Pools of Darkness - James M Brown [50]
By the time Evaine finished searching her victims, she had found a dozen gemstones and was able to fill a small pouch with silver and a few gold pieces. "We came out ahead, Gamaliel," she informed the cat. "There's enough money here to buy two horses with enough left over for the ferry across the Moonsea. Not bad."
Gamaliel looked up at his mistress. I don't suppose there's enough change left over for a nice ration of catnip, is there? It's been a while since you bought me any.
Evaine just laughed. "Gamaliel, the first catnip I see growing in the wild or available for sale at an apothecary is yours. I promise. You've earned it."
The cat purred, rubbed against her leg, and the two set off through the woods once again.
By the way, mistress, why is it that you didn't blast the whole lot of those ugly brutes with a lightning bolt? You could have killed them all with one spell. Gamaliel was already twenty yards ahead of the sorceress, but that didn't affect his telepathy.
"I considered that option, but I was afraid I'd either fry you along with the bugbears, or set the woods on fire. So I opted for some less spectacular spells. And it was still an easy battle."
The cat made his approval known and slinked through the underbrush.
Another night of camping passed uneventfully. Evaine and Gamaliel set up as usual, turned in early, and were back on the trail at first light. Evaine expected to link up with one of the major roads to Phlan late in the day. On the way she intended to buy two horses. She didn't want to search for the road after dark.
The pair traveled quickly, with only a few stops for water and rest. By midafternoon, they broke through the trees and found themselves at the edge of a dirt road wide enough for two carts to pass in opposite directions. Evaine knew they had arrived at the right spot.
Before leaving the woods, Evaine took a long look at Gamaliel. She decided it would be better not to be seen with a giant cat, as it would attract too much attention. With a sigh, she said to her companion, "Gam, I think you'd better change. We'll be safer if people think you're human."
The cat hissed in protest.
"Come on, Gamaliel, you know it's necessary," Evaine demanded. "Besides, it's human form I want, not house-cat. That's the form you really hate. This isn't going to kill you." The feline knew that change was the intelligent choice, and stopped grousing. He stepped away from Evaine, closing his eyes.
The pendant around the cat's neck began to glow a pale green. Gamaliel's tawny shape blurred. His furry body seemed to swirl and writhe, and then came into focus again. No longer was a cat standing in the woods, but a tall, wiry human male wearing clothing made of soft animal skins. The man had intense green eyes and sandy, shoulder-length hair. He moved with a smooth, fluid grace. On his hands were dark brown, kidskin gloves. Fingertips with sharp, tough claws protruded from the ends of the gloves. An enormous sword in a suede sheath was strapped to his back.
"Ah, now there's a warrior," Evaine said admiringly. "You're a beautiful cat, Gam, but you're a darn nice looking human. You'll get used to this shape again in no time."
Gamaliel said nothing, but followed his mistress out of the woods. They joined up with the road and saw that it was frequented by farmers, peasants, and pilgrims. The road wasn't crowded but was certainly busy.
Evaine kept her eyes open for anyone with horses to sell. She passed on a few nags, but eventually spotted a pair of horses that looked healthy and well cared for. Before approaching the owner, she cast a quick mind-reading spell that allowed her to learn whether the horses were stolen.
She negotiated with the horse trader for a few minutes, reading his thoughts and learning that the horses were indeed in good health. They were his own and were for sale simply because his family needed the money. Evaine negotiated a good price, and in a few minutes, horses and money had traded hands. She and Gamaliel mounted the horses and galloped down the road.
By nightfall, the pair