A Night in the Lonesome October

October 7

We were out again last night in pursuit of more ingredients for the Great Work. It was very foggy, and there were many patrolmen about. This did not stop us, but it made things more difficult. The master's blade flashed, the woman screamed, and there was a rending of garments. We passed the Great Detective in our flight, and I inadvertently tripped his companion, whose limp had lessened his ability to avoid onrushing canines.

As we crossed the bridge Jack unrolled the strip of cloth and regarded it.

«Very good. It is green,» he remarked.

Why his list of materials required the edge of a green cloak worn by a red-haired lady on this date at midnight and removed while still upon her person, I am uncertain. Magical rotas sometimes strike me as instructions for lunatic scavenger hunts. Nonetheless, Jack was happy so I was, too.

Much later, after an unsuccessful search for Nightwind, I returned home and was drowsing in the parlor when I heard a small scratching sound from the rear of the house. It did not come again. So I went into my stalking mode and investigated.

The kitchen was empty, the pantry was bare. I circulated.

At the entrance to the front hall I caught the scent. I halted, watched, listened. I became aware of a slight movement, low, and to my right, ahead.

It sat before the mirror watching the slitherers. I suspended breathing and edged forward. When I was near enough to catch it with a short lunge I said, «I trust you are finding your last moments amusing.»

It leaped and I was upon it, catching it at the base of the neck, a large, black rat.

«Wait! I can explain!» it said. «Snuff! You're Snuff! I came to see you!»

I waited, neither tightening nor loosening my hold. A toss of my head would snap its spine.

«Needle told me of you,» it went on. «Cheeter told me where to find you.»

I couldn't say anything, my mouth being occupied. So I continued to wait.

«Cheeter said you seemed reasonable, and I wanted to talk. Nobody was around outside, so I let myself in through the little door in the back. Could you put me down, please?»

I carried the rat to a corner, deposited him there, seating myself directly before him.

«So you are in the Game,» I said.

«Yes.»

«Then you must know that entering another player's home without invitation lays you open to immediate reprisal.»

«Yes, but it was the only way I knew to get in touch with you.»

«What is it you wanted to tell me?»

«I know Quicklime, and Quicklime knows Nightwind… .»

«Yes?»

«Quicklime says that Nightwind told him you know a lot about who the players are and what they're about. And that you sometimes trade information. I'd like to trade some.»

«Why didn't you trade directly with Nightwind?»

«I've never met Nightwind. Owls scare me. Besides, I heard he's pretty closebeaked. Keeps everything close to his feathers, and keeps his pinions to himself.»

He chuckled at that. I did not.

«If you just wanted to talk, why were you snooping around?» I asked.

«I couldn't help being curious when I saw the things in the mirror.»

«Is this the first time you've been by?»

«Yes!»

«Who're you with?»

«The Good Doctor.»

«I've a friend named Graymalk who happens to be a cat. She comes around here a lot. If I think you're planning to make mischief I'm going to let her start coming in regularly.»

«I'm not looking for trouble, damn it! Let's keep the cat out of this!»

«Okay. What are you trading and what do you want?»

«I want you to tell me everybody you know who's in the Game, and where they live.»

«What do I get?»

«I know where the Count takes his rest.»

«Nightwind was going to seek that information.»

«He's not good enough to follow Needle through the woods. Owls can't zigzag the way bats can.»

«You may be right. You will take me to the place?»

«Yes. For a list of the others.»

«All right,» I said. «But you came to me. I get to make the terms. Show me the place first. Then I'll tell you who else is playing.»

«I agree.»

«And what may I call you?»

«Bubo,» he replied.

I backed away.

«Let's go,» I said.

Outside, it was chill, windy, and damp. A few clouds hung low in the west. The stars seemed very near.

«Which way?» I asked.

He indicated the southeast and headed in that direction. I followed.

He crossed several fields, coming at length to a stand of trees. He entered there.

«These are the woods where Needle might lose Nightwind?» I said.

«Yes.»

He led me among trees. Finally, we came to a very rocky clearing, and he halted.

«Yes?» I said.

«This is the place.»

«What is it?»

«The remains of an old church.»

I walked forward, sniffing. Nothing untoward… .

I climbed the low hill on which the ruins stood. Among the blocks of stone I saw an opening. When I peered within I saw that it continued downward.

«… Goes back,» I said, «as if this wasn't always ground level. As if much of it were covered up, overgrown… . We're actually standing above the ruin, aren't we?»

«I don't know. I've never been down in it,» he replied. «That isn't the spot. The cemetery's down the hill, over that way.»

He headed in the direction he'd indicated, and I followed. There were a few fallen, half-buried markers about. Then there was a bigger place, I realized, when I saw that lines of stone in the ground were what had been the tops of walls of a crypt. Weeds grew amid them. Bubo rushed forward, stood in their midst.

«See, there's a hole here,» he told me. «His stuff's down there.»

I moved toward it, looked inside. It was too dark for me to distinguish anything. I wished Nightwind or Graymalk had been along.

«I'll have to take your word for it,» I said, «for now.»

«Then tell me the names and places you'd promised.»

«I'll tell you as we walk along, away from here.»

«Does this place make you nervous?»

«It's not a month for taking chances,» I said.

He laughed.

«That's very funny,» he said.

«It is, isn't it?» I replied.

The dying moon came up above the trees, lighting our way.

With midnight's chimes speech comes to me. I rose and stretched, waiting for them to cease. Jack, having roused himself especially for the occasion, watched me with a mixture of amusement and interest.

«Busy day, Snuff?» he asked.

«We'd a visitor while you napped. The rat Bubo,» I said, «companion of the Good Doctor.»

«And?»

«We traded. A list of the players for the location of the Count's grave. He said it was in the cemetery to a ruined church to the southeast. Showed me the place.»

«Good work,» Jack replied. «How does this affect your calculations?»

«Hard to say. I'm going to think about it, and then I'll need to do some walking.»

«Still early in the Game,» he said. «You know how the picture can change.»

«True,» I replied. «But at least we're somewhat better-informed than we were. Of course, we must check the content of the crypt by day, to be certain. I think I can persuade Graymalk to do that.»

«Not Quicklime?»

«I trust the cat more. I'd rather share information with her, if it must be shared.»

«You know her persuasion, then?»

I shook my head.

«No, I'm just going by my feelings.»

«Has she spoken of her mistress, Jill?»

«Not in any detail.»

«I believe the lady is younger than she causes herself to appear.»

«That may be. I just don't know. I haven't met her.»

«I have. Let me know if the cat talks party politics.»

«I will, but she won't, not unless I do, and I'm not about to.»

«You're the best judge of that situation.»

«Yes. Neither of us has anything to gain by volunteering information at this time. But we might stand to lose something in the way of cooperation. Unless you've some overriding need for the information that I don't know about. In that case, though… .»

«I understand. No. Let it be. Have you learned it for any of the others?»

«No. Are we going out tonight?»

«No. We're set, for now. Have you any plans?»

«A little calculation and a lot of rest.»

«Sounds like a good idea.»

«Do you remember that time in Dijon, when that lady from the other side managed to distract you?»

«It's hard to forget. Why do you ask?»

«No special reason. Just reminiscing. Good night, Jack.»

I moved to my favorite corner and settled with my head upon my paws.

«'Night, Snuff.»

I listened to his retreating footsteps. It was time to visit Growler, for a workshop in advanced stalking. Soon the world went away.