<HTML>    Misha wandered down one of the numberless hallways of the keep, his mind on the battle before him.    A female voice said, "You know it's going to be a massacre, don't you?  Always is when that thing is involved, isn't it?"  Rois was standing there in the hallway, but her three students were nowhere to be seen.    "What thing?" the fox asked.  "You mean War Wolf?"    "Yes," she replied, "War Wolf."    "This is war, and there's already been a massacre.  Right here at Metamor."    She sighed and nodded slowly, "Yes, I know...it's never pretty, is it?"    He just nodded as well.  "This coming campaign will be a nasty one."    "Yes it will... Aisha, Drake, and Colin have told me that they refuse to be left out of this battle," the centauress replied, with an indeterminate expression on her face.    "Children have no place on a battle field," said the fox, "But - I've heard about the magic they wielded defending our home."    Rois nodded, "They are all three strong mages, apart they are decent, but together, they are quite formidable.  They've surprised me many times over with how quickly they learn and how powerful their magic can be."     She paused for a few moments, then continued.  "They may be children, but to not use such power," she trailed off, sighing again, her tail swishing agitatedly, "We need to use everything we have."    "It's dangerous for children to have such power," came the vulpine's retort.    "Quite... the only thing we can do is to teach them how to use it wisely... teach them restraint, compassion..."    Misha simply pondered for a moment before speaking, "My heart tells me to keep them safe here at the Keep, but we need every bit of help we can get."  He then continued in a whisper, "Children, God help me, I'm sending children into battle."    Rois nodded slowly, tears slowly starting to run down her face, she quickly wiped them away.    "What magic will they be able to use?" Misha asked.    "They," she sniffed, her nose running slightly from the tears, "know mostly elemental spells.  However, Colin has his mental powers, and Aisha has a knack for weather, though she still needs to work on control."    Misha then asked a question which made Rois stop and ponder, "They can summon an elemental?"    Rois stood there, blinking for a while, then finally replied, "I think it may be possible, yes, though they haven't done it yet.  Such a spell would normally only be used in desperation, as it is very draining."    "What we need is killing power," he says.  ""We need magic that can knock down castle walls and kill soldiers."  While he was speaking, Rois walked slowly towards the fox, until she was standing right in front of him.    Rois nodded slowly, "They can do it, I'm sure... I..." Her tears started running again.  She quickly wiped them from her face, and sniffed.    "This won't be easy.  For any of us."    "I know, Misha."  She stamped a hoof in annoyance, "Dammit, I'm sorry for crying like this Misha.  I'm just afraid.  Both afraid that they will be traumatized by this, and yet afraid that they won't.  That'll they'll just kill without feeling, and never think twice about it.  I... I love those three like they were my own."    The fox didn't answer at first but stared off into space, "How old are they?" he queried, seemingly out of the blue.  "I killed my first person at age 16," the fox admitted before Rois could reply.    "I'm sorry. "    "A knight from the kingdom of Selerna at the Battle of Blue river."    "How did you feel at the time?" she asked.    "Sick, excited, and God help me, proud.  But I adapted, and realized that there was no choice.  It was war, and if I hadn't of killed him he would have killed me.  I'm good at killing, but I've never grown to love it."    The centauress nodded, "I guess that's what matters, isn't it?"    "True," he looked up at Rois, "One day we'll be rid of Nasoj and then perhaps we can live in peace."    "I look forward to that day as well."  Rois then leaned down and gave Misha a quick hug.    The surprised fox returned the hug, "They'll turn out fine. They've had a good teacher."    That elicited both a smile and a slight blush at the compliment from Rois, "Thank you."    Misha smiled -- for the first time in many days. *************    The grounds they were walking on were as familiar to the Scouts as the backs of their hands. In better days it had played host to countless fairs, tournaments and celebrations over the years. It was here that Meredith had seen his sister get married under a bright summer sun. It was here during a summer fair eleven years ago that Alec had proposed to Lisa. A scant few months ago Misha and Caroline had flirted and snuggled together under the moonlight after winning the archery tournaments. It was where they had seen Matthias take part in a joust. All held fond memories of this field and the things that had happened there. The land at the foot of the Keep in those days was usually covered with bright tents and filled with people moving about laughing and relaxing. The tents that were there now were just as brightly colored and the ground once covered with soft white snow was now churned to a sea of mud. But the people that moved about weren't here for fun nor were they relaxed. They moved about with a quick gait that spoke of nervousness and a dislike of their surroundings. A glum and nervous atmosphere hung over the place like a fog that had rolled down from the north.    In front of one tent two men in full plate mail armor sparred with each other. Their blows were swift and aimed to hit the other but measured to not cause harm to either. The ringing sound of the sword striking sword or armor sounded like the hammer blows of a smith working on an anvil. Nearby a group of pikemen drilled in close ordered ranks, their bodies moving about in perfect symphony as if all forty shared but one mind. The fine, steel points of their pikes wavered not an inch as they moved. Sure signs of well trained and experienced troops.    Misha, Caroline, Padraic, Finbar and Danielle were at the head of a group of twenty scouts. All moved slowly using the care and caution they would have used if this camp had been full of Lutins instead of humans. No one felt comfortable. Misha couldn't help but notice the looks they were getting from the soldiers around them. The once steady pikemen now hesitated and faltered and heads twisted and craned to look at the keepers. Their minds no longer on the drill but the strange animal men that walked nearby. The duelists had stopped their play fighting and now stood openly gawking. They were the only Keepers in sight, everyone else was a human up from the south. Visitors and Keepers alike uneasy about this alliance. Neither was sure if Nasoj was the only enemy.    "How far to the tent?" Finbar asked.    "Too far," Caroline muttered under her breath.    "Caroline," Misha said calmly. "These people are here as our friends."    Finbar looked at a group of ten knights who were training with swords.  Dressed in full armor and each carrying a long sword in one hand and a large shield in the other. Paired off against each other they sparred back and forth. They stopped and starred at the Keepers in undisguised hatred. "Tell them that."    Suddenly one the flap of a tent flew open and a figure stepped out. He was dressed in the armor of a full knight. "Sir Terrant. I ordered you to conduct more training not gawk like little children."    One of the knights saluted, "Yes sir." The knights again resumed their practice but most seemed more interested in watch the keepers then in fighting.    Misha turned away from the knights and looked at the man who had given the orders. His armor was plate mail like Lord Bidwell and perfectly clean, pristine, devoid of the slightest dent or scratch. Hanging from a plain, brown leather belt was an equally plain scabbard. The hilt that protruded from the scabbard was made simple wood devoid of any decoration.    The tabard he was wearing over the armor was dark blue and had a huge, gold Follower cross embroidered onto it. He wore the tough and expensive plate mail armor of a nobleman but his belt and sword were as plain as any peasant's tools. The scout couldn't see the man's face because of the great helm that covered his whole head.    "My name is Sir Edmond Delacot. Protector of the innocent and defender of the faithful and a Knight of the Order of the Protectors," the figure intoned coldly.    "Terrific," Finbar said sarcastically as he walked up to stand next to his leader. "A Paladin. As if we don't have enough problems."    "Sir?" the paladin scowled at the ferret, "Who might you be?"    Danielle cut off Finbar's retort with a sharp jab of her elbow.    "He is Finbar, a fine and courageous soldier in the Dukes service," Misha answered. Then he bowed to Delacot. "My name good sir, is Misha Brightleaf, Knight of the order of the axe and bow."    The armored paladin looked at the fox morph standing in front of him. Misha was dressed in chain mail armor that had been covered with camouflage colored cloth. A large hood dangled down from the back. In his hands was a tremendous, jet black double bladed battleaxe. Misha could imagine what was going through his mind. "Sir," he said and gave a shallow bow. "I've come at the behest of High Canon Elsdon who wished to help against the great evil," the paladin answered without showing the slightest trace of any emotion, not even surprise at being approached by such an odd group.    Misha extended his hand in greeting. "It's a great pleasure to meet you Sir."    The knight extended his own hand without any reluctance and the two shook hands. The paladin's grip was strong without being overpowering, just enough to hint at the strength in his muscles. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last Sir Misha. And Lord Bidwell has informed me of our partnership in the upcoming campaign.    A figure pushed its way to the forward to stand next to Misha. The short mongoose was dressed in leather armor, studded with steel studs. He was wearing brown leather boots and a wool jerkin decorated with the rearing horse emblem of the Duke. The fox recognized that the Mustelid was dressed in the uniform of a common foot soldier in the service of the Duke. The only thing missing was the usual short sword. But with the two-inch long claws that were attached to the mongoose's gloves a sword wasn't really needed.    "A real paladin?" the mongoose asked with awe in his voice.    "Oh yeah, Arister," Finbar said sarcastically.    Danielle poked the ferret hard in the ribs again silencing him. "He has been gracious enough to help us. The least you can do is be polite."    "Polite?" Caroline asked. "Why should he be polite to strangers when he's never been polite to his fellow keepers?"    The paladin ignored the ferret and turned to Arister. "I have had the privilege of being in the Great One's service for ten years."    "We're here to help train your people in fighting Lutins," Misha explained. "Also seeing as you will be leading the advance elements we need to coordinate your troops and my scouts."    "My people are already accomplished fighters," Sir Edmund countered. "They have defeated many enemies."    "Not Lutins," Finbar interjected.    "We have fought in countless battles and Sir Edmund alone was responsible for defeating the King Carlisle in battle during the battle of Red Brook," a figure asked as it walked up to the group. Misha saw that it was the tall knight called Sir Terrant.    "Fighting humans is on thing one," Misha explained. "But it means little when you're fight Lutins. Perhaps a small demonstration? I can see exactly how good you really are."    The people quickly spread out and stepped back forming a ragged circle of open ground. Standing on opposite sides of this circle stood Misha and Sir Edmund. The paladin was still dressed in his plate mail armor to which had been added a large kite shield that alone covered two thirds of his body. In his right hand was a broad sword with a blade that was three feet long.    Misha had striped off his armor and wore only the pants and leggings aside from his gauntlets. For weapons he carried a long sword in his left hand and a dagger in the other. "To first blood?" the fox asked as he nonchalantly flexed his arms and legs.    Edmund nodded in agreement. "If need be I can provide healing should the wounds prove deep."    The fox didn't answer but continued to stretch and flex his long legs and arms ignoring the implied threat and warning. He even went so far as to turn his back on the knight.    "Ready?" Sir Terrant asked to the vulpine's back.    "Ready," Misha replied without turning around.    The knight looked to the paladin.    "I am ready," he said answering the unasked question.    Terrant looked at Misha again who had stopped his movements and was calmly examining his dagger in an almost casual manner.    "What are you waiting for?" Caroline asked from the sidelines.    Sir Terrant looked from fox to otter and then back again. "Begin," he finally said. *** </HTML>