“On it!”

  The giants went down, finally. And Threadbare went over to hug Pulsivar, who lay there, panting, grooming his bloody fur.

  Fluffbear looked up from his side and shook her head. “He lost a life.”

  “What?”

  “He has the Nine Lives skill, just like Kayin. But he’s on life number seven now. Two more to go, then…” she hugged Pulsivar too, his fur rasping as it ruffled against her armor.

  “No. No, I don’t want him to die!” Threadbare said. The cat switched from grooming himself to licking them, tongue rasping against their plush hides.

  “Maybe…” Cecelia looked over at Madeline. “Maybe we could put him back in the pack? Just for this run?”

  “Maybe for more than that,” Garon said. “We’re up against some pretty tough customers, and bobcat levels aren’t going to cut it. I mean…” he sighed. “As a cat, he’s totally badass. But he’s still a cat. Up against giants, and daemons, and everything else… if we want him to survive, we should maybe stop bringing him into battle.”

  “That might be good. He doesn’t get any of my tamer bonuses, like Mopsy does. And his armor just.. isn’t. I used to think we could soulstone him if the worst happened,” Fluffbear squeaked, “But I’m not sure he’d be okay with this. Or like living as a golem.”

  “We should have this discussion outside. Until then let’s keep him out of danger,” Threadbare decided.

  But Pulsivar was having none of it. When they pulled out the pack, he refused to go back in. Even with Fluffbear offering treats.

  Finally, Zuula shook her head. “Speak with Nature,” she said, and snarled for a bit. Pulsivar growled back. Then the shaman shrugged. “He say no.”

  “No? But… I don’t want him to die,” Threadbare said.

  “Incoming,” Kayin said, looking at the rippling air.

  “He say it his choice. And he rather die fighting for family, den hide safe while dey all risk. Besides he say you all lost wit’out him, silly hoomin toys.”

  With that all there was to it, and no hope of changing the proud cat’s mind, they hurried away from the respawning guards and into what the local giants referred to as the ‘Sheep level.’

  And there the toys got a rude shock. Kayin’s estimate of evading trouble had been far, far too optimistic.

  The shepherds weren’t a problem as all. The shepherds dropped their crooks and ran, as soon as trouble started.

  But the things they were herding weren’t sheep at all.

  They were Wooly Bullies, and the bigger males among them had horns and strong territorial instincts.

  “Bah!” They called, as they sighted interlopers.

  “Ram!” They shouted, as they used Rammit skills to knock the golems around the grassy fields, sending them tumbling as Threadbare and his friends fought the herds.

  “Oh Ewe!” Their mates called out, affectionately, as they used healing nuzzles to keep the males fighting fit.

  The group had come prepared to fight giants, big slow things that took a lot of punishment and hit really hard. They hadn’t come prepared for endless waves of sheep, which were faster things that took a bit less punishment, and nibbled more weakly, but more persistently. And worst of all, the damned things didn’t run. No matter how many of the herd had fallen, the wooly bullies didn’t stop coming.

  But for all that, they were up against golems, with only a few living allies to worry about. Golems had great endurance, and it took a lot to get them tired. Twenty minutes into the fight Graves and the cats were flagging, but with a few shouted orders by Garon and Threadbare, the toys reorganized themselves into a loose square around their living allies.

  And for a while there, it looked like it was working. They moved across the field, slowly, sending wool flying and standing resolute against sheep the size of great danes. Glub’s song rose above the bleating, a song of clarity this time, so Threadbare and the healers could keep everyone in good shape. The giant fights had been sprints, races to take them down before they killed someone. This was more of a marathon, a grinding ocean of wooly meat that needed to be converted into mutton.

  They didn’t notice the midboss until it was among them.

  Threadbare’s head snapped around as Cecelia… no, Marva, screamed.

  There, under a white pelt with eyeholes, was something brown, with glaring red eyes, and big, big jaws, all the better to bite Marva with. It was gnawing her, looking very surprised, as its teeth rasped on porcelain and metal. It spat her out and she tumbled, barely avoided a Ram, and hurried back to the group.

  “Wolf in Sheep’s clothing!” Garon yelled, and then the creature was leaping into the center of the formation, howling in fury…

  QUICK REFERENCE: THREADBARE’S NEW SKILLS

  BONE GOLEM Level 15, Cost 250 San, Duration: Permanent Allows the golemist to construct a bone golem shell. Requires bones, 3 doses of GREEN reagents, and a level 3 crystal.

  CALL GOLEM Level 15, Cost 75 San, Duration: Instant Teleports one of your golems to your side. The golem must either be in your party, or within 500 feet per rank in this skill at the time of casting.

  THREADBARE’S CHARACTER SHEET

  Name: Threadbare Age: 5

  Jobs: Greater Toy Golem Level 15 Cave Bear Level 12 Ruler Level 12 Scout Level 7 Tailor Level 11 Model Level 10 Necromancer Level 11 Duelist Level 7 Animator Level 12 Enchanter Level 10 Golemist Level 15 Smith Level 11 Sculptor Level 13

  Attributes: Strength: 136 Constitution: 150 Hit Points: 286(462) Armor: 52(65) Intelligence: 231 Wisdom: 206(213) Sanity: 437(592) Mental Fortitude: 42 Dexterity: 157(164) Agility: 129(136) Stamina: 303(410) Endurance: 62 Charisma: 120(149) Willpower: 217 Moxie: 337(466) Cool: 20(49) Perception: 126 Luck: 96(103) Fortune: 222(329) Fate: 15(22)

  Generic Skills Brawling - Level 49 (+19) Climb - Level 13 Clubs and Maces - Level 19 Dagger - Level 9 Dodge - Level 12 Fishing - Level 1 Magic Item 1 - Resist Fire 13 Ride - Level 9 Stealth - Level 17 Swim - Level 5

  Greater Toy Golem Skills Adorable - Level 34 Bodyguard - Level 8 Gift of Sapience - Level NA Golem Body - Level 31 Innocent Embrace - Level 14 Magic Resistance -Level 17

  Cave Bear Skills Animalistic Interface - NA Claw Swipes - 44 Darkspawn - NA Forage - 13 Growl - 2 Hibernate - 37 Scents and Sensibility - 20 Stubborn - 9 Toughness - 23

  Ruler Skills Appoint Official - Level NA Emboldening Speech - Level 19 Identify Subject - Level 10 It’s Good to be King - NA King’s Quest - Level 15 Noblesse Oblige - Level 35 Organize Minions - Level NA Royal Audience - Level 22 Simple Decree - Level 15 Swear Fealty - Level NA

  Scout Skills Alertness - Level 3 Best Route - Level 3 Camouflage - Level 13(20) Firestarter - Level 10 Keen Eye - Level 11 Sturdy Back - Level 13 Wind’s Whisper - Level 15

  Tailor Skills Adjust Outfit - Level 4 Clean and Press - Level 15 Recycle Cloth - Level 2 Tailoring - Level 54(69)

  Model Skills Adjust Weight - Level 14 Call Outfit - Level 4 Dietary Restriction - Level 50 (+100 to all pools) Fascination - Level 8 Flex - Level 21 Makeup - Level 11 Self-Esteem - Level 21 Sexy Pose - Level 2 Strong Pose - Level 16 Work it Baby - Level 50 (+50% to raw item bonuses)

  Necromancer Skills Assess Corpse - Level 12 Command the Dead - Level 28 Deathsight - Level 9 Drain Life - Level 7 Invite Undead - Level 12 Mana Focus - Level NA (+11% to sanity) Skeletons - Level 19 Soulstone - Level 45 Speak With Dead - Level 24 Zombies - Level 3

  Duelist Skills Challenge - Level 9 Dazzling Entrance - Level 17 Fancy Flourish - Level 13 (20) Guard Stance - Level 21 Parry - Level 22 Swashbuckler’s Spirit - NA (+14 to cool) Swinger - Level 2 Weapon Specialist - Level 38 (Brawling +19)

  Animator Skills Animus - Level 36 Animus Blade - Level 10 Animus Shield - Level 4 Arm Creation - Level 7 Command Animus - Level 19 Creator’s Guardians - Level 27 Dollseye - Level 18 Eye for Detail - Level 20 Magic Mouth - Level 18 Mend - Level 40

  Enchanter Skills Appraise - Level 30 Boost+5 - Level 14 Boost +10 - Level 2 Disenchant - Level 7 Elemental Protection - Level 9 Glowgleam - Level 26 Harden - Level 36 Soften - Level 31 Spellstore I - Level 25 Spellstore V - Level 4 Spellstore X - Level 1 Wards - Level 2

  Golemist Skills Bone Golem - Level 1 Call Golem - Level 2 Clay Golem - Level 3 Command Golem - Level 24 Golem Animus - Level 48 Golem Guardians - NA Invite Golem - Level 12 Mend Golem - Level 41 Program Golem - Level 43 Toy Golem - Level 56 Wood Golem - Level 12

  Smith Skills Adjust Arms and Armor - Level 10 Refine Ore - Level 13 Smelt Down - Level 6 Smithing - Level 50

  Sculptor Skills Detect Clay - Level 8 Mend Ceramic - Level 6 Refine Clay - Level 18 Sculpting - Level 60

  Equipment Journeyman Tailor’s Apron of fire resistance (+6 Armor, +10 Tailoring, Resist Fire 9)(+3 Armor, +5 Tailoring, +4 Resist Fire from WIB)

  Okay Quality Bling Ringtail Master’s Coat (+5 CHA, +5 LUCK, +5 Armor, +5 Fate)(+2 CHA, LUCK, Armor, Fate from WIB) Rod of Baronly Might (+5 CHA, +5 WIS, +10 Cool)(+2 CHA, WIS, +5 Cool from WIB) Sneakypants (+5 Camouflage)(+2 Camouflage from WIB) Yellow Belt of Bravado (+5 AGL, +5 DEX, +5 to the Fancy Flourish skill)(+2 AGL, DEX, Fancy Flourish from WIB) Toy Top Hat (CHA +10)(+5 CHA from WIB)

  Inventory A Folded-steel Dagger (Dagger Level 10) Tailor’s Tools A small jewelry box, now empty. 1 bead of Mend Golem (Level 15) Minorphone (Enhances voice and social skills focused through it twice per day)

  Quests King’s Quest - Take Down the Lurker

  Unlocked Jobs Berserker, Cleric, Cook, Cultist, Grifter, Spirit Medium, Tamer, Wizard

  A Small Giant Problem 2

  The wooly bullies were acting out of territorial concerns.

  The wolf? He wanted MEAT.

  Pulsivar and Mopsy smelled like predators, so they weren’t his first choice.

  No, that honor fell to Graves.

  And Graves fell as the enormous, horse-sized wolf leaped on his back, and fastened his jaws around the man’s head, worrying it. Only his helm saved him from serious damage.

  His helm and Fluffbear, as she squeaked a challenge, slammed Mopsy into him, and started raining down Dolorous Strikes that hit all out of proportion to her size. She’d activated holy smite early in the sheep battle, and the glowing, enlarged field of divine energy that trailed after her weapon and left afterimages flashed as it sliced red numbers out of the wolf.

  Then Kayin was on the thing from behind, backstabbing for all she was worth.

  “Hold the square!” Threadbare called, worried as their formation started to fall apart…

  …but he needn’t, for to his amazement, the sheep were as worried about the wolf as he was. They backed off, forming a wooly ring, and the ewes in the herd got to work, healing up their bah rams.

  “Madeline, go toast some healers!” Garon called, as soon as it was clear they wouldn’t get rushed.

  “On it!” She broke ranks and flapped upward, diving towards the biggest clusters of fluffy ewes. “Hey ewe assholes! Bahninate!”

  Turns out, wool is pretty combustible. Burning sheep fled the herd, bleating and crying. Though the others didn’t follow suit, it did thin out a few of their healers.

  The wolf fought savagely, laying into Fluffbear and Mopsy, and Threadbare focused on mending her, while she healed Mopsy.

  Then Pulsivar was in there, laying into it with a full pounce and rake, only to get tossed off contemptuously. The black bobcat squalled and came in for another run… but got slammed backward, sent head over tail.

  The group closed in, surrounding it, overcoming it by sheer weight of numbers-

  -and the Wolf grinned, and said “Where Wolf?” Then it leaped, as mightily as it had before, leaving the group and vanishing back into the herd.

  “Healing? Please?” Graves croaked, blinking blearily at the dumbfounded sheep, who looked around for the wolf…

  …and saw it was gone.

  But hey, wait! There were intruders in their territory!

  The sheep looked at each other, and again the fuzzy tide surged inward. “Reassemble! Get back in form-“

  “RA-A-A-AM!” A wooly bully called, colliding with the little wooden minotaur. Garon went flying. Madeline darted down and caught him, and descended to rejoin the formation.

  “Zuula got you!” The shaman said. “Fast Regeneration!” She told Graves, then hopped up to his shoulder, to get a little more room to cast. “Call Vines!” Ropes of plant matter shot out of the ground on their flank, blunting the worst of the charge. But the Bullies were big, and her vines weren’t infinite, and it would only hold them for a little while, she knew. No point in calling thorns either, their woolly hides would ignore those.

  Graves glanced back to Threadbare, bashing a ram in the head with his shield as he sidestepped it. “Permission to go full death knight?”

  “What does that mean?” Threadbare called back, raising his voice over the bleating and screaming.

  “The cats need to get clear!”

  “Missus Fluffbear, get them out!” Threadbare called.

  It took a few seconds, but the little paladin managed to leap Mopsy clear. And where Mopsy went, Pulsivar did as well. He’d learned THAT much, at least.

  “All right you jerks,” Graves said, raising his sword up high. “Bony Armor! Graveblade!”

  Bloody bones ripped from the sheep’s corpses, and gathered around him, splattering him with gore. Gray, sickly energy coalesced around his sword, almost like smoke made solid. Leading with his shield, hacking into the herd around him, the Death Knight left the formation and began his gory work.

  Glub and Marva started to move to back him up, but Cecelia called them back. “He’s got this! Watch!”

  The Graveblade didn’t seem to kill sheep any faster, but it wasn’t meant to.

  No, what that buff did, was turn anything that Graves killed into a zombie.

  One by one, the sheep he hacked down fell. One by one they rose, baahing “Brai-ai-ai-ains,” and doing their best to chew their former herdmates to death.

  They didn’t turn on Graves, thankfully. His Undead Truce class feature was proof against that.

  And as for the golems…

  Cecelia stood very still, as a zombie sheep waddled up to her, gave her a sniff, then walked away, bleating for brains.

  No flesh, no meat, nothing good to eat.

  For a second, all was going well. Graves was killing living sheep, the sheep couldn’t hurt him fast enough to bring him down, and the growing tide of zombies was throwing their ranks into confusion and panic. The circle around the toys slipped, started to break-

  -and in the sudden gap, Threadbare could see Pulsivar, Mopsy, and Fluffbear, fighting for their lives against the wolf. It stood on two legs now, wooly skin thrown on its back like a cape, lashing down at Fluffbear with sweeping strikes.

  Threadbare ran that way with all his might, moving with long-practiced agility, great bounds eating up the grass as he hopped Zuula’s vines, but he was far away, so very far, and as he watched the wolf backhanded Fluffbear off Mopsy and turned to focus on the two cats, chasing Pulsivar. A Caterwaul rose up from the bobcat as he dodged for all he was worth-

  -but it wasn’t enough. The wolf’s jaws closed around Pulsivar.

  “I challenge you!” Threadbare called, tucking his scepter in its loop, hanging it over his shoulder as he stretched his claws.

  Your Challenge skill is now level 10!

  “Drain Life!” the little bear threw in for good measure, as the wolf turned around in surprise, then yelped and dropped the limp cat as a red ’21’ tore from him and swirled into Threadbare.

  Your Drain Life skill is now level 8!

  Mopsy tore at the wolf’s flank as Fluffbear ran to Pulsivar’s twitching form, but the wolf ignored them both and growled at Threadbare as he loped toward his tiny tormentor.

  Threadbare ignored the moxie damage, and the notice that flashed up.

  You have resisted The Wherewolf’s Growl!

  Your Stubborn skill is now level 10!

  No, Threadbare ignored all else, as he rushed straight into the wolf’s jaws, as they came crashing down around him, for massive damage.

  CON +1

  Your Golem Body skill is now level 32!

  Your Toughness skill is now level 24!

  The wolf tried to shake him. Threadbare felt one of his legs rip free, ignored it, ignored his pants tearing away as they went with the leg, and squirmed, right into the wolf’s throat.

  The wolf froze, as the little golem’s claws jabbed into it, right through the back of its cheeks.

  “Adjust Weight,” Threadbare said, there in the wolf’s gullet.

  And the wolf coughed as the little bear swelled up to almost twice his regular size.

  Inside the wolf’s throat.

  The wolf went berserk, shaking its head, clawing at its mouth, unable to get its paws in at a good angle. Not that it mattered. Whenever Threadbare felt a tear, he’d whisper “Mend Golem.”

  He had to ration his air carefully. There wasn’t much inside the wolf’s throat.

  Especially since he was blocking any from getting in to the wolf’s lungs.

  And after a minute, its struggles weakened, and slowed. Then it fell over. But Threadbare stayed stuck in.

  In the end, the wolf died in an appropriate fashion, choked to death on a mouthful of fluff way bigger than he could handle.

  By slaying a creature through suffocation you have unlocked the Air Elementalist Job!

  You cannot become an air elementalist at this time!

  Only then, did Threadbare dig himself out. It was very messy, but eventually the wolf gave way, and he stared out into the sky… and at the distant figures of his running friends, heading toward him. He glanced around, realized that he was in a different part of the field. The wolf, in its struggles, had panicked and fled, evidently.

  “I’m all right!” He called, emerging bloody and torn from the wolf. But it didn’t matter, because Pulsivar was one of the ones coming toward him, and he was very, very relieved to see the big cat alive and mobile.

  While waiting for his friends he managed a few clean and presses, and a mend for his torn trousers, and then his friends were up to him. He glanced over at the herd of sheep zombies, shuffling slowly towards the group, drawn by the lure of living cats to eat.