But to be accepted. It was such a strange feeling, because he really didn't know any of the others. Only Triana and Jesmind were familiar faces, Were-cats he knew and understood. He really liked Triana, respected and admired her, even loved her. Jesmind-well, Jesmind. Jesmind was Jesmind, and there was so much emotion wrapped up with his fiery bond-mother that it was hard to sort out. He had loved her and hated her, adored her and despised her, needed her and feared her. Often at the same time. Thinking of her never failed to send his mind spinning into the past, of the many images, sound, and scents he'd locked away in his memory of her. He missed her, but on the other hand, a part of him was glad she had walked out of his life. It had given him the strength to face up to life, to move on, and it had had a large part in the strength he had now when facing his daunting tasks. He was now part of a larger whole, a whole that he didn't know, and didn't really trust. He would take them one at a time, one day at a time, and just hope for the best.

The far door opened, and through it strode a figure right out of most men's fantasies. She was very tall, this woman, with the most exotic skin he'd ever seen. It was coppery in shade, not dark like Azakar, not chocolate like Allia, but a strange reddish, bronzed copper hue that was totally unique. Her hair was as black as a raven's wing, thick and long and straight, tied into a single thick tail behind her head that dangled well down her back, but with her bangs hanging raggedly over her forehead. Her features were as exotic as her skin, with a boxy face that still managed to be quite lovely, and large green eyes that seemed to attract anyone's eyes to them because of their dark setting. She had a wicked scar on the right side of her face, going from just under her ear and along her jawline to her chin. She wore a leather haltar not too much unlike the haltar Sarraya had worn, a simple band of leather that went over her breasts, but it didn't start high enough to cover up her impressive cleavage. The fact that it was laced in the front with a wide gap between the sides, exposing the majority of the inside slopes of her breasts, would drag a man's eyes down to view her buxom splendor. That majestic slope nestled a plain silver amulet hanging by a leather thong around her neck, an amulet with an arrowhead device in front of a woman's profile etched into it. Her body was built like Jesmind's, all alluring curves and lines that were filled in with powerful muscle. She wore a plain skirt of red cloth, a skirt that ended at her mid thigh, and was slit all the way up to her wide belt on the right side, a belt with a bronze buckle shaped like a falcon or some other raptor. But if her shape, form, and appearance was female, blatantly female, the battered broadsword that hung off that leather belt declared to the world that this was a warrior. Her gaze was like a hawk, taking him in with only one glance, sizing him up. Her scent was a strangely appealing smell of musk, brass, and spice, a scent mingled with the leather of her belt, haltar and scabbard, the steel of her sword, the animal-hair smell of the skirt around her waist, and the bronze of her belt buckle. There was also a hint of some kind of berries on her, but it emanated from her straight black hair.

Then she smiled. That was a strange thing. "It took me long enough," she announced in a powerful, husky voice.

"Long enough for what?" he asked, curiosity overriding his wariness over this stranger.

"To find you," she replied bluntly.

That made him nervous. Was this another assassin, like the dangerous Jegojah? If so, why did they send a human to do what a Doomwalker had failed twice to accomplish? She had to be the best there was, if that was the case. But that seemed impossible. Her coppery skin, that face, those features, Tarrin had never seen them, but he had heard all about them more than once, and he had seen someone who shared her exotic appearance.

Koran Dar, the Divine seat. And Koran Dar was an Amazon.

Was this woman a fabled Amazon, the race of warrior-women from the isles off the southern continent of Sharadar?

If so, how did such strange females keep finding ways to come into his life?

Don't say it, the voice of the Goddess echoed in his mind. It was stern, and maybe just a little indignant. Just don't say it. And welcome your new travelling companion.

" Her?" he said in astonishment, making her give him a sidelong look.

I have her on loan from the Goddess of the Amazons, the voice of the Goddess answered. Because of your, predisposition, against humans, it was decided that one more like your own mother would have a better chance of being accepted by you. Camara Tal certainly fits that description.

Why her? he asked silently.

Because you lost Azakar, she replied immediately. You needed Azakar, kitten, but now he's stuck with Keritanima. Camara Tal will replace him for the time being.

I don't understand, Tarrin thought helplessly.

You can't understand, my kitten, she replied gently. Just take it on faith. You'll like Camara Tal, kitten. She's alot like what you expect from a female. Blunt, fiesty, and powerful. Just like all the other women in your life, she added with a light cascade of laughter. So it's not how they keep coming into your life, it's how I can find so many women who fit that very narrow image you have of compatible females. It's all your fault, she teased.

And then her presence was gone, leaving him feeling slightly hollow, like she had taken a little piece of him with her.

"You're not filling me with confidence, boy," Camara Tal said dangerously. "What are you about?"

"Nothing, nothing," he sighed, looking at her boldly. "That's certainly… interesting clothing."

"Bah," she snorted. "What is it about you northerners that makes you so uppity?"

"From your look, you're an Amazon. Why are you so far away from home?"

"You are," she replied flatly. "I was sent here by my Goddess. She tasked me to find you, and when I did, to protect you."

"Me? Why me?"

"Because my Goddess is friends with yours," she answered. "I know who you are and what you're doing. I was sent her to help you."

"Then who am I?"

"Tarrin Kael," she replied immediately and without wavering. "Unless things have changed, you're holed up here with your bond-mother and a pack of other Were-cats. You also have a Selani, a Knight, a Sorceress, and an Initiate here with you. I was told that all I had to do to earn your confidence was tell you the name Janette. Am I far off the mark?"

Tarrin gaped at her. Nobody except his sisters, his birth parents, Dolanna, and the Goddess knew about Janette. It was a secret he kept very secret, because his attachment to her could give his enemies a way to strike at him without him being able to do anything about it. "Uh, no, not anymore," he replied uncertainly.

"I don't have time for these games, stripling," she said cooly. "I was sent here to keep your head on your body, and I take my job seriously. I was also sent here to help you in your mission, any way I can, and I intend to do that too. Where do we start?"

Tarrin was a bit taken aback by this abrupt stranger. "Start? We're not doing much of anything right now," he replied. "Just waiting."

"For what? I don't have much time, and it looks like I have alot to catch up on."

"I think we'd better talk to Dolanna first," he said.

"Dolanna? The Sorceress?"

Tarrin nodded. Whoever told her about him had given her some thorough information.

Triana appeared in the other doorway, and suddenly Tarrin felt like he was caught between two mastiffs. The two women immediately stared at each other, and he wasn't sure if they were going to start fighting right then and there. But then Triana did the strangest thing.