Enchantment (109 page)

Then
he
heard
a
voice.
He
didn’t
recognize
it,
but
he
hoped
to
hell
it
wasn’t
Kerrigan.
Jager decided
his
best
bet
w
a
s
to
let
whoever
it
w
a
s
know
he
w
a
s
there
and
hope
they
would
lead
him to
Meeka.

“Hello!”
Jager
rang
out
in
his
best
imit
a
tion
of
Pad
d
y
’
s voice.

He
listened
and
waited
as
he
heard
noises
co
m
ing
closer.
Whatever
it
was
s
ounded
like
a s
m
all
elephant.

A
s
m
all
creature
bounded
around
the
corner
with
its
tail
wagging
and
pounced
on
hi
m
.
A
ppalled, Jager
let
out
a
squeal,
tr
y
i
n
g
to
get
aw
a
y
from
the
odd
creature.

W
h
a
t
the hell is
it?

The
creature stepped
back,
and
its
tail fell
down
between
its
large
hippo
legs.

“Aren’t
y
ou
hap
p
y
to
see
Threeo,
Padd
y
?
W
h
y
’
d
y
ou
scre
a
m
?
”
The
creature
s
at
back
on
its haunches,
visib
l
y
disappointed.

He
gathered
his
co
m
posure
quick
l
y
.
Of
course
Pad
d
y
would
be
hap
p
y
to
see
the
stupid, aw
k
ward
creature.
Clearing
his
throat,
he
spoke.
“
O
f
course
I’m
happy
to
see
y
o
u
.
You
j
u
st startled
m
e. My
m
ind w
a
s
on
other
things.”

Threeo
stared
at
her.
“Oh.”
Sadness
still
etched
his
face.

Q
uick,
think
of
s
omethin
g
.

“Would
y
o
u
like
to
play
later
?
”
Jager
asked.
Pl
a
y
w
hat?
He
had
no
idea,
but
hoped
this
was the
right
thing
to
sa
y
.

Threeo’s
tail
lifted
a
bit,
and
his
expression
changed
slowl
y
.
“Can
we
have
treats,
to
o
?
You kn
o
w
I
love
treats.”

He
breathed
a
sigh
of
relief.
It
worked.
“
Y
ou
bet
y
o
u
can
have
treats.
D
o
y
o
u
know
w
here ever
y
o
n
e i
s
?
”
He
could
barely
contain his
glee.
It
couldn’t
be
so
eas
y
.

“I
don’t
know
w
here
eve
r
y
o
ne else
is,
but
Meeka
just
finished
pla
y
i
n
g with
the
babies.
She’s al
m
ost
done
cleaning
up.
Th
e
y
m
ade
quite
a
m
ess.”
Threeo
laughed.

W
h
a
t
babies?

He needed
to
get
the
hell
out
of there,
and soon.
He
quite
liter
a
l
l
y
stood in
the
dragon’s
den, and
he
didn’t
like it
one
bit.
He
had
to
get
to
the
lit
t
le
tr
a
m
p and
get
out.

A
n
idea
for
m
u
l
ated in
his
m
ind.

“I
can’t
wait
until
later.”
Jager
lied,
clapping
his
hands.
“
We’ll
have
fun
pl
a
y
i
n
g,
but
right n
o
w,
my
pet,
could
y
o
u please
go
tell
Meeka
I
need
to
see
her?
I’ll
w
ait
right
here
for
her.”

“Sure,
Pad
d
y
.
I’ll
go
get
her for
y
o
u.” He
turned
and thu
m
ped
his
w
a
y
down
the stairs.

H
i
s
da
m
ned
an
i
m
al
fur
w
a
s
da
m
p
with
s
weat.
With
a
paw,
he
wiped
around
his
face.
H
o
w could
an
y
o
n
e
live
like thi
s
?
A
nticip
a
tion and
nervousne
s
s gnawed
at
his
sto
m
ach. Hearing
voices from
so
m
ewhere
below,
he
put
on
a
large
s
m
i
le.
Eve
r
y
o
ne
knew
Pad
d
y
Beaver
had
a
constant s
m
ile
etched
into
her
features.

Threeo
was
again
the
first
one
to
m
e
e
t
him
at
the
top
of
the
stairs,
but
this
time
Jager
knew
w
hat
was
expected,
and
bent
to
pet
the
cree
p
y
little thing.

A
vision
of
long
legs ca
m
e into view
as Meeka
rounded
the corner,
taking
the
last
few stairs.

She
w
a
s
even
m
ore
delicious
-
looking
than
the
last
t
i
m
e
he
s
aw
her.
The
cute
little
dre
s
s
she’d been
wearing
at
the
lake
was
gone,
and
denim
covered
her
long
legs.
No
wonder
Kerrigan
was keeping
her
all
to
hi
m
s
e
lf.