Page 58 (1/2)

Takea lay behind, an arrow through her throat

Wistala went to her side

"Bats! Some bats here!" Wistala called

"It doesn’t hurt, Wistala," Takea whispered Wistala put her head close to the drakka to better hear her words "I can feel the wound It is bad, isn’t it? But it doesn’t hurt Strange" She still wore the brown beak on her head Wistala thought the horn-lines in it et that shaft out and close you up You’ll sit the rest of this fight out"

Takea tapped her tail Wistala heard her hearts fluttering "Sister, do not lie toWe loosed HaVok himself on them, didn’t we?"

"For a while," Wistala said She’d failed She’d failed her sisters in the Fire’s fancy-dreas next year I wonder if soht like this to my na from deep in the pocket of flesh behind her ear It was the rabbit’s foot "Tell Zathan--I an to pant

Wistala, half choking and blinking tears, looped the little ring on her wing-spur

Takea’s voice grew quiet and clear "Pity the huh, Wistala I ons would even and caons could even--"

Her head lolled and her body see-cases

The Drakwatch pried Paskinix, with some difficulty, out of his hole He, of course, had a hidden exit, but the bats had discovered it and an expert blighter thrall-netter waited where the bolt-hole joined river-tunnel

Paskinix showed adht hiaunt the Copper wondered if a soft tail-tap would pass right through hirown armor looked oversized, some old trophy of a ancestral deman worn in tribute, perhaps

The Copper ordered food to be brought Paskinix, sensibly, did not even e swinging dean to stuff himself

"Not too much, or you’ll

"My last meal, I suppose, now that you’ve holed me at last," Paskinix said "May as well enjoy it"

"I am ready to make peace if you are," the Copper said

"Peace? With what? My people are destroyed"

"This old war is noton when I came here"

Paskinix swished out his mandibles and spat on the floor "We have clai It was here the sun-shard fell to earth, and it was here the first deht Only the Eternals are older than ourselves"

"All the ive you a voice in the Lavadome, my old friend"

"Our people have shown a curious brand of friendship"

"We’ve forged a history We’ve learned to respect each other Out of that respect, cooperation can blooardens here atop the rock, and the blueblooer than ever since I put the I could show you the old pools one of my predecessors put in, a very fine set of caves, and I know you like things warm and moist and comfortable Perhaps you could move your household there te?"

"I ae Were I to have conquered the Lavado you to the most comfortable cavern off the Wisterfall"

"You’ve played so many tricks yourself you expect theenerous, it is because I wish your help as an ally"

"Ally? All ether would hardly be a ons"

"Ah, but you count your experience in the Lower World cheap I aed in a war on the surface"

"Then I wish you fortune The Red Queen burned out our sun-o"

The Copper wondered what a sun-mine was but decided not to ask

"Would you care to play one last trick? Strike one ainst your surface enemy?"