[Mnemosyne]

"All right," said Nogrod. "Lal's the last wolf. Let's do this."

"Really," said Rikae, "I don't know how I feel about that. All this killing at close quarters..."

"Well, I doubt the trees are coming back. But we should be able to find some fairly humane way."

"Gondolin?" said Rikae. "She is a traitor..."

"No, she isn't," said Nogrod. "She was just cursed to be on the wrong side. Let's find Gondolin."

"What if I don't want to go to Gondolin?" said Lalaith. "What if I'm actually innocent and my death dooms you?"

"Are you?" said Rikae.

"Yes!"

"Well," said Nogrod heavily, "if your death dooms us, then so be it."

"All right," said Lalaith. "As long as you know what you're in for. Do I get a last drink?"

Nog smiled. "I'm sure I'll find you something..."

The ascent to Gondolin was difficult, but in the end they found a suitable place for execution. "Right," said Rikae. "Now, if we can manage to fling her so that her head strikes first--"

"I beg your pardon!" said Lalaith. "I am still alive at this point, I'll have you know. Cast me off any way you like."

"As you wish," said Nogrod, and they flung her over the side. Her body struck the cliff three times as it fell.

Rikae peered down after her. "Poor thing," she said. "Wait... she never transformed!"

"She must not have been the last wolf!" said Nogrod.

"So the last one must be one of us..."

Nogrod and Rikae stared at one another, each too nervous to look away from the other's face.



Afterwards I think I was planning on Lal climbing back up the cliff and there being another last-minute showdown before Measse zapped her with a bolt of divine lightning so that the rules of the game would be fulfilled. But it did not quite get there, did it?