[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
and something else that could not have been handier; streams, rivers, lakes and waterways of all kinds.
"Beautiful work, isn't it?" Sybil said proudly. "He made it himself. He's very clever at that sort of thing,
quite aside from his prowess as a master of disguise."
"Who?" Colin asked.
"The man you must go see-an old beau of mine." Her cheeks glowed burgundy. "The mighty and
mysterious, but really very nice, Wizard Raspberry. If anyone can help you, he can."
"I must not fail again, O Wulfric," the nymph said, clenching her dainty fist and shaking it for emphasis. "I
must not disappoint the Dark Pilgrim. He needs the beasts for his great work, to ensure the triumph of
our cause."
Wulfric whined agreement and insinuated his snout into her fist. He had finished feeding and had come to
make his report, to find Her sorely distracted, pacing the hive-like base camp like a caged thing while
Her comrades swarmed through the caves, lashing together fresh-stripped poles to gate the entrances of
two of the caves. She planned that these should serve as corrals where more than a single unicorn could
be held; she could thus avoid the arduous trip to Worm's Roost after each capture.
But She had not succeeded in capturing the beast She most recently sought to win for the cause, and
blamed Herself.
Wulfric had retained his wolf form so that She might take comfort in caressing his fur and talking to him
as She never did when he was in human guise. He hated changing into man form anyway. He did not
enjoy having to walk on two legs, and losing so much of his sense of smell. He was a fine wolf, but a
poor specimen of a man; the way other men treated him when he was one of them told him so. Even She
liked him better as a wolf, as he knew from her behavior. So he waited to transform himself awhile
longer, and licked her hand instead.
"I have a confession to make, loyal friend," she confided. "I know the reason I failed. The last unicorn
was denied me-for she was there, I promise you-because I have spared, from foolish sentiment, another
beast, she who purifies the stream I used to guard near the hamlet of Everclear. I have harbored a weak
sympathy for the townsmen who know of the animal and depend on her, but now I see that neither my
attachment for them nor theirs for the beast must interfere with our great task. If the townsmen seek to
prevent us from taking the beast, they will have to be dealt with." And she smiled bravely down at him
and tossed her golden curls back over her shoulders in a determined gesture.
With an excited whimper full of love for his mettlesome little leader, Wulfric began the process that
altered his form, and in a few moments stood up beside her as the counterfeit Count Jivemgood.
"Ah, Sally," he said. "Am I not your faithful servant in all you would accomplish? I bring you great good
news that will end your self-reproach and help you achieve all you desire." He had to tame his voice back
down from an elation-escalated howl before he could continue. "For at that castle did I not meet a great
and bloody warrior to help you win your cause? Even now does he not travel in seven-league boots to
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
meet you and to help us capture beasts and to school our comrades in warrior ways? And did I not also
see another unicorn coming this way, and on his back the female who is the reviled kin of the Dark
Pilgrim? Will not the vanquishment of those two be pleasing to the Dark Pilgrim?"
Sally leapt to her feet and threw her arms around him, kissing his hairy cheek. "Oh, it will, Wulfric, surely
it will indeed! You're a staunch companion if ever any girl had one! I'm certain the Dark Pilgrim will
reward you by finding a way to release you from your affliction so you'll never have to turn back into a
man again, even in broadest daylight.
"And, oh, I know you're very tired, but perhaps we could go together, I in my whirlwind and you in wolf
form, to greet our new ally? I can show him the way back here, while you lure that other beast and the
traitor-girl within reach of our band."
"It is good, your plan," Wulfric agreed, and dropped to all fours.
After a restless night and a good breakfast, Colin and Maggie stuffed their saddlebags full of fresh
raspberry tarts; some for themselves and some a present from Aunt Sybil to the wizard. Adding to these
two rounds of cheese, a loaf of bread apiece, and a cloth bag of salted seeds and nuts, they mounted.
"I'll keep a close watch in my crystal," Sybil promised, as Maggie leaned down from Moonshine's back
to give her a final peck on the cheek. "If I see anything that could be useful to you, I'll send a message by
Budgie." Budgie, Aunt Sybil's familiar, usually flew freely in the forest near the cottage, but was always
available to carry whatever messages his mistress had to send. He trilled now from his perch at the
windowsill, as if in affirmation that they needn't worry; he was on the job.
Thus reassured, the travelers set out. They journeyed for two days, following the wizard's map, and
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]