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The conversation picked up after all had eaten and were lounging about enjoying the spring sun and full bellies. Hilden and Segford pulled out pipes and were both blowing smoke rings into the gentle mountain breeze that was gliding off the lake. The rings started out small and then grew quickly in size before they were carried off by the wind and disappeared. Teek watched them in wonder as one after the other Hilden and Segford puffed out the rings in quick succession.

Teek couldn’t get over how much Segford and Jancar looked like Hilden. In fact, the similarities were so incredible he felt a little confused at first as to who was who. All three boasted long red beards that draped from their chins down to their bellies as well as shoulder length hair that cascaded out of identical helms of silver. Their noses were the characteristic big and round size that, from what Teek could ascertain, was typical of all dwarves. Their clothes consisted of dark leather pants and wool shirts of dark brown that imitated the rocks and rough mountains around them. Jancar and Hilden both carried axes while Segford preferred a large hammer.

It wasn’t until after mistaking their names three or four times that Teek finally picked up on some of the subtleties of each that distinguished them from one another. It was mostly the eyes that clued him in to who was who. Hilden’s were blue, Jancar’s were gray, and Segford’s were brown. Jancar’s hair was also a lighter shade of red compared to the fire that escaped the helmets of the other two. They were all three very rough around the edges but were amiable enough to not make Teek feel overly uncomfortable. He did feel an extra sense of safety being in their company, although after seeing Tchee’s ferocity with Hilden, Teek knew he had no need to fear for his life while the large bird was around.

“So where did ye get the big pet, laddie?” Jancar asked pulling out a pipe to join the other two.

Teek glanced down at Tchee who was venturing forth into the frigid mountain lake for a bath. “He picked me up really. Actually, he really did pick me up.” Teek spent the next few minutes explaining his meeting and eventual companionship with Tchee. All three of the dwarves seemed impressed with the story or at least were polite enough not to show any outward doubt.

“It’s a rare thing ye got there, lad,” Jancar said between puffs from his pipe.

“Aye,” Hilden agreed. “Rocs not be evil creatures, but they keep to themselves. Preferring the solitude of a life alone excepting, of course, when they mate.”

“Rocs?” Teek asked looking somewhat puzzled.

“Aye, Rocs,” Jancar answered while the other two dragged on their pipes. “That big bird ye’ve been callin’ Tchee be a Roc.”

Teek looked at his large friend now ruffling her feathers in the water and making quite a splash. “I’ve never seen the like in my life.”

Jancar eyed him for a moment. “Course not, ye being from the swamps an’ all. I don’t be guessin’ ye get much o’ them down there. Truth be, this be only the second one I seen in me own lifetime. Though, I never heard o’ one attached to anyone else but their mate.”

“Really?” Teek asked the excitement evident in his voice.

“Rocs mate fer life, Teek,” Hilden supplied. “They live to be up to a thousand years but have only one mate.”

Teek’s eyes widened considerably.

Hilden continued. “If their mate dies, they won’t pick another fer the rest o’ their days.”

Jancar motioned to Tchee. “That bird is probably the most loyal friend ye’ll ever have. An’ I can easily see why she be so attached to ye. After savin’ her life an’ all you’ll be stuck with her until the day ye die.”

“Or she’ll die protectin’ you,” Segford added.

Teek stared in wonder at Tchee now fluffing her feathers and drying them in the noontime sun. He figured she had been treating him so well because he had saved her life but he never imagined it would continue for a lifetime. He thought that after a day or two he would just wake up one day and she’d be gone. What was he going to do? What could he do? Then it hit him. “You mean she won’t pick a mate now because of me?”

Three red heads nodded in unison. “She’d fight to the death with any Roc male that tried to woo her now,” Segford said. “She’s picked ye as her mate, in a sense. She won’t have another.”

Teek was overwhelmed. “But she can’t. I mean she should have her own family. I can’t take that from her.”

Segford looked down and shook his head. Then he smiled. “Ye ain’t be havin’ no say in that decision, lad. Ye’re hers and she be yours. It’s time ye get used ta havin’ her ‘round.”

Teek stared at the fire suddenly feeling sad for his Roc friend. He hadn’t wanted this for her. But what would have been the alternative? Had he not saved her when he did she would be dead.

“So what brings ye to the Dorian Mountains?” Hilden asked, changing the subject and trying to lighten the mood of the conversation. “Ye be a might ways away from the heat o’ the swamplands.

Teek looked briefly at Tchee now sound asleep. “I’m on an appeasing journey,” he half whispered.

“Appeasing who?” Jancar asked.

Teek blink at the dwarf as if just noticing he was there. “It’s part of the Waseeni way,” he began to explain. “My dearest friend died not too many days past and I was chosen to seek out a gift to appease his ancestors so he can enter the afterlife.”

“Aye,” Hilden said as all three nodded. “Then ye be on a holy quest.”

Teek shrugged. “I guess.”

“What sort o’ gift be ye searchin’ fer then, lad?” Jancar asked, pounding his extinguished pipe against his knee and knocking out the remaining ash.

Teek shook his head. “I don’t know. That’s part of the journey. It’s said that the ancestors will choose their gift and lead the seeker to it.” Teek got noticeably more excited. “My mom got a gift on her journey from a dwarf.”

All three dwarfs looked somewhat surprised. “Really, now,” Hilden said, the disbelief obvious in his expression and tone.

Teek caught on to their disbelief. “No, really. She got a gem and this.” He pulled the dagger from its place at his side. Three pairs of eyes narrowed beneath furrowed red brows as Teek presented the blade.

“Might I be takin’ a closer look at that blade?” Jancar asked, leaning forward to snatch the outstretched knife from Teek’s hand.

“It was given to my mother,” Teek went on excitedly not noticing Segford’s hand moving to the hammer at his side. “She gave it to me just before I left. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Aye,” Jancar said, eyeing it carefully before passing it into Hilden’s outstretched hand. “It be.” Both dwarfs gave each other a knowing look and then Jancar suddenly glanced past Teek to Tchee. A frown creased his lips as he looked back to Hilden and slightly shook his head.

Teek was oblivious of the exchange but the silence was quickly becoming a bit uncomfortable. He looked at the dwarfs eagerly expecting a little more excitement from them than they were showing.

Hilden suddenly smiled and handed the dagger back to him. “Mighty fine indeed, me lad.”

“Aye,” Jancar agreed. “Mighty fine.” He slipped a quick look at Segford who released his grip on his battle hammer and merely nodded his head.

Teek took the dagger and replaced it in its spot at his side. “A dwarf named Helgar gave it to her.”

Three heads snapped up and all went silent. Hilden cleared his throat. “Helgar, ye say?”

Teek smiled. “Yeah, that’s right. Do you know him?”

Segford and Jancar returned blank stares to each other while Hilden answered. “Well, then lad, the be dependin’. What be his second name?”

Three sets of dwarf eyes set on Teek as he dropped his head a thoughtful look on his face. “You know,” he said rubbing his chin, “I don’t really know. She never told me that.”

The dwarfs glanced quickly at one another but didn’t respond. Hilden forced a small chuckle. “Well, I guess it be hard ta say then if we be knowin’ him or not.”

Teek looked up and laughed. “I guess you’re right.” He shrugged. “I was just thinking that I would like to meet him is all.”

Hilden flashed a quick look at Jancar who raised an eyebrow. Segford glanced at Tchee again. “Well, then. Maybe ye ought to be comin’ with us for a spell,” Jancar spouted, “and maybe we could be findin’ him fer ye.”

Teek’s countenance brightened briefly before suddenly becoming dark. “I can’t.”

“Why not?” Segford asked, leaning forward, a flash of anger in his eyes.

“Well,” Teek started slowly, “I have to be on my way to complete my journey. Twee is waiting and I can’t let him down. Plus, my mother is waiting for me at home.”

Segford opened his mouth as if to respond, the anger growing in his dark eyes, but Jancar cut him off. “Aye,” he said in a kind voice, “that do be a problem. Ye must be finishin’ yer holy quest and that right quick.”

Teek only nodded, his disappointment obvious. Jancar brushed a hand through his beard a serious look on his face. The other two dwarfs watched him closely as if trying to catch a clue from him as to where he was going with all of this. Suddenly, he brought his hand up. “I got it!” he roared making Teek jump. “Ye come with us to see if we can’t be findin’ Helgar and maybe he would be givin’ ye a gift fer yer journey like he did fer yer mum.”

Teek’s face flashed excitement but was quickly overrun again by concern. “As much as I want to meet him, I can’t ask him for a gift to give the ancestors. It’s not the right way. The gift must be found or freely offered, not begged for.”

“I’ll give ye a gift,” Segford shot, his voice edged with roughness. Hilden shot Segford a piercing look as Teek turned his eyes onto the dwarf. Segford cleared his throat and forced a smile. “I got jist the thing fer ye, lad.”

Teek’s expression brightened slightly. “But I couldn’t really ask you for anything, Segford. It wouldn’t be right.”

Segford waved a hand. “Ye ain’t askin’ fer nothin’, Teek. I want to be helpin’ ye. Plus, I think this Helgar fella would be might happy to meet with ye.”

Teek looked at the other dwarfs who nodded enthusiastically. “Well,” Teek said, a bright smile breaking on his face. “I guess that would do.”

The dwarfs smiled. “Good, then.” Jancar said, rising to his feet. “Let’s git this fire out an’ be on our way.”

“Wait,” Teek said stopping Jancar as he started to stomp the fire out onto the rock ground. “What about Tchee?”

Jancar looked at Hilden. Hilden cleared his throat and stood up. “Well, the Roc can’t be goin’ with us underground. She’s too big.”

“Underground?” Teek looked surprised.

“Of course,” Jancar answered. “Where else?”

Teek rubbed his hand through his bright blond hair. “Oh.”

Segford leaned forward, the look on his face turning sour. “Where else did ye think we lived?”

Teek looked at him for a moment starting to feel a bit uncomfortable. Jancar suddenly stepped between them drawing Teek’s eyes to him. “What Segford be meanin’, Teek, is that we be miners. Where else would we be livin’?”

Teek blinked at Jancar who smiled back at him. “Well,” he started, “that is, I mean…I didn’t mean any offense, it’s just that when my mother said that you lived in the Dorian Mountains I just didn’t realize that she meant that you lived IN the Dorian Mountains.” Teek looked down. “I’ve never been inside a mountain before.”

Jancar glanced back at Segford shooting him a heated looked before turning back to Teek, a warm smile spread across his rough features. He laughed. “There be no need fer ye to worry now there, Teek. These mountains be more beautiful on the inside than the out. Jis because we be rough folk don’t mean we don’t know how to be livin’ nice. You come with us and we’ll be showin’ ye some things ye’ve never seen.”

Teek looked over at Tchee still sitting quietly soaking up the sun.

“Ye won’t be long, Teek.” Jancar reassured him. “She won’t hardly be missin’ ye before ye’ll be back.”

Teek nodded slowly and then looked back at Jancar. “All right,” he finally said, a smile creeping across his face. “This will be a story to match my mother’s I’m sure.”

Jancar smiled back at him as Segford grunted out from behind, “Ye can bet it will be, lad.”

Teek looked up again just to check that Tchee was still hovering high above them. They had been hiking through the mountains now for an hour and his interactions with the dwarfs was considerably less and even felt cold. Once they put out the cook fire and gathered their gear, Hilden lead out in front with Teek and then Jancar and Segford behind. Teek had tried to ask questions about the dwarf’s home but they had suddenly become very quiet and somber. Tchee seemed to understand what was going on and had made no attempt to stop Teek from traveling with the dwarfs when they first started out. She just sprang into the air and circled about as they made their way through the rugged mountains. Teek was confident that should they run into any trouble the dwarfs and Tchee could handle it so he had not worried too much. But the dwarf’s behavior was beginning to alarm him slightly. They had seemed so affable before.

Teek looked up again at his friend circling high above and wondered if he shouldn’t forget Segford’s offer and go elsewhere for his appeasing gift. Although, meeting Helgar was something he had ached for since the first time his mother had told him her story. He probably would not ever get another chance like this one. He looked up again at Tchee. The dwarfs wouldn’t dare try to hurt him with her around. But why would they want to hurt him anyway? By what his mother had told him, dwarfs were a rough lot to begin with anyway but they were not evil. Why would these three be any different? He was being silly. They’re dwarfs. How else do you expect them to act? Teek laughed to himself shrugging off his apprehensions. Everything was going to be just fine. He looked up again at Tchee.

The sun was beginning to descend quickly below the mountain peaks when the small group dropped down next to a tiny stream that inched its way towards a massive rock wall that was cracked right down the middle. It was as if the mountain had split itself in two just to let the tiny stream continue on unobstructed. As they approached the opening, Teek could see that it was just wide enough for a dwarf to walk into if he turned himself to the side. He would be able to make it going straight in. Without a word, Hilden led the group forward into the stream and towards the crack. Tchee suddenly screeched from above and dropped down into the water in front of them blocking the narrow opening and bringing the group to a halt.

“What’s going on?” Segford grunted moving up next to Hilden.

“She doesn’t want me to go in there,” Teek guessed, “because the opening is too small for her to fit.”

“Well, tell her ta move,” Segford growled. “That’s the way we got to be goin’.”

Hilden put a hand on Segford’s arm and squeezed it. “No need to git yerself all upset Segford,” Hilden hissed. “I’m sure that Teek here will handle it. Won’t ye, lad.”

Teek stared at the two dwarfs, Segford with a scowl and Hilden smiling. Teek jumped when Jancar’s hand touched his shoulder. “No need ta fear, lad,” Jancar said, gripping Teek’s shoulder. “This be the way to our home. We almost be to the door.”

Teek watched the dwarfs for a moment when Segford broke loose of Hilden’s grasp and started towards Tchee. “’T ain’t no matter to me what ye do, lad. Stay or come, it all be the same to me, but be so kind as ta move yer friend here so that I might be gettin’ home ‘fore dark.”

Tchee let out a deafening roar as Segford approached bringing the dwarf up short. Turning back to Teek he threw up his hands. “Well, lad. What’s it gonna be?”

Teek let out a deep breath. “I’m sorry. Of course, I’m coming but how do I get her to move?” he asked pointing at Tchee who seemed ready to perch there forever.

Segford looked at the Roc and then back at Teek and shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ve got an idea,” Hilden said moving over towards Segford. “Ye stay here, Teek, while the rest o’ us go through and then ye follow. Let her know it be okay and that ye’ll be back tomorrow. If she let’s ye past, then we’ll be at supper together within the hour. If she don’t, then we part ways here an’ we’ll give Helgar ye best.”

Without another word, the three dwarfs moved toward Tchee and then walked their way around her to the right, watching her the whole time as they did. Tchee made no move to stop them, keeping her eyes locked on Teek the whole time. When he could no longer see the dwarfs, Teek started towards Tchee, his arms outstretched. “It’s okay, Tchee. I’m just going to go with them for tonight. Tomorrow I’ll come out the same way and we can leave.”

Tchee gurgled low in her throat as if in rebuttal but made no sign of moving. Teek stopped in front of her and reached up and rubbed the soft feathers on her chest. She let out a soft coo of approval and then gave a gentle chirp. Teek stepped back and looked into the blue eyes that were taking him in. They held him for a moment as if drawing him into a hypnotic state and then without warning she raised her head and blasted the mountain walls with a loud cry. EEEERRRRROOOOCCCCC!!! Teek quickly pressed his hands against his ears trying to protect them from the explosion of sound. And then, to his amazement, Tchee hopped away from the opening.

Teek smiled. “Don’t worry, Tchee,” he said softly trying to reassure her. “I’ll be back tomorrow, and then we can go home, okay?”

Tchee didn’t move or make a sound.

Teek shrugged and then moved towards the crack in the mountain. Just before he entered he paused and looked back at her. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he started to say when a pair of rough hands grabbed hold of him and yanked him into the narrow opening. Tchee’s head darted forward like lightning just barely getting it into the crack but it was too late; she couldn’t move in any farther and Teek and his captor were already too far away for her to reach.

Teek kicked and thrashed about with his tiny body trying to free himself from the hands that accosted him but they were too strong. “What are you doing?” he shouted, as he realized the hands belonged to Segford. Tchee was digging at the side of the rock now with her razor talons trying to break the mountain away to get to Teek, her cries ones of fury and promised death.

Segford didn’t answer but just pulled him back farther, deeper into the canyon and away from Tchee.

The Roc’s cries were getting farther and farther away when Segford dragged him around a corner where the canyon walls suddenly separated into a bowl shape that curved up the walls and around overhead and then straight up again. Teek saw Hilden and Jancar waiting there and called out to them. “Help, Segford’s gone mad!”

“Shut up, ye thief,” Jancar spat, grabbing Teek’s legs and quickly tying them together with rope.

“Thief?” Teek cried. “What are you talking about?” But there was no answer. A sack was forced over his head and then something hit him in the back of the skull sending him whirling into darkness.