From: smccoy@dw3g.ess.harris.com (Scott McCoy)
Subject: CASTLE: Tz'u and the Baron...
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 15:20:39 GMT
Organization: Harris Corporation Information Systems Division
Keywords: castle, tzu


Tz'u awoke with a start.  Someone was calling him.  Or was it the
dream?  In the dream, he had been falling through fog, towards a bottom
he couldn't see.  His name seemed to echo from the unseen rock around
him, but he hadn't been able to make out just who it was.  The voice
sounded so familiar, but he couldn't remember...

Bah, thought the Cat.  Now I won't be able to get back to sleep.
Besides, it was cold, all alone on his perch on the beam.  Jones had
left, so there wasn't Jones' considerable body to help warm the niche.

The Castle was quiet, but Tz'u still sensed something vaguely
disturbing.  He wondered if he should make a quick patrol of the
Castle.  Better yet, he thought, he would go find Kathrea or Lady
Elaine and climb into their beds!  *chuckle*  At least he would be
warm.  But he knew he didn't have the courage to intrude in a Lady's
bedroom.

Tz'u sighed, and climbed down from his bed.  He still felt that tug in
his mind, like someone needed him.  With his mind a bit muddled from
the dream, he headed up to a small balcony on the battlements of the
Castle, which gave him a view of the north woods.  It was not quite yet
dawn -- a false blush of color lit the eastern sky, yet there was
enough light for Tz'u to see his breath cloud before him.  The woods
were quiet, with a soft breeze sighing through the branches, like the
sound of a contented lover after a passionate coupling.  The Cat sat in
the shadow of the railing, still and cold.  He tried to sort out the
strange feeling within himself, but found his mind drifting back to
other times, other woods...

A noise came from behind him.  From the sound of the footsteps, it was
the Baron Silverwind.  The Baron came and stood at the rail, and gazed
out to the north wood, his forehead slightly creased out of concern.
He did not notice the small cat sitting a few yards away.  He drew his
cloak about his shoulders tighter and shivered slightly.

"Aye, 'tis a chill morning to be about, Baron", Tz'u ventured.

The Baron started slightly when he heard the voice, turned and
recognized the Cat.  He just nodded his head.

"It is a morning for old soldiers, m'lord." Tz'u continued.  "I look
upon the woods and hear the sound of old battles and the echoes of the
wounded and the confusion.  I smell the smoke of fire and see the
splash of blood and the flash of a blade."

The Cat's tone and words struck a chord within the Baron.

"What do you know of battles, Tz'u?", he asked, his curiosity piqued.

Tz'u sighed and gave a tired shake of his head, "I know there is
nothing so terrible a sight as battle lost -- except..."

Silverwind started to finish the old saying, when he noticed that Tz'u
had his hackles up and was scanning the sky.  The Baron heard nothing.

"What is it?  What do you sense?  I will call out the guard!"

"It's a dragon, m'lord, and an old one by the sound of it!"

"Perhaps it is one of mine," said the Baron, relaxing a bit.  Now he
too could hear the noise -- soft and raspy, fading and growing stronger
and fading again.  He freed his sword from his cloak, just in case.

The dragon appeared suddenly out of the misty pre-dawn murk, low over
the trees.  He was large and gray and silver, with a strange crest on a
leather harness around his neck.  The dragon slid up towards the
battlement, and landed easily.  He had made little sound, just the rasp
of his wings and the creak of his scales.

"Greetings, Commander.  Baron," rumbled the dragon, "I am M'kridra."

Silverwind stood there with his mouth open.  He recognized the Dragon's
name as the Sergeant Major of the Ghostrider Legion, a legendary
squardon of dragons who exploits in battle were almost impossible to
believe.  The Ghostriders seemed to always have taken the most
difficult missions -- deep into enemy territory, they would capture
enemy generals or destroy important supply depots or retrieve kidnapped
nobility.  The legend of the Legion had grown until just the rumor that
the Ghostriders were on the wing could swing the fate of a battle.  But
with peace in the Land, the Ghostrider Legion had vanished into
history.  The Baron could not remember a sighting of the Ghostriders in
his lifetime nor his father's nor his father's father.

Snapping out of his reverie, he bowed to the Dragon.  "M'kridra, I have
heard of your accomplishments and those of the Ghostrider Legion.  But
I thought the Legion had passed."

"It has, Baron, it has.  But we are still around.  Like old soldiers,
we sit around and lie to each other, and advise the younger ones, if
they ask."

"Why are you here, Sar' Major?  What need have we of a Ghostrider?"

"You, Baron, have no need.  I am here to give an Invitation to the
Commander."

The look of confusion on Silverwind's face was obvious.

M'kridra chuckled deeply, but said nothing.

"Hello, Mickey."  Tz'u said, stepping out of the shadows.  "It *has*
been a long time."

The Baron's jaw dropped for the second time that morning.

The Dragon sighed.  "Look at you, Commander.  You're a Cat!  What has
that silly old witch done to you this time?"  M'kridra tsked, with a
sardonic gleam in his eye and a shake of his head.

"I'm sure the Goddess returns your affection, you old bag of wind!"
Tz'u laughed, but was brought up short when he glanced at the Baron,
who still stood there stunned.

"Baron, you now know who I once was.  You must promise me that you will
not reveal this to anyone.  My life as the Commander of the Ghostrider
Legion ended when our battles were won.  I have served the Goddess for
a long time, m'lord, many different ways."

Baron Silverwind was still mute, but nodded his head.  The Ghostrider
Commander!  His mind leapt as he remembered the legends, of the
brilliance of a man who could pull victory from disaster, whose
innovations on the battlefield left his enemies in confusion and
defeat.  But Tz'u was a Cat!?!?  Or was he...?  And the Ghostrider's
rode so long ago...He came back to himself as he realized Tz'u was
speaking:

"You mentioned an invitation, Mickey.  An invitation to what?"

"Commander, you are Invited to a Fledgling.  For G'han'kri."

The Cat's eyes widened, and he grinned.  "Of course, you mother's
nightmare.  I wouldn't miss it."  Tz'u turned to the Baron.

"M'lord, I must go.  Please tell Kathrea and Lady Elaine that I will
return, but please do not mention the cause of my errand.  Tell them
... tell them an old comrade has need of me."

The Baron watched as Tz'u jumped up onto the Dragon's back, grapping
hold of the leather strap that held the Ghostrider Crest on M'kridra's
chest.  For the first time, Silverwind noticed a ring on Tz'u's right
leg, just above his paw.  It was a dull grey, yet shone like oiled
armor.  The ring blended with Tz'u's fur, as if it were a part of him.
The ring bore the shape of a dragon's head, mouth open and ears fully
back, as when a dragon is diving to attack.  The dragon's eyes were
both brilliant red rubies.  It was the ring of a Dragon Legionaire
Commander.

M'kridra and Tz'u lifted quickly from the Castle battlement.  They
turned north, towards the mountains, and soon were gone from sight,
fading into the strengthening light.

A guard came onto the battlement, to begin his morning watch.  He found
the Baron still standing at the railing, shaking his head gently and
looking slightly bemused.  Without a word to the guard and with a swish
of his cloak, the Baron retreated from the battlement to the warmth of
the Castle proper.

The guard stamped his feet and blew into his hands.  I hope something
happens today, he thought.  It can be so boring around this place!