Maker of Fire

The Crystal Shrine of Tiki, Harvest Season, 2nd rot., 2nd day

The eagle Hekees circled the inside of the dome twice before landing gracefully. The High Priestess Lisaykos, in her flying clothes, leapt off lightly.

“I come bearing letters!” Lisaykos exclaimed, pulling several small sealed envelopes from her belt pouch. “This is for you,” she handed one to Aylem. “And this,” she held an envelope up, “is for the fat lazy griffin.”

“I got a letter?" Asgotl's eyes opened. He sat up and blinked. "Who sent me a letter?"

“Your partner in mischief, the Prophet of the Age,” Lisaykos held out the letter to Asgotl.

Asgotl blinked again, trying to figure out how to receive the letter since he had no hands. His talons would puncture and shred it.

“What?” Lisaykos raised an eyebrow at him. “Don’t you want it?”

“Great One,” Asgotl’s head drooped, “I don’t have hands that can open something fragile like that. I also don’t know how to read. Would someone read it for me? Would you, please?”

“I guess I could do that for you,” Lisaykos looked smug. She broke the seal and opened the paper. “The problem with a certain literate Coyn of my acquaintance is that she writes too small. Didn’t anyone teach her how to write so Cosm eyes could read her letters?” Lisaykos squinted at the tiny printing.

“If I remember correctly, you were the one who taught our darling little Emily to write. Do I need to adjust your eyes again, dear heart? So you can read your pupil’s writing?” The Queen asked Lisaykos ever so sweetly.

“Can you read this?" Lisaykos walked to Aylem's lounge and handed the pregnant Queen Asgotl's letter. Aylem put her own unopened letter aside to take it.

“For the love of Landa!” Aylem frowned.“How does that little imp expect anyone to read this without using magic?” She scowled at that paper. “I can manage to read it, but I think we should have a word with Emily about how small she writes.”

“May I?" asked Foyuna, leaning across the table where the record book resided and holding out her hand. "Oh! OH! How can anyone write so small?"

“I think my eyes are fine,” Lisaykos snagged a chair and planted it next to Aylem before sitting down. “Get over here, Asgotl, and Aylem will read your letter to you. But before she does, I want everyone to know that the letter she wrote me didn’t use letters that small.”

Aylem took the letter back from Foyuna and began to read.

Dearest Blubber Brain,

As I look across this expanse of the ocean from the deck of a Mattamesscontan fishing boat, I am reminded of your former existence as a large ocean-going mammal.

And then, on the feet of that thought, I was further led to the memory of the time that Usruldes dunked you in the ocean when we were on Ud’s beach. You claimed you couldn’t swim, which is a bit unbelievable given that your former life was spent as a champion swimmer.

How long did it take you to dry out after that? Did Ud need to rescue you, or did you manage to swim to shore?

You see, Blubber Brain, this is what happens when you try to steal my fish. Trout me on this. You know I would never tell you any bass lies.

I'm also reminded of what you said about the taste of plankton, and wondering where I could find you some really salty shrimp so you might feel a little more at home here on Erdos. I'm sure you haven't lost your taste for shrimp, Mister Round-around-the-middle.

Since I am on the subject of your existence as a large ocean-going creature, I have a question for you. The Prophesy of the Great Breaking says that you are something known as Dag Gadol. What do those words mean? Do you know? When I discussed the prophecy with Usruldes, he noted that the words were not from any language he knew on Erdos.

Granted, Erdos doesn’t have the hundreds of languages like Earth had. I’ve never quite figured out how that works. Given how words and usage drift over time, Erdos should also have hundreds of languages, so why doesn’t it? What’s preventing languages from evolving? As far as I can tell, there are less than ten languages on Erdos, which makes no sense to me. There should be hundreds. Why don’t languages drift like they did on Earth?

This is my last piece of paper, and it is smaller than everything I'd like to tell you, so I will save some of that for the next letter, in case I'm not home in a rotation or two. We're heading back to Mattamesscontess from Sussbesschem now after delivering all the former Chem slaves from Toyatastagka, which is now a pile of rubble, by the way. I seem to have a knack for leaving ruined cities in my wake, though Aylem does get most of the blame for Mattamukmuk. The city of No'ank will be next on the destruction list, or at least its bridge crossings and riverfront. Then I'll be home, I hope, in time for Thuorfosi to give birth.

Before I go or run out of room, whichever comes first, let me ask you a question to ponder before I get home. Can griffins do loops or barrel rolls? Or would you fall out of the sky? I have no idea what the different flying mounts can do in the air. We can chat about this when I get back.

See you soon, Baleen Breath

hugs and beak bonks,

Emily

Afterword: Is Aylem screaming yet?

Aylem read the last four words, put the letter down with exaggerated care, clenched her fists, and spoke so loudly that the dome echoed back at her, "That conniving little fiend. That diminutive demon of Uedroy! Oh! Just wait until I get my hands on her! Am I screaming yet? Ahg! That...that…!"

“That counts as a scream for me,” Foyuna grinned, happy to see the Queen acting so human and unreserved.

“Close enough for a tow road barge,” Lisaykos said, showing one of her infamous evil smiles.

“I bet she wrote that small because she suspected I would be the one to read it to Asgotl,” Aylem grumped.

“Maybe she's paying you back for teasing her over the camera," Lyappis pointed out, looking up from her embroidery at the four sacred persons in front of her. She found it reassuring that these four powerful beings could relax and behave like a bunch of first-year shrine trainees.

“What?” Aylem replied, looking confused and vexed at the same time.

“Aylem, dear," Lyappis smiled, "you tease that poor little thing more than you tease Asgotl or Lisaykos. You don't tease anyone else except maybe your daughter. When you tease someone, it's normal for friends to tease you back."

Lyappis watched in satisfaction as her words hit Aylem with all she had implied. Aylem's eyes grew wide at the thought of Emily teasing her because they were friends. No one had dared to tease Aylem until recently. No one had ever treated the Queen as a friend before, except for Lisaykos and Foyuna, but they were more like family than friends. Both were the King's cousins and Aylem's kin-by-marriage. Foyuna behaved like a cousin to Aylem, and Lisaykos was her mentor in classical magic. Lyappis noted that poor Aylem didn’t know how to react to these new thoughts. She decided not to let the Queen ponder too deeply. The days held time enough for long, slow thoughts. The thinking didn’t need to happen today.

“We should send Asgotl's letter up to Pinisla," Lyappis changed the subject, "or at least a copy. It would greatly amuse our newest mother."

“Emily will be disappointed she missed the birth by only a few rotations,” Lisaykos sighed.

“Thuorfosi delivered a little early, but babies will do what babies will," Aylem shrugged. "I can't wait to see her. I bet she's cute. I wonder which nose she'll get and which eyes."

“Thuorfosi is now under my patronage, so I will visit Pinisla to inspect my new ward. I would say come with me to any other locale, but you're not too far from popping yourself. They're still living in log houses up there, and what passes for a manse is just a big pole lodge. No, Aylem, wait until there is a proper place to sleep with a real stone foundation."

“Seriously?” Aylem gave Lisaykos a look of frustration.

"Dear girl," Lisaykos looked down her long, beakish, and royal nose at the Queen, "The big bed chamber in the manse was given to Thuorfosi, her little girl, and a healer when necessary. Otty and Kayseo are now sleeping in a small bedroom, on a bed, thank Giltak, but they must use their wing's communal bathing rooms and necessaries. The builders should have most of the new manse finished before Coldtide. Good and plentiful accommodations will arrive soon. Until then, please resist the temptation to visit. You'll either end up sleeping in a draughty bread box and sharing a spoot pot, or you'll force the eviction of Thuorfosi from the only decent bedroom in the holding." The look Lisaykos gave Aylem when she finished quashed all resistance from the Queen.

Aylem knew that Lisaykos would cast the Grace of Mugash on her if she persisted in visiting Pinisla. She wasn't sure if she could resist the Grace of Mugash if it was cast by Lisaykos, Mugash's own avatar, revelator, and high priestess. Raw power wasn't everything there was to magic. The direct backing of a god could not be discounted.

“How many letters do you have, Lisaykos?” Foyuna asked, a little glum that she didn’t get one of the coveted envelopes.

"Eight more," Lisaykos sealed the rest of the letters back into her pouch. "If I leave soon, I can still be in Pinisla in time to dress for dinner. I'll stay overnight, or maybe longer, and then drop by Omexkel and Is'syal. I would like to meet the infamous kitten named House. I also have letters for the Holy Kama-gossip and the Kas'syo haup Gunndits. Then, maybe I'll go and inspect this concrete stuff on Sutsusum's new road."

“That’s my new toll road,” Aylem retorted. “I can’t even see it yet.”

"Nothing's stopping you. I just don't want the mother of unborn royal twins staying overnight in draughty pole lodges this close to delivery. Get a good night's sleep and come up in the morning to Pinisla for a day visit with Lyappis and Foyuna. I'll wait for you. We could go to Omexkel and then Is'syal together. I will warn you that once I'm in Is'syal, I plan on spoiling my grandson. I also want to take my daughter-by-marriage shopping."

“What’s this?” Lyappis put down her embroidery and studied Lisaykos. “You’re actually taking a few days off from your Shrine? Are you feeling alright, mistress?”

“Is that sarcasm I smell?” asked Foyuna innocently.

“Very funny, you two,” Lisaykos grumped.

“You just want to meet Kamagishi’s kitten,” Aylem winked. “Alright, Lisaykos, dear, I will meet you in Pinisla in the morning.”

Usruldes, Suapsepso, Harvest Season, 2nd rot., 6th day

The death of Empress Arkalla and the fall of Kipgapshegar tipped the war in our favor. Imstay sent me dressed as a royal courier to Kisherloo, Ashar, and Inkugi, where I negotiated the surrender of those three cities. Without the guidance of the Empress and Heir, and lacking reinforcement for their garrisons from the Valiant Shrine of Erhonsay, whose clergy was in voluntary exile, the demoralized governors of all three cities capitulated after a short period of deliberation.

We could safely wind down the campaigning season for the year if we took Hoydee and Suapsepso. The capture of these two cities, each home to two shrines, would give us control of the heart of Impotu. The area between the Blue Mountains and the Stem River was only about a third of the area of Impotu, but it was the part where everyone lived. The middle third of the country was farmland. Conditions grew drier as one went east, so the eastern third of the empire consisted mostly of arid steppes. Other than livestock ranches, it was empty land that eventually ended in the mountains that formed the border between Impotu and Mattamesscontess.

We had two impediments to wrapping up Impotu and Jutu. The first was Imperial Heir Arkaline’s army which had fled up the Sasnakra River after its defeat by General Bobbo. Arkaline, who could now claim to be Empress Presumptive, needed to die. Without her, her army would fall apart.

Our second impediment was the still missing Arkashar Ugi, now the new Imperial Heir. We needed to capture or kill that boy. If we can not find him, we will have an ongoing problem with future claimants to the diadem of Impotu. Arkashar needed to be eliminated or he needed to be married to someone safe like Opo'aba. I'd prefer the latter because I see merit in preserving the talented Ugi bloodline. It would be a shame to lose the Ugi fire magic.

Between the two, dealing with Arkaline was the priority. Bobbo would be staying in Impotu over the Cold Season to keep Arkaline and her army on the wrong side of the Stem. The garrison troops on this side of the river numbered more than Arkaline's soldiers but lacked clear leadership. Impotu currently had a severe dearth of leaders. The empire lost too many nobles in the destruction of three Impotu armies last year, and the Valiant Shrine of Erhonsay was in exile, so the leadership of the garrisons was also hurting. With the early wheat and hay crops coming in, the holdings had neither leaders nor hands to spare for war.

Western Impotu lacked the unified leadership to resist Foskos and rally around Arkaline. After she stole the throne, Empress Arkalla's purges thinned out the nobility, and the war pushed the system of ruling nobles close to collapse.

I digress.

My business today was to connive Suapsepso's surrender. I opted not to knock on the gate as a courier. Instead, I infiltrated the Well of Mugash in the Sanguine Shrine of Mugash. That was the fun part. I really enjoy walking through barriers and dodging magic traps.

I dropped into a meditative trance while waiting for my audience, taking the second posture of the praying supplicant. I was awakened by the click of the lock on the gate into the Well. The look on the false High Priestess’ face was worth the wait and the cold floor.

“The walls won’t fall, so now they send an assassin?” the woman accused.

"Not at all, ma'am," I replied, avoiding titles. "If I intended to kill you, you would have been dead already in your sleep. This is a friendly call, on behalf of my King."

“This not an appropriate place,” she snarled.

“I am not afraid to have Mugash as my witness,” I replied.

The false High Priestess read right from the script I anticipated. “The last person I know who said that was taken by the Imperial Guard and never seen again.”

"Oh?" I feigned surprise. "Do you refer to the Holy Mieth, High Priestess of this Shrine? She is doing much better, now that she has had healing and a long recovery. She is the guest of the Healing Shrine in Aybhas. To replace the feet that the Empress cut off, we have provided her with the second set of the new false limbs invented by the Prophet. The Holy Mieth will never run again, but she can now walk without aid.

“Mieth lives?” The look of panic on the woman’s face was scrumptious.

I was prepared for this. “Why the panic?” I asked, making sure to sound just a little surprised. “We know you were coerced by Empress Arkalla to sit as High Priestess at the Sanguine Shrine. Everyone knows that the crystal did not acknowledge you. Now you have a firm answer as to why. Mieth has never ceased to be the High Priestess of this Shrine. You had to weigh the lives of your lord father’s entire kinship against the Empress’ orders. By all accounts, your management of the Shrine has been fair, moderate, careful, and prudent. Now that you know that Mieth lives and will return, no one will blame you if you take the appropriate action now. Put the claim to be a high priestess aside and prepare the Shrine for your mistress’ return.”

Her frown threatened to split her forehead in two. “How can I know you are telling me the truth?”

I stood up, placed my hand on the Shrine’s great crystal, and swore on my blessing as a healer of Mugash. The light inside the crystal swelled and then burst out of its confines. It traveled through both of us, the magic-heavy blessing passing through and rearranging reality in its wake.

“You’re a healer,” she gawked.

"As are you still," I pointed out. "You can choose, right now, to end the no-longer-needed pretense of being the high priestess. Mugash is merciful, and your family is safe."

“What about Suapsepso?” she asked.

“Alas, my news here from my king is not as pleasant,” I sighed. “We have cut off your water supply and your access to the river. The magic we used has also dewatered the soils under the city walls, and some of them will begin to fail over the next few days. Send someone out with the usual ring staff to arrange your surrender after you've chatted with your other two governors. We are prepared to be lenient in terms. And now, I'm afraid I must go."

I made one of my signature exits, first vanishing to sight and then vanishing to all magic.

The staff of surrender marched out the city’s main gate before the sixth bell.

It took me a day to recover from the charm of negation I cast on myself. The best the healers could do for the magic-overuse headache was to put me to sleep until the next day.

Three days later, I made my inroads into Hoydee on Cadrees, wearing my cape as a courier and my Fire Opal tablet on my belt. I quickly established a working relationship and negotiated the opening of negotiations.

Three of us arrived the next day in Hoydee: me as the King's aide, the King and the negotiator, the Holy Fassex. I almost felt sorry for the financiers of Hoydee. Recruiting Fassex was a stroke of genius on Imstay’s part.

By the third day of the third rotation, Hoydee was ours by virtue of enlightened self-interest. Fassex drove a good bargain. It included bankrolling the Shrines of Mugash, Surd, and Gertzpul. It also included the purchase and collection of all Chem owned by Hoydee-based companies.

Imstay had made it clear that he was willing to work with and for Hoydee, if Hoydee would work with and for him.

Emily, Mattamesscontess, Harvest Season, 3rd rot., 6th-9th days

Spot found us three days past the Rocks of Galgoon, which is five days upwind of Nagasettkut. Uncohegan beached her fishing boat so Spot could land and speak to us.

“Em...m...m...mily!” Spot half neighed my name, the silly git. “Emily! Tom told me to come get you. You want to come quick. We need to blow up your bridge.”

Uncohegan had a lot of fun getting me dressed. She put my flying clothes on top of my warm-weather tunic and hosen, then my leggings and cloak on top of that, smiling while she fussed over me.

“Don’t tell me, Uncohegan,” I gave her the flaming daggers of death glare. “Something tells me you have several grandchildren.

She adjusted over my neck muffler and checked to see if the tethers on my mittens were tied.

“I confess that I have a few,” Uncohegan smiled. For some reason, she had stopped being intimidated by me somewhere between Sussbesschem and here. Sooner or later, the Cosm all figure out I’m all bark and no bite. Uncohegan was just the latest.

Soon, my two sea duffles and I were aloft on Spot, who sped his way north. I was looking forward to seeing my Tom, even though I was still a bit miffed that he arranged to get me out of the way for eight rotations. At least I had an explosion to look forward. I wondered if the populace of No'ank had evacuated the city. I hoped so.

We flew over two different local battles of rebels versus guards and retainers. The second one, about twenty wagon-days north of Toyatastagka, was notable because the rebel side had Cosm, Coyn, Eagles, and Chem fighting together. I wondered just how lousy the government had been in Mattamesscontess for the population to be this ready to revolt.

No'ank was mainly on the west bank of the Mattaheehee River, at a constriction point in the trade road through the mountains into eastern Impotu. Tom had tricked Marshal Lowawathas' rump Legion into taking the road east out of No'ank toward the Congonsett Pass. He currently had her bottled up in the valley leading to the pass. Every Chem mortar squad had the rump Legion under constant fire.

A mortar squad would set up to drop a shot into the Legion's ad hoc camp, fire it, and then run with the still-smoking mortar for a new firing location. We never gave the Cosm any locations to attack. Our Chem forces were constantly moving. We would hit them and then vanish back into the trees and underbrush. The Chem chased the surviving Legionnaires from their destroyed camp north of Toyatastagka, keeping them under constant harassment.

Tom was unsure how many Mattamesscontan Legionnaires were left. We had around thirty-seven thousand Chem chasing Lowawathas and her troops. We had lost around six thousand to battle deaths and injuries. The rest of the Chem were divided into eight smaller forces, searching for their enslaved kin or sailing those already rescued back to Sussbesschem.

It was crucial to delay the Legion from taking the trade road to Impotu. Lowawathas and Heir Arkaline had to be kept apart. We just had to keep them bottled up until the passes north snowed in. Then, the Chem would retreat to Toyatostagka Harbor and warmer weather. The cold was already taking its toll on the cold-intolerant amphibians.

We landed in time for dinner. I almost died laughing when we arrived. For some reason, the sight of my first tail mitten on a Chem sent me off into hysteria land.

The Chem were clothed from tail to nose tip in sheepskin body socks. It was cold enough for the leaves to turn on the deciduous trees. We had to create a delay for the Legion and then get the Chem back to warmer climes.

No’ank was the last river crossing for anyone on the east side of the river to reach the trade road. Going north, the road stayed on the west side of the river up to the pass. Going south, the next crossing that could bear the weight of the Lowawathas’ supply wagons was twelve wagon-days downhill, back toward the Gulf of Chipagawkpaw.

Most of the inhabitants of No’ank had fled. Tom and I made our bed in a fabric shop. We created a mattress with bags of cotton tuffs and slept under rolls of wool and comforters of sheepskin. Twee had to chase all the other Chem out of the shop so Tom and I could spend some time alone. Chem don't really understand the human desire for privacy when engaging in certain bed-oriented recreational activities.

Tom got me up the next morning. “Come on, bed slug,” he stripped the covers off me, exposing me to the cold morning air. I could see frost patterns on the windows.

I was instantly awake and became instantly dressed.

I was also ready to murder someone who was a little too full of himself this morning.

We walked across the bridge over the Mattaheehee River. This far north into the mountains, the Mattaheehee was no longer a wide, meandering river plowing across the plains. It was a churning, fast mountain torrent but as wide as the Thames in London.

“Want to hear the best part about this river?” Tom asked as we inspected the starling where the Chem had made a hole for the bomb.

“What?” I asked, still feeling a little grumpy.

“This is the lowest water of the year. Isn’t that great? This turbulent river is currently at its more peaceful. The water is even higher and rougher during Planting season. Can you imagine the enemy trying to find a place to ford this river or build a new bridge after the new year? Lowawathas will need to march all the way south to get out of here. Maybe she'll chase us back down the mountains on the other side of the river. I have traps already set in case she does.” Tom chuckled like an evil Vincent Price.

“So, shall we blow it up today?” I asked.

"The sooner we blow it up, the sooner we can head south for warmer weather," Tom grinned.

“Let’s get the mortar crews recalled, and then we should send all the Chem up the slopes to the west of town,” I recommended. “They’ll be able to see from there but it should be far enough to be safe. Once everyone is out of range of the explosion, it's Spot's show. He's the delivery guy for the bomb.”

We recalled our mortar squads and retired to the slopes overlooking the little mountain city. The exhausted Legion did not follow our troops back to the Mattaheehee. We could destroy the bridge at our leisure. Then, we would pack up and head back down the hill.

Spot’s delivery was perfect. The only andrenalin rush I got was from my worry that Spot would not escape in time. I watched as the wood crate surrounding the bomb fell into the hole in the bridge starling with a splash. I counted my heartbeats as Spot fled the bridge crossing.

I admit that when the steam bomb went off, it was spectacular, amazing, and worth the trip up the river to watch. For one brief flash of a moment, I could see the expanding steam ball expose the river bed. That was at the very beginning of the explosion when the stream was so hot it was transparent. Then, everything became covered in an exploding mass of hot mist.

Three of the bridge piers were gone when all the steam and mist blew away. The sound of thirty-seven thousand Chem, all clicking, whistling, and hissing their approval was surreal.

As we packed up the next morning, I pondered, “I wonder if those nosy Cosm friends of mine were watching that.”

"Of course they were," Tom sniffed. "Cosm are insufferable snoops just because they can get away with it."

“Humph. Good point.”

"Huh," Tom straightened up from packing his duffle. "It just occurred to me. The Holy Kamagishi is a nosy extravert who likes snooping in other people’s business, especially yours.” Tom now grinned. “Kamagishi is also the avatar of the god of knowledge. I wonder if there’s a connection there?” he asked with mock innocence.

"Oh, stuff it, wise-ass," I threw my dirty stockings at him.

Tom and Twee were ready in the morning to keep their promise to send me home once the bridge was destroyed. Tom strapped my duffles onto Spot’s saddle while Twee helped me up the climbing strap to the stirrups. Twee made me a goofy hat that he stuffed onto my head. Tom thought it was so funny that I kept it on as we left.

I had a rucksack full of two rotations of fish jerky, matches, twine, extra water, and a small bottle of rum. Spot knew the way to the headwaters of the Stem River. We would fly north into eastern Jutu until we reached the Stem. Then we would fly down the Stem and up the Naver River to Yuxviayeth and Yant in Foskos.

To be honest, I felt worn out and in need of a break. I didn't want to admit it to anyone, but I was looking forward to returning to Foskos and slumming for a while. Making a microscope or two might be fun at the Building Shrine. And I did want to try to get back before Thuorfosi had her kid. I was more than ready for that vacation Kamagishi tried to arrange for me a half year ago.

I was so done with the whole prophet business. Maybe with all the big items from the two prophesies taken care of, I could now start pursuing a normal life. Tom should soon be able to step down from leading the Chem liberation forces. We could begin the resettlement of liberated Coyn slaves on the north side of the Great Cracks. And we could start our own family, after doing something about my fertility problems. It was time to ask my healer friends what it would take to bear my own kids. One of the only upsides to the prophet business was the quality of the health care. If Aylem or Lisaykos couldn't fix something, Ud probably could.

I got one last swallow of hot tea, passed the cup to Tom, kissed him on the lips, nipped his lip, and took off, landing Tom on his butt in the downdraft from Spot's wings. Spot laughed all the way up the valley toward the first pass over the mountains.

I was looking forward to the rotation-long trip back home.

Aylem, Crystal Shrine, Harvest Season, 3rd rot., night of the 8th day

Foyuna laughed so hard that she fell off her armchair onto the decorative marble tiles of the dome's floor. On the other side of Aylem's lounge, Asgotl had fallen over on his side, hiccuping and making that funny, snicking noise of griffin laughter.

"I do concede that the hat is amusing," Aylem said to the hysterical High Priestess of Tiki. "If you don't breathe sometime soon, Cousin Foyuna, I may need to cast a healing charm or two. The same goes for you, Asgotl."

“Aylem, love,” Lyappis chuckled, “the hat is wonderful. The Blessed Twee has quite a sense of humor. We need to save the hat when Emily gets home. I regret that Lisaykos is not here to see it.”

Foyuna sat up on the floor and struggled to contain her mirth. She could finally take a breath without breaking back into laughter. "I'm done now," she giggled. "Oh, that was ripe. Twee had to have spent a few bells to make that hat." Foyuna glanced back at Emily, sitting on Spot's back with the tall hat perched on her head.

Twee had taken a tail mitten and turned it into a hat for Emily. The mitten was made of sheepskin. It was roughly conical in shape with four "fingers" on the top for the four fingers on a Chem tail. Twee had cut out an eye slot and had sewn a stiffened brim above it to keep the sun out of Emily's eyes. He had also sewn a padded chin strap inside to keep the tall hat on while Spot flew. From the side, Emily was not recognizable as a living creature wrapped in her voluminous cloak topped by the conical tail-mitten hat on the back of the flying horse. Only her leggings and flying boots hinted that there was a person underneath.

Foyuna took one look at the empty tail fingers waving in the wind on the top of the hat and fell over laughing once again.

"Well, now that we know that Emily is on her way home, we should head to bed," Aylem said. "The sun is up, and it's already tomorrow in Mattamesscontess. It's now after the half-night bell here, and while I can sleep in, I know that Foyuna will be up to do the morning blessing at first light.”

“If I didn't know Emily was under that strangely shaped pile of sheepskin, I'd have no idea Spot was carrying her," Foyuna managed to squeak between spasms of laughter.

“Yes, the hat is amusing,” Aylem rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Foyuna, dear, we really should be heading to bed.”

Northern Mattamesscontess, Harvest Season, 3rd rot., 10th day

On the ninth day of the rotation, Emily and Spot crossed the mountains dividing the Mattaheehee basin from the Shimma'amdu River. They flew north until the mountains were behind them before turning west toward eastern Jutu.

The fastest way home from Mattamesscontess was to go north to escape the high mountains between Impotu and the Gulf of Chipagawkpaw, and then fly west along the Stem River toward the Blue Mountains. The route of the Stem was close to a great circle route to Foskos. The holdings of eastern Jutu had broken away from Impotu control during Growing Season when Foskos invaded the Ahkeseld and Lower Stem Valleys.

Emily and Spot planned to avoid all settlements and holdings on their way home. They slept in a meadow on the side of the Shimma'amdu River on the night of the ninth day and took off to the west on the tenth. The sky was cloudless and brilliant blue. By the time they crossed the hills that marked the drainage divide between the Upper Stem and the Shimma’amdu, a line of convection cells appeared in the distance, growing into a storm system.

Emily and Spot landed in the middle of the afternoon and set up a rain fly at the base of a cliff that provided some shelter from the rising wind. The storm ultimately stretched more than a hundred wagon-days from north to south, crossing the central steppes faster than flying horses could fly. When the derecho hit their camp, Spot was trapped under a tree that fell on him. When he regained consciousness, cold, alone, and horribly injured, Emily was missing.