Abide With Me

Acquisition, Partition, Elevation

The Shadow Trio, having greeted Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, conferred with them on the next steps. "Master Wei, we, as non-corporeal beings, can participate in but a limited fashion in your battle," said Shadow DaNi, looking glum. Shadow Chenqing swung around to look at Wei Ying.

"Oh no, that's not true! I know how you can help," said Wei Ying. "You can join the group of freed miners and help sort them into injured and healthy categories. This will help save time when the coming rescuers infiltrate." With this, the Shadow beings set out for various exits.

Pranith and SaMi raced towards the Haili Ba at the far end of the Grotto. They were in their element and swam like lightning to their destination. The Prince had been alerted to expect more Beaver 'cousins' to join them. SaMi and Pranith clambered up the rocky base of the Haili Ba and sat on the top edge, holding on to thick woven branches. Casting a judicious eye, SaMi took stock of the Haili Ba.

Undoing her plaits, she bound her hair into a stylish top knot. As Pranith watched, intrigued, she shook out her two long red ribbons and handed them to him. "Bite them into two-inch pieces;" she instructed, "Then hand them to me as I ask for them." Pranith grinned and his sharp teeth made short work of the ribbons.

The Haili Ba was built across almost the entire width of the smelly river with just a few feet open at the end, through which a small stream gushed. "So shear stress Tau, equals beam shear equals elastic modulus times strain." SaMi muttered, paused, calculated swiftly and then turned to Pranith.

"Let's get going. Wherever I halt and point, mark the spot by fixing a red ribbon bit on it."

"Will do!" Pranith wore a look of awe at SaMi's academic prowess.

Taking a deep breath, SaMi dove off the top of the Haili Ba, more Swan than Beaver; elegant and efficient as her arms cleaved the water. Pranith followed her with barely a splash. Beginning underwater, the duo planted bits of ribbon at spots between rocks SaMi determined as susceptible and weaker, and worked their way up the entire rocky embankment.

Next, Pranith espied the chains discarded by the prisoners and SaMi agreed that they'd be useful. Collecting as many as they could they find they piled their booty in a corner. Just then, a high-pitched bird call sounded, seemingly on the surface.

"Hear that?" SaMi squealed in delight. "A bird?" Pranith was mystified at SaMi's reaction to a mere bird call.

"Not just a bird, that's a Kestrel,* one of ChengseGe's pets! That means the Army has arrived. Hurray! I sent a pearl asking for reinforcements.  More beavers should be coming in soon."

Prince Chengse too, heard the high pitched chittering. "My Kestrels!" he exclaimed. Excitedly, he turned to Lan Zhan. "Hanguang Jun, our good Chieftain has arrived! Rescue is imminent."

Lori and Wei Ying had just finished briefing the freed miners when the cawing of a conspiracy* of ravens broke the stillness of dawn. A frisson of awareness ran down the length of the Grotto. The Gryphon is awake!" Lori whispered.

This declaration did not have a major impact because, at that very moment, several things happened at once. Lori, Wei Ying, the miners, all looked upwards towards the source of the commotion.

In unspoken agreement and synchronicity, Bichen, Suibian and Chenqing whisked themselves back to their Masters.

Several large Ravens, identified by Lori as counter-intelligence serving Linghun Qiezei, dropped through the adits on the south face. A few Li down the opening, their voices went suddenly silent. Out of the shadows, Shadow Chenqing played silent notes that stole their voices! More Shadow Beings emerged above them, and the Ravens, suddenly burdened, fell towards the water. Shadow DaNi positioned themselves in the water below to catch falling prey. Once the Ravens were removed, the Recce and Advance teams entered simultaneously from several directions and all headed for the Grotto.