Did You Say Chicks by Esther M. Friesner (ed)

Author:Esther M. Friesner (ed) [Friesner, Esther M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: anthology, epic, fantasy, S&S, women warriors
ISBN: 9780671878672
Amazon: 0671878670
Publisher: Baen
Published: 1998-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

She was barking treed when he caught up with her, the critter cowering not far overhead.

“Shiba!” he bellowed, timing to catch her between barks. There was anger in that voice. Definite anger.

Suddenly, Shiba remembered the feel on the harness as she’d dragged him over roots, the sound as he broke through lowlying brush with his face, the ripping noise of good stout broadcloth as he hit the greenbriar she’d slicked right through…

Just as suddenly, she realized she was high off the ground, balanced on three different branches with one front foot clawing to find purchase in the bark… of the tree… she was in. Tallon looked up at her, and now she saw astonishment mixed in with the anger on his face. She could see the way his hair was thinning on top, too. She barked encouragingly at him.

He fisted his hands on his hips and said, “Shiba,come down from that tree.”

Come down? She didn’t remember getting up here—how was she supposed to get down? Her front foot slipped again; bits of bark rained down on Tallon’s head. Come down? Not a chance. Never.

Tallon looked at her, looked at the critter, looked at her, swore… and started to climb. That was more like it! Shiba wagged her tail. They’d get themagicsmelltogether!

But when Tallon came to a stop between Shiba and the critter, it was to reach for Shiba’s harness.

Ohhh, no. He wouldn’t—hecouldn’t—

He tugged. Shiba’s four legs turned to twenty, all clawing for purchase amidst the convoluted branches of the low-slung maple. One insistent man’s arm was nothing against ninety pounds of determined hound.

Tallon muttered another curse, his gaze swiveling to the critter. Beady-eyed, it stared back, all four stubby little legs wrapped around its branch, its tail hanging down like something already dead, a naked scaly appendage no farther from Tallon than he was from Shiba.

In one quick, decisive movement, Tallon grabbed that tail, ripped the animal off the branch, and flung it at the ground.Magicsmellon the move! Shiba’s nose-brain kicked in and she launched herself into the air, no more thinking about the long drop than she did about Tallon’s precarious position—

Whump! They collided and fell together in a collection of flailing limbs. Tallon hit first, curling up to take it in a roll; Shiba bounced off him and careened off in the opposite direction, ending up on her back with all four legs in the air, askew and undignified.

She scrambled to her feet and located Tallon. He’d ended up on his back, too, his arms and legs looking as disorganized as Shiba felt. Shiba shook herself off, shedding leaves and twigs. She went to encourage Tallon to do the same, peering down into his open eyes from much the same vantage point she’d had the day before.

He scowled back up at her. His eyes grew less dazed and more angry. Uh-oh.

And then… then… Shiba smelled the smell. Themagicsmell. Enthusiastically, she sniffed the air around Tallon, and the juncture of his body against the ground. Oh yes, oh joy, definitely, themagicsmellwashere

—

She couldn’t help herself.

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