22  "It is called The Sa Hi," Swift Cat told him.
    23  "How strange," exclaimed The Voice, "'The Serpent's Breath!'  Why did you call it that?"
    24  "You'll have to ask my sister THAT," answered Swift Cat. "She named it!  Let us be off. If I do not have you at The Temple soon, Bold Raven will be climbing the wall!  He is a good man but very impatient!"
    25  The Voice Laughed. As they journeyed through the streets, a young fighting woman arrived with a uniform, and as they walked Swift Cat changed his clothes, with the other men gathered around him.
   26  The people in the street didn't seem surprised, so The Voice thought this must be a common occurance.
    27  As if in answer to his question Swift Cat looked up.  "I haven't been home for three days," he explained.  "I like to keep on the move...confuses my enemies!  They never know where I'm going to be next, or what I'm going to be wearing.  Makes it hard for assassins.  They burned my last house when I was sleeping in it.  If my guard hadn't climbed the wall and pulled me out the window I'd have roasted!"
    28  The Voice had a feeling this young man led an interesting life.
    29  They were met by Bold Raven, on The Temple steps.  Bright Raven was at his side.  The Voice was invited to stay at Singing Cat's house just down the street.
    30  "My mate's away right now," explained Bold Raven, "delivering some puppies, but she should be back by evening."
    31  "I will welcome her hospitality," thanked The Voice.
    32  "By the way," announced Bold Raven, "a letter came for you, from The City Of The Old Fox."
    33 The Voice was handed the parchment which he opened and read, then he quickly rolled it up and put it in his pocket.  "Is it anything important?" asked Bold Raven.
    34  "No, answered The Voice, with a mishcevious smile, "it's from a  young lady I know in The City of The Old Fox.  She wants to know what's my favorite boy's name."
    35  Everyone in the crowd began to laugh, and they headed off for an evening meal and some rest.
    36  During the meal Bold Cat told what had been happening in the city.  He agreed with much that his brother had said, but he was concerned with what had been happening in some of the outlying villages; their own to the east, and The Trn's to the west. One of Swift Cat's men was seriously wounded on the road only three days ago, and one Trn patrol was attacked in broad daylight.
    37 "These damned Hoods are down, but they're not out!  They're like worms...you cut off one part, and it grows into another damned worm!  You have to destroy the whole thing at once, or you're worse off than you were before!"
   38  "Yes," agreed The Voice.  "That's the thing with Hoods.  Their poison spreads like fire.  If a man or woman is weak they succumb easily to their foulness and greed, but every time we weaken them, slow them down, it lessens their grip on society.  It may seem like you're losing the battle but you're not.
    39  Keep up the fight!  Such evil can never be destroyed.  As long as there are weak souls some will always seek the easy path.  But if you are faithful to The Lords you can keep them out of control."
    40  "And speaking of The Lords," announced Bold Raven, "it's time to form The Circle. I wonder what's keeping my mate, and, the rest?"
    41  As if in answer to his question the door opened and Singing Cat entered.  Two other women were with her, and, a man.  "Ah!" cried Bold Raven, "Here are our missing comrades!  Voice Of The Lords, this is my mate, Singing Cat, our Workers, Valley Blossom Dove, Mountain Glory Dove, and this is Shining Goat, who is our heart and soul."
    42  All bowed to The Voice. The cushions were arranged, and The Voice noticed a male servant entered The Circle to balance it.  He watched the group work, but noticed that Valley Blossom and Mountain Glory seemed bothered by his presence.
    43  He also noticed that some of Shining Goat's actions seemed strange...the way he moved around people, and others seemed to guide him.  The Voice suddenly realized what it was.  Shining Goat was blind, but the others were so accustomed to his presence that his handicap was almost unnoticeable. But why were the two women afraid of his presence?
    44  After the session was done, The Voice gathered the two women up in his arms and took them off into a corner.  "I am not a monster," he comforted, "I will not bite you!  Why does my presence disturb you?"
    45  "We are embarrassed Lord," explained Valley Blossom, "in the presence of one so holy.  The others know us, accept us, even though they know where we work!"

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