Kalin was nodding off, as she did many times during the day. She never really slept. She wavered between fully alert and constantly aware.

The building started to rumble. Anyone who was standing was thrown to the floor. Kalin had never been in an earthquake, but had heard of them. She didn't know what to expect, but thought this might be an earthquake. The building was shaking as if a giant hammer was pounding it. The shaking seemed to be getting more violent and the noise was getting louder.

A number of small animals ran up to Kalin and started chittering. Kalin tried to calm them down, but they would not be quieted. All but one of them ran a little ways away, then turned and started chittering again. The one that was left, a small mouse, stood up on her haunches and berated Kalin soundly. The mouse then ran to the rest and joined them in their noise.

Dumbly Kalin stared at them, and then slowly stood up. The little creatures ran over to a wall, and then scooted to the left about five feet. Kalin stared at the wall and then looked at the creatures. The little creatures looked up at the wall expectantly.

Kalin noticed that the earthquake seemed to be getting louder. The noise was more consistent now and had changed to a loud rumble.

Suddenly the wall in front of Kalin shook violently. The wall was made of stones. It shook as if it was being rammed. The wall was struck seven or eight times. Kalin had jumped back after the first violent attack. The rest of her cell mates were cowering behind her.

Finally Kalin could see some cracks in the wall, then some slim shafts of light. Even that little bit of light was blinding since the cell was normally pitch black, and their only light was what peeked in from a torch when the guards opened the door.

Suddenly the wall burst and the room was flooded with light. Blocking the opening was a creature that was bigger than a tent. The animal was gray with a great snake-like snout. The great gray beast had huge tusks and was trumpeting like a horn player announcing a king.

Before Kalin could move, the animal was gone. In the gap flooded all of the prisoners. She sat alone in the cell staring at the hole in the wall. Even the small creatures had left.

Suddenly a familiar face appeared in the opening. Kalin cried.

Danta sat in his tent. Looking out of the opening of his tent, he looked over the trees, and saw a cloud rising. He could hear a roar coming from the city.

The light dimmed and standing in the opening was the Emperor. "So, is this your army attacking?" The Emperor asked, his face stern.

"My people are pacifists. They would not attack you. We are also small in number. Maybe this is a rebellion of some of your slaves." Danta said as he calmly looked down and drew in the dirt.

"The slaves have no organization. We keep an eye on them, and subdue them."

"You beat and kill them." Danta said as he looked up into the Emperors eyes. "Some of your slaves are more subtle than others. You might take note that the more intelligent of your slaves may be more organized than you think."

"They would need a leader. You are that type of man."

"I suppose they would, but have you seen me meet with anyone while I have been here?" Danta said. He was back to looking down, and drawing in the dirt.

"No, you have only spent your time with animals. Until I find a better suspect I will hold you." As the Emperor stepped aside Danta could see the twelve knights. Two of the knights came in, and grabbed Danta by the arms. They carried him out of the tent and the knights brought him to the Emperors house.

The Emperor walked into the tent and looked down. On the ground where Danta had sat was the outline of a mouse.

A soft brown muzzle rubbed against Kalin's cheeks, wiping her tears away. Danta's beast stood above Kalin. She turned and walked out of the hole in the wall and laid down looking back at Kalin. Kalin took the hint and walked over to the beast. She sat down next to her and rubbed her neck. After a few moments she crawled onto the beasts back.

The beast slowly stood. Riding through the building, Kalin was amazed. The building was damaged nearly beyond repair. As they left the building Kalin could see that the city was under attack.

Animals were marching everywhere. They were marshaled in small groups. Each team had one or two large beasts, some carnivores, and a healthy collection of small animals. As they approached a building the large animals would pound with their heads or bodies at a door or wall. As soon as they would win entrance the carnivores rush in. People would then run out of the building.

If any animals were confined the small animals would chew on their ropes or straps to free them. The large animals would break any cages. After an animal was freed it would join the group or run off to another group. When the building was empty of animals and people the large animals would pound on it until it was severely damaged. Groups would combine for larger building.

Kalin could see birds flying in large groups. There were also huge packs of carnivores running around. At first she couldn't tell what they were doing.

As Kalin passed through the city she could see that many if the homes and buildings were destroyed. Some buildings were left standing. The destruction seemed to be random. It was as if the animals were deciding which buildings to destroy.

If the people would leave the animals alone they were left alone. If the people resisted the animals would knock them down and try to chase them away. If the people attacked the animals at all the animals would kill them.

Kalin seemed to be moving in a straight line. As she moved through the city she saw a great hill in the center of the city. On the hill was a great house surrounded by a forest and a wall. Kalin could see that the destruction was moving towards the hill from all sides.

Around the hill Kalin could see many bands of men. The men seemed to be dressed in the same sort of leather outfit. These men seemed to be carrying some kind of shiny sticks and other objects. The large packs of carnivores and the birds seemed to be circling around these men. Kalin moved away and out of the city.

As Kalin moved out of the city she saw many of the people of the city. Some of the animals were herding the people away in a different direction than Kalin was going.

As Kalin was moving out of the city she could see that a great cloud was forming around the hill in the center of the city. She could only think of one thing though - where was Danta?

As Kalin sat on a hill miles from the great city she looked back at the city. The city was so great that she could not see the whole length and width of it. Up from the city was rising a great cloud.

Kalin could see a dark cloud moving towards her. As the cloud moved closer she could see that in the middle of it were many animals. Then moving to the front of the mass was a black cloud. The black cloud was birds. The birds streamed past Kalin like a black wave.

Kalin stood next to Danta's beast and her hair flowed behind her from the rushing wind. Then many animals rushed by. She could see that the sea of animals was the size of a great inland sea.

Kalin stared out towards the broken city. She realized that Danta must have been lost in the battle to destroy the city. She remembered him saying that he did not have much longer to live. Staring down into that great mass of animals she wondered whether Danta's death was too great of a sacrifice. The People did not die young. They often lived hundreds of years. Danta was barely twenty years. It was such a rare occurrence to lose such a young man that Kalin stood and cried for her whole people in regret for so young a death.

Out of the middle of the crowd of animals Kalin saw a great beast. The rest of the great beasts had already passed. As she strained to see, Kalin noticed that there appeared to be someone on top of the beast. At the bottom of the hill the beast stopped. The man looked up and raised his arm. Kalin saw Danta smile. Kalin's tears turned to joy.