Catfantastic II

carved from ice.' Tabler cleared his throat, shifted on the ground. 'Marian reached through a gap between the flames, to touch the woman's hand. At that moment, the woman opened her eyes. When she tried to speak to us, the flames burst into life, whipping to strike Marian.' Tabler shuddered. 'I can't get out of my mind the look in the woman's eyes and…'

'What?' urged Jariel when Tabler did not continue.

Horror tinged the scholar's voice. 'The flames began to consume the woman, though she tried to keep out of their reach. She screamed. Screamed for such a long time.' Tabler covered his face with his hands. 'We were responsible. Our presence had broken some balance of power. We could do nothing to save her. Unable to watch her destruction, we ran. Eventually we found our way back here, only to discover we couldn't leave.' Exhausted, Tabler leaned back on his elbows. 'Since then we've waited, hoping for rescue.'

Minddancer, we must go see for ourselves.

Heart spirit calls?

Come, she commanded, in a voice he knew full well not to question. Jariel obediently moved with Pacer. Just before they passed the unseen barrier, Sanja grabbed his arm.

'By the One! What do you think you're doing?'

Jariel looked from the wizard's hand to his eyes. When Sanja released him, he said, 'I am doing my job. You forget I represent Duval's Honor. What threatens our homeland must be faced by the current Belldancer. I must see if the magic centered here poses threat to our people.'

Sanja released Jariel. 'I'm sorry. You're my friend. Sometimes I forget you are more. What would you have us do?' He gestured to the guardsmen.

Belldancer thought a moment. 'Send a messenger back to tell Lord Davan what has occurred. Have him bring supplies and a Healer for Marian. On the chance Pacer and I can win them free, have them bring a Utter also. There's no way they could ride.'

Minddancer!

'I come,' he said aloud so all could hear. Just as he crossed the barrier, Sanja called,

'Take one of the lanterns. It'll be dark in those caves.'

Jariel nodded, picked one up, and followed Pacer into the dim interior. Pacer caught the scent of Marian and Tabler. It seemed that hours passed as they moved from one cave to the next, often having to backtrack. From above came a constant scraping of wings and claws. Once the lantern light struck just right and Jariel saw a mother bat cradling her young while it nursed at her breast. He found it odd that such an alien beast cared for its young as humans did. No wonder Scholar Tabler studied them.

Minddancer, I smell burnt flesh.

Though he strained to catch the odor, they had to walk several paces more before he picked it up. In the distance the dim orange light Tabler had described broke the darkness. Jariel wanted his hands free to meet any danger, so outside the chamber he set down the lantern. As they crossed into the cave, Pacer murmured, her mind voice a whisper,

My heart spirit pounds with the residue of power just released here. She padded over to the plinth and sniffed at its base.

Beware! She turned suddenly and leaped, knocking Jariel to the stone floor.

The walls flared with orange light. Whiplike flames of icy white curled up from the edges of the plinth. Behind the white fire the ashes of the dead woman stirred and became a miniature whirlwind.

About them sounded a hum, a deep bass note that vibrated through Jariel. Through his touch on Pacer's body he could feel that thrumming. The light flaked away from walls and ceiling. Each sun-tinged mote spun in independent motion, casting its own light. Those gathered above the plinth formed an orange whirlwind. The tip of that sparkling mass spun down into the swirling body ashes, merging with them. Now the white-ice flames, edging the plinth, curved back from the magic storm, arching down like petals to almost touch the floor.

Jariel was aware of Pacer's claws piercing his leather breeks, but the pain did not distract him from what he saw forming from the mixture of body ashes and orange sparks.

Bones. With each rotation of the magic force, muscles, organs, breasts, then skin were layered on that skeletal foundation.

The sound changed, turned into the pulsating beat of a heart. Now the chest wall of the re-formed woman heaved, then the rhythm grew steady. The last of the sparks and ashes drifted down over her, leaving behind sun- silver body hair. Her eyes opened and focused on him.

Jariel leapt to his feet and raced toward her. For perhaps a count of three breaths no flames showed and she was free. She ventured to move, to speak. Like striking snakes the petals of flame curled back into place, fire dancing about her. She screamed.

Pacer! We must do something. Jariel stretched his hands out to wrench her from the plinth.

With a leap Pacer grabbed the back of the man's leather vest and jerked. No! Don't touch her. Pacer reared to set both paws on Jariel's chest, knocking him from his feet. Grief tinged her mind voice. There is nothing we can do. The cycle has begun again.

Dazed, Jariel asked, Cycle?

She'll be consumed, then reformed repeatedly. Pacer sat back, tail flicking back and forth. Her gray-gold eyes met his. There is more at stake here than just the woman.

Jariel tried to concentrate, but the woman's screams ripped through him. More important than preventing the death of a human being?

Pacer touched his face with her nose. That rare sign of affection comforted him. He breathed deeply and rolled on his side away from the plinth, refusing to look up. What are you trying to tell me? What did she say before the fire struck? Jariel suppressed the urge to wring Pacer's neck. How could she answer him with a question now? It didn't make much sense. She said to bring her her shadow. Pacer turned. Look behind you. He stood. Turned. Then froze. A shadow had formed on the wall, but not a human one. Across the rough stone the shadow's contortions were painful to behold. A great rack of antlers nearly touched its back and dark wings fought to fly from the torment consuming it. What's the shadow of an immortal Pierdon doing here? Memory stirred-what did he know-not enough! Jariel all but growled when Pacer spoke. What is its source?

Belldancer studied it. The Pierdon reared, shadow hooves slashing. From its back legs a fainter streak of darkness crossed the cave floor, flowed up the plinth to the woman! He cringed at the sight of her blackened flesh. Pacer, isn't there anything we can do? At this moment, no. Now, what is the shadow's source? She is. But why doesn't she cast her own? At that moment memory clicked in and he knew.

No. It's not possible. He knelt down, eyes level with Pacer's. Is this the lost one the Pierdon have searched for all these years?

It is. One of their own has carried the burden of the woman's shadow all this time. Now that the balance of power is broken Baltaz's doom is upon them both. Their eyes met with perfect understanding. Jariel quoted one of her teachings back to her. The one who sees a problem is responsible for its solution. Pacer butted his shoulder,

Come on, let's go.

Wait. I want to check something. Jariel walked over to the wall where the Pierdon's shadow crawled. This whole thing is odd, but should a shadow be so thick?

Don't touch it! Pacer sniffed the wall, nose almost touching the shadow. She growled. This is the outer shell of an evil more foul than you can imagine. Look at the hind legs.

A wave rippled up the shadow legs and on throughout the dark body. Where it moved, the shadow thickened. The wave then reversed its course, traveling back to the ashy remains from which it came. What does it mean?

It's her life force. Now let's get out of here.

Jariel paused long enough to pick up Tabler's lantern. Quickly he followed Pacer. She was difficult to see in this light. Because she was a camilacat, Pacer's fur took on the coloration of the objects nearest her. Now she was all shades of gray. Tiny threads of red coursed up and down her guard hairs where the lantern light touched her.

Jariel came to a complete stop. By the great sea, Pacer, how am I to get past the