the young Queen of the Icemark. “Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield, Wildcat of the North, I give you a task. Your challenge is to make an alliance with Lord Tharaman-Thar of the Icesheets. He who is as white as the snows, as strong as rock, as tall at the shoulder as a man, as wise as a scholar, as gentle as a feather, and as fierce as the wildest winter storms. Bring him into our covenant and even Scipio Bellorum will be in awe of us. With Lord Tharaman on our side we will have a chance of stopping even the Empire … at least for a while.”
“Gladly. I’ll do whatever I can to try to win him over to our side. But where does he live, and how do I get there, and exactly what sort of … creature is he?”
“He is winter, given animal form,” answered Grishmak. “He and his people are Snow Leopards. They stand as tall and as large as your horses, their teeth are like shattered stars, and their claws like cavalry sabers. With them as allies, we could hold back the Empire and live free!”
“Snow Leopards!” Oskan said, amazed. “But how can we talk to them?”
“Exactly as you talk to me: They use the language of humans.”
“They talk?!”
“Oskan Witch’s Son, have you walked deaf through your woods and caves?” King Grishmak asked darkly. “Do you truly believe that only human people use language and talk to one another?”
“Of course not,” Oskan answered sharply. “I know the language of birds and of the four-legged ones. If I concentrate, I can even understand some of the meanings of insects and fish. But you’re not saying that they use the language of animals; you’re telling us that these leopards use the words of human speech. How can that be?”
The King shrugged. “You’ve spoken to the Wolffolk on many occasions and have never seemed surprised. What’s so different here?”
“Your people are at least partly human. Their language comes from the humanity in their blood. Are these leopards also part human?”
“No. They’re pure cat. But their legends say that when the One made the world, it loved their power and beauty as much as it loved the mind and adaptability of humanity, and so blessed them with the gift of speech, so that its two favorite creations could one day speak each to the other. Don’t you see? — that time has now come. Thirrin, take this legend to the Snow Leopards and bring them into our alliance.”
“But will they obey us?”
“No! Never!” King Grishmak howled. “They are a free and thinking people who obey none but their own Lord Tharaman-Thar. But they may agree to help you.”
Thirrin gazed at the Werewolf King as the information about these new people settled into her brain. “Where exactly do they live, and how do I get there?”
“Their home is on the mountain at the Hub of the World. Tharaman-Thar’s palace is made of natural ice and rock, and his people live by hunting walruses and the great ice bears that roam their lands,” Grishmak answered. “As for getting there, you’ll need help. No horse could travel over the snows and Icesheets that shift and change day by day, and if a storm hits you, then you’ll die unless you have the knowledge only a few people possess. Are you sure you’re ready to take on such a trek?”
Thirrin answered quickly. “No. But I have no choice. Such an ally could shift the balance of the war and help us hold back the Empire. Who are the ones who can guide us?”
“There are tribes of the Wolffolk who live far to the north. They hunt on the Icesheets and travel sometimes for weeks before returning home. If I send out word now, they could be here in two or three days.”
Thirrin gazed silently into the fire, then said decisively, “Send for them, Grishmak. I have an alliance to make.”
The next night, a herald and escort of Vampires arrived at the caves carrying a huge document made of dressed vellum. At first they demanded it should be signed immediately, but after Grishmak had laughed at them they agreed to leave it for examination and return the next night. A group of gray-pelted werewolves then took the document and went to the back of the caves, where they could be heard snarling and growling over it far into the night.
Later that day King Grishmak sent couriers to the north in search of the tribes of