Aquitain stoodthinking about the problem with the Trixies. It sounded like a jobfor her. She could go there, change to bear form and simply attackthe rats while wearing mind clay armour. However, what if she wentberserk again she wouldn’t know Trixie from rat she could killeverything.
‘You were simply magnificent my Lady.’ saidSlivver.
‘Might I make a suggestion about how we might tackle the ratproblem?’
‘What is it.’ queried Aquitain rather tersely.
‘Lord Darkmantle has a lot of hunting hounds. You can hearthem baying right now. The smell of the fresh blood is working themup into a frenzy. Perhaps we could borrow them to help eliminatethe rats attacking the Trixies.’
Aquitainthought about it for a few moments.
‘It’s a good idea but they don’t know me and as a resultwouldn’t obey my commands.’ he replied.
‘They would if you were their leader.’ statedSlivver.
‘I’m no druid like Miranda. I can’t communicate with them.’replied Aquitain not quite sure of what Slivver wassuggesting.
‘If you shape changed to look like them and killed theircurrent leader you would be their new leader.’ repliedSlivver.
‘I don’t know how to change to their form.’ saidAquitain.
‘Is a bear that different from a dog.’ askedSlivver.
‘I guess not’ agreed Aquitain. I guess if I could see one Icould look like one.’
‘I’m worried about going berserk again. I might kill all ourTrixie friends.’ he replied.
‘I heard you use the word ‘forbearance’ and your whole ragewent away. If I’m not wrong that’s how to stop you. I can shout itto you if you get carried away again.’
‘Okay I suppose it’s worth a try.’ Agreed Aquitain not happythat Slivver knew the word of control implanted in hismemory.
Darkmantle hadfinished his attack plan with his officers and sergeants whenAquitain approached him.
‘Have you worked out what you are going to do about the ratsand Trixies.’ asked Darkmantle. ‘I’m sorry I haven’t got enough mento help you much.
‘Would you mind if I borrowed your hunting dogs?’ askedAquitain.
‘By the sound of them they are itching for afight.’
‘I suppose they would help a lot. They’re bloody tough andvery vicious but can you handle a pack of dogs?’ askedDarkmantle.
‘Perhaps.’ replied Aquitain.
‘Well you’re welcome to try but keep on top of them or they’lltear you to shreds. Talk to the keeper in the kennel first he cantell you how we teleport them out of here. I’m sorry I’ll have togo. Good luck with the rats.’
Aquitainarrived at the kennel to find that all the hounds were kept in alarge enclosure and were quite agitated as they had heard thefighting. When they smelt the fresh blood on his body they wentwild, howling, growling, snapping and jumping at the wall of theirenclosure.
There was onlyone elderly animal handler around and he quickly said that ifAquitain went near them she would be ripped to pieces. The alphamale in the pack was extremely vicious and could only be controlledby the head keeper with great difficulty. They had a collar on himthat could channel a shock to pacify him if necessary, but thecontrolling device was missing.
Aquitain lookedin at the pack and could see that they were quite agitated andready to fight anything. Only the alpha male would be able tocontrol them. So he had to get the alpha male on side. He thumpedthe side of the kennel gate to gauge the response and the alphamale attacked the gate ferociously.
‘By the Powers, they look vicious?’ said Aquitain.
‘I think you had better give up the idea of using them, myLady.’ said the elderly keeper.
Aquitain firstcovered herself with mind clay armour then after getting theteleport details he asked the old animal handler to open the gatewhen she gave the command. She changed her body shape to look likethe Alpha male and adjusted her size to be two hands larger.
Aquitaintoughened her skin and tried to imagine she was as tough and meanas a bear. She knew that if you wanted respect as an animal she hadto be the meanest and toughest around. Blood lust seeped into hereyes, her hair stood on end, and saliva trickled from her mouth asshe turned to the keeper and using mindspeak commanded.
‘Open … gate … now!’
The terrifiedhandler fumbled the gate open while Aquitain let out a psychicscream and charged in straight at the alpha male. The scream scaredhalf the pack and they scurried backwards, but several others stoodbehind the alpha male with bared fangs although perhaps a littleless confidant than they might have been. Aquitain met the big malehead on with a resounding thump. Both went berserk, they latchedand tore, bit and slashed, blood and hair flew with such ferocitythat the other dogs quickly backed off letting just the Aquitainand their leader fight it out.
They jumped androlled, pounced, leaped, bit and slashed at each other all over thepen until finally Aquitain managed to get the alpha male around thethroat and hang on with a death grip. A minute later it was over.He climbed off the dead dog and let out a victory howl that filledthe keeper with horror, then looked around for any challengers,none responded. He had them. He sat down to get his breath backwith his back to the wall while mentally chanting the mantra ofcalming.
He sent them amental image of the hunt. They responded with a howl. He sent thema mental image of him and them killing big rats and they respondedwith more howls, growls and barks.
‘Now the tricky bit.’ he thought.
He sent them animage of him transforming into Miranda’s form. They were quiet. Hesent them an image of her transforming into a hound again andattacking them ferociously. They got the idea so he changed intothe Miranda form and walked amongst them so they knew the form aswell. He then changed to the hound form again just so that theyremembered clearly and he walked among them. They understood. Hetrotted to the gate and sent a mindspeak message to the handler toopen the gate then howled.
The hunt was onand off they ran. Aquitain and his pack of twenty-two huntinghounds were
