The cat yawned and sat down to lick himself. "I do have something you might be interested in." He was washing his tail for several heartbeats. Finally, he stretched and looked up, blinking lazily. "I believe," he purred, stretching it out, "I have found the trod you are looking for."

"Where?"

" okay. Where is it? "

"This way." Grimalkin led the way to the base of an ancient ruined castle, where shattered pillars and broken gargoyles lay scattered about the courtyard. Bones littered the area as well, poking up through the snow. Puck trailed behind, not speaking to any of them, wrapped in angry silence.

Isiea follows.

She doesn't try to console Puck.

That was probably for the best. He probably would've lashed out at her, too.

"There," Grimalkin said, nodding to a large stone pillar broken in two. One half rested on the other, forming an arch between them.

There was also a body lying in front of it. A body that was at least twelve feet tall, covered in hides and furs, with blue-white skin and a tangled white beard. It lay sprawled on its back with its face turned away, one meaty hand clutching a stone club.

Ash grimaced. "That's right," he muttered as he ducked behind a low stone wall. "Mab leaves her pet giant here to guard the place. Cold Tom doesn't listen to anyone but the queen."

Precisely.

" How do we get past him then? "

"So now what?" Isiea huffs, rolling her eyes.

Puck, his animosity forgotten, or suppressed, peeked out from behind a boulder. "Looks like its Tom's nappy time," he said. "Maybe we can sneak around him."

Grimalkin regarded each of them in turn and blinked slowly. "In times like these, I am even more grateful that I am a cat." He sighed, and trotted toward the huge body.