Now, one evening as they were preparing for class, Screaming Bear was late.  He had been sent to do some errands on the far side of the city, and everyone was beginning to get worried.
    2  Gray Deer opened the door to look out, and to his surprise his friend came charging in, carrying a young woman in his arms.  Some cushions were quickly put together and the woman laid on them while Gray Dog examined her.
    3  "She's been hit hard on the side of the head," he announced, "but it doesn't look serious.  Some cold compresses and she should be waking up any time."
    4  "Where did you find her?" asked Gray Deer.  "What happened?"
    5  Screaming Bear told them.  "I was returning from the widow's house, when I heard the sounds of a struggle.  I saw four Hoods attacking this woman.  As I approached, she sent one to the Darkness, but another one slipped behind her and struck her in the head.
    6  Before he could strike another blow I flattened his face against a stone wall.  The other two I did this..."  He made a twisting motion with his hands and Gray Deer knew those four Hoods would bother no one else in the city.
    7  "Well, we can only wait," said Gray Deer, "to hear the woman's story, and find out what's happened."
    8  Within an hour the woman awoke.  Her name, she explained, was Fire Blossom Dove.  She lived with her ailing mother and sister on the far side of the city.
    9  Several weeks ago her sister, Little Red Blossom, had gone on an errand and never returned.  They had searched for her, but no one had seen her.  Then late last night, a Healer had come to her door with a strange story.
    10  He had been called to the house of a young man who was dying.  When he arrived, he examined the young man and told him there was no hope. His overeating had put too much weight on his body, and his heart was failing.  The young man told his servants to leave, and when they were gone, confessed to the Healer he had been leading a wicked life, taking drugs and abusing women.
    11  There was, he said, on the western side of the city, a house of pleasure, where young women were taken against their will.  And if a man paid the right price he could do whatever he wanted to to them.  They also kept young boys.  Now, the name of this house was The Turtle's Nest.
    12  Now, the young man had never recognized any of the women taken there except on his last visit he recognized a new girl being displayed to the crowd.  That girl was her sister.
    13  The young man begged The Healer to tell her family.  'Perhaps,' he said, 'it will lift some of the burden off my soul, and ease the pain that awaits me in the Darkness."
    14  The young man died within the hour of speaking these words, and The Healer came to me with the news."
    15  "Now, all day I searched for someone that would help me go to this house and free my sister.  But all were afraid of The Hoods and would not.  I was making my way to the house of one Gray Deer, when four Hoods attacked me.  That is the last I remember  until I awoke here."
    16  "Well, The Lords have brought you to your destination!"  acknowledged Gray Deer.  "I am the one  you seek.  And most certainly we will help you."  Gray Deer turned to Bright Sword.  "We must act quickly," he ordered, "send word.  How many men can you gather?"
    17  "I can have forty on that street within an hour," the Warlock told him.
    18  "Good," praised Gray Deer.  "If there was only some way of gaining access to the house without alarming them!  If they have time they will kill their captives, rather than allow them to speak."
    19  "I can get you in," interrupted Gray Dog. "The master of that house has a bleeding stomach and continues to eat spicy food.  I am called every few nights to treat him."
    20  "Then you can tell us what the house is like?" inquired Gray Deer.
    21  "It is like most rich houses," the Healer told him, "the master's living quarters are downstairs, and the banquet halls.  There are a dozen or so rooms upstairs reached by the balcony outside, and the internal stairway. There is also a large cellar but I can tell you of neither the upstairs or the cellar, because I was allowed in neither."
    22  "Where are the guards?" asked Bright Sword.
    23  "There are three on duty at all times," the Healer told her, "one at the main gate, one at the stairs to the balcony, and one at the door leading to the service street."