"She still won't eat." Mu Tsu was actually wringing his hands in anguish. "I don't know what to do."

"Why ask me? Why not ask Ran----oh, yeah." Ukyou laughed uncomfortably. "I----uh guess you might not want to ask him."

"I already asked Saotome."

Ukyou stifled her surprise. For Mu Tsu to ask his hated rival for help meant he was more desperate than she imagined.

"He . . ." Mu Tsu hesitated, unsure how to put into words what he felt. "He is . . ." The blind magician shrugged his shoulders.

"Saotome is perhaps not the best person to convince Shan Pu that she should live----that she did not fail Tendou-san."

Ukyou sighed heavily. She wasn't sure _she_ was the one, either. She would really rather be comforting Ranchan. But after he woke up ----half-way down the mountain, slung over her shoulder---- she'd expected him to be angry. To yell, curse . . .something. Instead he'd _thanked_ her for her help. In a too calm voice that had sacred her more than any tiger cultist. Then he'd just stood, looking back up the mountain. For the past week, every chance she had, Ukyou tried to talkto him. He smiled. A smile that never reached his eyes. He talked. If you asked him a question, he'd answer. Unless it was about Akane.

He helped around the camp; doing his share, and more. He was always prowling around the camp. Often beyond At first Ukyou was afraid he would run into one of the assassins. Then, she began to be afraid he wouldn't.

Sighing heavily again, she forced a smile. None of this was Mu Tsu's fault. "OK, sugar. I'll talk to her."

"I appreciate it." Mu Tsu bowed. "Please do what you can." Ukyou uncoiled from the ground, brushing dust from the seat of her pants. "Keep stirring until it thickens, then add the vegetables."

Her companion, a middle aged Amazon with grey peppered hair, grinned up at her from beside the bubbling pot. "I think I might remember how to do this; but thank you for considering my advanced years."

Ukyou blushed, then grinned cheekily. "Well, Xin, I was taught to respect my _elders_." Ducking, as Xin took a swipe at her with a ladle, Ukyou trotted off after Mu Tsu.

***************************************************

"Hi, Shan Pu. How're you doing?" Ukyou winced, regretting the question even as she asked it. How do you think she's doing?, Ukyou asked herself looking at Shan Pu's bound figure.

"Ummmm," Nervously Ukyou considered what she should do next. She'd promised Mu Tsu she'd talk to Shan Pu. But how did she convince Shan Pu to want to live? Shan Pu had charged for the edge of the escarpment, intending to follow Akane over the side. Mu Tsu had knocked her out and carried her all through that long nightmare retreat.

She'dtried to head back _up_ the mountain as soon as she regained consciousness. Mu Tsu had tied her up to keep her from a suicidal one-woman assault on the Children of Tyger. That had only served to make her determined to kill Mu Tsu, before killing as many Children of Tyger as possible before she died.

"If I untie you----will you talk to me?"

Shan Pu twisted slightly to look at Ukyou with expressionless eyes.

"Ummmmm . . . Look, I know how you feel."

Ukyou felt the temperature drop by several degrees but plowed doggedly on. "Alright, I _don't_ know how you feel. Not exactly. But you're not the only one who's hurting." She went on a more subdued voice. "Or, feels guilty. I wasn't much help . . .hell, I wasn't any help. Except carrying Ranma down the mountain. I helped save his life. And he hates me for it."

"Good."

Ukyou jerked, hearing the first work out of the Amazons mouth in almost a week.

"Good? It's good that Ranma hates me?"

"Tyger children bad, evil." She ignored Ukyou's question. "Shan Pu never feel so big evil before. Akane captured. Helpless." Shan Pu glared up at Ukyou. "Shan Pu never see Akane scare so bad." She smiled grimly. "Shan Pu never scare so bad. Shan Pu come Akane. Chance escape. No good chance. But chance. Akane cry. Cry from fear." Shan Pu closed her eyes against the memory. "Akane tell Shan Pu run. Tell stupid. Tell all people run. Leave Akane. Run so no die."

Ukyou stepped back from the look on Shan Pu's face. "Shan Pu never see so brave warrior before. Shan Pu no think she so brave Tyger children catch." Shan Pu looked at Ukyou contemptuously. "Ranma _never_ stay woman no brave like Akane."

There was a long silence, broken only by the sound of the wind outside the tent. "Bitch." Steel flashed in the morning light as Ukyou, with one swift motion, parted the ropes that held Shan Pu. Replacing the spatula in her bandoleer she rocked back on her heels.

Groaning Shan Pu struggled to a sitting position, joints cracking as she stretched out the kinks. "Spatula girl maybe learn honor . . ." Shan Pu said in a grudging effort to thank Ukyou.

"Amazon girl maybe learn . . .but too stupid."

Shan Pu twisted stiffly toward Ukyou. Her look of dawning anger vanished as Ukyou knocked her arse-over-tea-kettle with a straight right to the chin.

Flying out of the tent, Shan Pu staggered up only to be knocked down again. Ordinarily Shan Pu would have turned Ukyou into a tattered bag of shredded okonomyaki by this point. Her days of 'friendly' captivity had left her stiff and slow, giving Ukyou an advantage she was quick to exploit.

"You want to die." Ukyou snarled, pushing sharp steel into the vulnerable hollow of Shan Pu's throat. "You want to _die_? I'll save you a long walk up the mountain. You can die right----"

Strong arms yanked her away. Kicking and spitting Ukyou thrashed wildly, trying to escape.

"Are ya crazy, Ucchan? What'r ya tryin' to do?" Ranma was taking a lot of damage as Ukuyou flailed wildly. "Ouch!" A hard boot heel caught him on the shin. "Would you stop----"

Another wildly kicking leg just missed turning him female, without benefit of cold water. "Now cut that out----"

Snarling Ukyou snatched a mini-spatula. Her hand flashed up

and down----Ranma threw Ukyou from him. Screaming and dancing up and down on one foot Ranma tried to pull a throwing spatula out of his boot top.

Dropping to the ground Ranma yanked off his

mountain boot and began frantically inventorying his toes. "Are you CRAZY!" Ranma massaged the top of his foot.

There was an angry red area there the tip of the spatula had impacted after penetrating half-way through the reinforced boot. "Crazy?" Ukyou pushed herself to a sitting position. "I'm not the one who wants to die, and doesn't care who she hurts in the

process. I'M not the one feeling sorry for myself. I'M not the one who doesn't care that other people are hurting. OTHER people need----"

Shan Pu rolled to her feet, wiping a trickle of blood from her neck. "You no understand----"

"NO. I don't understand. And I don't WANT to understand. Akane is DEAD!" She ignored the way the others flinched and plowed on. "She'd DEAD. Do you understand? But we're alive."

She stalked up to Shan Pu. "Do you think that Akane would be happy if you died?"

"But Shan Pu swear to save Akane or ----"

"But nothing." Ukyou grabbed Shan Pu and dragged her close. "You look me in the eye and tell me that Akane would want you to go back up that damned mountain----just so you can DIE."

Shan Pu dropped her eyes. "But - - -Shan Pu swear." Her voice was bewildered. "How Shan Pu live if forsworn?"

"You tried." Ukyou's voice was softer. "You went looking for her. You went back when you were afraid. If she were still alive then----" Ukyou closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "But she's

not. And you can't help her now. Not by dying."

"Then----what Shan Pu do?"

"I don't know----except you need to do it by living." And YOU!" She whirled on Ranma who stepped back, startled.

"Wha . . ."

"She asked you to look after her father and sisters."

"An I'm gonna----"

"Gonna'----What?" She mimicked nastily. "They've lost a daughter and a sister. They don't need you moaning around like a hungry ghost."

Ranma's shoulders slumped. "I don't know----"

"Akane asked you to look after her family. . . son-in-law" Cu Lon bent to examine his foot. "I suggest you think how best to do that." Reaching into her robes Cu Lon pulled out a small leather

pouch filled with dried herbs. Putting a pinch in her mouth she chewed the leaves into a paste which she spread on the bruise.

"Hey----" Ranma jerked his foot away. "Whatcha think you're doin'?" He paused, looking down at his foot. "Hey," He repeated in a very different tone. "That feels better!."

Cu Lon bopped him on the head with her staff. "I'm three hundred years old," She put the pouch away and started over to her great grand daughter. "I show you the Chestnut-Fist, the Dragon-

Ascension, the Shark-Fist and the Full-Body-Cat-Tongue, and you don't turn a hair." Pushing back Shan Pu's head she examined the puncture wound. "I make a bruise feel better," spreading a salve on

the wound she covered it with a bandage. "and suddenly you're amazed." Shaking her head Cu Lon put her medicines back in her robe.

"Great grand mother," Shan Pu's voice was bleak as shespoke to Cu Lon in the Old Tongue. "What should I do? I am foresworn." Her face twisted in anger. "It is all Mu Tsu's fault. He interfered where he had no right. I will kill him for----"

"For doing what I told him to do." Cu Lon finished. "What!? Great grand mother----how could you?! You had no right!" Shan Pu's fists clenched and un-clenched in anger.

"You will have every opportunity to die child." Cu Lon put her arms around Shan Pu in an uncharacteristic display of public affection. "I know what you swore----and why. Akane was very

brave. It's easy to fight bravely. When you can face your enemy in combat. It is much harder to be brave when you can not fight. When you can only endure." Cu Lon placed her hands on both sides of Shan Pu's head and gently turned her face around. Looking directly in her eyes, the ancient Amazon continued. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. Kuonji-san was quite correct. You did all that could be done."

"I left her, great grand mother." Tears hovered in the back of Shan Pu's voice. "I thought she was a coward . . .when I saw her crying. When she wouldn't help me . . .wouldn't help herself." Shan

Pu was trembling uncontrollably. "I thought such----awful things about her. I thought that I was going to save the spoiled, silly Japanese girl. Prove the Amazon's were . . .the Amazons were . . ." She couldn't go on. Cu Lon just held her while she cried. After a few moments Shan Pu recovered. "She told me to run. Told all of us to run. Leave her there. She was so scared, great grand mother. She was so scared. And she told me to run."

"She was very brave." Cu Lon agreed. "I have seldom seen such courage as when she leapt off the mesa." Hugging Shan Pu briefly Cu Lon stepped back. "You were brave as well. It took courage to look for her the first time. It took even more to go back, after you knew what evil the Children of Tyger were capable of."

Shan Pu started to protest. Cu Lon put a finger to her lips and continued. "If it had been possible you would have brought Akane from that place. It was not possible. No one could have done more. Not

you, not Ranma . . .no one." Cu Lon saw that Shan Pu was doubtful. "In any event, Akane is dead . . .but her father and sisters are still alive." Shan Pu looked puzzled, then her eyes opened in sudden horrified understanding.

"Yes." Cu Lon nodded. "The Children of Tyger will go after them next." Smiling grimly Cu Lon patted her last living relative on the arm. "You will have plenty of opportunities to die. But, perhaps you will be able to spend your life more wisely than simply throwing yourself under the Tyger's claws."

***************************************************

Sharp Tooth nosed the cold still forms sadly. Dead. Like always. In over a hundred thousand years, all of her kits had been killed in the womb, attacked as foreign matter by her hyper-active

immune system, or died immediately after birth. She couldn't know that the same mutation that had made her virtually immortal, had also made her blood so poisonous that it was nearly impossible for her to bear young alive.

The pounding rain and crashing thunder almost obliterated the faint sound coming from the bloody mass of aborted fetuses and afterbirth. A slight movement caught her eye and she tiredly nosed cold and cooling tissue----to find warmth----life!

Excitedly she nosed through her dead kits and dragged the still living one to her side. Roughly she licked and cleaned the survivor, before rolling onto her side to present her engorged teats. The little one didn't seem to know what to do, until she nudged it with her massive head. Cold, wet and

hungry the tiny scrap huddled against the furnace side of the big cat.

Anxiously Bright Tooth nudged her surviving kit until it latched onto a nipple and began suckling.

She couldn't know that even her milk was toxic, swarming with the immortality plasmid and instantly fatal to more mundane organisms. Those pitifully few cubs that survived their toxic gestation were doomed by their first drink of mothers milk. But none of Bright Tooth's cubs had been drowned in the Water-of-Life at Ryugenzawa nor yet again in the Cursed-Pools of Jusenkyou. The poisonous milk mixed with the Dragon's magic and the spring's curse; fought, tangled and----joined.

Bright Tooth was startled, then concerned as her cub shuddered and convulsed; frantically she washed her cub with great swipes of her rough tongue, whining in concern. Gradually the small

body ceased it's convulsive tremors and lay quietly at Bright Tooth's side. For an instant Bright Tooth despaired----then her cub latched onto her nipple, drinking greedily, kneading her side with small sharp claws. With a contented grunt Bright Tooth flopped back on her side, wincing slightly as her cub fastened onto her pelt with needle claws to keep from losing the nipple. *Storm Claw* She thought sleepily, listening to her cub snarl

defiance at the thunder, as it suckled, *I will call you Storm Claw*

 

***************************************************

 

"They're back!" Nabiki was startled out of her usual cynical pose as the front gate swung open and a group of weary, travel- stained figures trudged through. She started to run to meet them, abruptly slowing as she remembered she had an image to maintain.

"It took you long enough," she drawled, smirking at the bruised and battered martial artists. "Kuno-chan . . .did you bring me any presents?"

"What?" Tatewaki Kuno blinked at Nabiki, as if awakening from a dream. "Presents? I . . .I am sorry, Nabiki-san. I did not bring you anything."

"Huh,"Nabiki slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "I guess you'll have to make it up by buying me snacks." She grinned, "There's a new spaghetti shop just opened up."

"Oh, how nice," Kasumi came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. "I've just started tea. It will be ready in just a bit." She knelt formally and bowed. "Please come in."

"My baby!" Soun dashed in from the gardens. "My baby is back."

"Tendou-san," Genma's face greyed suddenly, like a man who has just been told he is going to die, "Tendou . . .my old friend," he put an arm around Soun and turned him back toward the gardens.

"Let's go have a little talk."

"What was that all about?" Nabiki asked no one in particular. She watched Mu Tsu, Ukyou and Shan Pu file into the house, wondering at their quiet closeness. She looked questioningly at them, and was disturbed when they looked away. "Where's

Ranma?" She started grinning as a sudden thought occurred to her. "Did he and Akane stop off somewhere----"

Ranma and Cu Lon stumbled through the gate, the pig-tailed marital artist looking worn and ill. The ancient Amazon quietly closed the gate behind them.

"Cu Lon-san," Kasumi felt her heart thud in her chest as the gate snicked closed behind the Amazon matriarch, "how nice to see you. Ranma-kun, did Akane-chan stop to pick up snacks?" *please,

Kami-sama* Kasumi couldn't tear her eyes from the closed gate, willing it to open---- "she should have known we would want to see her right away." *Kami-sama, I'll be good* she felt the little girl that had prayed for her mother's life, praying again. Ranma raised his eyes to meet hers and she knew that Kami-sama wasn't listening this time, either. *Kami-sama, please. I'll do anything----*

Darkness poured over her vision like a bottle of spilled ink. Nabiki watched, uncomprehending, as the blood drained from her sister's face and Kasumi crumpled, like a puppet who's strings have been cut. Mu Tsu leapt to catch her before she hit the ground.

"Ranma . . .where's Akane?"

There was a hoarse cry from the back of the house; short, sharp and suddenly cut off, followed by the horrible sound of a man sobbing.

"Ranma," Nabiki grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "Where's Akane?," he could only look dumbly at her, his eyes dull with pain. "where's Akane----where's my sister!"

***************************************************

 

Storm Claw quivered with excitement, her stubby tail twitching with every movement of the tall golden-red grasses that danced and swayed in the cold breeze spilling off the glacier. The jagged and twisted rift valley that comprised Storm Claw's home was like a fragment of Pleistocene that had broken loose and been tumbled through time, to end smashed against the shore of the twentieth century. Hot mineral springs bubbled and hissed along the

south end of the valley, cloaking the valley in eternal mist, contributing to a rich ecology of grassland and bog with several large, healthy stands of hardwood scattered in the mix.

Bright Tooth, only a short distance away, was nearly invisible in a clump of Bog Myrtle. The heavy resinous oils of the bushy plant masked her scent, while her mottled coat of stripes and spots provided an almost perfect camouflage. In contrast, her daughter's midnight black coat made her an eye-catching splotch of shadow, where no shadow should be. That was a handicap for a hunter, but there was

nothing to be done about it. She would just have to learn----

There was a sudden splash, as something heaved itself out of the water and the Moor Grass rustled as that same something moved away from the bank of the river that fed the surrounding bog.

Motionless as death Bright Tooth waited for the something to appear; from long experience she was not surprised when the deep, blunt-nosed skull of the giant-beaver poked cautiously from the concealing grasses. The dirty brown fur still gleamed with droplets of water as his small beady eyes peered into the early morning gloom.

Cautiously the giant rodent twisted his head, testing the breeze with his supremely sensitive nose for a hint of danger. Finally, after several

minutes, he was satisfied and began to waddle toward his favorite stand of succulent birch ----that was just behind Bright Tooth's hiding place. She'd selected her position with care, knowing that

eventually a prey animal would pass close by, going to or from the water. It was a matter of patience: which her daughter unfortunately lacked.

Unable to control her excitement Storm Claw dashed from her hiding place, before the tip of the beavers long muskrat-like tail had cleared the tall grass. Ungainly and slow on land the giant rodent

was still able to whip it's six-hundred pound bulk around surprisingly fast at the first sight of the sable cat.

Storm Claw charged the fleeing beaver at her top speed, which was woefully inadequate for the task. Her massive shoulders and sloping hind-quarters gave her tremendous striking power,

perfectly suited for an ambush killer. But, her bear-like gait, while allowing her to travel long distances surprisingly fast, made her an

impossible sprinter over any distance. She hadn't even made it to the edge of the grass when a splash indicated the beaver had made it to the safety of the river. With a growl of disgust, she slowed to a stop, glaring at the path her fleeing meal had taken. With a flick of her short close-set ears she started to turn away, when a paw the size of a

dinner-plate caught her along side her head, sending her tumbling arse-over-applecart for a dozen yards.

Dizzily Storm Claw looked up to see her mother glaring at her, a rumbling growl signaling her displeasure at Storm Claw's clumsy attack. Another swipe sent the almost three-hundred pound cub spinning like a leaf. Stalking over to her cringing cub, Bright Tooth stood over Storm Claw. Never having had a cub survive before, her mothering skills were somewhat spartan. Nor was she

aware that her cub's size, strength and agility were remarkable, not to say impossible, for a kit less than three months old. She _did_ know that Storm Claw's baby teeth made short work of the bloody kills she'd dragged home, and were starting to pinch her still engorged teats uncomfortably, both of which, in her mind, meant that it was

time for Storm Claw to learn to hunt.

She glared at her tiny, by comparison, daughter and bared her impressive sabers in a jaw cracking yawn, giving a final signal of her displeasure. Satisfied that Storm Claw was properly chastised she licked her once, roughly, and turned toward home, listening as Storm Claw scrambled to follow. They would move up-stream and into a thicket of aspen, where she'd found some fresh deer-scat.

_This_ time her daughter would learn to _wait_ until the proper time to strike, even if she had to sit on her.

***************************************************

 

Walking through the Nerima-cho Market, Kasumi breathed deep, enjoying the wonderful commingling of odors: pepper and cinnamon, miso and fermented bean curd . . .teas, white, green and black. She loved shopping as much as she loved cooking, and for the same reasons. She could take a mix of unrelated ingredients, singly unappetising to the eye and pallet and through the efforts of her own

hands create---- something new, something fine that brought pleasure to others, and to herself.

She looked at a bin of chestnuts outside a store and thought about the sweet potatoes she already had in her bag. She could make kurikinton: it wasn't New Year, but Nabiki and Akane loved the

sweet----

"Is aught amiss?" Kuno said quietly from her left side, never ceasing his watchful scan of the market district.

"No, nothing Kuno-kun," Kasumi replied after a moment, shaking her head 'no' as the proprietor of the little fruit and vegetable shop hurried to wait on her. "I believe I have everything I need."

Shifting the strap of her grocery-bag to a more comfortable position she started on her way home, Kuno Tatewaki following like a shadow, just behind her left shoulder.

"You seemed troubled," Kuno persisted after a moment. Kasumi hesitated, not wanting to talk about her pain. It was too personal. But . . .Kuno-kun had been a friend, of sorts, to her sister.

"It . . .I forgot," She looked back toward the little shop. "She loved kurikinton and I thought about making it for . . .I forgot."

"I see her . . ." Kuno said emotionlessly, only the tightening of his fingers on the head of his cane betraying him. " . . .walking down the street---- I'll see her just turning the corner and I'll run after her . . .but it's someone else. Sometimes I hear her call, 'Kuno-senpai' or . . ." his voice trailed off.

"I also . . . forget." Kasumi diverted to a small park, cheered slightly by the flowering shrubs that bordered an ornamental pod, occupied by a family of ducks. Fat carp with large grey fins broke the surface, mouths gaping as they begged for food. Sitting on a low stone bench, Kasumi tore open a bag of bread she'd just bought and crumbled a slice in her hand, tossing crumbs to the fish, one at the time.

"Why don't you sit down, Kuno-kun." She watched some black-bodied dragon-flies skim across the surface of the pond, then dart suddenly away, as a man approached with a bucket of grain for the ducks.

"Thank you," Kuno replied in the grave tone that had replaced his normal grandiloquence the day he'd watched Akane die. "But I will stand." He moved behind the stone bench in a position where he could keep watch. From the corner of his eye he could see the koban and 'Mr. Walk-Around', as such police were known, immaculate in his starched uniform and white gloves as he stood in the police-box.

"Thank you for helping me with my shopping," Kasumi smiled up at Kuno, a haunted look in her eyes. "I have to buy a new broom," she nodded at the one laying across the top of her bag, "almost every month. They wear out so fast, cleaning up after . . .

But I suppose this one will last longer." It was suddenly too much and she buried her face in her hands.

Kuno's hand reached out for her, then dropped back to his side. What comfort could _he_ offer . . . the failed samurai who had watched her sister die. Worse, he hadn't died with her, but had

returned alive.

The man feeding the ducks came at them in a silent rush, like a charging panther, steel claws gleaming in the sun. Kuno's concealed blade leapt from his cane and took both of the attacker's

hands off at the wrist. Kuno sidestepped the lethal, metal-clawed kick that would have ripped him apart and drove the point of his sword into the man's groin, ripping up and out. The Leopard-sept assassin fell to the ground tangled in his own intestines, as Kuno leapt in front of Kasumi, pushing her to the ground. His blade weaving an

impenetrable curtain of steel, the Blue Thunder drove back two----now three ----more assassins, who had dropped their disguises and charged Kasumi: with still more converging from all over the park.

Sensing someone approaching from behind, Kuno drove his three attackers back with a sudden feint, then turned to meet his new foe. Seeing the police uniform, he hesitated for an instant. Long enough for the Leopard assassin---- who had killed the real policeman an hour earlier"---- to open Kuno's arm to the bone with claws of serrated steel. Even as his sword went flying, from an arm that now

resembled raw hamburger with shockingly white bits of bone showing through, more than a human limb, a second blow ripped open his face, and knocked him to the ground.

Half blind from pain, and blood pouring into his eyes Kuno saw Kasumi surge to her feet, broom in hand, and move to stand over his prostrate body. All girls in Japan get instruction in Naginata:

Kusumi, as the daughter of a martial artist, more than most. And if there had been fourteen inches of razor steel on the end, instead of a triangular bundle of bamboo slivers, the first assassin to reach her would have died. As it was, the end of the broom cut his face like a thousand tiny knives.

From the ground Kuno watched the eldest Tendou daughter move with the smooth grace of a dancer, her long skirt swirling like the wings of a butterfly as she spun and thrust; driving three blooded assassins with just her broom.

A sudden thrust caught one killer in the throat and he fell, his trachea crushed like an empty strawberry box. But, in his dying he tangled Kasumi's weapon and his surviving brothers leapt for her. A roar of thunder and the one closest to her fell, his head exploded into red ruin. The survivors spun toward Kuno, forgotten on the ground: he centered the front sight on the next

Child of Tyger.

A splotch of red blossomed on his chest and Kuno pulled the big revolver down out of recoil, using the red as an aiming point for his next shot. The man was falling and Kuno shifted his aim

to the next one, who was reaching for him with deadly steel claws; the 250 grain hollow-point took him just under his left eye, turning his brains into a grey and pink mist. A heavy weight hit Kuno; it felt like fire biting deep into his side----he twisted, triggered three quick shots---- and blew a hole big enough to swing a cat, through the

assassin's chest----the hammer clicking dully on an empty round at the third press of the trigger.

His strength spilled onto the ground from this fresh wound, even as he tried to claw a speed-load from his pocket with his wounded and useless arm. The Colt slipped from his blood slick fingers: the sun slipped behind clouds, making it hard to see. And it was cold. But a samurai was trained to fight in the dark, was immune to cold.

He could see figures, evil shadowy shapes closing around Kasumi: but he'd dropped his sword. Frantically he tried to pull himself across the ground to her, but his body wouldn't obey. His sword . . .he had to find his sword . . . he couldn't fail again. He wouldn't fail. He had to get his sword . . .. . . she was standing before him, wearing a yellow sun-dress and a silly straw hat. She held out a flower, but he couldn't take it---- he didn't have any hands. *I'm sorry.*

Looking sad, she turned and ran toward the edge of the world. *Don't leave me.*

Spreading her wings, she flew off into a brilliant sky, leaving the broken statue of a blind samurai, weeping tears of blood.

*Please . . .*

***************************************************

 

Storm Claw snuggled down in the damp bracken, trying to imitate a rock or log or some other inoffensive bit of bog-matter. She resisted an impulse to snap at an impudent cane-toad that, safe in the knowledge that he was poisonous and foul- tasting or perhaps sensing her attention was on bigger game, took up residence almost in front

of her nose and began a thunderous series of 'CR-OOWNK----CR-OOWNK' calls, trying to attract a lady giant-toad.

In between the toad's thunderous calls, Storm Claw's sensitive ears detected a massive body moving through the tangle of cloudberry, bog-laurel and other plants that matted the ground beneath the mixed stand of pine and fir. The movement paused

periodically and there was another sound; that of great clumps of vegetation being torn from the earth and ground between flat plates of enamel.

The ground beneath Storm Claw began to vibrate as the great beast drew nearer and her stumpy tail thrummed with excitement. Her tremendous shoulder muscles bunched for the terrific spring that

would slam her high onto her prey's side, over-balancing him if possible and allowing her to bring her primary killing weapons into play. She tensed: the short helmet-like head poked through the trees,

then came the car-sized dome-shaped body, and followed finally by a long armored tail, tipped with a knobby spiked mace of bone.

Storm Claw almost turned herself inside-out with the effort to abort her leap as the Doedicurus stumped into view, heading for water. One of two species of giant-armadillo that were prey for saber-tooth cats, they were delicious eating; as Storm Claw well knew. But, she wasn't after armadillo, or horse or deer or even giant-beaver.

She cringed a little at that last thought. She was after bigger prey: she was going to show mama that she _could_ hunt on her own. And there was only one animal that was suitable. The prey responsible for the evolution of Smiledon and their great curved fangs.

***************************************************

 

One-Ear trod heavily through the hardwood bog, ripping succulent young saplings from the ground and grinding them between massive molars topped by a double row of six rounded cones; perfect for clipping and crushing the leaves, twigs and stems that compromised the basic diet of the forest dwelling mastodon. Midway in size between modern Asian and African elephants, he was big for

his kind at ten feet tall at the shoulder and a little over twelve thousand pounds. He was also in a very bad mood. Bull patriarch of a twelve-cow harem for decades, he'd been driven off at last by a younger, stronger male. For the rest of his life he would be a solitary wanderer, until his teeth wore out under the stress of grinding a thousand-pounds of food a day, and he starved to death. In the meantime---- he was bruised, bloody and horny; and in no mood for any foolishness from a half-grown sabertooth kit.

Powerful shoulders launched Storm Claw from concealment like a bolt of black lightning. One-Ear was closer than she'd hoped, but passing at an angle and she instantly changed her original hut

strategy. In two gigantic bounds she crossed One-Ear's stern quarter and slashed at his right hind leg, attempting to hamstring the old Mammut. But even her heavy claws couldn't completely penetrate

the mastodon's shaggy coat and extraordinarily thick skin.

She shredded the back of his leg, but failed to cripple him. One-Ear had lost his appendage, as a six-month old calf, to a Clouded Leopard, distant relative to Smiledon, who'd thought to make a meal of tender baby mastodon. One-Ear's mother had

disabused the leopard of the notion, ripping it to pieces and playing the elephant equivalent of soccer with it's head. As an adult One-Ear

had come to prefer'Toss-and-Stick'----throwing the offending cat high in the air, then running and catching the falling body on one of his long, slightly up-curving tusks: extra points if you speared it in the eye or anus.

Screaming in anger One-Ear reared off the ground, spinning impossibly fast in an attempt to snatch Storm Claw with his powerful trunk: but Storm Claw wasn't there! Without stopping, she'd slashed One-Ear and continued _under_ the belly of the enraged Mammut, emerging on his _left_, even as he spun to his right. The movement exposed his throat for an instant and Storm Claw sprang; jaws open wide she slashed through his neck with her immature five-inch sabers.

Driven by thick neck-muscles and assisted by her tremendous shoulders, the sharp, delicately serrated fangs sliced easily through One-Ear's thick hide, curving around and tearing out the jugular-vein and part of the trachea. An xperienced adult would have taken out the carotid-artery as well, but so well designed were the curved fangs,

that almost any bite in the kill-zone was automatically lethal: giving even young Saber Tooth cats an extraordinarily high number of successful kills. Smiledon was an assassin, a cut-throat with a pair of knives that would turn any self-respecting Aztec priest green with envy.

Storm Claw back-flipped away from One-Ear's dying rage, then sat, fastidiously cleaning her fur of blood; One-Ear was still screaming in rage and slashing the ground with his tusks, but Storm

Claw leisurely sidestepped each manic charge. It wouldn't take him long to die, his rage driven heart was pumping his life into the earth at a furious rate.

"CR-OOWNK----CR-OOWNK"

Her evasive maneuvers had placed her almost on top of theamphibian. His constant bellowing and scummy stench had contributed, in large part, to Storm Claw's ability to remain hidden until One-Ear was almost on top of her. In a sense, she owed a debt to the toad for her first kill. "CR-OOWNK----CR-OOW-----"

She batted the two-pound amphibian with a massive forepaw, sending it whistling through the air to slam against a tree with organ pulping force. Toads were noisy, nasty, cannibalistic

nuisances and nobody much liked them anyway.

***************************************************

Nabiki stared blankly at the picture hanging over her desk as the light streaming in from the window over her bed dimmed and the shadows lengthened.

"Nabiki?" Ukyou's voice came softly through the door. "Nabiki . . .are you awake?" Subdued murmuring came through the thin panel, as if several people were arguing. She thought she heard her name once or twice, but it was too much effort to care, even when the door opened with a slight creak.

"Dinner ready," Shan Pu came up softly behind her. "You come now. Eat." Nabiki didn't move, hardly seemed to be breathing.

"C'mon sugar, you gotta eat." Ukyou came to stand on her other side. She put a hand under Nabiki's arm as if to help her up. "I made one of my special deluxe okonomiyaki."

Moving slowly and painfully, like a soldier who has just emerged from a losing battle, Nabiki was helped down the stairs by the Amazon and the chef.

"Soun is still asleep," Cu Lon announced, emerging from the kitchen. "I think it best not to disturb him."

"Why?" Nabiki's voice came out a husky whisper from a throat raw from crying. "You promised . . ."

"I _am_ sorry child." Cu Lon sounded uncharacteristically subdued. "I thought my precautions were adequate. I am sorry."

"Sorry . . ._Sorry_!" her voice rose, as if forced from her by some unbearable force. "O-nee-sama is . . .is . . .And you're SORRY!" Before anyone could move Nabiki slapped Cu Lon across the face, rocking the ancient Amazon. "You filthy gaijin, you wanted her dead. Wanted all of us dead so you could get Ranma."

"Nabiki!" Ukyou stepped forward, horrified. "That's an awful thing to say."

"Shut up, you dirty little sneak!" Nabiki whirled on the okonomiyaki chef, her face so fierce the other girl fell back, frightened. "Why couldn't you have died! You should be dead, you----" she crumpled to the floor, her body wracked by terrible sobs.

"I thought my Amazons could keep her safe during the day," Cu Lon knelt by the weeping girl. "I had six of them following her. With the kendoist, that should have been enough. I never thought . . ."

"What did happen, exactly." Ukyou asked softly.

"It seems Tyger is more desperate than I thought," Cu Lon helped Nabiki to her feet and led her to a seat looking into the garden. "They attacked in daylight, in a crowded part of town . . ." she shook her head, shoulders slumped. "From the evidence, I think they intended to kidnap----"

The Amazon matriarch suddenly changed her mind about what she was going to say. "The fake policeman was probably supposed to make the initial assault. Kuno would have been quietly removed----one of the younger cultists seems to have attacked prematurely. Probably buck fever." Cu Lon sighed, continuing to gently stroke Nabiki's hair. "Kuno-san acquitted himself honorably."

"I . . .I want to see----" Nabiki's voice was a hoarse croak.

"No," Cu Lon replied softly, "you don't. Remember her as she was."

"I'm packed," Ranma announced, coming down the stairs with his pack slung over one shoulder. "Is everything ready?" He seemed satisfied with Cu Lon's silent nod.

"What are you talking about?" Ukyou planted herself in front of her fiancee. "Where do you think you're goin'?"

"Back," Ranma said simply, moving her out of the way. "To kill the Tyger."

"Are you _crazy_!" Ukyou's voice became a screech. "You can't----"

"If I don't, they're gonna keep comin', until everyone's dead." Ranma's eyes were bleak. "I promised. . .I promised to take care of Nabiki and . . .and . . ." A look of utter self-loathing passed over his face as he thought of his failures. "I promised." he finished.

"You were making sure your mom was safe," the okonomiyaki chef excused, "you can't be everywhere."

"I'm gonna make sure they can't hurt anyone again." Ranma didn't seem to hear Ukyou. "I'm gonna make sure . .."

Recognizing the adamant look in Ranma's eyes Ukyou tried a different tack. "You can't do this by yourself. I'm going with you."

"Be at the airport by six." Ranma replied starkly. "I'm not gonna wait." He left, without looking back.

"What are we going to do?" Ukyou asked the room at large,not really expecting an answer.

"Pack." Shan Pu said practically. "Hurry or Ranma leave without us." Taking Ukyou by the arm she dragged the bewildered chef behind her out the door.

************************************************