Quab was probablytrying to determine something about Aquitain. He strolled to theboundary of Quab’s land. At one of the corners was another barrelshaped rock inscribed with magic symbols. Aquitain concluded thatthe whole sanctuary was warded. It was unlikely that anyone couldenter or leave without Quab knowing. The druids were obviously verycautious for some reason.
Quab returned with acool fruit drink that had a strong wine base. Aquitain drank itwithout comment, knowing the wine portion would have no effect onhim.
‘Good. Let’s do someshape changing. First I’d like to observe your Logicon form, andperhaps experiment with it a little so that I can get an idea as towhere we should start.’
It was obvious toAquitain that Quab had him under scrutiny. Quab wanted to know whathe was. Perhaps he didn’t believe he was a Logicon. Perhaps hedidn’t believe he was a newman spirit in a Logicon body. It didn’treally make much difference, as Aquitain could only be what he was.So he submitted to all of Quab’s experiments.
By the afternoon he hadhad enough and wanted Quab to show him something useful. Quabstated that to fully appreciate shape changing he had toconcentrate on the detail, as it was this that made the difference.The smart shape changer studied the creature he wished to mimic forsome time before actually attempting it. Some druids spent dayswatching a creature and observing its habits; some drew picturesand others created small sculptures. All this effort was undertakenin order to know and understand the detail.
‘Imagine shape changingto a creature without a reproductive organ. All the other membersof the species would notice immediately. Attention to detail isimperative,’ he said.
Quab decided that theywould start with shape changing to a snake, as this wascomparatively easy. First he insisted on discussing the differencesbetween snakes, how some were poisonous and others not, theirstrategies for attack and defence and the subtle differences inhead shape, coloration and scale size. He then talked about howsnakes viewed the world from their lowly position on the ground,their strengths and weaknesses.
Later they starteddrawing snakes and modelling their shapes using clay. Quab’sinstructions and methods brought back memories and reinforced muchof what he had learnt from Facit back in Panmagica. Finally, hedemonstrated many important features about shape changing to snakesby changing himself, and Aquitain was most impressed by hisabilities.
Aquitain decided thathe knew enough at that stage to change to a large constrictor, andafter two hours of attending to fine details, he managed to changeto a very convincing constrictor indeed. By nightfall Quab wasquite impressed.
‘Now let’s see how muchyou have learnt,’ he said. ‘Go out of the sanctuary to the northinto the jungle, make a kill, eat it and come back. I’m hungrymyself, so I think I’ll have some dinner while you’re gone.’
Aquitain wasn’t quitesure whether Quab was jesting or not, but when he went into thecottage leaving Aquitain outside in snake form, he assumed that hemeant what he had said. So off he went slithering down to the thornbush barrier, then along it until he found a small gap to passthrough, and then off into the night.
It was quite strangebeing a hunter in the dark, sliding along silently; tasting theair, listening and feeling vibrations through the ground. Severalsmall animals detected him and sprinted off in panic. He noted thathe could detect the warmth of other creatures. After an hour ofsearching, he felt that his shape change was about to expire when alizard as large as he was suddenly attacked him, by charging down atree trunk as he was passing by, and grabbing him by the neck.
He couldn’t believethat he could be ambushed so easily. He was so immersed in watchingfor warm-blooded creatures that he had been caught by a coldblooded one, which he had not seen. He writhed around trying to geta coil around it, but it hung on biting tightly into his neck. Thereality of the situation finally hit him. It wasn’t a game anymore; the lizard wanted to eat him. He would have to cheat.
He first used a mentalpower that allowed him to toughen his skin, preventing any furtherdamage around his throat. He then reverted to his Logicon shape.The lizard still hung on, but must have been a little confused. Hethen reformed as a snake, but this time the lizard was hanging ontohis tail. He quickly struck back at the lizard, sinking his teethin around the shoulder, and started coiling his body around it andsqueezing. Moments later it shape changed into a newman. It wasQuab. ‘You win,’ he shouted. ‘Let go!’
Aquitain quickly letgo, uncoiled and shape changed back to his human form.
‘What are you playingat Quab?’ asked Aquitain, more than a little concerned. ‘I couldhave killed you!’
Quab was bleeding fromthe snakebite puncture marks across the shoulder. He whispered aprayer to the Lady and placed his hand over the bite. His handglowed momentarily and the bite puncture was gone.
‘That’s better,’ hemumbled, then added, ‘Sorry! It was supposed to be a lesson onvulnerability. Everything has an enemy. That lizard I changed tolikes eating snakes. You cheated, but you showed good initiative toswap back to your slime form and reform your snake form the otherway round. I’m impressed. Let’s call it a night and have anothersession tomorrow, if you’re still keen.’
‘How did you know Iwasn’t a real snake?’ asked Aquitain.
‘I was tracking you allthe while to make sure you didn’t get hurt. I noticed that younever looked up the trees as you slid past them. That could havebeen a fatal mistake. You must remember that everything feeds offsomething. Hunters know their victim’s weaknesses. If you shapechange you must be aware of your weaknesses, and preferably howyour enemies might exploit them.’
‘Well, you still provedyour point, Quab. You did successfully ambush me. Thanks for allyour help today, and I’m keen for another session tomorrow ifyou’ve got the time.’
‘Good then let’s makeit tomorrow at dawn.’
The two of them walkedback to Quab’s sanctuary without further discussion; each thinkingof what he had learnt about the other. Aquitain retrieved his bodyshell and returned to his workshop.
Later that nightZephira dropped in for a chat, to find
