Two hours later, Luoxi returned with a dirt-covered letter and a purse.
The purse was stuffed with gold coins. Luoxi said there was also a money chest outside, filled with gold nuggets.
Annan opened the envelope. The fairly clean sheet inside was covered in crooked Crawler Script written in the Common Tongue.
[Annan Thing, I don't believe you could stumble onto my hiding place through sheer dumb luck. That Dragon Thing won't find it either. I hid it well!]
[So there's only one possibility: I've disappeared, and my child has come looking for you.]
[The purse and gold nuggets are for my child. I know you're viler than Ratfolk, greedier than Dragons, and more shameless than Devils, so I'm trading information to keep you from touching that money!]
[What are your people doing in the North? A McKinnon Rat found Ruins there, with Great Horned Rat Traces inside! That's why the High Priest came. The McKennan Ratfolk don't know yet, but sooner or later they will! The High Priest wants to find the Great Horned Rat before they do!]
[If I hurt you, you have to forgive me! I had no choice! The High Priest is a Higher Ratfolk. It can control all Ratfolk! Its blood runs stronger than mine, so it can control me too!]
[My death had better have nothing to do with you, Annan Thing. Otherwise, all I can do is beg you to take good care of my child.]
[You have to believe me! Look, I've entrusted the child I care about most to you! Why? I can't hand it over to the Clan. It's black, a mutant. They'd bite it to death, and I'd come under suspicion too. It has to be you, Annan Thing. Only you! Please, raise my child well!]
[If you agree,