whitewashed, everything needs to be cleaned, it's impossible! You've got to tell everybody else!"
31 Nameless Fox picked up his son while his wife grabbed her daughter. "You go left," he cried, "I'll go right. We'll meet where we meet."
32 Within an hour the village was in total confusion. There were so many things to be done Logs in the wall needed to be straightened, several places in the main road needed to be repaired- all those little jobs that had been neglected because more important things had arisen. Every hut needed little repairs done here and there.
33 Six weeks of frantic work began. But finally the village looked better than it had on its founding day. Everybody was in their best clothes when a troupe of fighting people arrived at tne village gate.
34 "We're the advanced party," the Warlock told them. The Speaker will be arriving tomorrow. We're here to set up his tents and prepare the camp. Where is the campsite?"
35 In all their preparations to fix up the village, everyone had completely forgotten the canpsite! They quickly showed the fighting people where it was, and offered to lend a hand getting rid of the brush and grass and restoring the fire pits.
36 "Don't worry about it!" the Warlock laughed. "You keep this site in good order. We have had to make do with far worse. Go on about your business. We can handle things here."
37 The next morning The Dove arrived, made himself comfortable in the camp. He had spent the night with an old friend in a nearby village, so had only been a short journey away. He sent a messenger into the village.
38 "Before I view the village," he explained, "we had best settle the case that brought me here. Bring these animals in question to my camp, that I may see them."
39 Nameless Fox did. The Dove heard the case, examined Lady and Big Fellow. "Where's the one that was injured?" he asked. Nameless Fox was surprised that he knew of this and led him to Nosy. The Dove examined the wounds and the big dog nuzzled him for attention. "She's adjusting well?" The First Speaker asked.
40 "Quite well," answered Nameless Fox.
41 "Which one is her mate?" The First Speaker inquired.
42 "Right beside her, sir."
43 "Is the blind one here?" The First Speaker asked.
44 "No, sir, she doesn't leave the village," Nameless Fox explained.
45 The First Speaker nodded. He went up to Bashful. "This is the newest one," he asked, "the wildest one?"
46 "Yes," answered Nameless Fox.
47 The First Speaker felt the reins. "Show me how to mount," he requested.
48 Nameless Fox did so, and The First Speaker mounted Bashful. "Get your dog!" he ordered, "I want to ride!"
49 Nameless Fox mounted Big Fellow and they sped from the camp with The Dove's guards watching nervously. A few minutes later they returned. The First Speaker dismounted, stood back and nervously peeled some skin off his arm. "Thank goodness," he said, "we only go through this this once a year! I hate it when your old skin starts to peel off in big pieces like this!"
50 He turned and walked back into the tent, sat down on his portable seat of Judgment and thought for several minutes. Then he motioned the woman forward, and, Nameless Fox.
51 "Nameless Fox," he requested, "I want you to take this woman out and give her a ride on one of your dogs. I want her back here safely, within a half -hour's time. Will you guarantee that?"
52 Nameless Fox was bewildered, but he answered "Yes, sir!"
53 "First Speaker," cried the woman, but The Dove put his finger to his lips, and motioned for the woman to follow Nameless Fox. She did so. A short time later they returned, and again stood before The First Speaker.
54 "Well, madame," he asked the woman, "you don't appear to have been attacked. How did you like your ride?"
55 "Frightening," the woman answered.
56 "You do not appear to me," argued The First Speaker, "to be a woman easily frightened. I found my ride exciting, and the animal surprisingly gentle! A quick bond seems to form between rider and beast, something like what we have with The Lords.
57 We have the knowledge and wisdom, they have the speed and strength. The two seperate become greater by the combining. Now, woman, tell me again these animals are vicious, a public menace and should be destroyed."
58 "Perhaps not all of them," the woman answered, "But the one that killed my mate, surely she deserves death!"
59 "You have a new mate," The First Speaker commented, I would say from the look of him, he is better than the old one. What say HE on these matters?"
60 The man stepped forward. "I have told her, lord, that there can be no peace within her until this is settled. I did not know the man of whom you speak, from what I have heard here today I'm glad I did not. It has been hard to break his influence on her and her brothers. But I believe I am doing so slowly. They are good people, Lord, do not judge them too harshly."
61 The First Speaker nodded. "You want blood for blood," he said, "pain for pain." He rose and motioned to a guard, whispered in his ear, and the guard disappeared. "Come" he ordered, "all of you."
62 He took them outside to where Lady stood. The guard reappeared with a crossbow. The Dove took it and handed it to the woman. "If you want blood," he announced, "you will have to do the deed yourself. But I will tell you here and now, you will be wrong and the day will come when you will regret what you do, but the decision is
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