“The thing about the cats here is that they’re all certain that they’re about to win. From what I got from the scouts, it wasn’t clear that either side had the upper… paw,” River said.

River was using the voice she used for when something was dirty but necessary.

Freya nodded along, stepping away from a line of valets.

“So what you’re saying is…”

“There is supposed to be a formal announcement of some sort tonight. Everyone thinks that Alexa is about to win it because of…”

Nearby them, Jacques was headed their way. Freya's whiskers twisted at the sight of him. He seemed normal enough, but if he knew who she was…

Freya didn’t want to think about it.

The normal case in which a suitor approached a member of the aristocracy was not the case when two warriors faced each other. There were enough Marquise soldiers present that Freya considered each attendee an enemy of some sort.

“Your druid I presume? Ranger Jacques.”

“Winter.”

Jacques purred and Freya released a breath. Something about River, in any form kept the males close to or nearby, and Freya resolved to learn the secret. It wasn’t like magic, but it felt close. She wondered if there was a spell to make creatures like you. Just as quickly she thought about how badly that would go in the wrong hands.

“The War Chief is ready for her announcement,” he said, turning back, “Or she’s really drawing out the yowls from the crowd.”

The mass of cats all began to chant or meow loudly.

Eyes turned to the grand staircase to see Alexa herself, resplendent in her gown looking down on the mass.

“Tonight we celebrate our victory! For tomorrow, we will win!” A voice rang out.

She held up a paw, clapping along with the crowd, waiting for it to die down.

“It is true,” She said once the sound had lessened to a low roar, “With the druids help, we will lead them to a rout, and the next step will be the siege of yellowrock!”

“This is bad,” Freya whispered to River.

River narrowed her eyes.

“Be prepared.”

The crowd died down again.

“What do we do?” Freya was at a loss.

Her words could be bluster, or they could be the truth. Freya couldn’t imagine war coming back. It would be catastrophic for the regiment.

“Tonight, we infiltrate their ranks, and while they sleep, our druids and their friends will strike!”

The roar was loud.

“Little Knife, whatever happens next… We need to make it back.”

“Winter. Yes.”

“We cannot wait any longer.”

Freya nodded. She gestured to an exit that led to an outer balcony. River took her motion and slowly made her way on the outside of the grand hall.

The warm pungent air on the inside gave way to the crisp early winter air outside.

“The oath the druids give, it would never permit such an action.”

Freya turned to face inside, the crowd still roaring.

“It does not permit druids to make such an action,” River said flatly.

“But if someone never took the oaths…”

“I think you see the problem, initiate.”

Their whispered talk stopped as Alexa made another garbled proclamation.

Behind them, Jacques appeared at the door.

Freya made a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. River pursed her lips.

“You never did tell me when you went to training,” he said, trailing off.

“She didn’t?” River said, feigning nonchalance, “Tell him.”

“A lady ranger doesn’t reveal all of her secrets.”

Freya demurred, though she was fighting all she had to not jump off the balcony.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Will you be joining us tonight, after the dance? At the warchiefs after party?”

“We’ll probably be the pair making the ruckus,” River said.

"I shall see you both there then."

Jacques could clearly see that they were talking and even he didn't want to go against their social graces for too long.

Freya didn’t need yet another suitor pining for her.

River waited until he was gone. Freya's emotions caught up with her, and all of a sudden everything seemed impossible.

"What do we do next?"

"What do you think? They're sending Ragamuffins to infiltrate the regiment. We need to get back and warn them."

River slumped against the wall. The archway above her glistening white in the night.

"How?"

"We need a big diversion. First, reach out through your bond to your chicken."

Freya pulsed through her bond, finding the chicken in good spirits but far away.

"Alright."

"Next: do you remember the time that we fought a bear?"

The pair found the highest part of the area they could. The manor's grand ballroom had an opulent three floors of overlooking boxes. Some of the second floor boxes were filled, and it was clear that there were often large events held here before.

"As fast as you can, Freya you'll change first, then I'll change since you need to wild shape twice."

Freya nodded. She had gotten a lot better but she was nowhere as fast as River. For the next part of their plan to happen, they needed wings.

"Remember what to do if we get split up."

"I won't, and thank you."

River quickly ripped open a portal into the burrows feeling out the other side.

"We can do it here. It's close enough."

Freya quickly shifted from cat into mouse, shedding some fur and claws. Almost a minute passed and then River reverted to her raven form.

They were in the farthest box on the right side of the ballroom, curtains drawn to the floor, and the doorway closed.

River snuck a peek with one eye through the curtains.

They hadn’t chosen this box by random chance. They had taken their time looking for one next to a window that they could open.

Rivers' own wildshaping was done and she ruffled her feathers and adjusted her cloak and other items for flight.

She gave Freya the nod.

Freya began her change into blue jay form. It was the form she was the most familiar with and she felt nearly empty after it. She popped some seeds into her mouth, quietly chewing. She would need all of her energy for what came next.

"Remember," the whispered voice said," you are not the bear."

"I am not the bear," Freya mouthed, saying the words over and over again.

I am the wyvern.

River also ate something and then once more the druid reached out, building the aperture of the gate to the burrows.

"We have company. Through the gate."

Freya and River rushed through to the other side of the burrows, to the top of a hill.

***

Jacques followed the two new cats to the third floor. None of the druids knew a cat named Winter, but that was normal. For as long lived as druids were, many picked odd things to do away from society.

The ranger was an anomaly. She didn't carry herself like a warrior. If anything she was a princess acting as a ranger.

Either way it was odd that she kept giving non answers to his questions. Plus she was cute, and if he could set up a match between his druid, Leon and her druid? It would be easier to convince them all to travel together.

They did have an odd smell that he wasn't familiar with, but he had brushed it off as their long travel.

He wasn't sure why they smelled like Inujag or ragamuffins or mice for that matter. But if they were holding back, he would want all the juicy details.

Which is why he stood outside their box waiting to knock.

He knocked, giving them a decent amount of time to reply before he tried the door. Unsurprisingly it was unlocked, but when he walked in the exact room they had been in, the jumble of smells his enhanced nose found- he wasn't sure what was going on. Had they arrived and then left via a different way? He checked the curtains that overlooked the dance floor. They weren't around.

Jacques pursed his lips.

A single feather sat in the ground and he examined it. He examined the black feather, smelling it. It reeked of cat.

"Curious," he said, waving it in the air like a wand.

***

River didn't run.

She didn't need to and better yet that wasn't a part of her plan.

She was the bait.

Freya hid behind a tree as River fired a long flare up.

"Shouldn't be too long now," she said.

"Oh that's just fine. Tell the new girl that not only do we have to do the impossible, but we need it delivered overnight."

River beamed.

"If we make it out of this, you're buying the first round…. And the second."

"Deal," River said.

Both of them looked up.

"It's time."

"I am not the bear. I am one with the bear."

Freya chanted quietly. There was no reason to chant and her magic required nothing but her energy and the knowledge of her weaves, but it helped her focus.

And focus she did, pouring herself into the weave. The first weave that she had learned, was now something that felt second nature to her.

***

The beast had circled around the sky hungrily for hours before settling down. Then a large burst of red miat woke it up and it snapped. It sensed the presence and the flames that flew up into the air beckoned it.

The wyvern flew towards the magical signature.

It was pleased to have a second chance to dance with the creatures. It hadn’t gotten its fill and it was time.

The wyvern spotted the dark bird ahead of it, waiting atop a large boulder.

Finally, prey that knew when to give up.

***

"Here it comes!"

Freya didn’t need River to tell her. She also could feel the oppressive presence of the beast. It was not only a flying scaly terror, it was a magical flying scaly terror.

Freya waited as the wyvern, rather than firing a spout of flame at them, dove.

This was exactly how they wanted it. Freya could imagine River sweating it out. Seconds before the Wyvern was ready to land, Freya pushed out with the largest weave she had ever consciously made.

***

The dark bird was just standing there squawking at him. The wyvern decided to land and then eat. Why mess up a good meal?

It approached.

Seconds before it landed, a large pulse of magical energy enveloped it and it lost control.

It was a tiny blue bird… and a wyvern. The discord made it stop mid flight ahead of the Raven.

***

"Time to go back," River yelled.

Her charge thrashed about, trying to get a handle of the wyvern. All she needed to do was to aim it.

River quickly weaved open the return portal right in the Wyverns path. Freya's brow creased. River knew that she could do it, probably better than any druid she had ever met.

River was the bow and Freya the arrow. The wyvern collided into the enlarged aperture.

***

Just as quickly as the disorientation began, it stopped. The Wyvern didn't feel at home anymore. Instead of the silence it was accustomed to, it heard yelling and screaming.

Above it, the night sky showed a far different pattern of stars. Below it, something loud and smelly was full of…

The wyvern licked its lips. It would be full tonight.

***

Jacques sighed when he heard the cracking. The windows on the far side of the ballroom shattered as a claw twice his size smashed through it.

His third drink heavy in his stomach, the ranger knew two things at that moment: the first was that he didn't want to fight anything like that, and the second was that someone had peed his pants.