Footsteps.  There was the sound of footsteps somewhere out in the hall,
approaching his cell.  Footsteps, and another, different but similar
sound.  Clicking footfalls, it sounded like.

Jeric moved back into the far corner of the cell and waited.  When the
cell door opened, he would strike quickly before it could be closed and
get away.  He would <b>not</b> be trapped here any longer.

They came within sight.  A guard and guard dog.  The dog stopped in
front of his cell and looked at him.

Jeric's eyes flashed green and he lashed out, unable to restrain
himself until the door opened.  His tail flicked through the bars at
them and he hissed, baring his fangs.

The guard jumped back against the bars of the opposite cell with a very
unguardlike squeel of fear.  The dog also backed away.  It reached him
how peculiar their reactions were, and the rage drained out of him.

The guard became a girl, and the dog a wolf.  His eyes widened and he
backed away, startled at what he had done and recognized the two.  He
had attacked the girl from the alley and her pet!  Guilt over what he
had done and sorrow over what he could have accidentally done washed
over him.

"I-I'm sorry," he said.  "I didn't - I thought that - I -" he just
couldn't find the right words.  His mind was a jumble.

The girl relaxed and approached his cell.  "You're the snake man from
before, in the alley," she recognized him.  "But what are you doing in
there?"

Jeric bowed his head.  "An accidental insult to the King.  I'm afraid
he didn't like the thought of his 'darling daughters' not being
perfect."

"You were imprisoned for an accident?" she sounded shocked.  So
innocent she was to the ways of the winged clan.

Jeric nodded.  "Windians have a slight tendency to over react,
especially when it comes to destiny."

"Destiny?" her eyes lit up with understanding.  "You must have been
sent here by the Gods as well!"

What?  Well, that was one way to put it, but - "As well?"

She nodded.  "In my home, each child must visit the Dark Caverns to
receive a vision of their destined role in life.  I have a brother who
saw a great hammer in his vision and was soon after apprenticed to the
blacksmith.  But my vision was different, and I had to leave.  I found
Angel and he lead me to Windia, and then to you."

Jeric gasped.  Here was one of Destiny's children right in front of
him.  Maybe that obscure saying among his clan was correct.  "All
great paths of Destiny cross the threshhold of Windia."

The girl looked down at her wolf, who was sniffing the lock.  "Where is
the key?" she asked.

"The guards probably have a copy," he said, "But..."

"Great," she said quickly.  "I'll just borrow it and get you out of
there in no time."

"Wait!"

But it was too late; she'd dashed off towards the guard's post at the
end of the long hall.  He stared down the hall, watching nerviously for
her to come back.  The guards were armed, and she was not.  The passage
was too narrow to sneak through unseen.  He feared she wouldn't return
alive.  The life of a Destined Child was no trade for his freedom!

Minutes passed like hours until again he heard footsteps approaching.
When the girl appeared again from the dark, he let out a breath he
hadn't realized he'd been holding.  The wolf, Angel, she'd said it's
name was, also looked releaved.

And she was holding in her hand a set of keys.  "How did you get past
the guards?" he asked as she started trying keys.

"A simple illusion.  They ran like little boys up the stairs towards
the kitchen when they smelled what they wanted was cooking.  In their
haste, they forgot their keys," there was a click as one of the keys
finally worked.  "Got it!"

The door swung in, creaking somewhat.  Jeric looked down the hall.
"They'll probably be back soon.  We need to be as far away from here as
possible before they notice I'm gone."

She and the wolf both nodded in agreement.  "By the way, I'm Aelia and
this is Angel," she introduced as they started to depart.

"And I am Jeric," he replied with a smile hidden by the darkness.  He'd
found the first of Destiny's Children and she was polite, smart,
talented, and, despite her unusual clan appearance, beautiful.  He
cut off a thought that came with that and began thinking of where he
could find the next of the Children.

* * *