<HTML> Hush Puppy **************    Finbar checked his surroundings one more time before edging forward to the corner. Since he had first arrived at Metamor Keep Finbar had always found the fact that rooms, walls and whole areas constantly moved really annoying and a little frightening. But now he was grateful. When Sarah had first led them to where the woman was there had been just a guard standing in front of an open doorway at the end of a long corridor. No possible way to sneak up on that sword wielding mercenary. Then the walls had moved and the corner Finbar was laying behind was suddenly thirty feet closer. Now less then ten feet away from the guard the ferret gave a silent prayer of thanks to Kyia.    Ten feet was too far to use a knife, the guard would have time to sound the alarm. He turned to Misha who was right behind him, "Hush puppy," he signed with his hands. The fox understood and nodded his agreement.    Finbar had done such things many times before. In order to sneak into some important place, usually a lutin camp, required that a sentry be taken out quietly and without raising the alarm. Finbar preferred to use a knife; it was quick, silent and he did not have to worry about aim if his arm was wrapped around the sentry's head. Still, sometimes there was no way to use a knife; so something else was needed. From his pack Finbar drew out a little weapon. Meredith had first come up with the idea for it after reading a story about mysterious southern assassins. The weapon was a hand crossbow, barely one-fourth the size of a real crossbow. It's bolts were really too small to be of use on the battlefield but with a little help it was perfect for killing a sentry.    From his pack Finbar took out a tightly wrapped bundle. Carefully unwrapping the layers of leather and cloth revealed three bolts sized for the hand crossbow. The steel tips were covered with metal caps. Finbar cocked the crossbow quietly and then placed one of the bolts in the groove to be shot. Lastly he very carefully removed the cover from the tip of the bolt and placed it back in the bundle. Even in the semidarkness of the corridor he could make out the bluish liquid smeared on the metal tip of the bolt. Pascal had been most explicit about how to handle that liquid, one touch to bare skin and a person would be dead in seconds. It worked very well on killing sentries. A moment of sadness touched Finbar as a memory of a dead friend came to him. It had been Craig who had come up with the nickname Hush puppy since it worked very well to hush a noisy guard dog as well as a sentry.    Finbar nodded to his leader to let him know he was ready and the fox nodded back in acknowledgement. The ferret peered around the corner and took aim at the sentry's throat. He tried not to see the man's face, in his mind Finbar fixed on the idea that the person he was aiming at was the enemy. The target had no name, life or family, just a figure in armor that had to be killed. He squeezed the trigger and the bolt flew off to its destination. The figure just dropped to the ground with only a muffled thump, and the rattle of chain mail.    Misha rushed passed Finbar and up to the body. He quickly pulled the corpse back around the corner and dropped it by the ferret. The rest of the team moved around the corner and to the doorway. The Longs spread out on either side of the doorway and waited for a response. Finbar still lay on the floor with his crossbow in hand waiting for trouble. None came. Finally the ferret put away his dangerous little weapon with great care and took up his usual sword and dagger.    Misha cautiously peered into the room beyond the doorway then pulled his head back. Quickly and silently the fox passed orders along to the other Long Scouts. "Ten human guards, thirty Keepers - slaves, cleaning. Target is there, ordering, working on unknown items. Guards, slaves scattered around room. Target in center. Kill the guards, save the keepers, target gets taken alive."    The other scouts with him nodded in understanding as their leader continued giving silent orders. "Me, Kershaw, will go straight forward. Finbar, Jotham go left. Georgette, Danielle go right." All those orders had been passed without a word being spoken. Long hours of practice and training were now serving them well. Not a sound had been made and yet all understood clearly.   Finbar checked his long sword and dagger one last time. Jotham smiled at the ferret as he checked his own weapons. The man fingered the blade of a hand axe and checked the mace at his belt. Then he lightly patted the pouch on his hip.    The ferret pondered that gesture. In that pouch was all of Jotham's healing supplies. Next to it was a mace. Side by side were tools for healing and killing, a strange mix in one person, healer and killer. The contradictions didn't seem to bother Jotham. He did his both jobs very well.    The ferret fidgeted in place as he waited for the signal to attack. He saw Misha with his massive longbow in hand peering into the room. Then the fox looked to Kershaw, who was standing on the opposite side of the doorway. The panda also had also had a long bow ready.    The fox gave one last hand sign, "Ready?"    "Ready!" Everyone in the group replied silently.    Misha and Kershaw stepped boldly into the doorway and started loosing arrows. Then they dropped the bows and charged forward. Suddenly everyone was rushing towards the door. Jotham's broad bulk blocked the entrance for a moment and then it was Finbar's turn. He rushed through into pandemonium. He could see men, women, and morphs of all sizes and species running around, screaming cheering or just panicking. He saw Jotham throw a hand axe at a guard, draw his mace and then rush into the crowd. Finbar leaped over the dead body of a guard who had an arrow embedded in his face. He saw a group of keepers who were piled into a corner beating and punching something on the floor. He could guess who was underneath that pile and moved passed them. Allowing them their small measure of revenge.    Suddenly two soldiers appeared, swords in hand. Finbar charged straight at them his own weapons already lashing out. His sword caught one under the chin and the blade sank straight into the man's brain. He dodged the other man's blow as he pulled his sword free. Suddenly Jotham appeared at his side and swung his mace downward. Finbar heard the weapon connect with the remaining guards skull giving a sickening crunch. As the body fell to the ground both Long Scouts looked around for more of the enemy but all that surrounded them were fellow keepers, dirty and ragged from work and punishment.    "Any more guards?" Finbar asked.    "None alive," someone replied and everyone laughed. Still both the bear and the ferret looked around but the only living souls they could see were keepers.    "REPORT!" came the loud shouted voice of Misha.    "All clear left," Finbar answered.    "All clear right," Georgette called.    Finbar moved towards his boss. "What about the woman?" he asked. The crowd opened up and he found the fox leaning on his axe a broad grin on his muzzle.    "We got her all right," Misha said and pulled up something with his left hand. It was a woman, she was dressed in fine clothes and was covered with gold and silver. The clothes were torn and dirty, and her finely combed hair was a mess from where Misha held a huge handful. Finbar noted that the woman's whole face was a mass of bruises and he realized that Misha had hit her with the flat of his axe.    Sarah stepped next to the ferret and looked the woman square in the face. "She doesn't look so fine anymore." ** End part 61</HTML>