"Heart of the Crown" Chapter 32

[seymoure]

Chapter 32

The Zazzcats

The cliffs felt anything but solid. The movement was not great, but it was constant. It was compounded by a fierce wind. The wind, strangely enough, would blow in the exact opposite direction from the movement of the land underfoot.

Cela had dispensed with the magic shield, but all were armed and ready. And no one was cavalier about their surroundings.

“We have but three leagues to travel,” Cela told them. “When we reach the Cave of the Ice Bears, we will leave this awful place, and the trip in the outside world will have been shortened by weeks.”

Holding his short sword like an old and dear friend, Slip said, “How do you know we are traveling in the right direction?”

“The Talisman,” she said confidently. “It is an unerring guide.”

“As if it were sent to lead us right into something,” Hawk mumbled under his breath.

Then they heard it. It was low, but it was from several sources all around them.

It was a hissing. It was organic, not a geological sound, but the sound of hunters. Not a sound of human hunters, and that was certain.

Then Sandor saw one of them. It wasn’t easy, for they moved quickly.

Its face was feline, especially the eyes. The only exception was the tongue that darted in and out like a reptile.

Then there was another one, closer this time, off to their right. It walked on two legs, but had three-toed hands. They all had manes like lions, but tails that resembled salamanders.

Slip drew his weapon, but Hawk motioned to return it to its sheath. He didn’t want to provoke anything.

Then it was obvious. They were surrounded. The creatures walked out into plain sight, and there were more than a dozen of them.

Their feet, though covered with cats’ fur, were definitely something reptile.

For a long time both sides stood in silence.

Then the largest of the beings with darting tongues stepped forward.

“Where is the tribute? None pass through the land of the Zazzcats for free.”

The others in his pact hissed in agreement.

It was at this point that Hawk saw the three-inch long claws come out of their paws.

This was a trap, Hawk thought, and a damn good one.

© 2008 C. Wayne Owens
Chapter 33 is here.