He made a brief stop to pick up a small handgun, then returned to the surface above the city’s cavern. The crisp morning air of the forest glade did little to cool the heat of his spirit; he stood motionless at the entrance to the city with a slight breeze ruffling his hair. His eyes scanned the surrounding territory like those of a predator bird seeking its prey. Then, with sudden decision, he strode off in his chosen direction.
He stalked through the forest for half an hour, moving with an easy disdain that epitomized his new persona. After a time he spotted a motion to his right, and halted. There, perched on a tree branch, was a small fuzzy creature reminiscent of a terrestrial squirrel. The creature looked back at him with large black eyes and not a trace of fear; it thought it was s
