A Hoard of Nickel

Fred was not the only being that was having trouble with his new form. Fred's shadow was also trying to get a feel for the corperal world. The stalagtite hooked left, and hit the cave wall with a dull *thunk*.

Fred had now regained his footing. In the dull light of the cave, he still did not understand that he was literally fighting his shadow. He stood fixed, and thought about his opponent's last attack. The black dragon did not appear to be extraordinarily strong. Fred decided to close in, and use what he regarded as his superior strength to overpower and defeat the other dragon. He also formed a working hypothesis that the most vulnerable area of a dragon would be the tail end and underside, as the scales seemed to be thinner there.

Fred charged into the shadows. As he closed, the black dragon seemed to dissolve into the dim light of the cave. Frustration built as the hoard thinned out and Fred was on the slick floor of the cave again. As he slid toward the entry to the dragon's lair, he looked back and saw his opponent, larger and thinner. It now dawned on Fred that his opponent was not what it seemed. He was fighting a perversion of his own shadow.

Fred managed to rebound off the wall as a billiard ball rebounds off a cushion. He also started to spin a little bit, and he started to move more slowly across the floor, and back toward the red dragon and his hoard. His shadow now made an undignified gesture in Fred's direction. Fred was at a loss on how to attack a shadow. If the room were in total darkness, would the shadow go away? Fred doubted that, even if he could plunge the room into darkness, that would help him against the other dragon. Fred slid and spun into the first coins of the hoard.

Fred stumbled onto the hoard, and absent-mindedly pawed through some bullion on the hoard, while determining what action he should take against the black dragon. He lifted a bar of silver to hurl against one of his tormentors. He stopped. Something did not feel right about this bar of silver.

Suddenly Fred impulsively said, through the silent speech, "This hoard is fake!"

Fred's shadow froze, and the red dragon signalled back, "Nonsense. If it is fake, then the problem is with your mint minders, as I have pillaged much of it from Allaria."

Fred threw the "silver" bar in a lazy motion toward the red dragon. "It feels a bit light, and odd. It feels more like iron than silver."

The red dragon caught the bar. And tossed it gently up in the air. The red dragon projected a thought into Fred's head, "You must have found a bad bar. Technically, this is mostly nickel, and not iron, unless I miss my guess. If you had a little more experience, you could tell the difference. I am careful about what goes on my hoard, but these still get in from time to time."

Fred had been running his paws through the hoard, and pulled up a "gold" coin. He shook his head. Fred spoke silently again, "I know this is not gold. It shines yellow, but is far too light."

Fred suddenly became enveloped in darkness as he was overwhelmed by his own shadow. He could no longer see. He roared. The other red dragon replied, "Don't struggle. You might get dismembered, and I don't want to bother cleaning the hoard again.

Fred staggered around, unable to see. But he could 'hear' the silent voice of the red dragon as he seemed to be assaying his treasure. Suddenly, the shadow lifted, and Fred's ears started to ring with the roar of a furious red dragon.

"Somebody has stolen the precious metal out of my hoard!"

Fred projected back, "Don't look at me."

The red dragon 'said', "I know it was not you. You could not do it. But I know what sort of creature could."

Fred responded, "Do you have an idea?"