| The next day found Fred and Astra still locked in their small room.
They were not happy about it. If what Malachi had told them was true they
had but seven more days until their metamorphosis into whatever
they were became permanent. But they were at the mercy of these demifoxes
and their prospects of escape seemed limited at best. They both therefore
agreed that until an opportunity presented itself they would bide their
time. In the hope that their captors might be lulled they also decided
to pretend to be at ease with the demifoxes. Antagonizing them was obviously
pointless.
As for Ringroot and the other elders, they had arranged for Shabot and
some of his friends to pay a visit to the Walants prison. It was still
unclear just what Minestus had done to Astra and which in turn had happened
to Fred. Were they now for all intents and purposes a couple of demifoxes,
or rather were they a new breed of lycanthrope? Ringroot dubbed it neo-lycanthropy.
And if the two humans were neo-foxes was the Race of demifoxes in
danger from them? Only time would tell.
Lester Macready was sitting idly on his dirty bunk smoking his pipe.
There was nothing else for him to do as he waited for his killing day to
come. Macready was a member of the Paine Gang and had been caught stealing
horses, a crime punishable by death. Although his fellow bandits had managed
to escape Lester had no illusions that they would try to rescue him. Nope,
he had been caught and that was that. Come Saturday he would be hung on
the gibbet in the square in front of the prison. And that was only four
days from now. Four days to sit, to wait and to smoke his pipe.
But then he heard the jangling of keys and the door to his cell opened
up. A surly guard looked in and told him he had visitors. With a nod of
the guard's head four people entered the cell. One was Lester's barrister
along with the lawyer's attendant. The other two were a couple of demifoxes.
Lester wondered what was up. He'd never given cause for a one of those
folk to lay blame on him.
"'Ere, what's goin on?" Lester asked suspiciously.
The barrister smiled, "It seems it's your lucky day. I told you when
you first arrived what the price for your acquittal would be, but of course
you didn't even have a bent copper to your name. Well, these two fine hairy
folk do have a few coppers on them. And while it's too late for
an acquittal I don't see why they can't buy you a sudden and mysterious
escape. You'll be a fugitive from the law of course, so the next time you
come to town don't forget you'll have to pay an extra fee. Now, off you
go."
"With them?" Lester asked and stared at the two demifoxes.
"Or you can stay here," the barrister replied. "I understand that the
weather on Saturday will be quite wonderful."
Lester grunted and left with the two demifoxes.
The barrister and his assistant watched them go as the guard locked
up the empty cell. And then the barrister looked down at his assistant
and asked for the bill of receipt. "Well that was an unexpected windfall,
eh Tarin?" Rift said. The dwarf nodded and replied, "What do you think
the demifoxes want with him, Master Rift?" Rift shrugged. "Who knows. But
if we ever see him again remind me to ask him."
-
 Shabot takes
Lester to Elder Ringroot
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