>From yu121874@yorku.ca Wed Jul  3 10:10:06 1996
Subject: [AM] Riding home
 
Scene: The Forest
 
        Zachary approached the Manticora cautiously, looking over his 
shoulder to ensure Laura had readied another arrow.  Halfway to the 
beast, huge shapes roared from the trees, landing to either side of the 
foursome.  The dark brown shapes prowled around them, growling as eyes 
glowed red.  Sharp white teeth showed in their open maws.  Zachary 
lowered his sword, but still kept a grip on the handle.  "Hold.  Do not 
move and wait."  Zachary said in a low voice, but all heard.
 
        A minute later he broke through the trees, gleaming in white 
armour atop a humungous horse, if it could be called that.  Half-again 
the size of any earthly horse, and as black as a starless night, 
Morgenstern huffed as Julian pulled him to a stop.  "Prince Zachary, 
Lady Julianna.  I did not know that you were travelling these parts of 
Forest Arden."
 
        Zachary wondered at that, very little slipped by Julian of 
goings on in the Forest he protected.  "We had a slight emergency which 
we have taken care of, Uncle."  Zachary looked to Karina and Laura.  
"Have you met our newfound cousins, Laura and Karina?"
 
        Julian nodded to the two women.  "Welcome.  I am Julian, 
Protector of Forest Arden."  He said, then dismounted from Morgenstern.  
Around them the Hellhounds still paced, but their growling had ceased.  
"A truly remarkable shot, Lady Laura."  He commented, taking a cursory 
look at the deceased Manticora.
 
        "Thank you, Uncle.  It came upon us suddenly, and I was lucky to 
be able to shoot when I did."  Laura said, finally relaxing her bow.
 
        "We are in Arden?"  Zachary asked.
 
        Julian gave a look to the young prince and nodded.  "Did you not 
know?"
 
        "I led them here, Julian."  Julianna broke in.  "We had little 
time to discuss our destination until now."
 
        Julian nodded knowingly.  "Then I won't keep you from further 
discussions."  Julian mounted back up onto Morgenstern.  It was then 
that they noticed eyes peering out at them from the surrounding woods.  
Figures standing impassively in forest green and brown.
 
        "Good hunting, Uncle."  Zachary said, straddling across 
Rainpuddle's back.  His other cousins followed suit, Karina mounting up 
behind Laura, and they began at a much slower pace down the narrow path 
before them.
 
        "So that was Uncle Julian."  Laura mused upon Tovarich.
 
        "It was.  You said that the horn you heard was just like that?"  
Zachary asked, turned to Karina.
 
        "I swear the two are one in the same.  Today is not something 
I'll forget anytime soon."  Karina replied.
 
        Zachary fell into thought.  "But why would Julian want to hunt 
the Unicorn?  It makes no sense."  Zachary sighed.  He would hate to 
have one of his Uncles attempting to destroy Amber.  "If only we had one 
of those poisoned arrows ..."
 
        "But I do."  Laura replied, stopping Tovarich.
 
        The other stopped as well.  "You do?"  Zachary said excitedly.
 
        "The one we were examing before we had to flee.  I put it in my 
saddlebag."  Laura explained, indicating the bag just behind her right 
leg.
 
        "Excellent!"  Zachary smiled, blues eyes sparkling.  "To the 
Crime Lab!"  He trotted ahead a few steps before coming to a halt, 
looking back at the three women.  All three stared wondering at him.  
"It's ... My father calls our laboratories the Crime Lab."  He explained 
in a quiet voice.
 
        Julianna let herself have a glimmer of a smile.  "Indeed.  But 
what you said is right, we should investigate the arrow further.  It is 
now our only source of evidence."  She motioned **** forward.  The other 
two followed suit.
 
        "If you want, Karina, you may visit our stables and pick out a 
horse of your own.  If you need, I'm sure someone can teach you how to 
ride.  If we are to give you and Laura a crash course on shifting 
shadow, you will need a reliable means of transportation."  Zachary 
mentioned after a little while.
 
        "I'll do that."  Karina said, glancing about the woods 
surrounding them.  "Nothing else is going to come charging out at us, is 
there?"
 
        "Unlikely.  My guess would be that we have at least a half-dozen 
of Julian's Rangers following us."  Zachary replied.
 
        "To protect us?"  Laura asked.
 
        Zachary shook his head.  "To keep an eye on us."
 
NRPG: Okay, we're back to Castle Amber.  Time for a little bit of 
sleuthing and R&R before something stirs in Shadow   Have fun while 
it lasts. :)
 
                           ///          /// 
                           \ //        /  /           
      Christopher           \ ////   _/  /     Zachary, Librarian of
      Ackney                 \_  ////    /     Castle Amber, son to
                              \___/    /       King Random
      yu121874@yorku.ca       /         \_      
                             /,)-_(  \_   \     
      1Asada20.2130          (/   \\ /\\\\         <\
                                   //               >\
      -===========================((===============>:::(0)//////]O 
                                    '               >/
        "It was a very foul blow, about four