A Little Something

Foreward

It is my great pleasure to present a companion story to the round-robin writing exercise also posted here at the Den. You will recall ”A LittleNothing,” starring Tigermark, Joe Latrans, and Aramis Dagaz. The three amigos, as they have come to be called, return in this story, along with a very familiar equine. This story, written by Aslaug, is a compelling look at faith and friendship, and how a faith tested and affirmed is stronger than almost anything, even time, distance, and death. I want to thank Aslaug for allowing me to host this story here at the Den. Happy reading!

Tigermark.

The characters of Aramis Dagaz, Aslaug Larsdatter, and Tigermark, are all © Their respective players. Joe Latrans and Annie Latrans © Silver Coyote.All other characters © Joan Jacobsen except where actual names of historic figures are used. This story is the intellectual property of Joan Jacobsen and may not be reposted or reproduced without permission.

A Little Something

or

"Min fjendes fjende..."/"Enemy of my enemy..."

by Aslaug

Disclaimer: This story is not built on real events. It is purely a work of fiction and should be seen as nothing else. The central aspect of the story is not the culture depicted, but the differences of ideologies and beliefs that are presented. The cultures that are involved could've been any other, as well. This is not a depiction of the real world and while names used in a few cases refer to real-world people, this is not a truthful or accurate depiction of the times in most ways. The setting only serves to present two ideologies opposed to one another. And to allow one character in particular to ask himself some important questions.

"Where in the name of the Almighty ARE we??" Joe growled and shook himself off. He'd landed in a blueberry bush and he was covered in black juice.

Tigermark, ever the cool one of the three, looked around. To the coyote's irritation, the feline had landed gracefully on his feet in an open area. He shrugged and smiled crookedly.

"I'm not sure. Honestly. But I'd say this is Earth, at least. You've got blueberries all over you, for one thing. And there are no alien looking cities near...no strange geographical formations. In fact...I'd say we're definitely on Earth."

"I wish we'd be told before we went..." Joe grumbled and scraped blueberry out of his fur.

"That'd sorta take out the fun. We're explorers, boldly going where no fur has gone before..." Aramis said and came out from behind the only tree in sight.

"Hello Captain Furk, name's Joe Latrans. Shouldn't you be off exploring uncharted galaxies? Besides, there's always a lot of furs where we go and they're usually very HOSTILE!" Joe said, sourly. He felt sticky. Blueberry juice did nothing for his fur.

Aramis just put on that catty grin that Joe had come to think of as his 'smug bastard'-grin.

"Laugh it up, kitty. Felines...yech...you guys always land on your feet. I'm just a poor canid for Chrissakes!"

"It's okay, Joe. I smell water nearby...you can take a bath..." Tigermark said without the crooked smile leaving his face.

"You...smell...water. ALL RIGHT, that's enough fun on my expense!" Joe retorted. Despite himself, he couldn't help smirking. He felt pretty sure he looked hilarious.

Tigermark tried desperately to keep a straight face. "I'm sure we'll find water soon enough. Hey, who knows...perhaps blueberry juice in your fur is the height of fashion here and the two of us are the ones desperately out of style..." he said and put a paw on Aramis' shoulder.

Joe raised a finger at the tiger and narrowed his eyes...then gave up and sighed, shaking his head. "Yeah yeah...I'm the clown as per usual..." he muttered. "Now let's go find out where the heck we are, shall we? Earth is a little too broad a description for my liking."

"I don't know about you..." Aramis said, "...but I could definitely do with a meal. I'm starved."

"Yeah. They ought to include a buffet at the mission briefings," Joe said with a nod, happy the conversation was turning away from his stickyness.

Tigermark nodded. "Can you get into the tree and take a look around, Joe?"

"ME? Why do *I* have to crawl up there? You're the felines. You're supposed to be fantastic at climbing trees."

"We are. But no one included instructions in our genetic makeup of how to get back DOWN again, Joe. Up you go..." Tigermark chuckled.

The coyote grumbled again and patted his bomber-jacket. "Ohh for Heaven's sakes...they took away my gun. Why can't I EVER use that thing?"

"I seem to recall at least fifty missions where you could, Joe. But I'm sure we'll get something else..." the tiger said and smiled. "Now into the tree, if you'd please. We need to figure out where the nearest settlement is."

Joe nodded. He knew that was true and he got over to the tree. It was a large oak. It wasn't difficult to get a grip. He climbed to a high perch and looked around. To his surprise, he didn't see any settlements or real signs of life. He could, however, see some hills a ways off. He climbed back down.

"It's mostly flat here. There are some hills in that direction..." he said and pointed. Otherwise, it looks like we've landed on a heath, with just this one solitary tree. I suppose a bird dropped an acorn at some point. There are no cities or towns nearby either. But if we head towards the hills, we may see just as far from the top of those. We might see something from over there."

Aramis nodded. "Sounds like a sensible enough idea. Let's go then. Oh...hey...what's that?"

The other two looked in the same direction as the young feline. A bag was materializing on the ground. A large bag.

"Probably our equipment. Please...let my gun be in there," Joe muttered.

Tigermark went over and opened it. "No such luck, Joe...but your sword is in here. And a bow for me...and a sword for Aramis," he said. "And some clothes. They look...old."

"How do you mean? Worn out?" Joe asked.

Tigermark held up a tunic and some breeches. "No. I mean as in something furs would've worn hundreds of years ago..."

"Oh crap, not another timetravelling experience..." Joe mumbled and facepawed.

"Apparently."

"Well, I'm not putting that on. I'll say I'm from...gahhh...Arabia or something," Joe complained. "I'll go far but there ARE limits and I'm not ditching the jacket. Period. It's been with me for years."

"We know...you always say that," Aramis chuckled. "Okay, let's get armed and going. Since there are weapons, at least we can assume this won't be a peaceful mission."

"When is it EVER a peaceful mission, Aramis? Damnation...how do I keep explaining this to Annie?" Joe whined and sighed. He got his sword and strapped it on his back. It was very large.

"Hmm...there's a first aid kit in here too. Pretty impressive hardware. That at least is not old-fashioned..." Tigermark said and took it out. "Comes with it's own bag, too...so it'll be concealed. They do think of everything upstairs, don't they?"

"Except the fact that we're the ones putting our hides on the line time and time again..." Joe mumbled.

"It's God's work, Joe. Don't complain," Tigermark scolded.

"I'm not complaining but our mission briefings are...lacking. They never tell us exactly what we're supposed to DO. Not in any detail anyway. It's always "There is a problem, and you're going to fix it!" which is all fine and dandy, but what would it hurt to actually tell us WHAT we have to do to fix it?"

"Again, you're taking all the FUN out of it, old friend," Tigermark chuckled. "Let's get moving."

They looked around the area one more time and moved on.

###

It was dark when the three reached the hills. They had wondered if they were all alone here. Normally, they landed and were immediately attacked by some very hostile lifeforms. Or they landed and Aramis immediately got pounced on by some scantily clad femme. More than once, they'd wondered if it was some big joke.

"We're supposed to further God's work, aren't we?" Aramis asked when reminded of the many femmes he'd had to run away from to preserve his virginity.

"Of course. That's the whole point," Tigermark said with a shrug.

"So...if we're some kind of modern knights templar, doesn't it stand to reason that I have to stay pure?"

"Doh..." Joe muttered and facepawed again. "Annie won't like that interpretation."

"I'm pure for the three of us!" Aramis said and beamed.

"Sometimes, you're so full of yourself it's sickening, kittycat!" the coyote grumbled and pointed ahead. "Look, there's a light up there. A fireplace I gather. At least that proves we're not alone here."

"Not necessarily. Could be a natural fire..." Tigermark said.

"Oh...like a burning bush, you mean?" Joe said.

"Sometimes, I'm wondering if you're being sacrilegious on purpose, Joe..." Tigermark scolded. "Behave, will you? God's watching."

"Even Christ's own disciples had their doubts, Tigermark. It's part of faith to question," the coyote said and shrugged.

"Amen to that."

"Besides, I believe. There's no need to question that. Seeing what we see, it'd be damned hard NOT to," Joe pointed out.

"Amen to that as well," Tigermark said and nodded. "Anyway, let's find out if that is a natural fire or not."

"Agreed," Aramis said. "My feet are sore and I need to sit down a while. Besides, we haven't had anything to eat yet and frankly I'm famished by now."

"How do you think I feel?" Joe said. "I was hungry when we started out. We've walked all day and I still haven't eaten."

"You landed in a blueberry bush. You could've brought some..." Tigermark said.

Joe slapped a paw against his face and groaned. "Why didn't anyone remind me THEN? I was so busy getting that mess out of my fur that I didn't think of that."

"Too late now anyway. I'm sure a lot of the berries we've seen on the way have been edible too, but I don't know what they are..." Tigermark shrugged. "No sense in you eating any of those and getting sick. Just goes to show what a supermarket-culture does for you."

"I agree," Joe said and sighed. "Let's hope it's a fireplace, that it belongs to someone friendly and that there's food to be had."

They walked in silence a while yet. A single figure was sitting by the fireplace as they approached it. A tall figure, apparently equine and female. Aramis looked nervous. The other noticed and Tigermark looked like a big questionmark.

"How many items of clothing is she wearing?" the young feline asked, nervously.

Joe narrowed his eyes and looked. "A lot," he said. "I don't think this is quite a normal mission..."

"Thank God..." Aramis said and drew a sigh of relief. "Let's go say hello..."

The figure got to her hoofs and looked into the darkness towards them. She called something out, but they couldn't understand what.

Aramis pondered a moment. "A spell would allow us to understand..." he said.

"We're FRIENDS!" Joe called out, not answering the feline.

There was a long moment of silence. Then a halting voice came back in what sounded like english. Or at least some very odd derivative thereof. Definitely a female voice, though.

"Friends!" Joe tried again and spread his arms out to the side, approaching the fireplace.

Again, the figure said something. Apparently, she got the basic idea and sat back down, waving them closer.

"We'll need that spell, I think..." Tigermark said and looked at Aramis.

A moment later, the air crackled around the three amigos and Aramis smiled to himself. "There. We'll speak something she understands now..." he said.

"We come in peace..." Joe said and grinned. He'd always wanted to say that. He stopped short of 'take me to your leader' but he thought it.

"Then come and join me by the fire," the femme replied. She had a strong voice. "It's too cold to walk around in the dark. There are evil things in the darkness..."

"Oh? What kind of evil things?" Tigermark asked and stepped forwards, getting a clear view of the femme by the fire.

"Christians!" she responded with a sneer and sat upright. She was an impressive specimen. Tall, well built and clearly quite strong. She was wearing a simple tunic and a hammer-pendant around her neck. A simple helmet with eye-protectors was laying on a rock next to her, along with a chain mail shirt. She was armed with a gigantic, single-edged axe, laying across her lap. And several smaller axes in her belt.

"Erhh..." Aramis said and felt unsure if she was talking about them or the evil things she'd mentioned. "Christians are evil?"

"You must come from far away if you don't know. That would explain your outlandish clothing," the equine said.

Aramis nodded and pretended to clear his throat, quickly hiding his cruficix under his shirt with the paw he lifted to his face. "Who are you, milady?" he asked, politely.

"It is customary for guests to introduce themselves first," the equine said, evenly.

"Very well..." Tigermark said and bowed deeply. "I am called Tigermark. The feline who just coughed is Aramis Dagaz. And this coyote is Joe Latrans."

"Strange names. I don't know what a coyote is, but he does look like a scrawny wolf," the equine said and beckoned for them to come closer to the fire. "I am Aslaug Larsdatter, shieldmaiden in the service of Jarl Gunnar and Freja. Have a seat and something to eat and drink."

"Jarl...Gunnar? And...Freja? Who are they?" Aramis said before anyone could stop him.

"Freja is a goddess of love, Aramis," Joe said, quickly. "Jarl is a noble title. I think it's the original word for Earl.

Aslaug nodded. "Goddess of war and love, actually. You don't know our gods?"

Aramis sat down and smiled apologetically. "I'm afraid I don't know too much of that, no. I'm from...very far away. We all are. War and love? Strange combination, really..."

"Why's that so strange? Does anyone feel more strongly than in love and in war?" the equine asked and shrugged. She beckoned for a bag standing next to the fire. "It's only nuts and berries but there's quite a lot of them."

"Right now, nuts and berries sound like a Godsent..." Joe said and mentally slapped himself for the slipup.

Aslaug narrowed her eyes. "So I did see a cross around the cats neck!" she said and got to her hoofs again, hefting her axe. "You're *Christians*!!" she spat.

"Whoa...WHOA...easy...EEEEASY. We don't want a fight!" Joe said and held up his paws defensively. "Honestly, we're peaceful furs. We're not even sure WHY we are here..."

"A likely story," Aslaug snarled. "Christians lie and cheat, they pillage and burn, kill femmes and young ones, force their faith down the throat of everyone they meet, or kill those who won't convert. They have no respect for the land, for the old ways...for my people!"

"Who ARE your people?" Tigermark asked quickly, trying to disarm the situation.

"I am one of the Danes. And to forestall your next question, you are in Saxony, ours by right of *conquest*! We won't give it up. THEY started it...YOUR kind. We just beat them in the field of battle."

Aramis felt the pieces falling into place in his head. "Oh bloody hellfire..." he mumbled and sighed. "At least we know where we are now. She's a viking..."

"I'm a SHIELDMAIDEN!" the equine growled, apparently not recognizing the term.

"Free us from the fury of the norsefurs..." Tigermark nodded and shook a paw in front of himself.

"Huh?" Aramis said and looked at the tiger.

"Something I read. A prayer scribbled in text from a monastary. They don't call themselves vikings, I think."

"I know the word. It means warrior of the sea," Aslaug said. She didn't put her axe down. "You say you are here in peaceful errands. What is that then?"

"We don't KNOW. That's the truth. I swear!" Joe said helplessly. "Look, we REALLY don't want to fight you. Please...sit down and just talk to us. We won't try anything, honestly. We've travelled very far and we had no idea that Christians...*Christians*...were behaving like you said. That's...not what our bible teaches us."

"Tell that to the *dead*!" Aslaug said and grit her teeth, but she sat back down. "You have come to my fire asking for hospitality. I am obliged to offer it. I will listen. But don't try to convert me."

"Believe me...I don't think any of us would WANT to do that after what you just told us..." Tigermark said, somewhat shocked. "Can you tell us some more of what's happened?"

"It's very simple. The German king is Christian. We are not. His name is Otto. He wished to glorify his reign by subjugating the hedni. That's us. Believers. Faithful, if you will. Those who worship the old Gods. Aser and Vaner. Force us to wear the cross and sing hymns in his despicable churches. He attacked our borders. But King Gorm, long may he reign, and his wife, Thyra, had realized that the threat from the south was great and had strengthened the old fortifications."

"Fortifications...?" Joe asked. "You mean, you fortified strongpoints along the border?"

"No. I mean we fortified THE BORDER!" Aslaug said. "The ENTIRE border. From one ocean to the other."

Aramis blinked. "Whoa...that's a long fortification..."

"The biggest I know of, except the old Roman wall in the lands of the Scots and English. I heard talk of a dike there as well, as long as this one but not as tall or as strong. The Germans ran themselves senseless against Dannevirke for four days straight and we cut them down like wheat. Then we sallied and routed them. I was *there*. I got my scars to prove it. We pursued them. There are a lot of Danes in Saxony. Many villages made up almost exclusively of my people. We came across those as we followed. They were almost all in ruins. Burnt to the ground. Everyone there had been killed. Those few who hadn't, had been converted, at swordpoint. The wise men and women had been butchered. They had desecrated all our holy places..."

"I hate to point this out, Aslaug...but don't you plunder monastaries and churches in distant lands?" Aramis asked. He immediately regretted it.

"EVERYONE does. We're no different than everyone else. We're just better at it. The difference is that we don't keep our gold and silver in our holy places. Is it MY fault that the English and Franks insist on keeping all their valuables with monks?? Furs who sing instead of fight?" Aslaug snapped back.

"No...no it's not. You say everyone does it?"

"How do you think you pay your army when you go on a campaign? Either you plunder or you exact gæld from your enemies," the equine said.

"What's that? Gahh...eld...?"

"Gæld. It's ransom. You get your enemy to pay you to go away."

"And then you just...go away???" Aramis asked, surprised.

"Of course! Do you think we don't have honor?!" Aslaug asked, sounding angry.

"No...no, of course I don't mean that. You mean to say the Danes go off to war...make their enemies pay them a lot of gold and silver to not attack, and then go back home...? Without killing anyone?"

"If we can, of course. What'd be the point if killing them. We couldn't come back next year for more gæld then."

Joe looked crosseyed and turned to Tigermark. "I hate to say it but she does have a helluva point. In a really weird way."

"It's still taking other people's money..." Aramis complained.

"Of course it is. We take it from the English and Franks and others try to take it from us. They don't succeed very often, mind you..." Aslaug said. "Everyone fights for wealth and riches. Not everyone handles it honorably though."

"But...what about slaves? Don't you take slaves with you back from your plundering too?" Aramis asked, sounding uncertain.

"Yes? What's the problem with that? We keep trælle...we don't treat them badly, though. They've got some rights too. You can't kill them like you do with outlaws, for instance. They're valuable. Besides, most others do the same thing. At least we're honest enough to admit it. Not like the Christians who howl up a storm about it and how wrong it is...and then promptly goes out to do it themselves. They call it something else, of course. Have you seen how a Frankish lord treats the peasants living on his lands? He can kill them like he pleases and no one can do a thing about it. Now THAT is wrong. Here, a freeborn is a freeborn and he has rights. A captive taken in battle is a captive taken in battle and he has less rights, but he's still got SOME. And a good few of them are set free in time too. If they serve well. They're furs too, you know."

Tigermark thought long and hard about that. "It's a harsher world than where we come from..." he said at last. "A lot harsher. I don't have to like the idea of slavery. I don't. But I can at least respect that you treat them well."

Aslaug shrugged. "Look...last year, at our local ting, where I come from...a fur turned up with two of his trælle. He beat them. Without reason, mind you. Just because he was in a foul mood. No one there took him seriously after that. He was looked down upon."

"What's a...ting?" Aramis asked.

"It's where we meet to discuss laws and so on. All adult, freeborn males have a right to be heard and to speak there. It's also where we elect our kings, but that's not at one of the local ting."

"You ELECT your kings? How...democratic," Aramis said, surprised.

"I don't know that word...but yes, we elect our kings. Usually, it's the son of the old king that wins, of course, but not always the eldest son. King Gorm had two sons. Harald and Knud. Harald was killed in England. Shot while swimming. He was the younger of the two. Knud is going to be a great king one day. He's strong, resourceful, wise and willing to do what it takes. He's a great warrior as well. I've seen him fight. Anyway, don't you elect *your* kings?" Aslaug said, not without a measure of pride in her voice.

"In...a very strange way we do, I guess. Anyway, I see what you mean." Aramis said and nodded, understanding.

Joe wasn't saying much anymore. His ears stood straight up and he was going through the contents of the berry-bag quite eagerly.

###

The evening progressed. Tigermark could feel his confusion grow with each moment. The femme in front of them was obviously not only not a christian, she clearly held a deep seated hatred for that religion. She referred to Jesus as 'White Christ' all evening, and when asked, explained it was because he was always depicted wearing white robes. But what really confused the tiger was the mission. He couldn't bring himself to believe that they were here to get rid of her. She was acting on morals that were wholly despicable to a modern fur, of course...but at the same time he told himself that these weren't modern times.

Not for him, anyway.

He could see that Aramis was going through much the same line of thought. Joe was inscrutable.

The tiger didn't know what to do. He trusted his gut feeling implicitly, and his gut feeling said that there was a reason they met Aslaug. A very important reason. It also told him she was not an enemy, not even a potential one, and that she was someone they'd do well to befriend. But how did God want to do his work through a heathen? How did God get served by furthering a false religion? He couldn't make that out.

He sighed and looked at the other two. "I need a moment to talk to you two..." he said, quietly. "Just the three of us. We've...learned a lot tonight. Come on...it won't take long."

They all got up and went into the darkness.

Keeping his voice low, Tigermark looked at the other two. It was hard to make them out, now that his eyes had adjusted to the light from the fire.

"Look...am I the only one thinking she's the reason why we're here?" he asked.

"No. I think we all agree on that," Joe said. "I'm wondering why though. She's an enemy of all that we stand for, religiously."

"I've had the same thought..." Aramis said and sighed. He looked lost.

Tigermark pondered. "No. I don't think she's an enemy of what WE stand for. I think she's an enemy of what the Christians stand for."

"But...*we* are Christian, TM. That's the whole idea..." Aramis said.

"I know we are. I think we're a lot better Christians than what she describes the locals as, too. Burning and killing innocent furs for not believing? When did Christ teach us to do that?" Tigermark asked.

"Good point. Very good point," Joe said and nodded. He looked back towards the fireplace. "Besides...I like her. She's brusque, she's about as smooth as a porcupine, and she definitely lives by the sword. Or in her case, the axe. But I still like her. She's forthcoming, she's honest and she's willing to stand up for her principles. I think those are definite points in her favor. And we *can't* judge her actions and way of life by a 21st century standard. We really can't. This is a different world, entirely. We might as WELL be on some distant planet in the far flung future..."

"You're right..." Aramis said. "All evening I've tried to tell myself that she's just doing what everyone else around here is doing. And I've had a really hard time coming to terms with it. But I have this really *ugly* thought that won't stop biting my tail..."

"That sounds unpleasant. What thought is it?" Tigermark asked.

"That if she'd been a Christian, I'd never have given it second thought. I'd just have put it down as major cultural differences, based on a huge gap in time. We all think of Vikings as either a football team or a bunch of heathen savages, killing and maiming at random."

"Well, they're heathen and from what she tells us they've got the capacity for enormous savagery...but at least that's something everyone else here seems to have too. Killing femmes and youngins just for not believing in their idea of Christianity? What are they THINKING of??" Joe asked.

"It's settled then? We go with her if she'll let us and we find out more?" Tigermark asked the others.

They both nodded and they went back to the fire.

###

Aslaug laughed merrily. The canine, or a coyote as he called himself, proved to be very talkative once he sampled a bit of her mead and ale mixture, but the tales he spun where so ridiculous that she couldn’t help laughing at them. The story where furs used devices to think for them was especially amusing, especially considering that said devices were described as failing often.

"So you're telling me you come from a place where furs leave thinking to boxes,” she said. “What do you do when the boxes make a mistake? It's hard to tell a box it's wrong."

Aramis shook his head and rubbed his temples. "Actually, you can, it's just very difficult at times. The boxes only do what they are told to do, even flawed instructions. It's fixing the flawed instructions that's the hard part."

"I think it'd be easier to tell a fur he's wrong, anyway..." Aslaug said. Then she went rigid. The equine's ears swiveled towards the surrounding woods. Her face became grim as her paw strayed towards her axe.

She gritted her teeth and looked into the darkness. It was hard to see anything, since her eyes were accustomed to the fire. She got up and walked a few steps into the darkness. "Who goes there? Stand and speak!" she demanded.

The clink of chainmail reached the ears of the two felines. Quickly they grabbed their weapons and stood, Joe immediately following their lead.

A wolf and a ferret stepped out of the darkness at the edge of the light. The wolf was dressed in a mail shirt, a large shield emblazoned with a crucifix on his left arm and a sword in his right paw. The ferret only wore a thick, quilted jerkin. He carried a primitive but deadly looking polearm and looked ready to use it.

Aslaug wrinkled her muzzle. "Christians..." she muttered, then spoke up. "Turn back and leave. You are not welcome here. You are trespassing on the land of the Danes, ours by right of conquest. Even *your* ilk acknowledge that right," she sneered. She kept her axe over her shoulder, but any fur with any knowledge of such things would realize it could be ready for use in an instant.

The wolf frowned. "The King still reigns, and by God's will, these lands are entrusted to him," he replied sharply. He leveled his sword at Aslaug. "You are under arrest for trespassing upon royal land and for the worship of the dark powers. Come quietly and you will be granted mercy."

Aslaug nodded with a smile. "Oh yes, King Gorm still reigns, and may he long do so. His Jarls hold this land, and his Hird defends it." She elegantly swung the axe off her shoulder, the long handle and the narrow, curved head drawing a line of light in the night air. "I know your idea of *mercy*, Christian. It's laughable. Last chance. Leave now, and go back to your churches of wood and stone and ask White Christ for answers if you must. Stay here, and face me in combat."

"Hold!" Tigermark said with a raised paw and addresses the armored wolf. "Brother, would you please explain to me the nature of the crimes you have levied against her? My companions and I have traveled all day and we have found that this land is not properly marked to warn passersby not to trespass."

"Sloppy work, if you ask me," Joe said sardonically.

The wolf's hard eyes regarded the three coolly, the sword point never straying from Aslaug. "If you be fellow believers of the one true Lord, then help me apprehend this barbarian and I will overlook your association with it."

"And if we refuse?" Joe ventured. He didn't like the way Aslaug was being referred to as an "it".

"Then you will be guilty of heresy and of aiding and giving refuge to an admitted enemy of God," the wolf finished. The ferret took a step towards the travelers and gripped his polearm tightly.

"She's the one giving refuge to us, actually," Joe grumbled. "We're the ones that came to *her* fireplace."

Aslaug shook her head. "This is getting *nowhere*," she muttered. "I declare my allegiance to King Gorm and his son, Knud, rightful heir to the throne of the Danes and the lord of these lands, and as Freja is my witness, I have given you due warning, Christian," she said and took a step backwards, hefting her axe properly.

"As have I," the wolf said, adopting an aggressive stance. "Surrender, or perish before the might of God."

Aslaug spat at the ground and sneered again. "Piss off, Christian. Go wear your white robes and sing hymns to White Christ...I'll HELP YOU GET THERE!!!" she shouted and swung the axe, describing a beautiful arch towards the wolf’s shoulder. He raised his sword to block, but it shattered at the impact of the axe...which continued, cleaving the canid from shoulder to groin.

The ferret cried out and charged at the equine, but his movement was halted by a sudden paw on his shoulder. He turned towards his assailant, only to see Joe's fist flying towards his face.

"Sweet dreams," the coyote muttered as the ferret fell unconscious in a heap.

Aslaug looked at the three amigos and slung her axe back over her shoulder, before nudging the corpse with a hoof. "Give him whatever last rites you use. He fell in battle with honor. He deserves that much," she said and moved to sit down by the fire again.

"Actually," Aramis said quickly, his ears twitching, "I think we'd better leave. Now."

The cat held up a paw and spoke a single word. Three arrows halted in mid-air as if they had just materialized.

"Archers!" Tigermark shouted as he grabbed his shortbow and nocked an arrow.

Aslaug looked at the three arrows and grabbed two smaller axes from her belt. "Cowards. They don't have the courage to at least fight with honor. Shooting from the dark is niddingsværk." She spat the last word as if it tasted badly and turned back towards the darkness.

Aramis spoke another word and a strong breeze blew in the direction where the arrows came. "That should hold the archers momentarily," he shouted. "Come on! Let's get out of here!"

Aslaug shook her head. "I will not run. I will fight...and die if I must. But I do not turn my back on my enemy." She listened...and smiled. Flicking one of the smaller axes over in her paw, she suddenly launched it through the air. A sickening sound came out of the darkness. She hefted her longaxe in one hand and headed into the darkness.

"Is she crazy?!" Aramis cried.

"More so than owl shit," Joe muttered and hefted his greatsword. The coyote ran into the darkness after her. The clangs of metal striking metal and of furs dying rang out in the night.

"Damn warrior's pride," Aramis muttered as he drew his katana and followed with TM right behind him.

"I think it's more than pride," the tiger said with a frown. "I think it's religion."

Aramis sighed and rolled his eyes. "Just great."

In the woods the two found Aslaug and Joe fighting back-to-back against a score of foes. The equine's fury was equal to that of ten furs, but many more where pressing in around them.

"I'm ready to die. If my thread is cut now, then it's the will of the Gods that my life doesn't last any longer,” Aslaug said and crushed the shield of a charging weasel with an overhead blow. The weasel screamed in pain and clutched his shattered arm as he withdrew. “You have no reason to fight these bastards. I will not consider you a coward if you run for safety."

Joe swung mightily at a nearby canid, cleaving the soldier at the waist. "Like hell I'd run!" he snarled. “I’m not in the habit of abandoning friends. Even very new ones.”

"You fight well," Aslaug chuckled and drew a sharp breath between her teeth as an arrow hammered into her shoulder. She reached up and broke it. She flexed her fingers to make sure she could still use that paw and landed a kick in a soft spot on a charging enemy.

"At this rate, we won't last much longer," TM observed as he fired an arrow at the archer that had crept upwind of the breeze.

A small grin appeared on Aramis's muzzle. "Time to even the odds, wouldn't you say?" He held his paws close, a small sphere of flame forming in the space between them.

He threw the sphere at the largest concentration of troops. The ball detonated and threw them several feet into the air. The soldiers outside the blast radius gaped in horror at the spot where their comrades were standing just moments before.

Aslaugs head snapped around to the explosion and she narrowed her eyes. "Sejdmager" she muttered. It didn't sound like disapproval but clearly she wasn't sure what to make of it. The shocked Christians never saw her coming. Instead of gaping at the blast, she gritted her teeth, and with blood running from the wound in her shoulder she swing her axe in a mighty arch severing the head of the closest enemy. "You're not *done* with us yet, Christians," she growled and narrowed her eyes. "Or have you had enough? Run like the cowards you are, then. You won't see *me* flee. Either you kill me, you die, or you run, and I don't think the first option is valid. What'll it be?"

The surviving soldiers felt their courage waver. They had an advantage in numbers, but the ferocity of the Dane and the sudden deaths of a third of their number in a heartbeat turned the tide of the battle against them.

"Damn you, you cowards!" a heavily armed badger cried out to the rest. "God is on our side! We will not be defeated by this pagan!"

"You keep your femmes locked away at home. You tell them they're worth less than your males. You tell them they're weak and inferior and now you've just had your ARSES HANDED TO YOU BY ONE!!" Aslaug raged and shook her axe at the soldiers. "Do you want some more or will you realize you're *beaten* or will you at least have the good sense to send one of your number to face me in single combat HONOURABLY?? Holmgang. I am already wounded and if your warrior defeats me, you've won anyway. If I win, *you* retreat, with your lives. What say you? Have you ANY honour in life or are you just as *worthless* as your promises of good will and no ill intent?"

The badger's reply was cut short by an arrow flying a hair's breath from his nose. He looked in the direction of the projectile, only to see a terrible sight.

A small feline with glowing eyes and a long-bladed sword hovered at the edge of the clearing. Arcs of energy crackled from its left paw.

"Flee, if you value your lives," he thundered, "or face destruction by my paw!"

Aslaug couldn't help a chuckle. "You'd have to get to them before me, sejdmager." she said and looked at Joe. "Is he always that boisterous? I know *I* can be loud, but by Hel's face...he's turning it into an artform."

“Actually, he tends to be very quiet,” Joe replied with a shrug. “But he does have his moments.”

"He'd make a good skjald," Aslaug commented.

The remaining soldiers needed no second bidding. Soon the badger found himself alone before the monstrosity.

He feebly held his sword before him, the weapon shaking in his trembling paws. The feline made a single slash with its sword and the badger's blade separated itself from the hilt.

A ball of energy grew ominously in the feline's left paw. It held it out at the badger.

"Now you shall die, fool," he said with quiet menace.

Aslaug looked at the feline. "Halt," she said and held up a paw. She walked up to the stricken badger. "You are defeated. Many of your soldiers are dead. Your blade is broken. You're facing someone you can't beat. I do not kill the helpless or the defenseless. Unlike *you*. Now go in peace. Tell your king that the Danes will rule themselves and we will hold true to our Gods as our ancestors did.

The badger looked past her shoulder at the feline, then turned and fled.

Aramis floated back to his feet and the glow faded from his eyes. "Aww, you ruin-" The feline coughed and cleared his throat. "Excuse me. You ruined my fun. I wasn't even going to kill him. See, it isn’t even a combat spell." He sheathed his sword and flicked the orb from his paw. It hovered lazily for a moment before glowing brightly and flitting about. It then floated up in front of Asluag's face. "Boo," it squeaked in a tiny voice.

She grumbled something at the glowing ball. But she couldn't help smiling.

"Perhaps," the equine answered, "But this way I get the message to his king."

Joe looked about the scene of the battle. "Well, he certainly will either think twice before doing that again or just send more soldiers next time," he said grimly as he wiped down his greatsword.

"Either way, I think we'd best move on before someone else drops by," Tigermark said.

Aslaug nodded and looked at the dead. She shook her head and sighed. "There will be weeping mothers and young ones in the empire tonight," she said, quietly. "I will pray for these soldiers." She looked at her wounded shoulder and took out a knife. "Someone hold my axe."

Joe thrust his sword into the ground and took ahold of the large weapon.

Tigermark stepped forward. "If you need medical assistance, we can help you," he said. "We have techniques to heal wounds like that."

Aslaug reached up and gritted her teeth. Snarling with pain she made an incision across her shoulder to enable her to take out the arrowhead without tearing half her shoulder off. "That'll be sore for a tenday," she muttered and looked at Tigermark. "A warrior deals with pain as it comes. It is a matter of courage. I will heal, but I will feel the wound until I do. As it should be."

Tigermark looked at Joe and Aramis before returning his attention to Aslaug. He knew that there was no reasoning with such deep-seated beliefs. "As you wish," he said with a small inclination of his head. "But please let us help you sew the wound closed when we find a new place to make camp.

"Very well. That I could use help with. Thank you," she said.

###

Morning brought clear skies. The heath looked nice with the dew still clinging to the bushes. It wasn't cold. Just not really warm either. Tigermark thanked God for his fur, and scratched his neck as he sat up. Aramis looked about to wake up as well. Joe was still fast asleep. A sound like a saw, stuck in wet wood, came from him with every breath. Tigermark prodded the coyote.

"Mmmf..." was the only answer.

Tigermark prodded again.

"MMMFF!!" Joe grumbled in his sleep and rolled over. "Another half hour, Annie. I don't have to get up for another thirty minutes," he muttered in his sleep.

Tigermark sighed and shook his head. Then he extended a single claw and prodded Joe again.

"ARGHH! Ouch..."

Suddenly the coyote was very awake. He looked around with the distinct confusion of someone who's not really aware where he is. He rubbed his head.

"Wha'...whu..." he began and looked at Tigermark.

"You wouldn't wake up. I had to persuade you. Looks like our hostess has already left, while the three of us slept."

"What time is it?" Joe asked and yawned.

"I don't know...I left my electronic wristwatch in another timeline," Tigermark chuckled. "Try to remember where you are."

Joe nodded and yawned again. Tigermark always wondered how canids yawned so widely without dislocating their jaws.

Aramis blinked as he woke up. "What time is it?" he asked.

Tigermark just shook his head and chuckled, getting up. "Like I already told Joe, I have no idea. I do know it's after dawn though, and our new friend has already left."

"That's a problem...if she's the one we're supposed to stick with..." Joe said and got to his feet. "Where could she have gone?"

Tigermark spread his arms out and gestured to the surroundings. "Take a pick of directions. She could be anywhere."

"Not really a problem. I'll be able to track her down...I've still got my nose, y'know," Joe said.

"You'd look rather silly without it," Aramis said and rubbed his face. "Well...if she doesn't want us to follow, though, it could get messy. I remember how she fought last night. I've rarely seen that much sheer carnage compacted into one fur."

"It's her choice of weapon that does it, Aramis. Axes are very, very messy," Joe commented and looked around. "We won't have to look for her for very long though..."

"Why's that?"

"Because she's right down there and coming this way. With a fish."

"Oh..."

Joe chuckled and sat down on a rock, waiting. It only took a few moments before Aslaug came up the hill, carrying a large trout. "It isn't much but I think most cats have a thing for fish...and I'm sure you won't die from eating it..." she said and looked at Joe.

"It's fine. Don't worry, I like fish," he said and smiled. "We were worried that you'd gone away."

"I don't intend to leave you here on your own. You might run into someone who's a lot less friendly than me."

"Like Christians, you mean?" Aramis asked, still finding it difficult to cope with the way things had been turned around this time.

"For instance. Or other Danes who won't give you a chance to explain yourselves before taking you apart, when they realize you wear crosses around your necks," the equine said with a shrug, kneeling to stoke the embers in the fireplace. She took some leaves out of her bag and wrapped the fish into them, then placed it in the still smoldering coals.

"It'll be done soon enough," she said and looked at the three amigos. "I suggest you eat something before we go. I've got a few things to show you today..."

"It's very kind of you to supply us with food like this. Where are we going?" Tigermark asked.

"I'm headed back to Jarl Gunnar's hall. I suggest you tag along. You'll see a lot of things you don't like, but I think you should still see them," she said.

"Why're you out here anyway?" Joe asked. "I mean, all on your own, in lands that are apparently swarming with hostile soldiers."

"I wouldn't say swarming. But that's why I AM out here. I'm looking for them. Sometimes, others come along. Sometimes I meet someone who travels with me a while. But I'm not going to sit in a comfortable hall, eating and drinking by a warm fire, while Christians hurt my people."

"Admirable sense of loyalty..." Tigermark said. "You must excuse us of course...it is still a little difficult to hear of Christians as the enemy..."