not present. One of the reasons the companions had come together this last night, other than to bid each other

farewell and safe roads,

was to determine what to do about the kender.

Sturm began by stating in no uncertain terms that kender were not welcome in Solamnia. He added that any

knight seen traveling in the company of a kender would be ruined, his reputation damned and blasted forever.

Kit said shortly that her friends in the north had no use for kender whatsoever, and she made it clear that if

Tasslehoff valued his skin, he'd find some other route to travel. She fixed her gaze pointedly and haughtily upon

Tanis. Relations between the two were strained. Kit had thought for certain that Tanis would beg her to stay, either

that or travel with him. He had done neither, and she was angry.

"I cannot take Tas into Qualinesti," Tanis said, avoiding her gaze. "The elves would never permit it."

"Don't look at me!" Flint stated, alarmed to see them do just that. "If any of my clansmen were to so much as set

eyes upon me in company with a kender, they'd lock me up for a crazy Theiwar, and I would be hard pressed to say

they were wrong. Tasslehoff should go with Raistlin and Caramon to Pax Tharkas."

"No," said Raistlin with a finality in his tone that boded no argument. "Absolutely not."

"What do we do with him, then?" Tanis asked in perplexity.

"Bind him and gag him and stash him in the bottom of a well," Flint advised. "Then we sneak off in the middle of

the night, and he might--I repeat, he might-not find us."

"Who are you stashing at the bottom of a well?" came a cheerful voice. Tasslehoff, having sighted his friends

through the open window, decided to save himself the wearisome walk around to the front door. Hoisting himself up

onto the window ledge, he climbed inside.

"Mind my ale mug! You nearly kicked it over! Get off the table, you doorknob!" Flint caught his ale mug, held it

close to his chest. "If you must know, it's you we're talking of stashing in the well."

"Are you? How wonderful!" Tas said, his face lighting up. "I've never been at the bottom of a well before. Ah, but I

just remembered. I can't."

Reaching out, Tas kindly patted Flint's hand. "I appreciate the thought. I truly do, and I'd almost stay behind to do

it, but yousee, I'm not going to be here."

"Where are you going?" Tanis asked the question with trepidation.

"Before I start, I want to say something. I know you've been arguing over who takes me along, haven't you?" Tas

looked sternly around at the group.

Tanis was embarrassed. He had not meant to hurt the kender's feelings. "You can come with us, Tas," he bega n,

only to be interrupted by a horrified "He cannot!" from Flint.

Tas raised his small hand for silence. "You see, if I go with one of you, then that will make the others feel bad, and

I wouldn't like that to happen. And so I've decided to go off on my own. No! Don't try to make me change my mind.

I'm going back to Kendermore, and, no offense"-Tas looked quite severe-"but the rest of you just wouldn't fit in there."

"You mean the kender wouldn't allow us to enter their land?" Caramon asked, insulted.

"No, I mean you wouldn't fit in. Especially you, Caramon. You'd take the roof off my house the moment you stood

up. Not to mention squashing all my furniture. Now, I could make an exception for Flint...."

"No you couldn't!" said the dwarf hurriedly.

Tasslehoff went on to describe the wonders of Kendermore, painting such an interesting picture of that carefree

shire, where the concepts of private property and personal possessions are completely unknown, that every person at

the table firmly resolved never to go anywhere near it.

The issue of the kender settled, there was nothing left but to say good-bye.

The companions sat for a long time at their table. The setting sun gleamed a fiery ball in the red portion of the

stained-glass windows, shone orange in the yellow, and a strange sort of green in the blue. The sun seemed to linger

as long as the companions, spreading its golden light throughout the sky, before slipping down past the horizon,

leaving a warm afterglow behind.

Otik brought candles and lamps to drive away the shadows, along with an excellent supper of his famous spiced

potatoes, lamb stew, trout from Crystalmir Lake, bread, and goat's cheese. The food was excellent; even Raistlin ate

more than his usual two or three nibbling bites, actually devouring an entire trout. When every speck was eatennothing

ever went to waste, with Caramon there to finish off the leftovers-Tanis called Otik over to settle the bill.