Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night,
The time of night when Troy was set on fire;
The time when screech-owls cry and ban-dogs howl,
And spirits walk and ghosts break up their graves,
That time best fits the work we have in hand.
– William Shakespeare, King Henry VI, Part 2

The Noble Forest is unusually well lit for the late evening. Flickeringlight cuts eerie shadows along the ground and casts the world in sinisterred and orange. Curled up in a secluded hiding place, a certain fox isstartled awake by distant wailing and cries of panic. The forest observessilently, respectful of the fierce hunger of the flames that consumeDarkside. Nearby in the Bazaar there are shouts of workers and animals aslivelihoods are bundled and carried off in haste.

Zephyr jumps to his feet, his sensitive nose twitching with the smell ofsmoke heavy in the air, panic in his eyes. All creatures of the forestinstinctively fear fire, and Zephyr still carries much of his ancestors'spirit. After calming for a moment, realizing that the fire is far off inDarkside, he turns, looking for Wyn, sniffing the air and wrinking hismuzzle at the smoke. "Wyn?! Where are you?"

The gray wolf is nowhere to be seen.

Glass shatters only a few hundred yards away within the City walls. Angryshouts accompany the clamor, followed by two sharp reports. New voices jointhe chorus and the clang of weapon-on-weapon can be heard just over thewall. Fire brightens the sky as a small building just inside the city isput to the torch.

Zephyr looks around, the panic in his eyes replaced by concern. "Wyn?!" Hetries to catch her scent, follow her trail, but the smoke carried on thewind frustrates his efforts. He sneezes, eyes watering as a breeze carriesacrid smoke and flakes of ash past him. "Wyn?" o O { She's probablyalright, wouldn't have run _towards_ the fire… Calm down, I just have towait till the smoke clears, then I can track her… }

Zephyr's ears flick at the reports from the city. o O {Gunshots.} He turnsto look at the blazing vista, the flickering light reflecting in his eyes.o O {Wonder if I could get some abandoned stuff down there… but if they'reshooting… }

There is movement at the base of the wall nearby. A cloaked form exits froma concealed doorway and bolts into the forest away from Zephyr's position,carrying a heavy bundle.

The fox's ears prick up as he catches the motion out of the corner of hiseye, and turns to observe. o O {This looks interesting. Wyn… isn'therself, but she's as skilled a hunter as me. She'll be okay in hidinguntil we find each other again, as long as the fire doesn't come this way.I hope.} He ducks low, moving quickly and silently off on a courseintercepting that of the cloaked figure.

The cloaked figure is average height and stockily built. It moves with alumbering gait in the shadows near the road, heading into the NobleQuarter.

Zephyr keeps to the shadows as he moves to intercept the running shadow,staying downwind, his padding steps silent, every sense alert… a predatorstalking his prey. Closer, and closer he moves, moving to cut off… whoeveror whatever it is before they can reach the safety of the noble's quarter.o O {Not a peasant, to go there… Wonder if that's treasure of some kind?}

A cart carrying four Zelak and a grimfaced raccoon dressed in regaliathunders down the road. It heads for the City Gate, which has been closed.A heated shouting match ensues between the raccoon and the members of theGate Guard.

The cloaked figure ducks into the bushes as the cart speeds by, staying hidden.

Zephyr ducks quickly into silent shadows as the cart passes, thenslowly… carefully emerges, creeping closer to the cloaked figure, testingthe air to try to identify just what it is. Always best to know one's preybefore pouncing it.

An ursine mark is heavy in the air, mixed with a telltale alcohol scent.

Zephyr thinks o O {Bear… and… alcohol? Good. Dulled reflexes. All thebetter.} He creeps closer, and closer, approaching the figure silently frombehind, timing his steps to match that of the figure, moving almost in acrouch, until he's just behind it… and then extends his claws, slamming apaw down in a piercing, needlelike grip on the figure's shoulder andhissing in as menacing a voice as he can manage. "Drop it. Now."

Zephyr stands to his full height as he speaks, his white teeth showingrazor-sharp in the glow from the city.

The figure grunts, freezing. "Fire and smoke – let me pass," it growls."My master… Lord _Lowenthall_, awaits. Can you not see the crest on myscarf?"

The figure shivers.

The bear's cloak conceals it entirely. It is unclear whether it actuallywears a scarf at all.

Not far away the Gate Guard finally raises the portcullis for the raccoonand his soldiers.

Zephyr presses his claws into the bear's shoulder, hissing into its ear,and lightly jabbing it in the back with the tip of a claw on his other paw."I don't care who you serve.", he hisses. "And I don't particularly carefor the lords of this place, either. Now… tell me what's in the package?"

A horn sounds in the distance.

Zephyr chuckles lowly. "And if the name Shadowspite means anything to you,you may well be wise to cooperate, hmm?"

The bear shifts its weight to balance forward, gripping the bundle in twopaws. "It's not worth my life," it growls. "I'll drop it, then run up theroad. I've no weapons."

Zephyr chuckles quietly, menacingly again, and begins to relax his grip onthe bear's shoulder. "Good choice, servant. Drop it, and be gone. I'mfeeling… merciful tonight."

The bear drops the bundle lightly to the ground and dashes off up the roadinto the forest as fast as he can run. He doesn't spare a look backwards.

Zephyr waits, ears focused on the sound of the bear's retreat until he'ssure it's well out of range… and then he takes a deep breath. o O {Inever… acted like that before. Is that… Shadowspite, her memories, stillwith me, deep down?} He takes a few more deep breaths, then crouches toinspect the bundle. o O {What's this, now?}

The bundle is a tightly-wrapped blanket tied with thin rope. The scent ofalcohol is strong.

Zephyr traces a clawtip along the thin ropes until they split, thencarefully unwraps the blanket. o O {Alcohol? Good to sell, perhaps… }

The blanket contains half a bottle of sweet liquor with a leaky cap, fiftyone-sheckel coins, a large chitin key, a loaf of alcohol-soggy bread, and awaxed yellow cheese round. The latter weighs almost twenty pounds and makesup the greater part of the mass.

Zephyr smiles at his good fortune. o O {Well now! As soon as I find Wyn,this will make a good departure from squirrels and fish. Plus the cheesewill keep, and I can sell this liquor. Wonder what the key's to?} Zephyrquickly wraps the bundle back up in the blanket, rising and departing fromthe dangerous open space of the road. He quickly disappears back into theforest, padding towards his sleeping place in hopes of finding Wyn.

A soft voice wufs to Zephyr from the shadows of his camp. "Just me," it claims.

Zephyr jumps!, and then relaxes as he recognizes the voice. His tailswishes softly as he pads towards the sound. "Wyn… I was worried aboutyou… "

Wyn steps out of the shadows wearing a heavy cloak that obscures herspecies and gender. Her tail is hidden under the cloak, and she walks witha staff as if she were aged.

Ferral cries and the clash of metal are heard nearby, a flurry of action,and then silence…

Zephyr blinks, and smiles softly. "Where did you get all that? I wasworried, when I woke up, you were gone, the city was on fire, and Ijust… " He trails off, just… looking quietly at Wyn for a long moment."I… um… got us some things. Dinner. Are we safe here, or should we movefurther out?"

Wyn softly wufs, "I woke when it got quiet."

Wyn looks out behind Zephyr, over his shoulder. "There's a landed furbehind you to the north. To the west is more road. I know that area well.It would probably be a good idea to head that way."

Wyn doesn't sound happy about that prospect in the slightest.

Zephyr tilts his head quietly at Wyn's expression, but he doesn't sayanything. "Alright," he whispers. "I have some things for you, too. Money,and food for both of us. When we find a safe place." He jumps at sounds nottoo far off, as fighting spills out of the city. "This isn't safe here."

Wyn softly wufs, "Food? It smells more like drink."

The robed wuf looks Zephyr up and down, sniffing the air.

The moonlight dims as a pillar of smoke rises up from somewhere in the cityand spreads itself above you…

Zephyr chuckles softly. "The liquor in there is leaky, it got all in thebread." He shifts the bundle a little. "There's a nice, big cheese in here,though, too. And a lot of coins."

Wyn reaches up and pulls her hood back. She tilts her head to the side,studying the fox.

Zephyr tilts his head to quietly regard Wyn back, his eyes still showing atrace of concern for having found her gone earlier. "Um… Do you have anypockets? Let's move somewhere safer, and I think it'd be best if you heldall the money." He looks down at his fur. "I… don't have any pockets." Hesmiles softly again at the wolf. "I'm just glad you're okay… "

Wyn thinks . o O { Smells like a bear's stuff. Resourceful, he is. }

Wyn says, "I don't want to carry anything that makes noise."

Wyn says, "There are two inner pockets."

Zephyr's nose twitches as he tries to pick up any scents on Wyn's attire."Good idea. If we find any large leaves, we can wrap coins inthem… that'll quiet them."

Wyn disappears into the bushes and returns with her own blanket. Sheunrolls it on the ground. "Put them here. I got to carry this anyway. It'llbe quiet enough, and I can ditch it first sign of trouble."

Zephyr nods, kneeling and untying his bundle. He quickly separates thecoins, tucking them into folds of Wyn's blanket, then rewraps his ownbundle. "Shall we move off somewhere safer and… have dinner? This cheesewill be a welcome break, I'm tired of squirrells too."

Wyn's scent is confused with that of another wolf's, a female's. There'sstill fear scent about the cloak, though it is wearing off.

Zephyr inhales the scent from the cloak, but says nothing. o O {K'hrai. Ishould have gotten that bear's cloak.}

Zephyr glances off towards the burning city again, and shudders slightly atthe motion of the Zelak guards around the walls. "Bugs… "

Wyn rolls the coins up in the blanket and ties it. She carries it under herright arm.

Zephyr looks quietly at Wyn for a long moment again, then points to thewest. "This way? There's some place to hide?"

Wyn leads Zephyr a couple of miles into the forest to a tiny clearing nextto a gurgling stream. Dense sticker bushes crowd the edges of the clearing,making it a perfect hiding place that is not discoverable from any anglejust by looking. The bushes are covered with air bladders which raise thefronds up towards the light.

Wyn grows quieter with every step west. By the time she reaches the thickether ears are all the way back and her fur is foofed out entirely.

The fox's ears flatten involuntarily as he sees Wyn's reactionto… something, and he becomes more alert. Moving up beside her, he givesher a silent, questioning glance, but doesn't ask directly.

Wyn whispers, "We're not on public land. There's a manse about a quartermile from here, stripped to the walls."

Zephyr blinks. "Stripped? As in looted?" He glances around. "Are we safe, here?"

Wyn whispers, "Don't know. The place has been crawling with bugs for days.New bugs, or the old ones come back. I can't tell them apart."

Wyn sits down tiredly.

Zephyr nods quietly, whispering as well. "If we keep watch… I know whatthose bugs smell like now." He settles down, quietly untying the blanketand spreading out the food. "Hungry?", he whispers.

Wyn nods.

Zephyr smiles and pushes the cheese towards Wyn. "Still have that knife?The… bread may be a bit strong, I think. It's kind of soused."

Wyn hands Zephyr the knife.

Zephyr starts to slice the cheese into halves, but, as subtly as he can,manages to slice Wyn's portion significantly larger before dividing it intoholdable pieces. He glances at her, hoping she hadn't noticed.

Wyn snifs the cheese and eats it with bread, taking big bites.

Wyn whispers, "Bleah. Glad I don't hafta taste it to eat it."

Wyn snickers, "I wouldn't want to meet the animal that gave up the milk forthat."

Zephyr munches on bread and cheese, and chuckles softly. "Eat it, don'tthink too much about it. Although if I eat too much of this drunk bread, Idon't think I'd care if it was moving."

Zephyr blinks, and thinks to himself. o O {She snickered… that's the firsthappiness I've seen from her here.} He smiles, looking softly at Wyn whilehe eats.

Wyn eats a bit more and stops. She hugs her knees close and rests her headthere. She shuts her eyes.

Zephyr whispers softly. "Wyn? Want me to take first watch? And… are youalright?"

Wyn whispers, "Don't watch. The bugs are so thick their shells go all theway through their heads. They won't bother us unless someone points us outto them, and then we'd not much warning anyway."

Wyn whispers, "Just counting numbers. I do it when I'm stressed. I don'tknow why; a compulsive habit, I guess. It's calming."

Zephyr freezes suddenly as a feeling of deja vu comes over him. Heremembers his dream all of a sudden, he hadn't recovered that memory yet.Of Wyn, as she is now… with amber eyes. He shivers a little, then looks upas she speaks. "Alright." Still in a sense of deja vu, as if he's relivingthat dream, he quietly moves closer to the wolf, beside her, slowly so asto not startle her, and curls his tail gently around behind her as hesettles down to rest. Except this time… it's real. "If it's calming,that's good. Wyn… I… this might sound strange, but I dreamed of seeingyou like this… before I found you. Exactly as you are. I don't know whatthat means."

Wyn whispers, "My thoughts chase circles when it's quiet. Yesterday, Iremembered that I like tomatoes, a red… erk."

Wyn tenses and splays her ears back. She looks down at the ground, awayfrom Zephyr.

Wyn whispers, "Don't. I can't."

Zephyr winces quietly. "I know… you can't see color. I know. It'salright… And memory will keep coming back to you like that. A little at atime." He pauses as he sees Wyn tense, and whispers. "If you don't… wantto be close next to anyone yet, I understand… It's okay."

Zephyr nods softly and moves a bit away. "I understand. Relax, and rest.I'll be close, but not too close. Whatever you're comfortable with."

Zephyr quietly retrieves the blanket his bundle was in. Moving slowly so asnot to startle her, he softly tucks it around Wyn's shoulders, then backsoff to a comfortable distance to rest, looking up at the stars.

Wyn pictures Zephyr in her mind, saying the words. { Zephyr must have knownme well, once. He hasn't named his claim on me, but he's nearly said asmuch roundabout. All the worry and fuss, like I'll break if he's notcareful. }

Wyn pulls the blanket around her, not voicing the scream in her throat. {Mebbe he's right, } O o . she thinks to herself.

Wyn whisperwufs, "Tell me something I should know. Anything. Something I'veforgotten."

Zephyr watches the stars overhead. Once again… different, unfamiliarconstellations. But he doesn't feel lost, not with the knowledge of thepresence close by… though every time he thinks of how she's been hurt, hehas to fight to keep his feral side down. The side that wants to seek outwhoever did this to her and tear them to pieces, that wants to… He pausesas she speaks.

Zephyr thinks, and responds, whispering softly. "Tea, and cookies… Wyn,you… we used to live in a cave, your cave. And one of your favorite thingsto do was to relax in pillows by a warm fire, with a cup of your favoritetea… orange spice. And you used to love to read romance novels, you had ahuge collection, larger than any I'd ever seen, and you loved them… "

Wyn thinks . o O { Can't find stability in myself, and the world is anightmare. Sanity must be 'out there' somewhere. It is wrong to look for itin this fox. I know that, when I'm not the person he remembers. Where elseis there to turn? }

Wyn halfsmiles.

Zephyr tilts his head, halfsmiling back… "Wyn… I know you've forgottenthis all. I just want you to know that I want to help you bring it back,slowly, over time. You've changed, I know. So have I. Some things I've donenow, the 'old' you wouldn't recognize, even. You're still you, even if Ihave to remember some things for you for a while.

Wyn whispers, "I had time to read?"

Zephyr looks up at the stars again. "The past few weeks have shown me whatan easy life I _had_ before. And now… what they say, 'whatever doesn'tkill us makes us stronger'." He looks back at Wyn again. "I'd say we shouldbe pretty strong now."

Zephyr sighs. "Yes. We both had a much easier life. No struggling tosurvive, the only thing we had to fight was… paperwork. We just didn'tknow how good we had it. You had time to read, so did I. We had time toexplore just for fun… "

Wyn flikfliks her ears, thinking of a fierce lion and an unmatched hunt.

Zephyr looks down. "I was healed by a mage, you know. Otherwise I probablywouldn't be here. I had both legs broken, one arm, half my ribs… and a lotof other injuries."

Wyn turns the word 'tea' over in her head, discovering personal andcompletely foreign feelings attached to the sound of it. No image comes tomind, but she remembers a bitter taste.

Zephyr watches Wyn. "Are you remembering something?", he whispers.

Wyn shakes her head. "No. Just a bitter taste," she whispers.

Zephyr's eyes are soft, understanding as he watches the wolf. "Tea isbitter, Wyn. That's a start. It's going to take time… a long time. If Ican help you sort or place thoughts or images as they come back… "

Zephyr thinks… "That's the only thing you liked that was bitter. You likedcookies and other sweets, but that… you're probably remembering tea. Justplay with the thought, let it form itself."

Wyn whispers, "There's no way home, is there."

Wyn opens her eyes and studies Zephyr for his reaction to the question.

The fox shakes his head quietly. "No, Wyn, there's not. Not to that life.But… I've been bounced from world to world, and I have a different idea of'home'. Home isn't a place, a structure, or even a world. It's somewherewhere you know you're not alone. You can make _anywhere_ home… as long asyou're not alone."

Wyn thinks . o O { He's optimistic. Is that what I'm asking for? Optimism?Or am I looking for confirmation? }

Wyn whispers, "I'd settle for 'safe'."

Wyn halfsmiles. "Maybe the not alone part, too."

Wyn says, "Answer a question for me?"

Zephyr nods softly. "I'll do my best. As long as I'm around… I'll do mybest to keep you safe. I promise that. And… " He halfsmiles too. "Wyn, Iwas alone for a year, in a universe all by myself. It's… important."

Zephyr's ears perk. "Of course… "

Wyn thinks . o O { Are we… }

Wyn says, "Er."

Zephyr tilts his head and listens?

Wyn thinks . o O { Drat. I can't ask it. }

Zephyr watches with calm eyes, his ears swiveling. He whispers. "Wyn,whatever it is, go ahead and ask… "

Wyn says, "Er… don't leave the thicket, OKie? Especially not to the Manse."

Wyn thinks . o O { That was lame. }

Wyn splays her ears.

Zephyr blinks and nods. "Alright… I won't." He watches Wyn quietly,tilting his head again. o O {That's not what she was going to ask.}

Wyn whispers, "I'm sorry. This is the safest place I can think of 'causeit's the last place they'd look for me, but I oughtn't have brought youhere. We're trapped together for a day or so, until things die down in thecity. Then it should be safe to leave."

Zephyr blinks. "But why sorry? If you hadn't brought me here, and I didn'tknow if you were safe… then I'd be upset. Wyn, I'd rather be trapped withyou than safe without you.

Wyn halfsmiles.

Zephyr looks down a little. "It's something I don't know if I canexplain… but I'm going to always put your safety before mine."

Wyn thinks . o O { Ack! }

Zephyr looks up again and halfsmiles. "Besides, we have this… wonderfulcheese for rations."

Wyn whispers, "Be still, my heart."

Wyn swishes her tail.

Zephyr chuckles softly and swishes his tail a little, then curls up torest. "Sleep well, Wyn. I'll be right here if you need me."

Wyn drifts off into sleep, her dreams a tumble of half-remembered imagesand names that aren't connected to each other.