I could smell wood smoke which meant there was a dwelling nearby. I ran a circle to pinpoint where the smoke was from. Then I ran toward the source to see how far it was from the trail. It was nearby, only about 200 yards. I saw that I missed the trail that led to it from the south trail. I ran up to confirm it was a house.

It was a house and there were people about. An elf woman saw me approaching at a loping run and screamed. "Eeeeeeeee! Mountain cat! Get the children inside."

A young man came running out with a bow. I was rolling sideways as soon as the arrow was in flight. It got lost in the snow. I ducked behind a tree. I waved my tail and another arrow went whizzing by. Obviously, he was an enthusiastic archer.

"Hey!" Nesselblatt yelled, "Quit shooting. You'll hit somebody!" I could see him about 100 yards back with Hawk Eye carrying Father Garshom on his back.

"There's a mountain cat!" someone yelled from the house.

"It's the Divine Beast. Don't shoot."

I waited for them to catch up.

"I didn't know why you ran off," Nesselblatt explained to me, "but then I smelled the smoke and figured you went to look for shelter for the old priest."

I nodded. I collected the two arrows and joined them. We kept walking toward the house.

The woman who screamed came to meet us. She bowed to me in apology, "I'm so sorry, Divine Beast. We did not know it was you."

I shrugged at her. It was no big deal and given that there are many wild mountain cats and only one me, it was understandable. I dropped the arrows and the cloth-wrapped bear meat. I carefully extended a claw and started writing in the snow: "I get king." I pulled on Nesselblatt's cloak so he would see it.

"Oh," he said. "We will get the old fellow inside and warmed up and will wait for someone from the King's house."

I trusted that the sentries and the house I found would take good care of Father Garshom. I turned and I ran as fast as I could. It was about three leagues to get to the King's house. I sprinted the whole way. I was so out of breath when I hit the passage down to the entryway that I lost my footing and rolled, thumping into the wood of the outer door. I made a great noise. I laid against the door in a heap gasping for air.

The door opened. I was still panting and didn't look up.

"Fuzzy?" It was Proud Elk, Bright Stream's brother, and the King's uncle. "What's wrong, girl? You're all out of breath."

I managed to get to my feet and staggered through the door. I looked around the room and didn't see the King so I walked over to the small shallow box of sand the elves built for me. I wrote "King" with a claw.

Proud Elk, who had followed me, frowned, "he's in a meeting about trade with Osterius."

I wiped the sand clean and then wrote, "rescue." Under it, I wrote, "sleigh."

"I'm sorry, Fuzzy," Proud Elk straightened up. "I'm going to get Deer Foot. We will all understand you quicker that way." To his credit, Proud Elk ran to the hallway that connected to the rooms where the King and the Truthsayer conducted kingdom business. I had caught my breath when he reappeared with both Deer Foot and Storm Eagle.

I ran up to Deer Foot and stood up, putting my paws on her shoulders.

"You are riled up," she smiled at me. "Let me sit down, Fuzzy. You're heavy." She pulled up a chair, "now, you remember how this works." She put her hand on top of my head, "form the images in your mind so I can see."

I recalled overtaking the sentries and Father Garshom, the priest collapsing, finding the house off of the south path. I ran through the sequence twice. Her mind magic was very strong and she was even better than Sleeping Willow at seeing what I was thinking.

"Can you find the house again?" she asked. I nodded.

"What is it? Why is Fuzzy all in a tither?" Storm Eagle asked.

"You better get the big sleigh rigged," Deer Foot looked up at her partner. "It's Bishop de Welk, who two escarpment guards were escorting here. He collapsed on the way. They found a house to shelter in so it's not dire but he probably can't continue on foot."

I was flattened. Father Garshom was a bishop? Deer Foot recognized him? Storm Eagle knew him? Would somebody please explain this to me? I was feeling a bit agitated, especially since I had questions and no human speech to ask them.

"You look upset, Fuzzy," Storm eagle got down in a squat and scratched behind my ears. "Do you know Garshom de Welk?" I nodded.

"And I assume then that he knows you?" I nodded again.

"Somehow, this doesn't surprise me in the least. Uncle, could I trouble you to get the big sleigh out and rigged?" Storm Eagle asked Proud Elk. The older elf nodded and left to take care of it.

"Fuzzy, come with me to the meeting room," the King stood up. "I want to show you a map so you can show me where this house is."

The trip to fetch Garshom was much less eventful, though it was the first time I got to ride in a sleigh. The driver blindfolded the four reindeer so I could get in unseen. Father Garshom was still out of it when we fetched him and brought him back to the King's house. I deserted my boy and slept at the foot of Garshom's bed that night. I wanted him to see a friend when he woke.

The King charged me to wake him and Deer Foot when Garshom opened his eyes. Storm Eagle was concerned that Garshom might accidentally reveal Cat Rider's real identity. My boy's security depended on Prince Andray Nordweg vanishing.

I hoped someone would answer all my questions once the old priest, or old bishop, woke up.