Installment 32 [https://squirrel.dogphilosophy.net/Installment032.png]

They all agreed that Wikwocket, being the lightest and smallest of them, should go quietly up the stairs first to get a look around. Gruntle would be close behind in case anything went wrong. Bote and Al would follow once the results of Wikwocket's investigation were known - quietly if all seemed clear, or in as much of a hurry as possible if something bad was happening.

Wikwocket ascended the steps and disappeared into the dark opening in the ceiling leading to the next floor. Gruntle stopped on the upper steps where he could poke his head up to see what was happening. After a few tense minutes, Wikwocket reappeared and came back down, leaving Gruntle to keep watch.

"Okay, the room up above looks clear. Just a sitting-room, with a couple of chairs and a table that had some kind of game set up on it. The table's been flipped over on its side and the game-pieces are all over the floor, so I think someone is a sore loser," Wikwocket reported quietly. "I see three doors up there, so I think there are only two or three rooms. From the room right next to the one upstairs, I can see light under its door, and I think I hear something breathing."

From above, Gruntle turned to look down at them, ears swiveled in their direction. He tapped the end of his snout.

"I think he's saying he can smell it," Wikwocket interpreted. Gruntle nodded and turned back to watch the room above.

"All right, so it sounds like the beast is up there, and it's in a lit room with a closed door, so it probably wouldn't notice if I came up with this torch," Al said, summarizing.

"That's about right," Wikwocket answered, "the glow under the door looks like it's the same reddish color as your torch."

"We can probably hope it doesn't know we're here yet, then. We should at least avoid making too much noise or talking once we get up there so it might not hear us coming and we can surprise it in its lair."

"What we have heard and seen so far reveals that this beast is no mere animal," Bote pointed out. "Unless there is someone else here that we have not seen signs of, the beast has been mindful to close doors behind itself. It has even tried to speak to Gruntle. It is not impossible that it has noticed our presence and has prepared an ambush or trap for us. It may want us to barge in suddenly to catch us unaware."

"Wikwocket, you said there were other doors, was there light behind any of those?" asked Al.

"No, just the one."

"Good, at least we can probably assume it's staying in the room with the light, regardless of whether it intends to ambush us or not. We can concentrate on that doorway."

"Well, then, as our experienced military expert," Wikwocket teased, "what's our plan of attack?"

"I'm thinking you and Gruntle head up into the room above, and Bote and I will follow. Once we're all up there and can see where we are, you and Gruntle will get in position at the door as quietly as you can. You'll investigate as much as you can outside the door before we do anything, and if you see something that we need to discuss first, you signal to us and we'll come back down here as quietly as we can."

Al paused there in case there were any objections. When there were none, he continued.

"If everything looks as clearly safe as we can determine, and if it looks like the door will open, we shove the door open quickly and be ready to strike, but we don't rush in. I think Bote's got a good point there. I think we should see what the beast does and strike at the right moment. Agreed?"

Wikwocket and Bote agreed. Gruntle looked down but hesitated to respond.

"We need to act together to take the beast down, if we don't coordinate we'll be in a lot more danger. I know you are eager to fight it," Al said, getting a manic grin of agreement from Gruntle in return, "but do not attack it until it moves to attack us."

Gruntle stared at Al, then relented with a grumble, nodding reluctantly. He turned back again to keep watch on the room upstairs. Wikwocket took out her rapier and carried it back up the stairs into the room above. Gruntle followed her up into the darkness.

"And now we will see how our small roles in this part of the ineffable plans play out," Bote confidently asserted, and headed up the steps cautiously. Al held the torch up in his left hand and took out his mace with his right, in case he needed to defend himself with either magic or blunt force, and caught up to Bote as they reached the top of the steps.

The room above was as Wikwocket had described it - a sitting-room ready for a bored occupant to play a game or read at the table, were the table not lying on its side and the game pieces scattered. Al noticed another set of stone steps along one wall led up another level, presumably to the roof of the keep. Wikwocket waved for their attention at the start of a hallway at the opposite end of the sitting-room. She pointed down the hallway and then scurried quietly into it, followed silently by Gruntle. Al and Bote walked across the room slowly to avoid making noise.

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Looking down the hall, they saw Gruntle and Wikwocket in front of the only door on the near side. Gruntle listened intently to the door, ears twitching, as Wikwocket gingerly felt along the edges for anything suspicious. Not finding anything, she laid down to peek under the door. Finally, she motioned to Al and Bote to approach quietly.

As he eased down the hall towards the door, Al began to hear the muffled sound of breathing coming from inside the room. It was slow and steady, but with a quiet periodic growling in it. Al hoped that was just the sound of the beast snoring. Wikwocket wore a look of mild confusion, and she gestured to indicate that Al should look under the door as well. He kneeled down as quietly as he could but he froze when his chainmail shirt made a faint noise. Al listened for a reaction before continuing - perhaps the breathing in the room was uneven for a moment and the growling slightly louder...but the sound continued steadily. Al lowered himself the rest of the way to the floor and closed one eye to peek underneath the door.

It was difficult to make out details through the narrow field of view, but at the far end of the room Al thought he could see the legs of some large piece of furniture, with shredded cloth and scattered feathers on the floor around it. In the center of the room was what seemed to be a magical torch identical to the one Al carried, laying on its side on the floor, its reddish simulated flame thankfully not scorching the floorboards or igniting nearby scattered feathers.

He could not see any sign of whatever was breathing so loudly.

Al stood back up carefully, wincing as he imagined he could hear the growling in the exhalation of whatever was in the room getting louder. He shared a puzzled look with Wikwocket, pointing to his own torch, down at the bottom of the door, and shrugging. She shrugged back. Bote watched patiently for any decision. Gruntle grimaced impatiently, his teeth bared, and his still lightly-bandaged right hand scratched fitfully at his collar. He made urgent shoving motions towards the door, eager to rush in.

No, not yet! Al shook his head forcefully, waving his hands. The breathing was getting heavier and the growling sounds were definitely getting louder from the other side of the door. Gruntle's face made a snarl of silent frustration, but he went back to fidgeting with the collar. Al held up his hands for patience and looked to the others to make sure he had everyone's attention.

All right, how do I explain this without saying anything?

Al pointed to Gruntle, then the spot where Gruntle stood, and then posed as though about to push on something. He pointed to Wikwocket, then a spot just to the left and behind Gruntle. He crouched low holding his mace as though he was ready to stab forward with it. He pointed to himself, then to the opposite wall across and to the right of the door. Then to Bote, and pointed along the wall next to the door about ten feet away. Then, finally, he inhaled deeply as quietly as he could, and tried to explain the plan through gestures alone.

Gruntle, you stand there at the door and when I signal, shove it open, and you and Wikwocket will immediately back up. Make the beast come to us instead of charging in. As it tries to go through the doorway to attack, Gruntle, you can be as violent as you like with it, and Wikwocket can stab it while it's busy with you. I'll either move in and hit it over the head or I can use magic against it if I need to. Bote will be there where they can call for divine favor or miraculous healing if one of us gets badly hurt. We'll start on my signal. Understood?

Or at least that's what he tried to convey. The others stared at him for a long moment. Then Gruntle mimed pushing on the door and cocked his head quizzically.

I don't think this is working. Al sighed quietly, but stopped himself - at the sound, a faint creak of floorboards suggested something large shifting position inside the room, and the sound of the breathing and growling could no longer be heard. Everyone froze, watching the door.

When nothing happened after a few seconds, Al pointed back out towards the sitting room and at the corner with the stairs, and slowly began backing away in that direction. The others looked at each other, then Wikwocket and Bote began to back away as well.

Gruntle looked back and forth from the others to the door and back again, then began to back away as well, with obvious reluctance. Al had gotten halfway across the sitting room when frustrated snarling began from behind the door they'd just left. The sound of a door being pulled suddenly open came down the hallway, and the snarling continued over the noise of clawed feet scratching the floor as they propelled something large in their direction.