"It's coming closer!" Sela yelled.

The shriek of the wyvern shook Freya to her core. She was a bit uneasy as a cat, even as a slightly larger creature, the flying beast was a problem.

"Well, prepare to fight back," River said, her voice rising.

Freya was grateful that the boots still fit her. She had some doubts, but more and more she was ready to thank the cobbler who had made it. A little note of thanks would probably do well.

The flames that shot nearby gave her pause.

The pair of cats ran side by side until a large rut in the ground exploded far in front of them.

"Left!" Sela said, zagging in their direction of travel.

Freya zagged as River brought up the rear behind them. A small movement brought an arrow to her drawn bow.

Freya paused, sighted and loosed an arrow. Her vision didn't feel like it was enough on it's own to warrant a hit. She turned and continued to run, hoping to remain not on fire.

"It would be nice if I had learned some defensive spells!" Freya yelled to the group.

"Maybe you should swear the oath then!" River yelped back.

"That is sounding more and more like a good idea!"

Freya ran. Her lithe cat body wanted to open up but she knew she wouldn't be able to outpace a fully trained ranger. He would be ready for her.

"Just a little longer, and I'll make the opening!" River yelled back,"Sela! Make a clearing!"

"With pleasure," the otter said.

Freya could see the rapid movements of the otter stop seconds later as another fireball shot across the sky, missing them.

Sela was twirling his spear about him, cleaving a wide arc in some brush. All of the old buildings were far behind them now.

Freya had lost her sense of direction entirely. But for her sense of her new-found sense of smell, she would be lost.

"Ready, druid!"

The voice ahead got her back on track.

Briefly Freya wondered if the weave was the same to return. In her mind, she ran through the weave again.

Freya moved into a clearing, a large circle dominated by one otter.

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"Miss Freya, good to see you."

He drew his spear pointing upwards.

Freya sighted another arrow at the circling beast. It wasn’t looking at them and for a brief second she hoped it would turn away.

"Here!" River clawed into the clearing, over packed brush.

She stood up, said a short prayer that Freya didn't catch.

River began to weave.

Freya tried to catch her breath and concentrate on it. It looked the same but…

"It's inverted."

In the sudden glow of daylight, Freya could clearly make out a smile on River’s face.

"Good. Now run through. This is no time for theory or practice."

Sela sprinted through the aperture directly at River. Had it now been there he would have bowled her over.

River gasped, loosed an arrow and then ran into the sudden daylight.

The intoxicating aroma of other cats surrounded her as it hit her that she was back.

Ahead of her, Sela held his spear in the ready position. River walked through behind her.

It had been a short time, but Freya could see that they were well beyond the lines.

"Sela! Consultant!" The druid hissed.

Freya looked between the two and then looked around.

Around them, a throng of badgers and cats were moving things about. Freya didn’t see any raccoons or birds. They were in a field outside of a large estate, and it appeared that they'd just missed a large cache of something.

Freya sniffed as the wind changed and immediately regretted it. The smell was something no lady should have had to experience, and if she wasn't starving she would probably have thrown up.

"What does…?"

Freya watched as two cat guards approached them. She clammed up as River moved in between to intercept.

Sela stood behind the druid.

The two cats looked a little worse for wear and perturbed.

"Excuse me, but are you the new druid?" The first cat shouted to her.

Freya's whiskers shot up. They hadn’t talked about this plan.

"What makes you think I am a druid?" River shot back.

"We're expecting one. Heard she’d be coming here with her calico ranger. Are you she?"

River nodded.

"You can call me… Winter. This is my ranger, Little Knife and my company consultant, Sal."

Sela nodded, placing his spear in the ground in front of himself. He looked every inch a professional and Freya did the same with her bow.

The two cats eyed the group.

"Anyway, Warchief Alexa wants all the druids at the manor tonight, thought we would pass that along," the first cat said.

"That won't be a problem. We'll see her then," River replied.

Freya's pulse quickened.

"Pardon me but we have had a long journey, is there a place we can freshen up?"

The two cats both eyed each other. Freya noted that both had perfect dark black coats. They would be dangerous at night.

"Old Badger has a tavern back west a bit, he lets us stay there and use it but be mindful of the code."

"Aye," River said,"we'll be off now."

***

The chicken scratched the ground twice.

"Ah she’s returned from the burrows.”