"L

 
ongshanks!!"
Tall Ayrn Duril was preoccupied. Climbing to his feet, his sight met that of an ax-wielding man-at-arms who, charging down the steps, barked a challenge at him. Sweeping up his bow, the ranger sprang up the stairs bellowing a war-cry of his own.
      He made no attempt to draw an arrow, however, but swung the yew bow like he was hewing mightily at the trunk of a tree. Catching the guard across the knees with the taut hardwood, he sent him tumbling heavily down the stone steps, rewarding Duril with a sickening crunch.
      Longshanks hurriedly grabbed up the fallen axe and turned to face the returning hell-hound, its claws clicking rapidly on the stone floor as it clambered over the steps as before. There was a low growl in the back of its throat and fire crackled from its jaws as it charged the lanky ranger.
      Showing his own teeth, Longshanks too growled, then bashed the ax down on the animal's head, cleaving its skull in twain. It

 
 
dropped twitching in its tracks.
      "Nett hund ." he muttered, and turned to aid his companions.
      Timeras thought his strength had given out, for suddenly the strain was gone from his arm, leaving only the dull ache of stretched muscle. Longshanks had reached over him to grasp the girl's forearm.
      "Cease your wailing, woman!" He grunted and began pulling on both of them. "You're safe enough now! Will you have the whole castle coming down about our ears?" He bared his clenched teeth at the strain, loosed a second grunt, and then with a mighty heave pulled both of them back into the tower.
      O'Cuire nodded a gratitude, his chest pumping like a bellows. He winced as he massaged his bruised shoulder. "Not quite so young as we used tae be, eh, Longshanks lad?"
      The grizzled ranger nodded back. He held the girl in his arms to still her shaking, all harsh words fled from memory as quickly as he had uttered them. He stroked her hair tenderly with

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