Jasper Tells Tales of Darkover
Jasper, Diego Storn's dog, tells of how he solved the mystery of Hastur in the Dalerueth Tower Library (with a little help from Piedro Aillard-Syrtis):
Jasper the dog was prowling in the huge library of the Dalereuth
Tower. A very pleasant place it was, full of interesting nooks and
crannies. And then there were the rats. Jasper loved to chase the
rats, although the damned critters were usually too fast for him and
always managed to hide in some little hole behind the books shelves.
Jasper was happy that there were the rats to chase, because despite
all the nice things in the library, he was getting bored. His master
Diego just sat there and read some old dusty books and didn't pay much
attention to Jasper or the rats. He growled a little and poked Diego's
leg with his nose, but Diego only patted his head absentmindedly and
continued reading. Darn the humans, Jasper thought, and sneezed as he
got some dust in his nose.
Sulkily he patted into one especially dusty and dark corner, for he
know that a particularly delightful rat usually hid there. Snarling he
sniffed the hole behind the shelf and sneezed again. Damn the dust, he
though, but squeezed himself a bit further behind the shelf. Suddenly
there was rustling somewhere in the back of the almost dark cavity and
Jasper froze. There it was, the fat rat! Happily growling he crowded
even further and finally was completely in. Uttering a happy bark he
jumped towards the rat, but again the wretched critter was too fast
and vanished into a dark hole in the wall, too small for Jasper to
follow.
Jasper tried to push his head into the hole, but it WAS too
small... he could hear the rat chattering mockingly at him somewhere
in the darkness. It was JUST out of Jasper's reach; he could feel its
strong musky scent and see its gleaming eyes. Frustrated he barked
again and pull his head out of the hole. Damn the rats, he though and
sneezed again. Angrily he barked after the rat as he heard it
rustling away in the small hidey hole.
Oh well, he thought. Maybe Diego has finished reading and will take me
out, Jasper though and headed for the narrow opening between the wall
and the shelf, trying to squeeze out... but he couldn't! Alarmed he
tried again, but couldn't get even his head out! He pull his head
back, then crammed towards the opening again, in vain. What has
happened!?? Why can't I get out, Jasper thought frantically and
started to bark loudly.
Too agitated by the encounter with the rat, Jasper didn't realize that
the opening through which he had come in was on the opposite side,
behind him. Uneasily he sat by the other opening, contemplating what
to do... then he heard rustling in the dark hole in the wall again,
and sensed the strong scent of rat. Only this time it was a bit
different... stronger, and somehow meaner... he turned his head and
saw a rat coming out of the hole. But this was not the one he had
chased... this was even bigger and it had an evil gleam in its
eyes. The rat snarled and revealed its shining, sharp teeth and Jasper
knew it knew how to use them. He would be no match for this monster
of a rat.
Frantically Jasper started to get out of the opening, then remembered
it was too small and only then realized that he had used the opening
on the other side to come in... but now there was the rat between him
and the escape route. He snarled uneasily at the rat, feigning an
attack. The art hissed at him evilly and Jasper knew that he could
never beat this rat all by himself.
Suddenly Jasper remembered Diego... he was still studying the old
books somewhere in the library. He started to bark as loudly as he
could, bark, bark, bark, hoping that Diego would hear. Finally he
heard Diego's voice somewhere on the other side of the shelf,
muttering and cursing.
"Damn that dog! Where in Aldones' name has he stuck his nose now?"
Diego cursed as he walked towards the farthest shelf in the room. The
barking behind the shelf increased and now a touch of fear could be
heard in it. Still cursing, although now a bit afraid, Diego took a
firm grip on the heavy book shelf and dragged it away. The shelf was
heavier than he had thought and his muscles strained as he tugged and
towed at it. Finally he got it away from the wall enough that he could
look into the gap.
A spontaneous yell erupted from his lungs as he saw the largest rat he
had ever seen, just about to attack Jasper who had squeezed himself
into the narrow corner formed by the shelf and the wall, as far away
from the rat as possible, barking his lungs out. Panic lent Diego
powers and the dragged the shelf completely away from the wall and
stomped furiously towards the rat, yelling as loud as he could. The
rat looked at him briefly, its eyes full of malice, and slipped
hissing into the hole on the wall.
Jasper couldn't have been more happy to see his master and barking
with joy it leaped to his outstretched arms, licking his face with a
wet dog tongue. Diego laughed and kissed the little dog, happy that he
had been in time to drive away the monster rat.
As Diego turned around, he almost stumbled on a small volume lying on
the floor. He almost let it lie there, but then something made him
look at it a bit closer... it was a small book, bound in thick leather
and entirely covered with dust and cobwebs. Obviously it had lain
there for long, fallen behind the shelf and completely
forgotten.
Curious, he picked it up and and opened the ancient tome. Its pages
were yellow and frail and the letters were barely readable. Diego put
Jasper down on the floor and all but forgetting his friend walked
towards the closest desk and the strong lamp there. There he sat down,
puffing away the dust and with trembling hands opened the book. "The
Ballad of Hastur and Cassilda", it said on the first page, written
with ancient, ornamental letters.
For long hours Jasper lay on the floor by his master's chair, not
uttering a sound, understanding that something important had
happened. Finally, Diego closed the book and just stood there, staring
into distance, obviously seeing nothing. Jasper lifted his head from
his paws and let out a little, inquiring whine and Diego stirred. He
looked down at the little dog, smiling strangely and asked, "What
would you say if someone told you Hastur was a Drytowner?"
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