Chapter 1

She'd been shopping with Yuka, and Sayuri. The three of them had been discussing which movie to see when they suddenly appeared. Out of nowhere----silent, hard-eyed men. Sayuri had gone down, bleeding from a dozen wounds. Yuka----Akane could still see her eyes, begging Akane to help her.

And she'd tried. She had tried. Putting herself between Yuka and the silent, deadly men. And she'd been no more protection than a light mist. A sharp blow to the chest, just below the heart had dropped her to the ground paralyzed. A rough hand tangled in her hair, jerking her head back. A flask had been pressed to her lips, forcing a bitter syrup down her throat. She'd heard a short, faint cry like a frightened kitten from where Yuka had been standing. Then blackness had swallowed her like a snake swallows a rabbit.

Sometime later---- hours or days, she didn't know---- she'd awakened in the dark confines of an airplane. Aching, sick and frightened to the point of paralysis.

They hadn't bothered binding her, these silent men. She was beneath their notice. She huddled in her little corner praying they would continue to ignore her. She didn't bother pretending to herself that if she hadn't been trapped in an airplane she would have tried to fight. The thought was ludicrous. These men smelled of death and pain. Akane only hoped her nerve would last long enough to let her run if she had the opportunity.

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"Hurry up old woman. We ain't got time to waste." Ranma was being grossly unfair. It was only Cu Lon's knowledge and Kuno's money that had brought them as far and as fast as they had come. But even Kuno's lavish bribes and Cu Lon's obscure and probably illegal Chinese contacts could only go so far.

They'd passed the last sign of civilization ten day's before; a stone boundary marker put down about the time of the Tang empire. Three days later they'd walked completely off the map and entered territory where, according to Mu Tsu, the Devil wouldn't go for fear of being mugged.

"Patience, boy. We have plenty of time." Or it's far too late to worry about haste. That thought Cu Lon kept to herself. The pigtailed boy tried to push ahead, only to be stopped by a frail seeming arm on his shoulder.

"Waddya mean by that?" Ranma snapped, practically vibrating in his effort to remain still under the light touch.

"I know these men. Know _of_ them, I should say. Had they wished, they could have taken Akane from the midst of her friends and left no trace. Or killed her and a dozen like her as quickly and easily as drowning a sack of kittens. Instead they took her alive, leaving two witnesses----crippled but still living. They wish us to follow. And doing what the enemy wishes is no way to stay alive. We must be cautious."

"YOU be cautious. I'm gonna go get Akane." Ranma jerked free of Cu Lon. Two figures moved out of the rocks lining the mountain trail and blocked his path.

"Calm down sugar," Ukyou said gently. "You can't go charging off on your own. We've got to plan---- go slow and work things out."

"Yeah, you'd like that. Maybe so slow it's too late for Akane."

Ukyou paled, but never wavered from her stance.

" Your impatience is understandable." Kuno's voice was bleak, with none of his usual bombast. "I too long to attack the foe. Rescue the fair----rescue Tendou Akane." Kuno's hand trembled as it rested on the hilt of his katana. The heavy revolver hanging opposite it was a jarring note to his ususal kendo outfit. "It is easy to die gloriously in battle. It is much harder to----wait. In this case we must be guided by the old one's wisdom."

Ranma's retort was interrupted by Cu Lon.

"Don't be stupid son-in-law."

Ranma glared down at the withered old Amazon who smiled blandly back at him.

"I ain't your son-in-law."

"If you want to rescue Akane you _must_ listen to me. We do not know why they have taken Akane . . ."

"The old man." Ranma said bitterly. "It's always the old man. He stole sumthin', pissed somebody off. Sumthin'. An' now they've got Akane."

"Very probably." Cu Lon agreed mildly. "Your father, or Happy. And if we had waited," Cu Lon smiled faintly as Ranma glared at her. "until they returned from their _training_ trip we might perhaps know more. I still have hopes they may catch up with us. Or that the Amazons I have summoned will rendevous with us before we enter the land of the Tiger-god. 'Know the enemy, know yourself and you will never be defeated'." Cu Lon quoted Tsun Tzu.

"Unfortunately we know little of our enemy, save he is powerful and ruthless. Without knowing more we shall surely be defeated. And of no use to Akane."

"Dammit. What's so special about these Tiger-god guys anyhow. Ya hadn't said nuthin' 'cept how dangerous they are. An how we gotta be careful. Go slow. Plan. Well, how we gonna plan if you don't tell us nuthin' 'bout 'em."

"I am hoping we can _negotiate_ rather than fight. That is why I sent for my Amazons. The followers of the Tiger-god do not wish to attract notice from the outside world. Hopefully a show of force, coupled with careful negotiations will allow us to free Akane."

"NEGOTIATE!" Ranma seemed to swell in fury. "After what they done to Yuka, and Sayuri!? An' they hurt Akane. Yuka said they HIT her. Hard. An' they gave her sumthin, forced it down her throat. An' you want----"

"The Tiger-god demands human life. He thrives on murder. His followers are the ancestors of the Thuggee, Ninja . . . the Old Man of the Mountain was one of his priests. Their children must make their first kill by the age of six years. They are a race of killers----swift, silent, efficient."

"How come we ain't never heard of them if they're so great."

"They thrive on the death of others . . .not on their own death. Their last _open_ display of power was the cult of Assassins. They were crushed, finally. But it took an entire army and ten years to do so. They operate best from the shadows. While they would fare poorly in open battle against a modern army, here in these mountains, in their own place, they are all powerful."

"Are you sayin' we can't do nuthin'? That we gotta leave Akane----NO! You don't care about Akane. You WANT to leave her----"

Ukyou grabbed Ranma from behind. "Easy sugar. Don't say something you'll regret."

Cu Lon stood confronting Ranma, her face calm. "Soul of ice, son-in-law. Anger will defeat you more surely than any enemy. The Tiger-god is not a god of the Amazon's. If I can . . .I will gain her release. They took Akane because they want something."

"Somthin' pop or the old-freak stole." Ranma repeated with conviction of long experience. His face lit up excitedly. "Hey, then all we gotta do is give 'em back their stuff an' they'll let Akane go." His shoulders slumped. "But, what if pop sold it. Like he did the. . ." He glanced over his shoulder at Ukyou. "Like he did other stuff. What'll we do then?"

"I will stand surety for any amount of money they should demand. Or, to search the world for any item they desire.">

Heads turned to look at Kuno in shock. "I have always been taught that money can not buy honor, life or happiness. All my life I have wanted these things." He rubbed a thumb along the gold Kashira of his katana. "If my skill with a sword is insufficient to the task . . ." Kuno shrugged and returned his concentration to his sword, rubbing his thumb back and forth across the pommel.

"I know this is hard for you . . .waiting. Not knowing But it is necessary." Cu Lon added gently. "We can not plan without knowing more. While we wait for Shan Pu and Mu Tsu to return from scouting I will tell you what I know of the followers of the Tiger-god."

"I shoulda' gone with 'em. Mu Tsu is blind as a bat . . .an' it ain't right sendin' Shan Pu. She's a girl. She could get hurt. Ya can't expect a girl ta . . ."

"Shan Pu is an Amazon." Cu Lon rebuked mildly. "And Mu Tsu, though male, has talents that are not to be despised. The followers of the Tiger-god know little of Jusenkyo. Shan Pu and Mu Tsu have the best chance of getting in and back out undetected."

"Ummm."Ukyou raised her hand hesitantly. Cu Lon glanced at her and she blushed slightly and jerked her hand back down as she realized what she was doing. Cu Lon gave a slight nod and she was encouraged to continue.

"Why do you always call them the Followers of the Tiger-god."

"Because they are."

"Well, yeah. But don't they have some other name? I mean, you don't call the Japanese 'followers of Shinto' or anything like that."

"We do not know what they call themselves. They do not encourage outsiders to learn their secrets."

"Well, OK. I can see that. But----what do the Amazons call them?"

"Death."

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Shan Pu froze in the early morning light when she heard the quiet snap of a twig breaking. Slowly she inched forward, a tiny cat lost in the shadows. Peeking around a piece of scrub Shan Pu could see a small girl, about seven or eight years old playing quietly with a doll made of straw. Staring at the girl Shan Pu could see nothing that could have made the sound that attracted her attention.

Putting her nose to the wind Shan Pu turned slowly, searching---- Nothing. Forcing herself to relax Shan Pu listened for anything out of the ordinary. Great-grandmother had warned her----warned them----Mu Tsu and herself, to be careful. To let no one see either a duck or a cat. Personally Shan Pu thought her caution was ridiculous. Cats were everywhere. One feral cat, more or less, wouldn't arouse suspicion. There was no reason to hide from this small girl. Or from whatever had made that noise. Unless it was a dog of course. Shan Pu grinned to herself at the thought of being treed by the family pet.

But great-grandmother commanded and she obeyed. And so she took hours to cross ground that could be covered in minutes; and waited in the shadows until she KNEW what had broken a twig. Probably a squirrel, she thought sourly, a squirrel or . . . Her thoughts trailed off and her ears swivelled forward sharply at a sound. Cloth rubbing against skin. The faintest sound of leather brushing against grass. Turning toward the sound Shan Pu could see a shadow drifting slowly among the rocks and brush. As she watched, the shadow resolved into a boy. About nine or ten years old. Sneaking up on the little girl. Probably to drop a snake or frog down her dress. Little boys were all the same Shan Pu thought disgustedly. If it wasn't something slimy and wiggly it was something chittery with lots of legs. Usually followed by a display of bare bums.

Watching, Shan Pu wondered if she should try to warn the little girl. Females had to stick together against the foolishness of----

In one sinuous movement, so smoothly practiced it must have been rehearsed for hundreds of hours, the little girl fell to her side just as an iron bolt passed through the space she'd just occupied. Wasting not a seconds attention on the deadly arrow that had barely missed her spine the girl rolled over, thrusting her doll toward the boy she couldn't possibly see. The poisoned dart from the spring gun hidden in the doll pierced the shadows heart. With a boneless thump the boy fell from concealment and rolled down the slight incline. Cooly the girl reloaded her weapon by feel, her eyes and ears searching for more attackers. Satisfied that the area was clear she fired another dart into the boys eye----in case he was only playing dead, Shan Pu thought numbly.

Re-loading for a second time the girl threw a loop of cloth around the boys neck and dragged him into the brush where he had imagined himself hidden. Shan Pu remained in place until she was sure the girl was gone. Then she waited a little longer. Pacing slowly into the open Shan Pu examined the ground around where the little girl had been 'playing'. Eyeing the ground cover around the spot Shan Pu made her way to where the boy had been hiding.

It had been a trap, she realized sickly. The little girl had presented herself as a lure. Shan Pu could see where brush had been removed, other places where cover had been placed----all to funnel the boy to this precise spot. Where the little girl could kill him.

Amazons were a warrior race. They fought to survive. To preserve their culture, their arts, their way of life. This was----different. Amazons killed when they must, to survive. This was murder for pleasure. The boy would have killed the girl if he could.

And the girl----Shan Pu shuddered, remembering the look on herface. Shan Pu backed carefully into the brush, careful to leave no sign. Softly she crept away, silent as the memory of moonlight. She wanted to find Akane----had to find Akane----so they could leave this evil place.

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Akane huddled in the corner of the room, her naked back pressed against the rough, moss slimed stones. Tears of humiliation and fear cut tracks down her dirty cheeks.

"She is untouched, Great Fang."

They spoke Japanese. For her benefit? To increase her terror by letting her know what they were going to do to her? Akane was amazed she had the capacity to wonder what they wanted with her.

"You are sure?" The man speaking was a giant, his head almost brushing the ceiling. His heavy tiger skin robes and elaborate mask made him more animal than human. The other three men in the room were similarly masked, though with liknesses of lesser cats than the lordly tiger.

"No mistake, Great Fang. I examined her most thoroughly. She is a virgin, without mark or blemish."

Akane flushed, remembering how the door had opened a few hours earlier. Instead of the bucket containing coarse bread and beef gruel she had come to expect twice daily over the past weeks it had been that man and two others. She'd been so shocked when one of the men pulled off her dress that she'd struck him. Tried to strike him. Always before she'd managed to get in at least one good hit, especially when she was angry.

This time----he'd caught her fist in one big hand. His otherh and slammed into her with a spear-point strike that paralyzed her with pain. He'd dropped her retching to the floor and finished removing her clothes. Another man had come and _examined_ her. Turning her like a piece of meat, probing her----handling her. She'd recovered a little by then. And there had been at least two openings; she could have hit him. She could have tried. Akane closed her eyes, miserable with shame. She could have hit him. She hadn't tried. She'd been terrified that he might _think_she would try anything. So she lay there, until he released her; to scuttle away and hide in the corner of the room.

The 'Great Fang', masked and garbed like a tiger, turned toward Akane. She wrapped her arms around her legs pulling her knees up under her chin. Briefly she tried to raise her eyes to meet his, to at least appear brave. She managed to force her eyes up almost to his shoulder level. Her nerve failed her and her head drooped like a wilting flower as she hid her face in her arms. The masked figure remained staring at her for another moment. He reached down and ripped an earring from her ear, before turning to leave. The remaining three figures turned to follow, leaving Akane alone in the room.

Shadows crept across the floor as morning ate the dawn. When the shadows disappeared into the noon sun Akane slowly removed her head from her arms. Shaking, as if palsied, she crept across the floor toward her clothes. Fumbling, it took her three tries to pull on her blouse. The small buttons defeated her and the abandoned the effort with a sob. With a savage jerk she yanked on her underwear and skirt. Stuffing the tail of her shirt in the waist band, she crossed the ends to hold the front of her blouse closed. Crawling back to her corner she wrapped her arms around her belly and slowly rocked back and forth.

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Shan Pu didn't like this place. Which was akin to saying she didn't like being spitted on an iron rod and roasted over a slow fire. But then, she was an Amazon. She couldn't very well say she was frightened out of her mind and wanted to run home and hide under her bed. No, she couldn't say that, even to herself.

These people frightened her. She'd seen graveyards that were livelier. After her encounter with the two . . .children, it had been hours before she'd seen another soul. She discovered that the people had been there----she just hadn't seen them. Shan Pu had always thought Amazons were naturally stealthy and cautious. One of the things she'd liked about Japan was the opportunity to show off.

Every day was like a feast day. She could be as noisy and flamboyant as she wanted. Back home she had to be quiet, restrained. When you were a minority population surrounded by potentially and sometimes actively hostile neighbors----caution and discretion were a way of life.

These people NEVER broke cover; never moved in the open but went always from place-to-place in concealment. There was none of the normal chatter and bustle of even a small village. No gossiping neighbors, no giggling girls or shouting boys. Every one moved with silent purposefulness.

About noon time the previous day she'd come across small, neat terraced fields. Common for growing crops in hilly or mountainous terrain. Not so common was the way the fields were worked. The workers did their jobs silently. No talking, no work songs or horse-play.

Shan Pu had crept closer for a better look----then wished she hadn't . Once she had seen a horse ripped open by a bear when she was a child. These farm laborers all had that same look of helpless, hopeless terror she'd seen in that dying horses eyes.

With exquisite caution Shan Pu had moved around the perimeter of the farm land. After a few hours of searching she'd found them . . .some of them at least. Guards. Silent, motionless guards. Well hidden. Each in a naturally defensive position that positioned them perfectly for attack or flight if attacked in overwhelming force. Not guarding against outside attack but watching . . .always watching the silent laborers. Watching with a hungry look.

It had taken longer to find the city. All of that day and part of the next. And there was a city. Built into the rock. Taking advantage of natural folds and crevices that hid any tool marks, the builders had dug into the living rock of the mountains. So cleverly hidden that Shan Pu had walked by hidden entrances dozens of times. She would have continued to walk by them forever if she had not, by chance, seen one of the inhabitants disappear into the solid rock face. Even knowing what to look for and where to look, it had taken her hours of cautious and careful examination to find the actual entry way. And a trap.

If she'd been human, instead of cat sized she would have died. Impaled on poisoned iron spikes. Once alerted to the possibility it had not taken her long to find that the entire city and it's grounds were one large killing ground. A maze of traps and tricks that could only be safely negotiated if you knew the secret. Or were cat sized.

Then it wasn't safe----but it was possible. So Shan Pu continued her careful, careful, search for Akane. And wondered, with the small part of her mind not on the search, what kind of people would build such a place. What kind of people would live every minute engaged in murder or preparing for it.

Fortunately for her search and for her survival, these people required light and air, no matter what else they did. The rock was pierced with shafts to provide both. And the air shafts were perfectly sized for neko-Shan Pu. And no larger, thankfully. She'd already found that any passage roomy enough for even a small child was laced with lethal traps. Even the latrines had man-killing traps at the bottom as she'd discovered, almost the hard way.

However they obviously felt that a shaft cut in solid stone, and too small for a child, didn't need to be trapped----at least not along it's length. She wouldn't make any bets about the ends of the shaft where it entered the city.

And if they'd even suspected anyone like Shan Pu existed she knew they would have put traps even in the smallest shafts. Great-grandmother had been right----they didn't know about Jusenkyou. So Shan Pu had a 'safe' highway through the enemy strong hold.

Wriggling backward through the narrow passage Shan Pu popped out into the open air. Blinking slightly as her eyes adjusted Shan Pu waited motionless, searching the area with her ears and nose. Satisfied that she was unobserved, she hoped, she crept stealthily around the rock-face looking for the next air shaft. She had found some larger shafts, larger enough they probably had cross- shafts. And traps. Shan Pu was sticking to the smaller shafts. This meant she had to back out and cross the rock-face to another shaft to change positions laterally. She felt this was a small price. It increased her odds of detection. But the shafts she was using were mostly hidden from observation from the ground so she felt safe enough. And she infinitely preferred the risk of detection moving around on the outside than chancing a trap buried deep in the stone.

Moving along a slight stone shelf toward another vent she paused suddenly. Tasting the air she made her way cautiously back the way she had come. The currents of air eddying around the rock face were tricky . . .making it hard to localize odors. But she had a human brain to back her cat senses. And thousands of hours training. Cu Lon believed in turning disadvantage to advantage.

People who only knew Shan Pu from her days in Japan, chasing Ranma, would have been surprised at her 'serious' side. But when it came to surviving---- Amazons were very serious. They had three thousand years of history to prove it.

It took her two agonizing hours to work her way across and down the rock tracking the odor. Akane wouldn't thank her for telling anyone, but Shan Pu bet she could pick Akane out of a Tokyo rush hour crowd. She had a _very_ distinctive odor. Chuckling to herself Shan Pu finally found what she thought was the right spot.

Looking carefully at the hole she was surprised to find a cut in the rock broader and more shallow than any air shaft. This looked more like one of the 'windows' that pierced the mountain at intervals. She hadn't found one down this low before. And she'd carefully avoided the ones she had found, on the theory that if she could look IN a 'window', someone else could look OUT. Probably at the very worst moment----for Shan Pu, at any rate.

In this case she had no choice. This was her best----perhaps her only chance to contact Akane. There was even a remote prospect she could help Akane escape. Suiting thought to deed Shan Pu popped through the window and tumbled to the ground in her most 'Hi-I'm-such-a-kawaii-little-cat-you-just-have-to-adore-me' mode.

Unfortunately there was no one in the room to admire her thespian skills. At first Shan Pu thought she had made a mistake and was trying to decide the best way back up to the window when she noticed a lump in one corner of the room. She'd missed it at first glance and only a brief flicker of movement caught her eye for a second look.

Cautiously Shan Pu padded toward the shadowed corner----still not sure she'd actually seen movement or just a trick of the afternoon shadows.

"mrrrrooo?"

The shadowed lump unfolded itself and Shan Pu took a step back with a hiss of fright. "s . . .shan pu?"

Shan Pu hissed again, this time in shock. That weak thready voice was unrecognizable. Likewise the thin dirty scarecrow in the tattered blouse and skirt was a stranger. But there could be only one person in this place that would call her by name. Taking a hesitant step forward Shan Pu tasted the air again. Under the grime, sweat and fear the scent was unmistakable----Akane.

"shan pu." A shaking hand reached out and gently ruffled her ears. "ranma?"

San Pu bobbed her head quickly in the affirmative.

"go . . .go now. tell him to run."

"Mrrrr?" Shan Pu almost growled in frustration at not being able to talk. Tell Ranma to run? She might as well tell night not to follow day or the tides not to rise. She needed Akane to talk sense . . .tell her about the number of guards. Their schedules and . . .

"You can't help me." Tears leaked from her eyes. "They're too strong. They'll kill you. They'll kill Ranma . . .they'll kill . . ."

Shan Pu jumped in Akane's lap, bumping her head against Akane's chest, purring for all she was worth.

"stupid amazon." Akane crushed the warm furry body to her chest. "stupid, stupid . . .just run." Her body started to shake with barely suppressed sobs. "i want to go home . . .i want to go home . . ." She squeezed Shan Pu tightly once then thrust her away. "they'll kill you all . . .run . . .just run." Turning her face to the wall Akane curled into a ball.

Stepping away from the huddled figure Shan Pu started back to the window. If Akane wouldn't help she'd have to do all the work herself. First she'd concentrate on searching for another way into this cell . . .Shan Pu stopped as she stepped in something sticky. Flicking her paw in annoyance she looked down to see the remains of a wooden bucket smashed against the floor. Sniffing, Shan Pu tasted beef and seasonings in the air. Obviously the menu was not to Akane's liking.

Shan Pu was an Amazon. She knew better than a spoiled Japanese girl how important is was to keep your strength up. She'd eaten meat green with mold. Weevily bread and maggots were just another source of protein. If Akane didn't want her dinner, Shan Pu would take a bite to keep up her strength. She reached a paw into the broken bucket and scooped up a mass of cold stew. A quick meal, then she would complete her mission----Shan Pu stiffened in raw terror as her paw emerged from the bucket. Poking from the semi-congealed mass was the tip of a little finger. Eyes wide with horror Shan Pu flung the obscenity from her paw and streaked for the window as if the fires of hell were licking at her heels.

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