The Canis Quest 2

Part 3

     At daybreak the next day Razor joined his Stone with his brother’s.  It
gave off a great surge of light and power.  Razor then took out the Heart
Stone, salvaged from the Temple of the Wolf Pack.  "Heart Stone, if you can
help us, let us know now."  The Heart Stone gave off an athelian light, and
filled the room with reds and pinks.  In the face of the Heart Stone, the
Arrow Stone appeared and started to spin.  Suddenly the Arrow stopped
spinning and pointed straight ahead.  Not five steps farther did they travel
then they saw the footprint of the Tiger and the Wolf side by side, pointing
in the same direction, urging them on.  
	They rented a car immediately and were on their way, until suddenly they
could go no further.  The car jerked to a halt in front of a small grove of
trees.  

     The two brothers felt a sense of uneasiness as they considered what
choices lay ahead of them.  The night wind blew them from behind, almost
pushing them forward.  Finally, they decided to abandon the jeep and venture
into the forest even as darkness crept upon them from behind.  
	"Guys, this seems all too…"
	"familiar…" finished Chris for Razor.  Not a few trees did they pass when
they stepped meekly out of the clearing, and beheld a sight to make them feel
smaller than their shoes.  Before them stood a work of true wonder and awe.
 For the brothers, it was so amazing they were afraid.  Before stood, the
great golden castle.  

	It was small as castles go - It seemed it’s only purpose was to house the
great Royal Family, and as a last defense against intruders.  They stood
there watching for who knows how long.  None of them could take their eyes
off it.  A sound to the near east made them jump.  It was the sound of a lone
wolf howling.  All three looked to the sound in time to see the dark
silhouette of a normal wolf leaving a small black cliff.  Something flickered
from around its neck.  Razor was afraid to return his gaze to the castle
fearing what he saw in his dream.  

	"Guys, what is this place?" asked T-bone.
	"Even we’re not sure." said Razor.  "But this where we’re supposed to be."
	"I’m not going in there."
	"You’re coming, you know you have to."  
     "So what do we do now?  Go in and ask for directions?  Who knows if
anyone still lives there anymore?  This place is pretty far remote from
anyplace, which explains why it hasn’t been looted.  Here’s something that’ll
interest you.  According to the map we got at the motel; this place where we
stand is exactly 500 hundred miles from the Temple of the Wolf Pack." 
     "Come on.  We can’t stay here anyway.  Night’s coming, and we don’t have
anything to camp in."  
     The kats approached the great castle slowly, finding it difficult to
resist the power of the place.  
     When they reached the door, it wasn’t much to see in comparison to the
awe-inspiring view that they had from the wood.  One could feel the power and
the magic flowing from the castle like a fountain flows water.  You could
feel it in your bones, in the air, and in the ground.  The door seemed
ordinary as doors go because it was just that- a door which served a purpose
- to let kats in, and let kats out again.  There was no moat and no
drawbridge.  
     T-bone slammed into the door but it wouldn’t open.  The two brothers
tried, and when they both tried pushing lightly at the same time, the door
opened easily.  
	There were no lights on in the main hall, and everything was dark and
mysterious.  T-bone shut the door behind them.  The kats looked around for a
few moments in the near total darkness, then, exhausted, went to sleep.
 T-bone a little while later after watching the others sleep, inadvertedly
fell asleep at his post.