A few hours passed as James slept in Andrieu's house, resting his muscles with a heavy sigh as the muffled sounds of roaring beasts lulled in the air beyond the barricaded windows.  He slept better than he did before, his dreams did not last as long but it was the same forest that he walked through.  Spring turned to winter in an instant, cloaks of velvet jade become bitter white as he searched for his love in the midst of the frigid eve.  He found the lake of sapphire once again, where his guitar still played as he struggled to step forth.  He did not turn this time, but the lemming felt a hand creeping over his shoulder as one of the trees bent over him with the chilling breath, the dozens of eyes licking the back of his skull with tears effluvial.  He saw its reflection in the water beneath him and he struggled to scream, before its tongue wrapped round his neck and strangled his voice.

        "OPEN UP!"

He flung himself out of bed with a gasping heave.

        "THIS IS THE CHURCH, OFFICIAL BUSINESS!"

        "No, the bastards!"

James staggered onto his feet and ran for the boy's bedroom.

        "Andrieu, wake up!"

        "WH-WHAH!?"

        "The church, they found us!"

        "What?!  Is mother back?!"

        "I don't know, but get yourself ready we might have to leave!"

        "But, they can't get in, can they?!"

        "I won't take the risk, just be ready to leave soon as possible!"

Rousing himself from his bed Andrieu hurried to his parents' room whilst James went downstairs to hide behind one of the chairs.  The door at the kitchen was being pounded by fists as white hooded figures stared through the windows.

        "THIS IS THE CHURCH!  OPEN UP, NOW!"

        "Perhaps they are not in?"

        "Hardly," said a northern woman's voice, "the trail led us here, they're hiding inside."

        "But there's no breakage, who would be harbouring a beast?"

        "One that has not yet fully turned, break it down."

The slamming of bodies made the door shake harder as James searched around the room, finding a door at the base of the stairs.

        "Mister James!"

        "Andrieu get down!"

The child threw himself to the floor now cloaked in his black robe.

        "What's this door?" he pointed to the stairwell.

        "Um, it's for the basement."

        "Does it have a way out, someplace to escape?"

        "Mother said I shouldn't-"

        "She won't be coming with all these churchfolk here, we can wait it out until then!"

They watched and waited, keeping themselves out of sight as James yawned with a struggle and rubbed his eyes with the door still pounding harder, the table wedged against the oven holding firm to their advances.

        "Are you okay?" the boy asked.

        "I'm fine, just tired and very stressed."

        "Did you have a bad dream?"  He twitched his snout.  "I heard you mumbling-"

        "It is fine, just keep focused on the door!"

The child nodded and slowly turned his wolfy ears with newfound hearing to catch voices in the crowd.

        "THIS IS THE CHURCH, OPEN THIS DOOR NOW, OR SUFFER THE PRICE!"

        "WE KNOW YOU ARE HIDING A BEAST!"

        "Hold."

The woman spoke as the banging stopped.  The face of the black hooded beak showed herself at the window.

        "To those in this house, we know about the beast.  We know not why you're hiding an infectious creature, at the cost of your own lives or sanity, but rest assured it won't do you any good."

        "Infectious?" James blinked looking to Andrieu.  "Wait, are you?"

        "What, what's in-fek-shush?" he whispered.

        "Have you ever had a cold, or a flu?  If other people get sick from your cold, that's because it's infectious from you."

        "Oh!  Oh no!" he whimpered covering his snout.  "J-just like when father bit me, mister James I'm sorry!"

        "Wait, wait."

He put a finger to his own lips before standing up, much to the boy's shock as he approached the window whilst still hiding behind the partition between the rooms.

        "Are you from the church, madame?"

        "I was ordained by them," she replied, "but strictly speaking no, I operate freelance to hunt the hunters."

        "Are you versed in medicine, or at least the infection of the blood-beast?"

        "I understand it well, yes."

        "Answer me truthfully.  How does the beast's infection spread?"

        "Saliva."  She stroked her beak.  "One bite is all it takes, also ingesting its blood but one would be mad to do that."

        "Thank you."  James nodded.  "Then I am sorry to disappoint you but the beast is well under control and in no danger of spreading the contagion-"

        "LIES!" the church minister slammed the door.  "You are harbouring a vile beast who would destroy our city and undermine our very work-"

A sharp whistle from the raven cut him off, still standing at the window before she asked:

        "Do you live here, sir?"

        "No."  James shook his head.  "This house was vacant, but I fortified it against other beasts."

        "And yet you allow a beast into this home, rendering your defences pointless."

        "As I said, the beast is under control, I will deal with the matter myself."

        "And take him back to the castle?"

His eyes bulged with a sudden fright as the woman smirked beneath her cowl.

        "You're wondering how I know, aren't you?  I may not know your face, but I know you have a threaded whip and a shoulder wound.  One of the hunters got lucky on you with a nice gash, didn't they?"

James grabbed at said shoulder feeling the scar that had partially-healed from magic and bindings.  Andrieu twitched his snout in panic as outside one of the churchfolk slid up beside the raven and whispered:

        "We haven't done the test, how did you-"

        "Traces of silicate in the victims' wounds," she muttered back, "they have flecks of ornate brass, very typical of the castle's nobles."

        "Ah...remarkable."

        "You now have two choices!" she barked to James.  "Either come out now, and lesson your sentence.  Or this house will burn, and we'll see how good your defences are against your beast."

        "...may I have a moment to consider this?" he asked pensive.

        "Of course.  You have two minutes.  Choose wisely."

        "Thank you, madame."

She turned back to the ministers and lowered her voice.

        "Keep the house surrounded, find any exits, they may be trying to run."

        "But they're trapped surely they can't-"

        "Do you know what the first rule of the hunt is?  NEVER underestimate your target, no matter how small or how foolish they might be.  Search for exits, every crack, every nook, even the sewer trough, because nobody asks for time unless they're trying to escape, and I will not let a murderer go unpunished."

Slipping back down to the floor James motioned towards the staircase and beckoned Andrieu over.

        "We have to leave now, they're going to burn down the place."

        "Wh-what?!  But, it's my house!"

        "I know, unless I come out and give you up, and I am not doing that."

        "But...wh-what about mother?" he flattened his ears.  "How will she find me?!"

        "We will find her but first we need to survive, now help me open this door!"

        "I can't, I don't have the key!"

        "Then break it open, you have claws!"

Rubbed his hands feeling the claws scrape against each other, Andrieu dug his fingers through the crack and pulled with all his might until the wood suddenly snapped from the lock.  James shoved his cane through to wrench it open, as they hurried down into a damp stone room with the briefest glint of light from outside.

        "Here!" the boy pointed to a sluice.  "Mother puts the dirty water out here!"

        "Perfect, help me get it open."

They pulled the grating off with their strength combined, Andrieu surprising himself as he tore the vent cover free and they pushed themselves through just as the fires started to burn through the house.  Two of the ministers brought forth a pair of flamethrowers that resembled silver staffs, blasting jets of purifying heat that tore through the wood and started melting the door.  The table cracked under the pressure of the all-consuming flame as the church-folk readied their molotovs, the symbol of their order carved into each bottle as they were hurled into the home and shattered across the kitchen stove, smashing over the floor as rooms set alight to a roaring crescendo, curtains devoured and carpet peeling whilst the beds would burn and paintings curled like dying insects.  Smoke would fill the air as James and Andrieu crawled their way out of the sluice gate, the house burning higher to become yet another flickering light across the city.

        "MA'AM, I FOUND THEM THEY'RE ESCAPING-AAARGH!"

Pushing himself free James shot a fireball at the guard, causing him to fall back and clutch his face before the lemming grabbed the wolf-child and ran the other way.

        "STOP THEM!" the raven cried.  "USE YOUR GUNS, DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!"

The cracking boom of pistols followed them as they dodged into the sewer drain, splashing foul beneath their feet as James tightened his grip on Andrieu's claws with the church hounding after them.  Bullets fired down the open trench, zipping past their bodies as they scarpered through the fecal labyrinth.

        "Andrieu this way!"

        "Where are we going?!"

        "My horse, he's at the gate, we'll make it to the castle!"

        "The castle?!" Andrieu gasped.  "B-but, that's where the nobles live, they're evil!"

        "It's safer than here now hurry!"

The ricochet of bullets came peppering down the tunnel they ran through, sparks bursting beside their heads as James shot back with another fireball that rolled across the walls and startled some of the folk.

        "BASTARD, he's armed!"

        "But he has no gun, is he arcane?!"

        "WHO GIVES A DAMN SHOOT HIM FOR GOD'S SAKE!"

With a deafening boom there came a blast from a shotgun as they managed to escape into another open trench.  A ladder gave them an exit as James pushed Andrieu towards it.

        "You go first, I'll keep them back!"

        "Be careful mister James!"

Summoning a force from his hands the lemming focused his aura into a razor wind and scooped a wave of effluence in front of him, flooding the tunnel with a surging fury towards the churchfolk.  Cries of disgust filled the drain as James sent a rolling flame after it, causing a wall of fire briefly behind the now-insufferably hot sewage that caused some of them to retch.

        "A-AAAUUGH, GOD, THAT FILTHY HEALTHEN'S A WITCH!"

        "DON'T DAWDLE JUST SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE!"

        "HRRKH, th-think I swallowed something else!"

By the time they cleared their eyes and unclenched their throats, James was halfway up the ladder where Andrieu pulled him up before he ran on all fours with the lemming hurrying after.  Through narrow cobbled nooks and twisting passages, their cloaks fluttered behind as they managed to reach the gate where two guards stood still watching.  The lack of a crowd made things more difficult with a wide open street and torches beneath glimmering houses.

        "We have to be quick," he looked up at the walls, "can you climb over?"

        "I-i...I'm tired," Andrieu wheezed.

        "I am too, slowing them down took a lot from my reserves, we'll have to bluff through the guards...quick, get that barrow over there."

Taking a small cart James had Andrieu slump inside and covered him with other rags he found nearby, cutting open a wound from his own body to let a few red drops cover the clothes before he rolled up to the gate.

        "Halt."  They stopped him.  "Where are you travelling?"

        "The old lane," said James, "I am returning them to their family."

        "A pitiful sight," the guard shook his covered head, "we do have to check however-"

        "NO!" he stopped them.  "They...th-they're infected.  We have to burn them."

        "I still have to check, please step away."

They pulled back the cloth to see Andrieu's face.  Holding his breath he kept his eye steady and unblinking upon his wretched lupine face.

        "Good god...this one's but a child, how sickening."

        "I thought you said THEM," said the other guard looking to James.

        "I-i, could not determine their gender," James shook his head.

        "Ahh, I see."  They put the cloak back over the wolf's face.  "You may leave then, dispose of them carefully."

        "I will, thank you."

James nodded rolling through, showing his number tag as they brought Travers from the stable.

        "Hello boy," he petted his snout, "sorry for taking so long, I'll make it up to you."

The mule snorted with a nervous snickering as James put the boy in the saddle before he sat up behind him.

        "Keep close to me," said the lemming, "we'll be riding off very fast, hold onto the saddle."

        "I've never been on a horse before," he whispered.

        "He's a good boy, his name is Travers, I'll introduce you proper once we get back-"

        "STOP, STOP THE GATE!"

        "Time to go, TRAVERS HYAH!"

With a snap of the reins the stallion bolted off into the forest, the guards too late to realise with the raven on their tail as she stormed out the city with her group.

        "What was he carrying?!"  She grabbed one of the guards by the hem.  "What did he have?!"

        "A-a dead beast," he sputtered, "a child he was taking back to the family for cremation-"

        "That beast was alive!" she shoved him down looking back to her group.  "Get the horses, we'll head him off at the lane!"

The pounding of hooves came thundering through the forest, the stallion tearing between the trees like a phantom with the call of the church shrieking behind him.  Other horses came following as the woods shook with their fury, Travers shuddering with a screeching neigh as Andrieu clung on tight with James hunched over him.  Gunshots fired upon their backs, the lemming turning behind to take aim with a blasting shot of fire that punched one of them off their horses, falling with a scream into the rough as the horde continued pursuit.  Amongst them was the lady in black, the raven's beak staring down with piercing eyes before she suddenly took off one way through the forest and left the herd to keep chasing.  The sound of the stampede caused villagers to scatter, women and children fleeing from into their houses whilst the galloping group came rumbling past.

        "TAKE HIM DOWN!"

        "STOP HIM, HE'S A MURDERER!"

        "HURRY MISTER JAMES!"

        "TRAVERS DON'T STOP, KEEP GOING!"

The horse panted faster, his chest starting to burn with beating heart punching against his ribs as he tore up the hill with crunching stones scattering behind him.  The village trembled with fear and fury as some of the folk tried to assist, poking guns out of windows and shooting for the horse's head as James threw up his hand with shards of ice, bullets zipping past Travers' ears as he bowed his head and kept charging through.  One villager swung towards him with a scythe as James summoned a gust of wind to push them back, the wild blade hurtling close to the mule's side as James struck it back with his cane before they reached the tombstone lane.

        "WE'RE ALMOST THERE!" he shouted.

        "A-ARE WE SAFE?!" Andrieu cried.

        "JUST ABOUT, KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN WE'LL SOON BE HOME FREE!"

But there came a shadow upon them before they reached the bridge.  A black beast with shocking mane of brilliant white rose above like thunder in the sky.  From her haunting cry James reared back with fright as the night mare charged towards him, a black pair of wings stretching from her back as something launched high above their heads.  James barely had time to realise it was the raven herself, silhouetted by the moon with her glimmering cold beak before her foot came driving down into his neck and kicked him off his mule.

        "MISTER JAAAAMES!"

He rolled into the dirt as Travers galloped onwards, the scribe rolling hard into the cobbles before he staggered back on his feet.

        "You shouldn't have run."

The raven landed before him with cloak fuming behind.

        "Your mule's well trained, but he's not my mark."

        "G-GUH, AAAGH!" he clutched his throat with a heaving cough.  "J-just...y-you don't understand, th-they were trying to murder a child-"

        "A child afflicted by beasthood."  She drew out a long crooked blade shaped like a frozen river.  "The cure for that is steel."

        "And if the cure is worse than the disease?!" he snapped gripping his cane.  "What if the child is not sick in the mind?!"

        "It's not the mind that infects others, but the body that draws poison."

        "Ohohh I BEG to differ, an idea can poison just as much as claws!"

        "Like the words of a beast claiming innocence?"  She put her hand to the churchfolk who stopped with a clattering of hooves.  "What proof you have his mind is not corrupted?"

        "He is a CHILD, he BEGGED ME FOR HELP!"

        "A wounded beast seeks desperate measures, one bite is all it takes."

        "He had plenty chance to bite me when we slept in the same house!"

        "What makes you think he hasn't?"  She walked close with her sword as he backed against a tombstone.  "Have you checked your body, you've hardly had time since our little talk."

        "I...n-NO!" he thrust her back with his staff.  "I will not surrender him to you, no matter what you say!"

        "I wasn't asking."

She lunged towards his head as he ducked to try and stab her with his cane before she dodged aside and slammed her knee into his stomach taking the wind from his lungs.  With sword raised high she came down for his head as he rolled fast out of her reach and twisted open his cane to unleash the threaded whip, lashing across her blade as she blocked with a strike and leapt back waiting for his attack.  The scribe summoned a ball of flame but she jumped first, seeing the fire orb blast from his palm and evading when she pulled out her gun and shot his leg.  James cried out in his falling run, staggering with a limp as blood spittled down his thigh when he headed to the castle.  The church riders galloped ahead to form a wall across the lane and bar his path with rifles aimed upon him.

        "Surrender now, heathen."

        "Y-you...NEVER!"

His hands trembled opening wide to summon a raging wind, shivering across his form as he shot himself straight into one of the men like a whirling bullet, launching through the barricade to fly over the cobbles and gliding to a short stop to quickly drag his leg closer towards the frosted bridge.  Thunder grew behind him, the pounding of hooves causing the earth to quake before something grabbed the scruff of his neck and dragged him forwards beneath a black robe.

        "Perhaps you are a beast."

The raven sat on top with her sword on his throat.

        "Guilt is but another sort of madness."

        "I-I...HRRRKH!"

        "I will offer you a chance to repent, for your last words if you so please."  She grabbed his hair and lifted his head.  "Either you repent, and offer your hands, or you don't, and offer your life."

        "I-i...w-won't, repent what I did was right."

        "Pity."  She shook her head.  "You seem a hard worker."

        "He is."

A voice caused them to look up.

        "A pitiful wretch, but still one of our kin."

James had never been happy to see Crow more than now, his splendid armour and scarlet cape fluttering in the wind as he stood upon the bridge to the castle.

        "And who, may I ask are you?" the raven sneered.

        "I am Sir Crow, and you shall address me as such."

        "Ohh?"  She tightened her grip on the lemming's hair.  "I too am a crow, and I am performing a hunter's arrest."

        "What I see is a rakish tatterdemallion harassing one of my subjects."

He went for his sword as a dozen rifles clicked upon him.

        "Get back in your hole," said the church minister on his mount, "lest the sun burn the boils on your back."

        "Is that an order from a man or a god?  For I serve neither."

        "You serve a corpse draped in villainy!"

        "I serve a queen, not your vicar."

        "BLASPHEMOUS SCUM!"

Four of the guns fired as Sir Crow disappeared in a cloud of smoke, white as bone before one of the church guards was suddenly shot twice from to knock him off his horse when the knight reappeared.  When the guardians aimed for him again, there came a snapping of muskets as servants and knights stepped out behind tombs and aimed for the churchfolk's heads.

        "HOLD YOUR FIRE!" the raven raised her hand keeping her sword on James' throat.  "This does NOT concern you, return to your castle!"

        "That is one of my servants," Sir Crow raised his pistol for her head, "if but one drop of his blood spilleth from his paltry flesh, I shall flense you to become part of her Majesty's finery."

        "Insolent BASTARD!" the minister shouted with thrusting finger.  "Your vile kin shall come to an end this quarter-"

        "Sh-SHUT UP YOU DITHERING ARSE!" James snapped.  "S-sire, my lord please d-do not waste your breath on these vermin, is my horse safe?!"

        "Yes, your half-breed is well," he felt his sire roll his eyes, "regardless of your wish I cannot abide any impertinence on our servants."

        "This servant of yours is a killer," the raven pulled herself up with James, "as you know reparations must be made."

        "And what proof you have?"

        "Silicate from the wounds of his victims, his blood matching that on the scene-"

        "Did you test it?  Or did you assume he was the only servant we allow into the city?"

        "He has admitted to harbouring a beast," she flexed her arm with the sword.

        "And what beast is that?" he stroked the pommel of his own.

        "The one that was on his horse, galloping back to its stable."

        "I saw...no beast, upon his mount."

        "Wh-...what?"

James gasped slightly in panic, the woman twisting her fingers through his hair of swampy green.

        "Hmm."  She smiled to herself.  "Alright, I will confess I did not test the blood."

        "So you have no physical evidence."  Sir Crow shook his head.  "As our duty to protect our kin, you shall be fired upon with extreme prejudice if your arrest is unwarranted."

        "Are you willing to risk a war over this servant?"

        "Are you willing to sully your title with circumstantials?"

        "No."  Her sword slipped free from his neck.  "I shall do no such thing."

The raven pushed James forwards and spun him round to face her.

        "I will ask you only once.  Were you present in Burdock Yard four hours back?"

        "No," James snorted brushing his cloak.

        "Alright."  She loomed over him.  "Under pending investigations, you are not to be judged this night.  But should I find evidence of your presence there, acquired through lawful means..."

Her beak touched his head.

        "There is no force in this world, or the next that shall protect you."

        "Fine," he bared his teeth, "now may I return back to my master, MADAME?"

        "Of course."

She let him walk across the bridge, the church ministers departing back to the city with eyes of malice as they stared at the castle's servants.

        "What now?" muttered one of the church.

        "We wait for him to travel," the raven said mounting her mare, "I already know it's him."

        "What, but the blood-"

        "I have something much more damning than blood."

She tapped her beak as she rode off down the lane.  The church would follow as the knights of the castle retreated back with a humph.

        "Is our plan still set?" the minister asked his cohorts.

        "Two weeks from now, a great ally in the higher echelon is willing to bring the sword of justice down on these vermin."

        "Good.  Two weeks to prepare."  He grabbed the reins.  "The godless nobles shall be cleansed one way or another."

        "We must not fail, our new band of executioners shall make certain of that."

With the church departing, James stood upon the bridge in front of his superior.  He waited for the silence to end, too frightened to move until Sir Crow grabbed his chin.

        "Did we not implore that you cause no trouble?"

He slapped him with an iron fist as he fell.

        "Had that harlot a shred of physical evidence you would have been cast to the wolves."

        "F-forgive me, sire," whimpered James in the dirt, "thank...th-thank you for defending me-"

        "I do not do it for you, I do it to protect our reputation.  Now, the Undines."

        "Th-they...they're on, the horse."  He shot up with a start and clutched his chest.  "My horse!  Travers he-"

        "The horse is fine, were you struck dumb as well?"

        "No, I...s-sorry, forgive me sire," he bowed profuse and headed up the mountain, "I-i must retrieve my satchel from, the horse."

He grabbed the lemming's shoulder before whistling sharp, a stallion of gorgeous silver with armour to match its mythical grace as he hoisted himself up and pulled James aboard with him.  Within moments he found himself at the castle gate as they cantered to the stables, Burnquist awaiting as she held Travers' reins in her leathery hands and his satchel wrapped round his neck.

        "Smart little mule we have," she grinned petting his snout, "trotted right back to his place like a good didikko."

        "DO NOT-...yes," he swallowed his rage beneath the eyes of Crow, "thank you, and there's the satchel yes."

        "I shall take them to her Majesty," said Crow offering his hand, "as for you, for your insolence I suggest a punishment befitting of your meddle."

        "I am ready to accept," James bowed handing the volumes to him, "I apologise again for the grievance I caused."

        "Burnquist, have him clean the stables for a week."

        "Yes sire," she clicked her boots, "I assure you they will be spotless by his hands."

With a shovel thrust into said hands, James set himself to work clearing out the stables despite his wounds.  His arms turned to lead as he forced the spade through mounds of filth, heaving them into the refuse with his mask covering his snout.  Hours passed until he couldn't feel his fingers, digging through the piles with a slowing pace despite Burnquist berating him.

        "I hope your mouth did not oversell your body."

        "N-NNNRGH-GAH!"

        "Braggarts have no place in this castle, one would do better in the church."

        "A-AAAGH, haaah!"

        "You should be grateful we care about you here," she spread her arms behind him, "remember you are barely a man, but a worm that grew limbs with a clot of weeds for your hair."

        "A-aaagh, hah-A-AAAARRGH!"

The moment he stopped Burnquist struck his back with a riding whip, groaning as he forced himself up once again and kept toiling through the stalls before he was finally done some few hours later.

        "Good," she clapped slowly, "the first tithe of your punishment has been paid."

        "Th-thank you."

Staggering over to Travers' stable, the lemming collapsed into the hay and cuddled beside his horse.  The mule sniffed over his hair as James fell asleep, the smell of fresh hay soothing him before something rustled inside the thick pile of straw.

        "M-mister...James?"

        "Mmmrh, A-andrieu?!"

He shot up with a start as he saw a wolfy face peek out from the hay.

        "Ohhh thank the talisman you're safe."

        "I-i didn't know if they would like me, so I hid."

        "That's good, you're a very clever boy."  He sighed clutching his chest.  "Sorry I'm just very exhausted and tired and I'm covered in cuts and bruises."

        "I'm sorry," he whimpered sniffling.

        "It's not your fault.  I'm sorry about your house."

        "It...it's alright."

The child brought out a pocket watch from his vest with a bashful grin.

        "I only needed this...so mother knows it's me."

        "Oh, you...I thought your father was going to give you it-"

        "Well, I thought, it would be okay, now that father's gone."

        "I'm sure she won't mind," he patted his head, "we'll find her, don't worry...I just need to rest then I'll take you somewhere safe."

James slept for a while longer to recover his strength, the beast-child hiding in the hay whilst Travers kept resting.  Down in the old former dungeon, Andrieu followed the lemming into the long draughty halls before reaching his room.

        "Here we are."  He beckoned him in.  "It's not much, but it has a bed and a lavatory, I will bring a bowl of water for washing yourself and food when I can."

        "Really?" he gasped turning his sinuous body.  "Can I stay here?"

        "As long as you need," said James nodding, "just until we can find your mother at least."

        "Th-thank you!"

He hugged him with his claws wrapped round his waist, burying his muzzle into the lemming's chest as he hugged him back.

        "You're...you've been really nice to me, mister James."

        "I've come this far, I can hardly abandon you now but, you really needn't call me mister."

        "S-sorry, I...mother told me I should be polite."

        "Well...hmm, who am I to argue with her?"

The boy smiled before clenching his teeth, pouting to hide his fangs and turning away slightly to look over the bed.

        "Where do I sleep?"

        "Oh, well," James rubbed his neck, "I thought you would not mind sharing."

        "Oh!"

        "Yes, sorry there is only the one bed, but if you would rather sleep by yourself I could find a blanket."

        "N-no, it's fine," he rubbed his arm bashfully.

        "Are you sure?  You seem uncomfortable."

        "I don't want to be a bother, s-sorry mister James."

        "No no it's fine, no trouble!" he took his hand with a smile.  "I know this must be difficult, with your affliction and such."

        "It hurts," he shivered clutching his stomach, "feels like I'm burning, in my tummy."

        "Should I get medicine?"

        "N-no, they said at the clinic they couldn't help me."

        "But they were working on a cure yes?" he sat over by the bed.  "Tell me what happened."

The boy sat up next to him as his tail flipped behind him.

        "My father came back, and he was sick.  He was, all hairy, and mother tried to help, but he bit both of us.  The church came and took us to the clinic.  The nice lady she, she wanted to help us, said she was finding a cure."

        "And that's how your mind is still the same?"

        "Y-yes...mother too, she could still talk to me but father...father was too late."

        "I'm sorry."  He rubbed Andrieu's back.  "At least your mother is still out there, I can try to find her."

        "But...b-but the church were hunting you!"

        "I will find a way, fear not."  He tried to force a grin.  "Now just sit here, I will find a blanket for you."

        "N-no!"  The boy grabbed his arm.  "Please, I'm scared!"

        "Scared, of what?"

        "I...I don't know, please don't leave."

        "...alright."  James yawned rubbing his side.  "I do have to sleep however, what about you?"

        "I...can I sleep in your bed too mister James?"

        "That is fine," he stood up and took off his cloak showing an undershirt with cloth pants, "just think of it like a hotel and you have to share with your mother."

        "Right, like when we went to my grandfather's."

        "Ohh?  Is he still around?"

        "No."

        "I see...I'm, sorry again."

        "It's alright."  The beast-child blushed grinning with closed lips.  "Sh-should I...take my clothes off?"

        "That...is entirely up to you," James winced, "I keep mine on for bed."

        "Alright, I just...f-forgot to take my sleep clothes from the house."

        "I can find you some tomorrow, but for now let's sleep."

Checking the door was locked once again, he crawled under the sheets as Andrieu joined him in the slightly-cramped bed.  Comfortable enough for one, but for two of similar size it made an effort as James turned himself away to face the door, whilst the child stared at his back.

        "Goodnight mister James."

        "Goodnight Andrieu."  He closed his eyes.  "I hope that...I..."

His thoughts drifted to sleep before he could finish, slumbering as the wolf followed after to the land of dreams.  Neither wanted to admit that they had slept better that night than they did in the past month from the warmth of each other's presence, the boy slipping closer against him as he briefly imagined his mother next to him.  James flickered his eyes with a gentle grin.

Pathetic liar.

His face twisted with guilt.

You offer false hope, and crush another's heart yet again.

He clenched his hands in the blanket.

You have condemned him to a worse fate than death, if he is caught then he will suffer.

James shook his head shutting his eyes against the voice.

You can't even save yourself, what hope do you have of saving him?

He slept at the cost of his peace.  Again he wandered through the forest of white beneath the moon, and again he saw his lover sit by the lake.  This time Chanoch would stand and walk into the water with James trying to grab him, but his strength too much as he was pulled down with him.  Drowning in darkness, the claws would catch and its teeth would rend from the creature that he became, his lover transformed to a horrifying thing with soulless eyes like a burning furnace, his arms stretched and his teeth curling long.  The waters blue became crimson deep, his heart severed to a thousand pieces as he submitted to the dark.

When he awoke again, James felt the beast against his back, the child sleeping still as he pulled himself up gently as he could and slipped on his cloak.

        "Mmmm?"

        "Oh...good morning, I think."

        "I-is it?" Andrieu yawned with pearly fangs.  "Are you...going to work, mister James?"

        "I am yes, I'll get some things for you when it's lunch."  He grabbed his cane and went to the door.  "Stay here and keep quiet, remember you are hiding."

        "Alright."  He cupped his snout and swished his tail.  "I'll be, quiet as a mouse, mister James."

        "Hmhm, good boy."

Locking the door, James headed to the library and worked through his duties.  Asquith handed him transcripts of the Undines that he had to translate for the queen's empirical tongue, something that relieved him for the fact he would not have to meet her.

        "With mind pure and unsalvaged, rent from the depths of darkness, so too shall one discover a truer strength, that by the light of the moon, shall embalm the flesh as if it were a babe fresh from the womb......ugh."

He pushed the book away from him.

        "I hate this language, makes my skin crawl."

        "SO!"

He flinched when Horsham sidled up beside him.

        "I 'eard you escaped the chokers, nearly 'ad to change yer robes fer sum devil's claws!"

        "Hahaaa yes, it was rather close," James sighed putting the transcript away, "how are you friend?"

        "Awww can't complain, wot 'appened to ya, you were away ages!"

        "I got caught up in the Hunt, the roads were a nightmare and I ended up at the scene of a murder."

        "You wot?!" he gasped under his ragged cloak.  "Don' tell me ya shivved sum poor bastard!"

        "N-NO!" he snapped a little too loudly.  "No I just, I turned the wrong way down an alley trying to get back and well, the church came round right at the time they saw me with three dead bodies."

        "Awwww sheesh," Horsham tugged his neck, "harsh mate, righ' in a coopered ken, well at least you got out 'fore they crapped ya."

        "Thanks to sir Crow," James looked behind his shoulder, "if it wasn't for him I'd be tasting the noose."

        "Good.  I'm glad yer alrigh' Jim."  He patted his side.  "Place would be a lot emptier without ya."

        "Hah, you don't mean that."

        "No I do!  We're mates aren't we?"

        "I-...yes."  He smiled nodding at him.  "Thank you Horsham."

His friend left him be as James continued his work, until lunch came when he grabbed food and a bowl of water to quickly take back to his room and check on Andrieu.  The boy was ravenous, feasting on half of James' lunch before he realised how little he had left for himself and Elliot.  Regardless he went out into the snowy wastes, traipsing alongside the cliff and searching for the cave with the stranger's song.

        "Hey there," he nodded in his robe of pale blue, "wondered where you got to."

        "Forgive me," James bowed, "I was...well...can you keep a secret?"

        "I never talk to anyone else, so no one'll hear."

        "I...well, I rescued a child."  He sat down next to him.  "He's living in my quarters, Andrieu his name is, the castle know nothing because he's a beast transformed but his mind is safe, he is still human within."

        "Woah," Elliot shook his head, "that's...quite a day you've had huh?"

        "I barely escaped from the church.  They were hunting him, but...now I don't know what to do, he says his mother is out there waiting for him, changed like him but still sane."

        "So this kid and her mom are both turned into beasts?"

        "Yes," James nodded, "that means I have to...feed him, and I don't...have enough to give you, myself and him I-i am sorry, I will try to scrounge up more an-"

        "Hahaha, is that what you're worried aboot?"  He patted James on the back.  "You're a sweet kid."

        "Kid?" the lemming squinted.

        "I mean, I'm pretty old so everyone's a kid to me."

        "Really, you don't sound it."

        "Hah, thanks.  Seriously, don't worry aboot feeding me, it's not your job."

        "But I don't want you to starve," James shook his head.

        "Well you won't have to, cuz I found a sponsor."

        "A...what?"

        "Someone liked my music," he gave a fingergun with a click of his mouth, "they want me to play for the festivals after the Hunt."

        "Oh, that's wonderful!"

        "Mmhmm, means I can support myself."

        "So why are you still in this cave?"

        "Because."  Elliot shrugged.  "It's nice with a great view, there's good company-"

        "The castle is NOT good company-"

        "It wasn't the castle that shared food with me."

James shuffled uncomfortably with a slight blush.

        "So, you do not mind I cannot feed you?"

        "Naaaah it's fine, I have money now," Elliot waved his hand, "you look after that kid but, what're you gonna do?"

        "I want to find his mother, but I haven't the first idea where to start and  I can't go searching the city with the church after me."

        "Well," the musician scratched his chin, "I mean, I can go in the city."

        "Wh-...would you?" James gasped with looming eyes.

        "Sure, after all the time you've given me I can spare some of mine to help find his mom."

        "OH, thank you!" he hugged the stranger before pulling back.  "S-sorry, sorry I'm just very grateful you have no idea how much this helps-"

        "It's fine," Elliot nodded, "I know how hard it is for a family to be apart.  So what's she look like?"

        "Well, that's the thing, she is a beast so I don't-OH, yes, she wears a green ribbon, round her neck."

        "That's it?"

        "Yes, a-and also a yellow blouse, tell her that her son Andrieu is safe at the castle, a scribe called James found him and is keeping him safe."

        "Alright, that should help."  He tapped his guitar with a gentle pluck.  "Next time I'm down in the city I'll talk to every beast and ask 'hey you have a son called Andrieu cuz I know where he is-'"

        "Come on I am serious!"

        "I know, so was I, I'll find her don't worry."

        "Thank you."  The lemming stood up dusting his robe.  "I have to get back, you're a lifesaver Elliot."

        "Hohohh not yet," he winked beneath his hood, "I'll see you around, come back to me in about a week."

        "Certainly, take care."

A few days would pass since this meet, James working tireless through the transcripts that were relayed to the queen by Lady Asquith.  Between caring for Andrieu and keeping on top of his bookkeeping, whilst also cleaning out the stables as part of his punishment, the scribe felt more ragged but also more energised than he did before as he snuck out books to the child, offering him stories of wonder to keep his mind busy.

        "My friend should be coming back with news about your mother," he said offering a spare blanket, "I also grabbed this from the stables, it's rather thick so it should keep you warm."

        "Thank you!"  He took it and wrapped it round himself.  "Mmmm, smells like horses."

        "Hah, I hope that's not bad."

        "No, I like it!  Is your horse okay?"

        "Yes he's fine, Travers was looking for you actually, he kept trying to push his nose in the hay you were in."

        "Heehee, he's nice.  I like him."

        "If we find your mother," James offered some bread, "I know a place outside the castle we can all meet up and you can head back."

        "Mmm, alright!"

        "Don't eat near the book please," he took it off him, "they'll get rather suspicious if they find bread crumbs on it."

        "They don't let you eat in the libraby?" Andrieu asked stuffing his face.

        "No they don't, they're very particular about their books."

        "How long you been here mister James?"

        "About...four years."

        "Do you like, working here?"

        "I don't really have any choice," he rubbed his neck, "I came here on my hands and knees starving and cold, I would have died if they had not taken me in so I have my life to owe them."

        "Did you get hunted too?" said Andrieu chewing the bread.

        "I was...banished," James took a deep breath, "I did something horrible, and my family...well, my people forced me to leave."

        "What did you do?"

        "I...I killed someone."

He clenched his hands as Andrieu stiffened his back.

        "I'm not going to lie to you.  I'm a murderer, that is why I am here.  I killed someone in a fit of madness, I was-"

        "Cursed?"  The wolf cocked his head.  "Like mother and I?"

        "Well...yes, essentially."

        "But you're not...sick, now?"

        "As in, am I no longer mad?"  James scratched his cheek.  "That's rather debatable."

        "But you're not a beast?"

        "O-oh, no, I never was."

        "So, you were cursed but now, you're not?" he wagged his tail with a growing grin.  "S-so there, there's, a cure!?"

        "O-oh, well, no you see Andrieu I was cursed a different way-"

        "But there's only one curse!" he shot up onto the bed.  "They said, that the curse would corrupt you and, it would turn you into a beast!"

        "But I wasn't, my case was different it wasn't so much a curse as I was corrupted-"

        "Just like me and mother!" the boy bounced happily.  "Can you, c-can you find a cure, mister James?  You read lots of books, you're really clever!"

        "I-i...I just..."

The look on his face wounded him with his soft golden eyes and mawkish little pout where fangs would peek  forming a smile on the edge of his lips.  His heart melted with a burning pain as the lemming struggled to say no but found his voice betrayed him.

        "I could...s-see, what...I make no promise, but I will find something in the library that might help you and your mother."

        "THANK YOU!"

        "SH-SH-SHUSH!"  He blustered as the boy hugged him.

        "O-oh, I'm sorry, s-sorry thank you mister James!"

        "It's fine, please, do not thank me when I haven't done anything."

        "But you saved me, from the church!  You gave me food and let me sleep here!"

        "Well that you can thank me for, but please don't put all your hopes on me for a cure, I'm not a doctor."

The beast drooped his ears with a solemn look.

        "But, I will do my best to find something, no promises."

        "Alright."  He smiled again.  "Thank you."

He rubbed Andrieu's head and rested for the day, time having lost all meaning in the eternal dusk as the boy enjoyed his new blanket.  From that night on he slept under the bed as the safest place he could be, the darkness soothing him enough to sleep better with a view of the door and in hiding.  The next day James was hitting the books, searching through old volumes relevant to the history of the infection as he pored over medical texts that confused him with centuries of arguments that bordered on mystical.

        "What am I doing?" his heart sank with every page.  "How can I hope to find a cure when even centuries of experts here can barely comprehend it?"

He sighed with a slump.

        "This isn't going to work.  Nothing is incurable but, I'm just not capable of it."

        "Perhaps you are!" a voice tittered from above.  "But the hours of the night are many, and the lore more than you can count!"

        "Wh-who...who is that?" James looked around him.

        "Over here, by the moonlight's kiss my scrivening friend."

He walked to the window in a corner of the library, putting the book back on its shelf beside when he saw no one there.

        "Horsham?  Are you fooling me again?"

        "Not Horsham am I," the voice said still above him, "a better name I have but one not privy to you!"

        "What are you-A-AAAH!"

He clutched his heart seeing an old man's face sit upon the shelf.  But it was his body that disturbed him more, seeing the bulbous black of a thorax and abdomen with eight spindly legs creeping over the wood.  The spider was the size of a human toddler, with a face just as wicked.

        "What...what in talisman's name ARE you?!"

        "I would ask you much the same," he bowed with one leg, "hardly a place for you to judge!"

        "Well...yes I suppose you have a point," he rubbed his hands, "are you, part of the castle?"

        "A higher lord I serve," said the spider coming near, "glory be, here I was hoping to discover a divine soul, but instead I found an empty head!"

        "If you don't serve the castle you're an intruder," James raised his staff towards him, "You would do wise not to insult me before I ask what you're doing here."

        "Patience friend!" he raised his front limbs.  "Twould not be wise for YOU to upset a doctor when one clearly needs it."

        "A...a doctor?  You?"

        "I know well that every victory against death is only temporary, and that blood imbibes us to this mortal coil.  But I'm not unkind, and I heard your plight whilst in search for a missing patient."

        "What...sort of patient?" James narrowed his eyes.

        "A child and a mother, OH how horrid!" the spider shook his human head.  "A family of poor souls wrapped in the flesh of corrupting blood, but their minds pure and unsullied!"

        "Really?  And your search led you here?!"

        "Indeed, I suppose you have not seen them?"

        "That depends."  James crossed his arms.  "Are you here to cure or to cleanse?"

        "Perish the thought!" the arachnid reared back.  "First do no harm and all that, they escaped before our final administration could remedy their blight, and here I was so hoping to end their dreadsome nightmare."

        "You have a cure?!" he gasped.

        "SHHH!"  He jabbed his snout with a sharp leg.  "It's not for the common man just yet, it still requires ingredients!"

        "S-sorry...but, you say the clinic has a cure and they were going to-...but, I heard the woman who ran the clinic say they were failures to be killed."

        "Glory be, ears as big as your face have you?!" the spider grinned rubbing his legs.  "And what investment you have, after I saw you poring over that clinical grimoire?"

        "I know someone who was...afflicted," he sighed shaking his head, "I was hoping to find something that could remedy his pain."

        "So you wish to wage war against the inevitable?  Hmhmhm, such quixotic thrall, perhaps we are both lambs before a god?"

        "I do not know what you mean but...are you asking for my help?"

        "Tis not a request if you dither-dally, do you think ill of me?!"

        "No!  I just...forgive me," he bowed straining his teeth, "I am not a physician so I am not versed in this subject."

        "As one shouldn't, a heavy debt it is to wage war against the blood."

The creature came closer with a tittering from his teeth.

        "Would you like to be witness to a miracle?"

        "If you are asking for help and it will cure my friend then yes."

        "Indeed my dear James, now take this down!  Four bloodshot eyeballs, two sacs of ritual blood, and a pearl slug."

The lemming pulled out his notebook and started scribbling them down with a cringe.

        "Those...are for the cure?"

        "I'm willing to do a kindness," the creature tapped his head, "if only you can bring me such things that I lack the strength and time to search."

        "Alright...if that's what it takes but where do I find them?"

        "The eyes you will find from the witch on the lane, the ritual blood in the city purloined by tomb thieves, and lastly the slug is at the old college."

        "The...c-college?" James shook his head.  "But that's been sealed off, no one can reach it!"

        "Ahhh, until you my dear friend."  The spider crawled onto the windowsill.  "Tell me, have you had any rather extraordinary dreams?"

        "What do you mean?"

        "I ask out of pity, your eyes betray to me a rather whimsical approach to sleep."

        "I...actually I haven't been sleeping well because of nightmares."

        "Do tell," the arachnid tented his limbs, "I am intrigued."

        "Well...I was running through the forest, gold and green then I find a tunnel.  Darkness overcomes, and I escape to the other side where I find my beloved sitting by a lake in the dead of winter."

        "And then?"

        "Then...the, jabberwock comes for me."

        "HHHOOOHOOHOHOHOH, glory BE what nonsense nomenclature from your empty silly head!"

        "SHUT UP!" he snapped raising his fist.  "You are still a bug and I have crushed plenty before you!"

        "O-OH, NO!" he raised his spindly limbs in fright over his head.  "Have mercy, tis the greatest of sin to harm a physician!"

        "Then don't mock me!  For a doctor you have terrible manners, not even bedside more like the toilet!"

        "Y-yes, well," he scoffed brushing his abdomen, "this...jabberwock you call it, what look does it have?"

        "It has many eyes and hairs all over its skull," James shuddered pulling back, "long thin arms that tore me to pieces-"

        "AHA, OHHHH so it is, yes!  I know the cure for that exactly!"

        "Are you serious?!"

        "Oho most certainly, again I will offer you a kindness, a gift of the godhead one would say.  But first, the ingredients, for a curse of blood is greater than that of mind."

        "Yes...you're right."  The lemming nodded.  "Blood and eyes I can gather but the college I will have trouble."

        "Only because you lack the words to go through," the strange thing tapped his head, "I shall tell you that since you're in my debt."

        "Oh, is it a password I need?"

        "Come close.  Words precious as this cannot be spoken here."

He inched close towards the arachnid and bent his head down with his ear straining to the human head's lips.  Four words drifted into his mind as he gasped.

        "Is that...really?"

        "Du-du-duh!" the spider waved his limb.  "I shared with you a thing most secret, and all the stronger you'll be for it my dear James!"

        "Well, thank you," he stepped back looking behnd him, "how shall I contact you again?"

        "The college is safe, would get myself a slug but they're slippery buggers even for my web, do that one last, be easier for us both."

        "Alright.  I know where the college is from some of the books, so I won't get lost heading there."

        "Hmhmhmhm, ohohhh yes very good very goooood my sweet compeer, I shall await your reckoning there."

        "I shall see you again soon, and...thank you, for wanting to help me."

As he turned to leave James heard the creeping of legs back to the ceiling.

        "...how did he know my...name?"

But he was gone, with no trace left of the arachnid's passing as he craned his neck up towards the wood-varnished ceiling, scritching his head at his fortune before turning back to his duties.

14th Dubhlem, Year 34 AF

Andrieu is coping well, despite his new surroundings and the fate that brought us together.  Still no news from Elliot concerning his mother, but hopefully we shall meet up soon.  I sent out a letter to Beth explaining my needs concerning what that strange person from the clinic has told me, and while I do not have high hopes for this solution, I have become entrenched so deep into this boy's plight that it would be another failure on my part to not see it through.

I know I have not suffered the worst out of this sordid business.  I do not know whose heart I broke more, my lover Chanoch who watched me leave his bed and doom him to a cold emptiness once again; or my brother Alistair who watched me sentenced to a funeral of my own making.  I wanted to help him become a Scribe, but now I fear for his upbringing having not only dragged the darkness out of our family's past, but also show him how weakness can befall one who wields the Art with much greater calamity.  My brother.  My beloved.  I will not beg for either your forgiveness, for I know I do not deserve your compassion.

Even if you shall never see this, I am truly sorry for all the suffrage I have forced you both to carry.  I have disgraced the very name of my saviour, the hero of my people that I sought for so long to shoulder the weight of his legacy, and so crumbled underneath.  Were I able to wield the Art again in this forsaken realm, I would undo my very birth if it meant you both the happiness you deserve.  Until then, I must do what I can for Andrieu, for what little good I still have in my blackened heart.

        "What are you writing?" asked the child.

        "Just my diary," James looked at the bed from his mirror, "it's a very private thing, I hope you understand."

        "Father kept a diary too, I never read it."

        "Good boy."

        "I wanted to make a diary too, but...writing's hard."

        "Really?" James cocked his head.  "I could find you a blank book to start with, put your thoughts into it."

        "But, I'm not very good."

        "You don't have to be.  A diary's about your personal thoughts, something for you to keep close, it doesn't have to be good.  Also it will be a good way for you to study yourself."

        "S-study, myself?"

James turned fully round in his seat.

        "When you start writing, you're going to make mistakes and that's fine.  I've made plenty mistakes too and I started much younger than you."

        "Really, when did you start?"

        "About, hmmm, must have been five when I wanted to be a scribe and start focusing on it."

        "I-i want to be a writer too!" the wolf grinned with a cheerful wag.  "I love books, and reading them, and I think, wouldn't it be great if, if I wrote a book, and someone read it and liked it too?!"

        "Hahaha, yes that would be great, and I'm sure you can write one too!"

        "But, how?"

        "Well how about this?" James pulled out a blank journal from his dresser.  "Write me a story.  Just anything you want, whatever you want to write about, and I can tell you how to do it better."

        "Why can't you tell me now?" he scritched his ear.

        "Because I don't know how good you are, you could be very talented for all I know but I need to see what you write first."

        "Ummm...a-alright!"

Andrieu would start to write his first work over the next few days.  He struggled of course, but James gave him his time and space to work alone as the wolf-child scribbled hard and fumbled his claws with an awkward grip round his pencil.  It would be six days after Andrieu started his story that James received a letter from Beth, concerning that rather "special delivery" as he made plans for his journey, but not before he sat down and read the child's work, partly excited, but also partly anxious to form the right words and deliver a gentle critique.

        "Is...i-is it good, mister James?"

It was just as he expected.  A story of pirates on the high seas with several odd names and almost no development of any character beyond a simple emotion they embodied.  That said, it was surprisingly tense with lots of action and few spelling errors for a boy his age.  Blunt and forthright in its pacing with no sense of metaphor, his writing helped James visualise exactly where every shot went, but in turn lacked the imagination to help strengthen the scene.

        "Well," he took a deep breath, "that...was very exciting!"

        "Really?!" he bounced on his butt.

        "Your style is very earnest, you don't dally around with metaphors which on the one hand doesn't distract me, but on the other it's very blunt."

        "O-oh, really?" his ears drooped.

        "That's not a bad thing!  It's like a painting without colours, you see exactly what is there, but there's nothing beyond, there lacks a depth, that's something you can work on to strengthen yourself."

        "But, do you like it?"

        "I do!" he nodded.  "I love your character Nevarr, she's a fearsome fighter and how she battled the sky-fiends, that part was my favourite.  The way you wrote that part was savage, fast and striking like her blade!"

        "Th-thank youuu," he blushed wagging his tail, "I'm going to write more, it's really fun!"

        "Glad to hear!  Alright."  He lurched from the bed and took his cane.  "I have to get things done before my journey outing today, but I'll get some water, some food and TWO books for you since you've been such a good lad."

        "OH, thank you mister James!" he wagged his tail.  "Can I...get something about pirates, please?"

        "Absolutely, in fact I saw a rather ripping yarn that I know you'll love, I'll be back soon!"

The library was busier than usual as the lemming dove into his chores, feeling a new sense of energy drive him as he piled through his work and picked up his feet in a running start.  Books were thumped back into shelves, lines scribbled out with a flourish and his bookkeeping was done at least an hour and a half earlier than usual.  He even found time to replace all the candles that had gone out, swiftly popping out the wax and slotting fresh new lengths into the holders.

        "Remarkable work today," said Asquith patting his shoulder, "I daresay you are gunning for promotion."

        "Oh no, nothing of the sort madame," James bowed, "I just received a letter from my contact and I was quite excited to head back to the city, there's a new book I've been wanting for some time."

        "Ohhh?" the woman grinned beneath her bandaged eye.  "What sort of volume?"

        "A fantasy story, not terribly important in the grand scale of things I know but-"

        "Well, you have done all your work admirably today, so whatever you do in the time after is not my concern.  In fact..."

She tapped her chin and handed him her badge.

        "I would say the library is well stocked with servants that after the morning rush we will have no need of you."

        "R-really?  OH madame you are too kind!" he bowed profuse.  "Thank you, thank you very much!"

        "Do not consider it a charity," she waved her finger, "tis but a momentary reward for your efforts on this day."

        "Understood, thank you again!"

Rushing off downstairs he went to get an early lunch, taking two books unregistered to sneak back to Andrieu along with some extra food and water.

        "Heeere you are," he handed both books to the boy on the bed, "The Black Ships and its sequel the Red Mist."

        "OOOH, thank you!" he put them to one side before feasting on his food.

        "Now I got you some extra because I'll be away, so don't eat all of it at once, put some away."

        "Yes mister James," he scarfed on a chunk of meat, "will you be alright?"

        "I should be fine," he patted the wolf's head, "it is however a lot of work I have to do, and several places I have to be."

        "What are you going to get?"

        "Oh it's a whole list, some alchemical stuff, also books have to get those too."

        "What sort of books you like?"

        "Oh gosh I definitely love fantasy," he sat on the bed beside him, "in recent times though I've gotten very into science fiction, I used to read some wonderful stories with Chano-...um-"

        "Hmm?" the child cocked his ears.

        "N-never mind, but yes science fiction is a recent fave, what about you?"

        "Pirates!" Andrieu squeaked.  "I always wanted, to be on a ship and, go out to sea and find all the islands in the world!"

        "Ohohhh really?" James rolled his eyes.  "I would never have guessed from your story."

        "Heeheh, mother said one day I could be a sailor, if I grow up big and strong and smart enough."

        "I think you still could certainly."

        "Even like this?" he looked down at his shaggy fur.

        "Of course!" said James smiling.  "All you need is a nice big cloak to hide your body, and that fur will keep you nice and warm on the high seas."

        "Ooooh, you're right, I haven't been that cold since...mmm."

He pouted with ears sinking, clawed feet dangling off the side of the bed as James pulled him into a hug.

        "I'm trying, Andrieu.  I will find something to help you."

        "Th-thank you."  He nuzzled against his side.  "You're really nice mister James."

        "I cannot promise I will find a cure, but I will do my best to find your mother and help you get somewhere safe at least."

        "Are you going to find her today?"

        "I'll try, a friend of mine is searching for her so he should have news of her soon."

        "Do you...have family too, mister James?" Andrieu swished his tail looking up at him.

        "They..." he gave a deep sigh, "they were...I told you I killed someone yes?"

        "Mmhmm, because you were cursed."

        "Well, that was back in my village.  I, killed my mentor, and I was banished.  My family will never see me again and I'm certain they'll never want to."

        "I-i'm sorry," he stroked the lemming's hand, "I didn't know."

        "It is fine," James nodded, "I've accepted my sin."

        "But, I like you!  I think you're nice, you give me books and food."

        "Thank you Andrieu.  So, what are your favourite pirate stories?"

        "OOH, the Dread Mountain Fiends, that one's REALLY fun!"

        "I haven't read that one actually, not sure if we have it in the library."

        "Do you think they have it?" said the wolf-child pursing his lips.

        "I could try to find it certainly!  But now I must leave, I'll see you later."

Giving him one last hug he departed as Andrieu started reading the tale of the Black Ships.  At the stable James found Burnquist polishing hooves, the horses snickering as he passed to where Travers stood.

        "Another visit to the city?" the stablemaster raised her head.

        "Just some miscellaneous duties," said the lemming, "much as I'd rather not since I'm apparently wanted."

        "We warned you before about not getting into trouble, if anything should happen again, you will be cast out to the wolves."

        "I know."  He pulled over a white hood.  "I have new garments so as to look less suspicious."

        "Glad to see you've taken precautions," she chuckled at the filthy smock, "even though I can tell it's rags from the kitchen staff."

        "Yes but it serves me well," he wrapped it round his snout, "I think I once saw a man from the desert wearing this."

        "Hm, fitting for your mule."

        "He fits anywhere he wants," James scowled walking him out, "regardless do you have an old mantle I can borrow for Travers?"

        "I think I have something yes."

Heading to the back of the stables, Burnquist brought out a ratty cloak where the colour had long since faded to turn a muddy-red.

        "This will do nicely," she wrapped it round the mule, "a rag for a nag."

        "Could you NOT, please!" the lemming stomped.  "All I ask is a modicum of respect for my friend-"

        "He is given a home and food just like you, that is all the respect you've earned for both of you."

        "Hmph.  I'll be back when it's midnight, or so the clock says, do not wait for me."

        "Rest assured, I will not."

With a snap of the reins he galloped at a firm pace through the blistering rime as the shrieking blizzard wrapped round his face.  The old lane where tombstones grew and the windmills turning above brought him to a path towards one of the old hills, upon which was a dark forboding house.  The road was crooked with its cobbles uneven, Travers struggling to keep his balance on the old twisting lane as the smell of burning filled the air, corpses roasting in pyres as fur and flesh crackled to turn as black as each other.

The sky remained at dusk, a twilight seething above the land as James shuddered from the coils of smoke, pulling his pale hood closer to himself as he found the witch's place.  The house was more a decrepit manor, standing upon a cliff set higher above the hovels and windmills with a harsh looming face of imperial towers.  The door was surprisingly small for such a fortress, hardened oak with a thick iron knocker as he stepped off his horse and slammed it firm.

        "Don't worry," he looked back to Travers who flinched, "we won't be here long, I'll make sure of it."

        "Y e e e e s?"

A voice like nails on chalkboard made him flinch harder in turn.

        "G-good morrow, madame," he bowed gritting his teeth, "I seek four bloodshot eyeballs."

        "O f f e r ?" she rasped from behind the door.

        "What...what do you mean?"

        "O f f e r,  t r a d e ."

        "O-oh, yes of course I..." James stepped closer, "I work at the castle, I can offer you books, if you want me to bring you something of worth then-"

        "B l o o d ."

        "I, s-sorry?"

        "V i l e .  B l o o d .  T r a d e  f o r  e y e s ."

        "Oh...y-you want...my blood," he rubbed at his sleeve, "well that's...a fair trade I would think-GUH!"

The door suddenly opened as he was dragged inside by a gristly arm, wrapped in barest threads as he saw the witch for the first time whilst the sound of Travers whinnying in panic could be heard outside.  In the light of the foyer which was a wretched place, an attic overgrown with fungus and littered with damp clods of hay, the woman was a hunchbacked fiend with eyes on every single part of her body.  James wanted to believe they were just barnacles, very shiny barnacles that dripped aqueous fluid to make her glisten with slime.

        "H-how much...blood do you require?"

        "H a l f  a  l i t e r ," she hissed

        "H-HALF?!"

        "N o r m a l  d o n a t i o n ."

        "O-oh, right, yes, for four eyes we agreed?"

        "F o u r ."  The eyes on her back suddenly stared at him.  "N e e d ,  g l a s s e s ?"

        "N-no, no I think I can manage-"

        "K h h h e h ,  h e h ,  l i t t l e  j o k e ."

        "A-AH, yes yes hahaha, hahahaha, very good madame."

In the depths of her manor, the old witch led him into a hall of ancient stone where there had once been a long table for kings and queens to dine.  Now there were wooden ramparts and walkways like it was in construction, the floor covered in straw soaked with blood dripping from the ceiling.

        "K e e p s  v e r y  f r e s h ," she tittered seeing his face, "p i c k  o n e ?"

        "N-no, thank you," he cringed with disgust, "I'll let you uh, pick."

Hanging from the rafters were dozens of people, wrapped in leather, drooling red from their scalps which had rotted through until the skin peeled like flypaper, hanging down in spirals that made James the lemming heave in his stomach.  The smell of an abbatoir filled his nostrils as he tightened his hood, the woman leading him through the wretched racks.

        "h-h-help."

He looked to his right.

        "h-help...me."

A pair of eyes stared at him from one of the hanging bodies.  A human smothered in filth, their mouth puffing bubbles in quiet distress as he kept on walking past towards a side room with a grubby-looking seat and several jars piled up beside.

        "S i t ."

He grimaced when he felt the grime on his cloak.

        "B l o o d  f i r s t ."

        "I-i, yes, please be careful," he muttered, "I am, from the castle and should anything happen-"

        "C a s t l e  a r e  f r i e n d s ."  She smiled with twisted gums.  "W e . . . w e r e  o n c e  n o b l e  t o o ."

        "Oh, how lovely!" James forced a grin.  "Were you part of the family or-"

        "N o ."

The witch pulled out a long needle attached to a rubber cord.

        "N o b l e  b l o o d  i s . . . a l w a y s  w e l c o m e ."

        "W-wait WAIT don't you have any antisepti-A-AAAOOW, AAAAARGH!"

She wasted no time in stabbing through the vein, a cold sharp puncture through the skin as the old woman sucked the blood out of him.  The cord became crimson as he watched, a painful spasm made his fingers turn limp and his flesh become whiter.  Like an icicle cutting through his veins, the needle made him twitch and whimper struggling to keep still as he tightened his bowels and clenched his fist feeling weaker and weaker.  Exhaustion started to overcome, sighing with laboured breaths as the witch grabbed his other arm and pushed his body down with surprising strength, the eyes across her body blinking with rabid lust as she licked across her lips.

        "HA-AAARGH, AAAAGH!"

        "P a t i e n c e ," her tongue pushed one of her teeth out to fall in his lap, "b l o o d  i s  b e s t ,  a t  i t ' s  t h i c k e s t ."

Tightening his neck until it was taut like a bowstring, the lemming sighed with relief when the witch pulled out the cord and pressed a rag of wet cloth over the sputtering wound as he clutched it tight.

        "L o v e l y ," she giggled hobbling towards a jar freshly-filled, "f r e s h  b u t  v i l e . . . o h !"

She held up the red fluid.

        "D i f f e r e n t  y o u  a r e ."

        "U-ugh, really?" he cringed at the blood swishing round.

        "N o t  q u i t e  h u m a n .  V e r y  n i c e ."  The woman patted the lid and beckoned him to stand.  "C o m e .  E y e s  f o r  y o u ."

        "Right, th-thank you."

Stumbling back to the main hall James felt his legs become weak, his arm turned numb like he had slept on it too long as he gripped the damp cloth over it when the witch pulled out a crusty sickle from her sleeve.

        "F o u r ,  y o u  s a i d ?"

        "Y-yes."

She smiled again as she grabbed one of the hanging bodies by the head, a struggle almost immediate as her victim tried to kick from their bindings tearing away from her face.

        "N-NO, NOOOO DON'T PLEASE!"

James turned away and covered his ears as he shook his head, mumbling forgiveness to whatever god could hear him as the voice rang out even higher.

        "YOU BASTARD, YOU'LL JUST LET HER DO THIS?!  YOU WANT MY EYES YOU GODFORSAKEN WRETCH, YOU'LL BURN IN-A-AAAAARGH, AAAAAAAAIIIIIAAAAARGH!"

The sound of the twisting sickle rang through the air, the clawing scrape of steel against bone as she carved into the socket and plucked the retina free by its tendril.  An artful scoop, leaving nary a trace of a carve inside the skull as she hocked out the first eyeball into a jar then went for the second, severing the red string like playing a violin.  The trembling song of anguish rattled through the body as she snatched the second orb and plopped it into the case, moving onto the next body as her first victim of the day hung lifeless from the rafters.  James couldn't bear to look as he heard the splashing drip of viscous red, scarlet thickening from hollowed sockets as the screams returned with the woman carving out two more eyeballs for him.

Two.

He felt his breaths turning short.

Two more deaths on your conscience, for your own selfish needs.

        "Sh-she...s-surely they were going to suffer like this regardle-"

They died for YOU, and what you needed.

        "It...it's for Andrieu.  I...I have to do this for Andrieu, he needs it-"

So now you stain HIS hands as well?  You disgusting wretch.

        "It's what he NEEDS!"

Nothing good has ever come from you.  Pray that Andrieu finds his mother, and that you never come back.

        "F o u r ."

The witch returned with a jarful of eyes.

        "T h a n k  y o u ,  s i r ."

        "It...m-my pleasure," he bowed taking it, "I hope...you have a pleasant evening, m-madame."

She walked him back to the entrance, James hunching his shoulders as Travers approached him the moment he left.  His tail flicked with nervous itch as he sniffed over the lemming's face, nuzzling him as he pushed him back.

        "N-no, please, I'm fine."

Traverse snickered with ears lowered.

        "Let's just go to the city, alright?"

The horse understood, taking a gentle trot as James mounted and guided him back down the road and they soon entered the city.