of the pit, fed with sufficient organic material, and this whole room will grow from it. And in time . . . warriors." She laughed delightedly and patted the pouch like a mother might pat her pregnant belly.
Chansa lowered the barriers of his horror and thought about that. "How long for them to grow?"
"Oh, some years," Celine admitted. "But they can grow on practically nothing, anywhere that conditions are appropriate in the caverns of the area. The cavern can't be too hot or too cold and there has to be no sunlight; the fungi are very susceptible to ultraviolet. But, within those constraints, we can grow them in job lots."
"We must keep this secret," Chansa said.
"Oh, yes," Celine replied. "We must surprise those weak fools who would stand in the way of my research."
"I wasn't thinking of them," Chansa snapped. "I'm still hoping beyond hope we can conceal it from Her Ladyship!"
"All it is is a bit of genetic manipulation," Celine smiled. "Everyone does that."
* * *
Azure woke up, stretched and sniffed the morning air. From the scent of the house it was obvious that the main human had gone and not much food was left around to scrounge. He walked to the back, nudged open the door and stalked outside.
Another quick sniff confirmed that there was nothing to eat, screw or fight in the immediate vicinity. How boring. There was a faint chittering of mice somewhere in the woodpile, but that was hardly worth his time. After contemplating the distressingly empty scene for a moment, he wandered down the hill to Raven's Mill.
It was immediately apparent that more of the humans were in town than normal. And the excess didn't seem to be doing anything except scratching fleas. He wandered through town, accepting the occasional pet on
Chansa lowered the barriers of his horror and thought about that. "How long for them to grow?"
"Oh, some years," Celine admitted. "But they can grow on practically nothing, anywhere that conditions are appropriate in the caverns of the area. The cavern can't be too hot or too cold and there has to be no sunlight; the fungi are very susceptible to ultraviolet. But, within those constraints, we can grow them in job lots."
"We must keep this secret," Chansa said.
"Oh, yes," Celine replied. "We must surprise those weak fools who would stand in the way of my research."
"I wasn't thinking of them," Chansa snapped. "I'm still hoping beyond hope we can conceal it from Her Ladyship!"
"All it is is a bit of genetic manipulation," Celine smiled. "Everyone does that."
* * *
Azure woke up, stretched and sniffed the morning air. From the scent of the house it was obvious that the main human had gone and not much food was left around to scrounge. He walked to the back, nudged open the door and stalked outside.
Another quick sniff confirmed that there was nothing to eat, screw or fight in the immediate vicinity. How boring. There was a faint chittering of mice somewhere in the woodpile, but that was hardly worth his time. After contemplating the distressingly empty scene for a moment, he wandered down the hill to Raven's Mill.
It was immediately apparent that more of the humans were in town than normal. And the excess didn't seem to be doing anything except scratching fleas. He wandered through town, accepting the occasional pet on