"We have to stop," Sarraya wheezed breathlessly, kicking him lightly in the side with a heel. "Can we stop?"

Tarrin stopped gently and hunched down so she could get off. Instead, she sagged onto his back, panting heavily. Sarraya was hurt, broken ribs and shattered wings. The riding was hurting her more, and though she wasn't complaining, he could tell that she was starting to really feel the effects of her injuries. Without his Sorcery, he couldn't help her, and he had the feeling that she didn't feel quite up to using her Druidic power on herself quite yet.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently. They shouted at each other a great deal, but Tarrin loved Sarraya, loved her like any of his dear friends. He was worried about her, and it hurt him to know that she was in pain, and he could do nothing to make it better.

"I'm starting to appreciate how you've felt sometimes," she wheezed. "How do you stand it?"

"I'm a male. Males are supposed to act tough," he told her with gentle humor.

She laughed, and that caused her to suck in her breath. "Don't do that," she jibed at him. "It hurts when I laugh."

"We've been walking a while," he noted, though his concept of time while in cat form was never very profound. The Cat lived entirely in the moment, and concepts such as past and future were alien to it. He had to labor to keep track of time when in that form, and the longer he stayed in it, the harder it became. "Do you think we're far enough away to contact Allia?"

"I think so," she replied. "It's hard for humans to move around in the streets. We could be long gone before they get here."

Tarrin laid completely down for her. "Alright, go ahead and get off. Just be careful."

"I will, believe me," she agreed. He felt her slowly, gingerly slide off of him, then sit down demurely on her legs in the middle of the dark, cluttered alley, putting a hand to her ribs with the other on the ground to hold her up. Tarrin got up and moved some distance away, getting ready to change back.

Not yet, the voice of the Goddess touched him.

He looked up into the sky curiously. "Goddess?" he asked in the manner of the Cat.

Yes, it's me, she answered winsomely. Tarrin, my sweet kitten, you have done so well. I am so proud of you I could cry. You have made me very happy.

He felt a bit foolish, lowering his head. "I'm just doing what you told me to do, Goddess," he said meekly. "I don't need frilly thanks."

Yes, you do, she replied. You are entitled to a little basking, my kitten. Despite everything, you have triumphed, and that is something that you will always have. But as you've already realized, we have simply won one game to begin another. And that's why I need to talk to you.

Tarrin looked to Sarraya, who was looking on soberly. The pain was evident on her face, but she said nothing, just watching him. She knew he was speaking to the Goddess, she could understand him perfectly when he spoke in the manner of the cat.

Because you have won, I am now allowed to give you information that I wouldn't have been able to give you, she began. It isn't much, but it will help you greatly in many ways. The first bit of this information concerns the others. Tarrin, my kitten, you cannot rejoin them.

"Why not?" he asked immediately, standing up and looking to the sky.

Because if you do, it will kill them, she replied gently. What you carry has caused you to become the most sought after being on the world. By tomorrow, everyone in Dala Yar Arak is going to know that you have the book. That puts anyone with you in terrible danger. The others are on Renoit's ship, and intend to sail away with him. If you are there, Renoit's ship will be attacked, and all of you will perish. They know of your alliance with him. The Arakites, the Zakkites, Wikuni, every interest with a ship in the water will come after you. If you attempt to leave by sea, you will perish, no matter what ship you are on. Don't ask me why, I'm not going to tell you. Just trust me on this. In fact, if you wish to save the others, you must give yourself away. You must do this, my kitten. You must let them know where you are, and allow them to chase you. Only then will they abandon their interest in your friends and come after you. It will be dangerous, but I already know how you feel about keeping the others out of danger. Because of that, you must be in an area where you have the advantage. You must stay on land. Only then will you have the ability to outrun them. My kitten, no horse can match you in running a great distance, and once you are far enough away, you can change back to your cat form and simply go west.

Tarrin bowed his head. It made sense. His presence would certainly pose a serious threat to anyone around him. And on the water, on the sea, there was nowhere to hide, he was at the mercy of the ship on which he rode and the winds that made it move. On the land, where he could run, he had the advantage. A horse could sprint faster than him, but he could hold a pace long after any horse that tried to match him literally ran itself to death. On the land, he could go in any direction, and he could outrun his pursuers. And when he changed into cat form, there would be no others to be exposed. There would only be him. It made sense, but it hurt him. To be separated from the others, to be separated from Allia, it would be terrible. He'd feel lost without his sister at his side, giving him her love and her support, gently guiding him with her quiet wisdom. He had already had Keritanima taken from him, and now he was going to lose Allia as well. But if the Goddess said that was the way things had to be, then that was the way things had to be. It was just that simple. He didn't have to like it, he just had to do it.

"I understand," he said quietly.

I knew you would, and I know how it pains you. But don't worry. You'll see them again. I promise you that.

"What else do I need to know?"

Only this. You must return to the Tower, in Suld. The Book of Ages will be useless to you unless you return it to Suld. The location of the Firestaff is not within its pages, my kitten, but a means to find that information does exist within it. That is why you must return to the Tower. That is the only place where you can find out what you need to know.

That made his fur stand up. The Tower. He hoped he'd never see that place again. It was full of bad memories, and he didn't trust anyone there. And there was still a ki'zadun spy in the Tower, someone that would make going back there a very dangerous proposition. But again, he had no choice. He would have to go back, no matter how much he hated it.

Sitting down, lowering his head, he reflected on that news a bit, then realized what it meant. He would have to travel thousands of leagues, either on foot or overland. The Goddess told him not to get on a boat, and he would not get on a boat, unless it was a ferry crossing a river. He would have to cross the arid steppes of Arak, the dusty plains of Saranam, even the Desert of Swirling Sands. He would have to climb the Sandshield Mountains and cross the West. Suld was on the coast, about as far from Dala Yar Arak as it could get. It was a journey of mind-shuddering proportions for one to undertake on land. About as dangerous as a journey could get. If he made it out of Arak and Saranam alive, he'd have to cross the most inhospitable ground in the entire world, the Desert of Swirling Sands. Full of Selani, who would see him as an enemy, and the exotic, deadly beasts which called the desert home.

It would be extremely dangerous. But facing extreme danger seemed to be what he was meant to do.

"I will do as you command, Goddess," he said dutifully.

I think I'd like it better if you did as I asked, my kitten, she replied sharply. You know that I care for you. I would feel much better if you would admit that you obey me because you wish to, not because you have to. I know your heart, my kitten.