"I knew it all along..." Annan sighed.
How could an ordinary cat talk...?
He remembered the Golden Dragon he had met in Beta City, transformed into a cat. Could Lily be...?
Annan opened a Teleportation Portal. "Where's Lily?"
Before long, Maid Abby came running over with Lily in her arms.
"Annan~"
Lily sprang impatiently from Abby's arms and rubbed against Annan's legs.
Seeing that Lily looked just as she always had, Annan gradually calmed down and gave up asking who she was. He crouched and pointed at the Rock Cave. "Little Spider and Silly Cat crawled into that cave and disappeared."
Worried she might run in too, he kept a hand on Lily.
"Cat knows."
Lily showed no interest in the Rock Cave. She just circled Annan's hand.
So Little Spider and Silly Cat had gone in at Lily's prompting?
Annan picked Lily up, set her inside the Teleportation Portal, then stood and looked at Olmedo as she hurried over.
"How did things go on your end?" she asked.
"Mm... I've finished what I came to do. I'm getting ready to head back."
"Should I have Dean Breichim come get you?" Olmedo still didn't know why Annan had come out here.
"No need. I know a way out. I'm going to take a look."
Why had the Vampires and Ratfolk fought so viciously in the Serens Mountains? If it was over treasure... finders deserved a share!
Annan closed the Teleportation Portal and stared into the deep Rock Cave.
The shrill wind sweeping through the Canyon drowned out any sound from inside. There was no telling where it led.
Holding the empty Glass Bottle, now containing nothing but cobwebs, Annan looked as mournful as a father. Little Spider hadn't even said goodbye...
Annan put the Glass Bottle in his Magic Ring,