Thunder thought up a name for him.
Sky Warrior. The big man had tumbled out of the sky so the name was appropriate. It was, moreover, a name which would give the bearer the mystique needed to make him the equal of Morgon in the eyes of the average clansman.
***
In a room in the royal apartments in the royal village of the Catti, Adrina waited for her brother. They'd played there as children but Adrina was not in a playful mood. Fate had been unkind. Fate had robbed her of a glittering prize. In an act which combined cunning with daring, she'd enticed a giant and his female companion into their midst. They had come not from another village, not from another land but from another realm.
And she'd lost them at the very last moment. It was like catching a big fish, only to see it jump off the hook and land in someone else's boat. The giant and the girl were now in her mother's care, tightly supervised by Thunder and the female warriors of the royal guard. Adrina fumed and her anger boiled over when she heard Fury's timid feet mounting the stairs.
'You stupid little blub.'
She bore down on him as he entered the room.
'You deceitful little toad.'
'I don't know what you're going on about,' Fury winced.
'Yes, you do. You tiny turd.'
Adrina thrust her lamp at him, spilling hot fat on his tunic. 'You were meant to cooperate with my men ... not give them the slip.'
'I didn't give them the slip. They couldn't keep up with me. I was being followed by one of mother's spies. I had to get away from him.'
'Well, you didn't get away from him. All you managed to do was lose contact with my people.' Adrina's eyes narrowed. 'From now on you'll do exactly as I say.'
'I don't see why I should take orders from you. I'm a prince of the royal blood. I'm older ...'
'I'm warning you.' Adrina raised her lamp. 'If you don't cooperate, you won't see that girl again. The giant won't let you ... he's her guardian.'
Fury took on the appearance of a stunned cod.
'Do you think he'll try to stop me?'
Adrina pushed the lamp back in his face.
'Listen. If you want her you must do as you're told. Don't play the clever donkey with me. I told you how to bring her here. Now I'm going to tell you how to get her away from the giant.'