told you about Tobley?"

"You just did," Valash replied. "Although I was already pretty sure it was you -- he was chasing your group, after all. Did you know that he and his mate had their first ratlings on the way? I wonder what story she'll make up to explain to them why everybeast else has a papa and they do not..."

Zevka scowled at him. "Don't try guilt tripping me, Beechton."

The fox shrugged. "Okay, so I did make that last bit up." The fox's paws were twisting one of his buttons so far Zevka expected it to pop off at any moment. "The fact is, Zevka, I'm not so sure any more that there's a future here in Carrigul for you. I think you're just too hotheaded, too unstable without your emotional crutch around."

Poko slipped off the table and swaggered over to Zevka, boxing the marten's ears mockingly as she walked past.

"Face it, Zev. Yer just not the cleverest beast in the room," the ferret said to Zevka as she moved behind the marten.

Beechton opened his mouth to say something else, but paused as he suddenly heard the same sound Zevka did: the faint scrape of metal against metal, coming from where Poko was standing. The fox suddenly got a look of horror in his face, slipping his paw into his pocket.

"Scat!"

Poko finished unlocking Zevka's manacles before the fox could do anything else.

"Pretty much," the ferret quipped.

"Don't just stand there!" Beechton shouted as the stoat drew his sword and tried to move towards Zevka.

The pine marten grabbed her chair and charged the stoat, using the heavy furniture to bat his sword from his paws. She struck him several times, but he managed to grab the chair and pull it away from her, before tackling her to the ground.

Valash snarled a vicious curse, directed not at Zevka, but rather at Poko. The fox leapt over the table, paws seeking Poko's throat.

Zevka couldn't get away from the stoat, who skillfully countered all of her attempts to put him into a hold or get one of his arms into a bar. The two mustelids traded several punches and elbows, neither gaining a clear advantage. The stoat drew a knife and attempted to stab Zevka, but the marteness managed to grab his paw and guide it away from herself, before striking the knife away.

Thank you, Nessa...

Valash had Poko on the ground, and his paws were around her throat. He didn't have her paws pinned, though, and a knife appeared in one of them much faster than Zevka would have thought possible. Poko buried the knife in Beechton's stomach. The fox gave a cry and released Poko, falling back with the knife still in him.

The moment distracted the stoat just long enough for Zevka to gain an advantage. Pinning him to the ground, she slammed the back of his head onto the stone floor until her opponent went limp.

"Lying...murdering little wench!" Beechton spat blood at Poko. He opened his mouth as though to scream, but Zevka closed it with one paw as she strode over to him, the stoat's knife in her paw. The fox's eyes went wide.

"I'm going to take my paw away. If you scream for help, I am going to twist this knife like a corkscrew, and then pull it out. It'll take a long time to kill you, and it's going to hurt a lot, and that's not going to change even if somebeast comes and kills me and Poko. Do you understand."

Valash nodded, all trace of bravado completely gone.

"Good." Zevka turned to Poko. "Are you alright?"

The sprite rubbed her throat, but nodded. "I think so."

"Beechton was right about only one thing: you are a gem, Poko," the marteness said with a smile that faded as she turned back towards Valash.

The marteness punched Valash in the face as hard as she could. She pinned him to the ground with her knee, her voice a whisper.

"Beechton, I want you to look in my eyes, and see how badly I am going to hurt you if you don't tell me what I want to know. I'm not the Zevka you knew; I'm the Zevka who's been cold, hungry, scared and now ever so frustrated after days of searching for my friends. You think that just because you're probably going to die means I can't make you suffer? I can, Beechton -- those old books of mine told me all about things the body doesn't like but can still live through."

The fox whimpered for a second, and closed his eyes, but then regained his composure, eyes opening and gaze hardening.

"Mekad's been dead for weeks."

It was at this point that Zevka Blackbriar completely lost all semblance of control.

"WHO KILLED MEKAD?!? HOW DID HE DIE?!?" The marten made use of both the blade and the pommel of the knife she had taken, slashing through skin and flesh, and crushing bone. In the distance, she was vaguely aware of somebeast (was it Poko?) pleading with her to stop.

"Wa...wait!" The fox could barely choke out the words. "Not dead...he's not dead."

"WHAT?" Zevka demanded.

What was left of Beechton Valash's face formed itself into that trademark smirk. "Knew...knew you would kill me anyways. Least I made you really, truly scared. You're not going to forget that. And proved...I was right about you. You really do need somebeast else to be your conscience for you..."

Zevka leaned in close. "Where. Is. Mekad?"

Valash coughed up a bit of blood, his voice growing faint. "Number 10, Zepple Row. Go find him. Maybe you'll die trying to get him out of there. Or better...let's see what he thinks of what you had to do to get him..."

"What about Vanessa Fern, from you."

"No idea...oooh, was she important, too? I guess you'll just have to settle for one out of two..."

Beechton Valash died smirking.

"Zevka?" Poko walked over and put her arm on the marten's shoulder. "It's over." There was no mistaking the shock and horror in the ferret's voice.

Zevka threw her arms around Poko, tears welling up in her eyes. The marteness forced them back down, however. No time now.

A quick search of Valash's body yielded a generous bag of coins and a signet ring, along with lots and lots of spare buttons. Zevka took a few of the coins out of the bag to replenish her dwindling supply. Then she took Poko's trembling paw and gave her the coins and the ring.

"Poko? I...I want you take these, and find some way to get out of Carrigul."

"What? Why?" Poko looked shocked, even a bit hurt.

"Because, what we're doing here...it's likely to get us all killed, in the end. I'm going to try to rescue Mekad, but if I succeed, half the city will be out trying to kill us. That's assuming that Nyika doesn't say the wrong thing in front of Tikora, or Istvan doesn't break, or somebeast doesn't identify Noonahootin, or any number of other things that could go wrong."

"What, so you want me to just run off and leave everyone else here to die? Including you?"

Zevka shook her head. "Poko, the rest of us all have something we can actually accomplish by fighting -- I can rescue Nessa and Mekad, Noonahootin can stop any more Guardsbeasts from dying, Istvan can reclaim his religion and Nyika can fulfill the role she's taken up. You're different, though. You're still a kit. You haven't had to do the things the rest of us have had to do -- you haven't had to kill anybeast...or...or do what I just did, or what Nyika did. And I don't want you to, Poko. I don't want you to have to change."

"Zevka..."

"You should be exploring or finding another troupe or setting one up, or just...living, rather than getting caught up in our nasty little fight with Carrigul.

"Zevka..." Poko waited a beat before continuing. "What I found out last night...about Carrigul...and what they have planned and what they're capable of -- Zevka, NOWHERE is safe." The young ferret's voice was dead serious, and mature beyond her years.

"No matter where I run to or what troupe I join, Carrigul won't stop. They'll keep killing, pillaging, and ripping families and homes apart. It's a monster - a machine of heartless, selfish beasts all in it for their own benefit. It's not just Tikora or Valash or Ruark...it's this whole place! My parents were just a footnote; that landslide was just a 'tactical maneuver;' Takis's city was ravaged and destroyed for what? So they could steal their technology! Who cared about the lives it cost?"

Poko's face was dark, edged with grief as she shook her head. "They've got forges and an armory bigger than anything I ever seen or even heard of - enough weapons and armor to lay seige to...to the whole world, Zevka." She handed the gold and the signet back to the marten firmly.

"I can't do nothin' and just wait for them to come and take away everyone important to me again. They already got Nessa, Gashrock's gone, Cookie's buried in a mole hole somewhere, and now Nyika an' Istvan - an' maybe Mr. Noony! Zev - they gotta be stopped! Everything's not gonna just be okay when you find Mekad - and even if we do get everyone out of Tikora's place alive - where we gonna go that they can't follow, huh?" Poko's eyes flicked briefly toward the horror of Beechton's face and she shivered, closing her eyes and swallowing. "I saw the forges with my own eyes, and I have an idea. It might not work, but if it does...I think we'll be doing everybeast a favor."

"What did you have in mind, Poko?" Zevka asked. The ferret gave her a brief overview of her plan.

Zevka was very quiet for a moment, pondering how far Poko had come from the little kit dressed like a hedehog who had tricked Nyika into falling back into the snow. Finally, she spoke.

"Well, that will certainly put an end to them conquering anything, and it sounds like we'll have a decent chance at getting away." The marteness sighed. "I...I think I'd still rather you were far away when it happens, but you don't seem like you're in any mood to be persuaded, Poko. I think you know what you're doing."

The ferret nodded, the resolve self-evident on her face.

Zevka got up from where she sat, and started looking through some of the boxes that were in the room with  them.

"What're you looking for, Zev?"

"Some parchment, ink and wax. I figure that this is the best chance we're going to get to rescue Istvan. I'm going to make a letter that looks like it's from Beechton, saying that he wants something with Istvan, and to release Istvan into our custody."

"What'll we do about..." Poko pointed at the bodies of Beechton Valash and the stoat.

Zevka thought for a moment, then went to one of the crates and pried it open. It was mostly empty, and there was just enough room for both Valash and his enforcer. The marten wrapped Valash up in the carpet on the floor, then moved him over and put his body into the crate, then added the stoat as well. She removed her knife from Valash and wiped it off on his clothing. Then she pulled off the stoat's jerkin, and between the garment and the carpet, was able to mop up the blood on the floor. The bloodstained cloth went into the crate with Beechton and the stoat.

Zevka closed the crate, seized a hammer and nails from on top of another crate, and raised the hammer to nail the lid shut over the two bodies. Suddenly, the marteness paused, and then looked down at herself. The front of the dark jacket she had worn to dinner was covered with blood. The marteness removed it, revealing the same dark green tunic she had worn up from the mountains. She had washed it, and sewn up the arm with reasonably matching thread, but it was clearly a garment that had seen a lot of wear.

After she attempted to use it to mop up the blood that had gotten onto her face and neck, the jacket went into the crate with Beechton and the stoat, and Zevka nailed it shut.

"Well...not to be morbid, but until they start to smell, that should stop a casual searcher."

Poko grimaced, but said nothing.

"Do you want the knife back?" Zevka asked. The look on Poko's face was all the answer she needed.

"I...I'd rather not think about..." The sprite couldn't even finish her sentence.

"First time stabbing somebeast?"

"Yes." Poko looked away for a moment.

"Poko..."Zevka sheathed the knife in her belt, and then gently turned the ferret so she could look her in the eye. "You didn't do anything wrong. HE was trying to kill you. But there is nothing wrong with you being rattled and upset over it. I'd be a lot more worried if you weren't. This is going to be with you a long time, but if it helps, just remember that you didn't kill him. I did."

Poko just nodded, but didn't say anything.

"And you're a little rattled at me, too, aren't you? Wondering why I'm not more shaken up?"

In response to the first question: Poko pursed her lips and nodded vigorously, a glint of apprehension in her eyes as she met Zevka's blood-flecked face.

"I wish you hadn't seen that, Poko...and I know I went overboard." The marteness sighed. "When you spend enough time around violence, it changes you. I am the way I am because that's what my life has needed me to be. But...I don't want your life to be like mine, Poko. I want you to be able to put this all away, and not ever have to worry again about anybeast trying to kill you."

"I understand," Poko said, still not looking entirely comforted.

Zevka considered trying to talk to Poko more, but ultimately decided that now was not the time. Instead, she went over to the desk and began to rummage through it until she located a quill and inkpot. She then  wrote out two letters, sealing both of them with the ring. She gave one to Poko.

"That's for you to 'deliver' to somebeast in the city...really just a way to get you out of the building. I'm going to go find Istvan and see if I can get him out of here. The Green Campfire isn't safe any more. I'll try to find us somewhere else to stay."

"How will I find you?"

Zevka thought for a moment. "You know the place we stayed on our first night here? I'll be there around sundown."

"Okay. I'll see you then." The sprite opened the door to walk out of the room, but turned back to Zevka before departing. "Good luck."

After Poko was gone, Zevka went out of the room, shut the door behind her and walked back down the stairs. She focused on trying to look like she belonged, but couldn't stop her tail from swishing agitatedly behind her. As she walked down the corridor, the marteness stopped in front of an alcove with a washbasin and a polished brass plate that acted as a mirror. She gave her paws and face a thorough washing, making sure to scrub away any visible blood, then splashed some more water on her face, trying to smooth the fur down a bit. After straightening both her tunic and her posture a bit, she closed her eyes for a moment, breathed in, and then exhaled hard. Then she opened her eyes, and exited the alcove, feeling much more collected than before.

It did not take the marteness long to find a staircase down to the dungeon. Zevka walked up to the weasel who stood guard at the door, flashing the letter "from Beechton Valash" in his face.

"Beechton Valash sent me here to collect the otter priest, Istvan. Valash wants to use him for a side project of his, and Tikora agreed to it. She told him to have me come down and get the otter."

The weasel frowned at her. "I don't know...that doesn't seem like a normal --"

Zevka gave him a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "What's the name of your mate? And how many kits do you have?"

"What?" The weasel was beginning to look uneasy.

Zevka leaned forward. "I'm just wondering who else we'll have to 'thank' when Tikora finds out that you're obstructing something that she authorized. Or maybe you don't think Tikora has the right to just let me walk out of here with a prisoner? Is that the problem?"

"No! I didn't mean that at all! I just--"

Zevka smirked condescendingly. "Oh. You 'just' weren't sure it was worth following Tikora's order. I see. I wonder what the priests would have to say to that. I think I know just which one to tell..."

The weasel was beginning to look panicky, and Zevka seized the moment. "Or, you could just let me do my job, and I can just forget this whole little conversation."

The weasel didn't take long to make up his mind. He lead Zevka down the corridor to the cell containing a badly beaten Istvan.

"In here." The weasel unlocked the door.

"Thank you. Now why don't you go back to the front. I don't think you really want to hear too much about Tikora and Beechton Valash's business."

The weasel hurried away, not even bothering to ask Zevka if she was worried about being alone with the muscular otter.

Zevka entered the cell, and saw Istvan's face clearly for the first time. "Fates, Istvan...what have those woodpigeon-mating lunatics done to you? Can...can you see me at all through that eye?"

"No...I don't think I ever will again, Zevka." The otter's voice was full of pain, but unbroken.

"I have to get you out of here. Can you walk? Did they break any bones? I have a letter that will get us past the gate, but we have to hurry."

"I can't leave Nyika."

Zevka put her face in her paw. "Istvan, you noble, loyal, stupid beast! What possible good can you do Nyika from down here? You're no help to her if they beat you to death! Nyika has the situation under control upstairs. I'm sure Tikora doesn't suspect a thing."

Both beasts jumped at the sudden ringing of enormous bells, followed by the sound of running paws and a lot of shouting.

Zevka looked at Istvan and winced. "Yeah, I just asked for that one, didn't I? Come on, we have to leave NOW."

"If any harm has come to the Mistress of Spirits..." The otter's voice trailed off, but its dark tone left little doubt as to how that sentence would end.

Istvan got up, and the two tried to make their way out of the dungeon. On their way out, they passed the weasel, who tried to accost them, looking a good deal more frantic than he had on the way in.

"Hey! I have to go help them fight the beasts at the dinner party. Are you going to be --"Istvan punched the weasel in the face, and Zevka gave him a solid kick just for good measure.

The two had almost made it out when they found themselves surrounded by Carrigul Guards wielding long spears. Zevka sighed, feeling the lack of weight from her saber very distinctly now. Her dagger would be no good in a situation like this.

I'm sorry, Mekad. I'm sorry, Nessa. Oh, Fates, I'm so sorry.

"We surrender," Zevka said, defeated.