to work it. It works itself. It is said by those who may
know that a unicom may not be taken by force, but only
by stealth and guile."
"Get to the point," said Hathcar impatiently.
The wolf hurried his words. "We don't have to sneak up
on him. He'll come to us. He'll follow a maiden fair and
true. It is said."
Hathcar looked doubtful. "What kind of maiden? A
coltish mare?"
"No, no. It must be a human maiden."
Parsh the rat was thoroughly shocked. "You expect to
find a virgin around here? Species notwithstanding."
"There is a town not far from this place."
"Crestleware." Hathcar nodded.
"We can but try," said the wolf, spreading his paws.
"A virgin. Are you certain about this, Brungunt?"
"The bond is supposed to be most powerful. The girl
need only lead him far enough for us to get behind him
before he picks up our scent. Do not ask me to explain this
thing. I only relate what I have heard told."
"Wouldn't cost us a one. You'd better be right about
this, Brungunt, or I'll see your ears decorating my spear."
"That's not fair!" protested the wolf. "I am only
relating a legend."
"Look to your ears, wolf." Hathcar rose. "And tell the
others to look to theirs. Parsh, you come with me." He
glared at Brungunt. "We will return as quickly as possi-
ble. This magic sounds to me like it works better in the
dark, and I don't want to give that four legs another day to
think of a better place." He glanced through the trees
toward the moonlit ruins. "Hamstring him, yes. I'll see
that damned meddler crawling to me on his knees, and
then we'll break those as well."
XIV
Hathcar crouched low as he pointed toward the clearing
in front of the silent fortress. The slim girl who stood
next to him watched closely, her eyes wide. She had
been awakened in the middle of the night by her mother
and sent off in the company of this ugly stranger. She
hadn't wanted to go, but her mother had insisted, assuring
her it would only be until sunrise and that everything was
all right, everything had been arranged. Then she would be
brought home and allowed to sleep all day. And they had
promised her candy.
"There is the place, little one."
"Don't call me little," she snapped. "I'm as grown up
as you are! And my name's Silky."
"Sorry," Hathcar growled softly, restraining himself.
He wasn't very fond of cubs, but he needed this one's
cooperation.
"You're going to pay my daddy two gold pieces for
luring out this unicorn to you. What makes you think he'll
come out and follow me?"
"He'll come," Hathcar assured her. "Just be nice to
him, tell him how strong and beautiful he is."
238
THE DAY OF THE DISSONANCE
239
She stared warily at the cuscus and his two companions
out of eyes that were not as innocent as her parents insisted
they were. "You're sure this is a unicorn you're sending
me after?"
"Are you sure you're a virgin?"
"Yes, I'm sure," she said tiredly. She'd heard this
stranger discussing the matter with her mother.
Hathcar turned and pointed back through the woods.
"Back this way there's a pool in a little hollow. Bring him
there. We'll be waiting."
"What happens when we get there?" she asked curiously.
"None of your business, lit... Silky. Your daddy's
being paid for your services. You do what I want you to
and you don't ask questions."
"Okay." She hesitated. "You're not going to hurt him,
are you? I've never seen a unicorn, but I've been told
they're real pretty."
"Oh, no, no, we won't hurt him," said Hathcar smoothly.
"We just want to surprise him. We're his friends, and we
want to surprise him, and you won't tell him about us
because that would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?"
"I guess so." She smiled brightly. "I like surprises,
too. Can I watch when you surprise him?"'
"Sure you can," Hathcar assured her innocently. "I
think you'll be surprised, too." He turned to leave her,
Brungunt and Parsh following.
"It's dark," she said uncertainly.
"You'll be okay," Brungunt told her. "Didn't you say
you were a big girl?"
"That's right, I am."
"Fine. Just bring the four-legs down to the pool."
"Why didn't we just abduct the little bitch?" Parsh
wanted to know as they made their way through the woods
to rejoin the rest of the waiting band.
"Big village," Hathcar told him. "A good place to buy
supplies. The price hurts, but it'll be worth it. Besides,
240
Alan Dean Foster
Brungunt here said the girl had to act voluntarily or the
magic wouldn't work."
"That's so," the wolf agreed, nodding. "It is so told."
"So it's better all around this way," Hathcar finished.
Silky stood waiting, counting away the minutes to allow
the unicorn's friends time to ready their surprise. Then she
strolled out into the small clearing in front of the broken
old building. She was wearing her best dress. It clung to
her budding figure as she moved. Her mother had spent
fifteen minutes combing out the long auburn hair to make
certain her daughter looked her best. The old wolf had
insisted on it.
Two gold pieces. That would buy a lot of things for the
family, including candy. She determined to do exactly as
the cuscus ordered, even if he'd been lying to her about
the surprise he was planning. After all, the horned one was
nothing to her.
Still, she was trembling slightly at the prospect of
actually meeting a unicorn as she stepped out into the
silvery moonlight. There were many stories told about the
shy, solitary four-legs. They kept to themselves in the deep
forest, shunning civilization and intelligent company.
The ancient stones before her were silent. Should she
cry out? If she did, what could she say? "Here, unicorn"?
There was no one to advise her, since Hathcar had joined
the rest of his friends far back in the trees, out of sight and
scent. The old wolf had assured her she had only to
approach the ruins and the unicorn would come to her.
Would come and would follow back to the pool. And the
surprise waiting there.
She stood before the ruins and waited.
Within, there was movement she could not see. Drom's
head lifted, his nostrils twitching. He blinked at the bodies
sleeping soundly around him. It was his turn on watch.
Trotting silently so as not to disturb his newfound
friends, he moved to one window slit and peered out.
Standing alone in the moonlight was a small, slim figure.
THE DAY or THE DISSONANCE
241
A human figure, young and pure. Ancient emotions began
to pluck at him.
Nodding at no one in particular, he quietly began push-
ing at the boulder which blocked the entryway. He worked
with care, wanting to make positive identification of the
beckoning shape outside without waking his companions.
When the stone had been edged to one side he walked
through the opening and stepped out onto the grass,
sniffing at the air, which was heavy with the girl's clean,
sweet-smelling scent. She was alone. The night was still,
and there was no wind to mask concealed odors.
He walked over to the girl, who eyed him nervously and
took a step backward.
"Hello. You're... awfully pretty." She licked her lips,
glanced over a shoulder once, then said confidently, "Won't
you come and walk with me? It's a nice night in the
forest."
"In a minute, little one. There's something I have to do
first." Turning, he moved back to the ruins and stuck his