At midnight, they woke up. Carrying a knife each as an extra precaution, they crept into the stables, only to find a lone candle burning away in the darkness.
“Hello?” meowed Thunder as loud as he dared. “Who’s there?”
Suddenly, a flash of silver erupted from the darkness. Lyra immediately blocked the blow, and Thunder stabbed his knife toward his attacker’s stomach. The stranger blocked it. “Very good,” it rumbled. “You are a pair of fighters.” And it stepped into the light
Lyra and Thunder gaped at the dog looming above them. “Wh-who are you?” Lyra gasped, her paws shaking. The stranger chuckled. “I am Karen,” she growled. “And I am your guide.”
Thunder and Lyra decided to pack up and leave immediately. “With a guide,” Lyra meowed. “We’ll be able to travel much more quickly. And the quicker we slay the dog king, the better.”
They crossed the River of Separation on a stone bridge, and after traveling two miles, they stopped to rest. “Tell us more about yourself, Karen,” mewed Thunder.
“Well,” Karen rumbled. “This may surprise you, but I am Nakura’s mate. Or was, at least.”
“What?!” Lyra stumbled backwards in surprise. “You’re the dog king’s mate?”
“I knew you would take it like this,” growled Karen. “I was Nakura’s mate. But I didn’t like his ways. A couple of times I hinted to your queen that he was trying to trick you but she was too intent on getting fur to take notice of me.”
“Oh,” breathed Thunder.
“So half a year ago, I left. Bast, your goddess, visited me about half a moon ago and told me I was to be your guide. I wasn’t too thrilled about it then; I’d rather travel alone, but I like you two. You remind me of myself when I was young.” Karen paused. “So now I’m here, as your guide, to help you on your quest. But don’t expect me to help you kill Nakura. Although I want him gone, I don’t want to be the one to do it.”
“You’ve done enough already,” meowed Lyra warmly.
“Yes,” Thunder agreed.
They had reached the Doglands, and were about to enter Nakura’s lair. But the dog king was careful, and had many guards posted around the entrances.
“How many weapons do you have?” asked Karen.
“I have a sword, a dagger, and a bow and arrow,” meowed Lyra.
“And I have a sword, a dagger, and a boomerang,” mewed Thunder. “And we both have armor.”
“Good,” Karen rumbled. “Now this is what you must do...”
The three spent the rest of the day planning. And when they were done, they climbed a tree and slept there for the night. Karen could climb, because while she was Nakura’s mate, he attached cats’ claws to hers, as a genetic enhancement.
The next day, rested and ready for battle, Lyra, Thunder, and Karen padded boldly across the plains toward the cave entrance. The guards tensed and raised their spears when they saw the trio, then relaxed when they saw the cats were weaponless and a dog with them.
“Karen,” one greeted the dog queen. “Where have you been?”
“I was on an errand for my mate,” Karen replied. “It was top secret, so Nakura told everyone I left. I have captured two younglings that were trespassing on my way back, and I intend to bring them to my king as a gift. I have taken their weapons. They are quite unique,” she gestured with a paw toward the sack on her back. Lyra and Thunder glared at her.
“You may pass,” the guard waved them in. As soon as they were behind the guards, Karen let the littermates go. Thunder took out a boomerang and with excellent accuracy knocked the guards out.
Lyra purred at the surprised look on Karen’s face. “Didn’t know a boomerang could be so effective, did you?”
Karen barked with laughter. “No, I suppose I did not.”
“Hey! You two!” meowed Thunder, reaching for the guards’ dropped weapons. “We can use their spears!”
“No!” Karen growled, and Thunder jumped back. “You cannot touch those. Only dogs can use them, just as only cats can use your weapons. If you touch that, you will disintegrate to dust. Look,” Karen spied a rabbit hopping across the ground. She tossed the spear at it, and the rabbit simply disappeared. “It’s very dangerous to anyone.”
Thunder stared at the spear, awestruck. “And I was so close to touching it,” he murmured.
Karen picked up the other spear. “I’ll take this, just in case. Now get in front of me. You need to enter like prisoners.”
They marched toward a big black cave, where they took care of two more guards. And then they entered the suffocating darkness.
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