Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 13:33:37 EDT From: Message-ID: <92252.133337ASG102@psuvm.psu.edu> Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [MI] Little Rat gets a Friend (Alfvaen[Inn]) References: <1992Sep8.155720.13472@kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca> Characters featured: Alfvaen, Delmara, William, Little Rat >Little Rat crawled out from under the table and looked up at Alfvaen. "Thanks, >mister," she said. "Now what you want Little Rat to tell you? I know lots." > >"Not here, Rat," he said. "Let's go someplace a bit more private. Back to >the office." Then he recalled the sculptor's work, and went back to see if >he'd finished yet... Little Rat looked around the room and for the first time, the wonder of it all struck her. The people in the inn were dressed in all sorts of styles and colors. They were eating and drinking, smiling and laughing. There was even a man making shapes out of mud. For the first time since her brother died, she smiled and then caught herself. To smile meant that you were not watching your back, but if that was so, then this place was full of fools. From the kitchen came a hot wave of scented air that caused Rat's stomach to growl in protest. She put her head down in shame and studied the floorboards for a while. Then a thought hit her. "Hey mister," she said pulling on Alfvaen's cloak, "is you a prince or sumfin'? I ain't been to a nice place like dis. Is it a castle or sumfin'? Hey, what you called? I is da Little Rat." Alfvaen looked down at her and shook her tiny hand in greeting, "Pleased to meet you. I am Alfvaen and this is no castle, although Littlefair would tell you otherwise. This is the Dragons Inn." "Mr. Elfman, I is gonna find somefin' to eat whiles you watchin' the man playin' in da mud. I be comin' right back. I ain't gonna run off." She said trying to supress another smile. The garbage from this place must be really good. Love and Peace and Living on the Edge, -The Dreamer-