"Cat, Fuzzy, get over here," Cloud Eye shouted, waving us to move up to the gate.

We took our leave of Magrat the Equalizer and approached where the three real elves were waiting with a very calm hobgoblin leftenant, whose trousers were back in place.

"So, you are one Cat Rider, son of Storm Eagle. Is there a reason you haven't dismounted? That's the custom at gates, you know." The leftenant was politely helpful.

"Well, I only have one foot," Cat replied with his usual smile. "The one on this side is just a hunk of wood inside a boot," he pointed at his left leg. "If you need me to dismount, I can do so but it will take a minute because my companions have to lift me down."

The leftenant had to think for a moment. "What about getting back up?"

"They have to lift me back onto the saddle," Cat was apologetic. "I'm afraid I'm rather weak in my remaining leg and can't mount by myself."

"If I was you, I wouldn't like that," the leftenant remarked.

"To be truthful, sir, I don't like it much myself, but there's not much I can do about it. It's just the way that I am so I live with it."

"Huh," the leftenant pondered a little while longer. I was waiting for the smoke to come out of his ears, he was working so hard at it.

"This here says there are five in your party and one of you is a tame mountain cat," he looked down at me, a little nervously, I might add. "You must be the tame mountain cat."

* Well, sir, I am indeed a mountain cat. I would not go so far as to claim that I am tame. *

"I would agree with that assessment," he stated, looking at me sideways. "Normally I would have to correct that in your document but the line behind you isn't getting any shorter so I will not hold you up any longer. You are free to enter Kizdangengar. Do you need directions to the palace?"

"Yes," Cloud Eye said.

"No, Leftenant," Magrat said, pulling up level with me and showing him an official-looking pass. "I pass the palace on my way home so I can take them there."

The leftenant looked at the pass. I noted his eyes grew wide and then he straightened, "yes, ma'am. That would be most kind of you, ma'am." He looked at us, "you should follow her ladyship. She will get you there safely. Have a pleasant stay in the capital, my elven friends and not-really-tame mountain cat."

"Have you traveled the entire way here on your four feet? Would you like to get off them, Fuzzy?" Magrat asked. "The seat next to me is unoccupied."

* I will take you up on that, * I hopped in and sat down. There wasn't enough room to lie down, but not having to walk for a change was nice.

"I haven't had the chance to meet the rest of you," the goblin said. "I am Magrat and I work for the Equalizer's Office. I've been chatting with Cat Rider and Fuzzy. The young lady is Princess Roaming Wren. I believe I have seen you at court once or twice but haven't had the pleasure of speaking with you before. The other two young elves I have not met yet."

"It is most kind of you to show us the way. I am Cloud Eye, the King's kin and son of his chief advisor. And this tall fellow here is Motley Owl."

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance," Owl performed a perfect courtly bow before mounting his pony.

"Would that be Motley Owl, son of the famous Blue Talon, the elven warrior who slew the Great Grey Worm of the Blasted Blight?" Magrat asked.

"You know of my father?" Owl was surprised.

"Everyone who lives west of the Green River owes your father a great debt for slaying that monster who left hundreds of thousands living in fear of its attacks. To say that he was the greatest elven warrior of our time would not be an exaggeration," Magrat clicked her tongue at her mare to start walking. "I believe the king took you into his household when you were a boy and raised you as one of his own."

"Storm Eagle has been like a second father to me," Owl said, blushing a little. "Wren and Cat are brother and sister to me, and Cloud is like my own cousin."

As we cleared the gate, we came into a flat area with another wall in front of us. There was another gate we would pass through but it appeared to be unguarded since many goblins were freely walking or riding through it in both directions. I estimated the distance between the gates was about 500 yards, which would be just about right if you wanted to trap someone in the crossfire of ballistae on both walls. The area between the walls was devoted to crops and pastures full of livestock.

"This interests you?" Magrat asked me, noting that I was looking around me and the crops and the herd of sheep in the distance. I nodded yes.

"There are four villages which farm the area between the two great walls," Magrat explained. "The inner wall forms a circle that is eight leagues in diameter. The two walls are the only fortifications around the city. We should pause for a moment when we get through the next gate so you can see the wonder that is Kizdangengar."

"Lady Magrat is not exaggerating," Wren interjected. "It really is an amazing sight. It takes my breath away every time I see it. You'll understand as soon as you see it." Magrat smiled at Wren's enthusiasm. I could tell Magrat was proud of what she was about to show us.

"Now you've got me curious," Cloud Eye looked to see if he could see anything on the other side of the next gate.

When we cleared the second gate, the four on the ponies stopped of their own accord. The three boys sat in their saddles with their mouths gaping. I have to admit it was an amazing sight. The inner wall marked the lip of a giant crater. Eight roads from eight gates dropped down into the crater on elevated bridges of massive timbers. The bridges led to a circular city built on a massive foundation that rose in walled rings. The top ring was at our eye level. It was a building capped with a large rose-pink dome.

I found it interesting that the space between the inner wall and the city foundation was empty. The causeway-like bridges suggested that the ground of the crater might be a wetland. There were spots where I thought I could see water.

"Our legends tell us that a great ball of fire fell from the sky and it made this huge hole where it struck the ground," Magrat expounded, enjoying the role of tour guide. "It took us two centuries to build the outer walls and the great foundation for the city. We had to make it much higher than the crater floor because it tends to flood every spring and stay boggy until late autumn.

"Kizdangengar has never been attacked, but if it was, the bridges are wood so we can knock down sections and burn them quickly. There are also magical defenses that will fill the crater with water to make a moat."

"How old is Kizdangengar?" Cloud Eye asked.

"Just under two millennia," Magrat nodded proudly. I certainly couldn't fault her pride in her home city because it was truly impressive.