CHAPTER SEVEN

Like a loaded spring, Stray jumped up from his bed. His fever had passed and his mind had cleared. His first thoughts were that he had to go back to the dungeon with the stone and the shadow child. There was something she wanted him to see when he first encountered her. Yes- her. Stray now knew the shadow was in fact the little girl he had seen in his visions. She sang the lullaby at the campsite that had brought him out of his slumber, he was certain of it now. She followed him because he had the stone. He still didn't know what it was, or what it represented to her, but he didn't take
the time in the dungeon to find out; and now he must.

Looking around the room he did not see her anywhere.

"Little-Bit! Where are you?" he yelled, trying to pick out his shadowy companion from the dark corners of the room. It was then that he noticed the stone was missing. In its place rested a pile of pyreal notes and a parchment. Picking up the parchment, he attempted to decipher the words scribbled upon it. Some of the words he could pick out, but most remained an enigma. It was only one of the words-a name actually, that brought to Stray an understanding of the current situation. Calden.

"Blast!" Stray hollered, and went to the window to look at the suns position. It was but a few hours before noon and Stray had slept much longer than he had thought. Besides that, he had slept through having his house infiltrated by that moronic Arcanum messenger! He had probably come by to see if Stray had accomplished his quest. Seeing him home but with no answer to his knocks, he probably opened the door-took the stone, and left the payment for it all on the table. And with the stone, went the shadow child.

A fear rose up within Stray. If Calden saw the shadow following him, what would he do? Stray knew exactly what he would do. If he had the means, he would kill her, and Stray couldn't accept that. Not after what he had seen and what the shadow girl had done for him. He rushed out, still in his armor; and ran as fast as he could toward Cragstone. He hadn't gone far when he crested a hill and beheld a wondrous sight.

Stray laughed. He laughed harder than he had ever laughed before. For before him stood a fairly small tree atop of which precariously perched Calden Faldor-grasping the stone in his puny arms. Below the tree on the ground sat Little-Bit, cross-legged and staring up at Calden as if waiting for him to fall out so they could continue their journey.

"Dayan!" Screeched the unfortunate messenger, "Thank Asheron you are here! Please dispatch of this vile creature, I beg of you!"

Stray walked up to the base of the tree and smiled at the wee shadow that responded by waving at him. Bending over, he whispered something to her that caused her to stand up and move a few lengths away from the tree; and once again sat down. Now Stray looked up at Calden and smiled. "Now, what do we have here?" he said. "Big birds like you should pick bigger trees to perch in methinks"

"This is no time for foolery Dayen! What did you say to that monster? What is going on?" was Caldens reply.

Stray was truly enjoying this far more than he should have, but decided to take it just a bit further. "You see Calden, this shadow here is a friend of mine, and it does whatever I tell it to, as you can see. It's a good thing ya jumped up in that tree, my boy. This shadow would just as soon tear ya from limb to limb as it would spit in yer eye."

Calden took a glance at the unassuming creature sitting on the ground and looked back at Stray. "I don't think it's quite all that-but I have no weapon and I have never had a liking for the vileness of shadows!" He replied, trying to recover at least a little dignity.

"Well, I'll tell ya what, you give me back that stone you took and the shadow and I will leave ya be." Said Stray.

Caldens brow furrowed and his demeanor quickly changed from fear to anger. "What do you mean? This artifact is what you were sent for! You have been paid for your services Stray-now get the shadow out of here and be gone!"

The only reaction from Stray was a smile as he spit into his hands and began rubbing them together. Hefting his axe, he took a few practice swings toward the trunk of the tree.

"What are you doing?!" howled Calden. "Stop it! Stop it at once!"

"I need the stone Calden. I think you should drop it before you end up at the lifestone." Said Stray matter-of-factly as he swung his axe around taking a chunk out of the trunk of the tree.

"You'll pay for this Stray! You will never do a job for the Arcanum-again!" sputtered Calden putting emphasis on his last word, as he began to lose his balance atop the shuddering tree.

"I don't plan on it Calden. Oh-and here's your money for this one!" spat Stray as he threw the notes on the ground and prepared to make another pass with his axe.

Calden started to feel the tree waver from the first strike of the axe, and knew it would only take a few more before he came toppling down.

"Fine! Fine! Stop it! Here's your precious stone!" He said, trying to drop the package straight on Strays head.

Stray expected it however and easily caught the stone, keeping it in one piece. Stowing it behind his breastplate, he grabbed his axe and went to where his shadow girl still sat. "Come my Little-Bit. We have a long journey ahead of us-we should get going." He said to her in a soft tone.

As he went back over the hill away from the still cursing Arcanum messenger and back toward the dungeon of shadows once again, he felt a little cold hand push its way into his own great paw. And though it was chilled, and strange to the touch, he smiled. It was ok with him.