Harkat and I said nothing while Vancha deliberated. Minutes passed. A quarter of an hour. Half an hour. Finally he heaved a large sigh and turned to face us. "These are grim tidings," he said. "But perhaps not as grim as they seem. From what you've told me, I believe that Tiny did take you into the future - but I also believe he wouldn't have done so without good reason. He might have been simply mocking you, but it might also have been a warning.
"That damned future must be what we face if we lose the War of the Scars. Steve Leonard is the sort who'd level the world and bring it to ruin. But if we win, we can prevent that. When Tiny came to Vampire Mountain, he told us there were two possible futures, didn't he? One where the vampaneze win the war, and one where the vampires win. I think Tiny gave you a glimpse of the former future to drive home the point that wehave to win this war. It's not just ourselves we're fighting for - it's the entire world. The wasteworld is one future - I'm sure the world where we've won is completely different."
"It makes sense," Harkat agreed. "If both futures currently exist? he might have been able to choose which? to take us to."
"Maybe," I sighed, unconvinced. I was thinking again about the vision I'd had shortly after we'd first met Evanna, when Harkat had been plagued by nightmares. Evanna helped me put a stop to them, by sending me into his dreams. In the dream, I'd faced a being of immense power - the Lord of the Shadows. Evanna told me this master of evil was part of the future, and the road there was paved with dead souls. She'd also told me that could be one of two people - Steve Leopard orme .
The uncertainties came rushing back. I was unable to share Vancha and Harkat's view that one future was bright and cheery where the other was dark and miserable. I felt we were heading for big-scale trouble, whichever way the War of the Scars swung. But I kept my opinions to myself - I didn't want to come across as a prophetof doom. "So!" Vancha laughed, startling me out of my dark thoughts. "We just have to make sure we kill Steve Leonard, aye?"
"Aye," I said, grinning sickly.
"What about me?" Harkat asked. "Does it alter your opinion of me? now that you know I was once a vampire traitor?"
"No," Vancha said. "I never liked you much anyway." He spat into his right palm, ran the spit through his hair, then winked to show he was joking. "Seriously, you were right not to broadcast the news. We'll keep it to ourselves. I always believed that although Kurda acted stupidly, he acted with the best interests of the clan at heart. But there are many who don't share that view. If they knew the truth about you, it might divide them. Internal argument is the last thing we need. That'd be playing straight into the hands of the vampaneze.
"As for who Harkat is now?" Vancha studied the Little Person. "I know you and trust you. I believe you've learnt from Kurda's faults. You won't betray us again, will you, Harkat?"
"No," Harkat said softly. "But I'm still in favour of a treaty? between the two clans. If I can help bring that about through peaceful? means, by talking, I will. This War of the Scars is destroying? both families of the night, and it threatens to destroy? even more."
"But you recognize the need to fight?" Vancha said sharply.
"I recognize the need to kill Steve? Leonard," Harkat said. "After that, I'll push for peace? if I can. But openly - no plotting or intrigue? this time."
Vancha considered that in silence, then shrugged. "So be it. I've nothing personal against the vampaneze. If we kill Leonard and they agree to a truce, I'm all for it. Now," he continued, scratching his chin, "where do you think Leonard's holed up?"
"Probably somewhere deep underground," I said.
"You think he's preparing a grand-scale trap, like before?" Vancha asked.
"No," Harkat said. "Vampaneze have been active here. That's why Debbie and Alice came. But if there were dozens of them, like? the last time, the death count would be higher. I don't think Steve has as many? vampaneze with him as when we faced him? in the Cavern of Retribution."
"I hope you're right," Vancha said. He glanced at me sideways. "How did my brother look?" Vancha and Gannen Harst were estranged brothers.
"Tired," I said. "Strained. Unhappy."
"Not hard to imagine why," Vancha grunted. "I'll never understand why Gannen and the others follow a maniac like Leonard. The vampaneze were content the way they were. They didn't seek to crush the vampires or provoke a war. It makes no sense for them to flock to that demon and pledge themselves to him."
"It's part of Mr Tiny's prophecy," Harkat said. "As Kurda, I spent much time with? the vampaneze, researching their ways. You know about their Coffin of Fire. When a person lies within, it fills? with flames. All normal people die in it. Only the Lord of the Vampaneze? can survive. Mr Tiny told the vampaneze that if they didn't? obey that person and do all that he commanded, they'd? be wiped from the face of the earth. Most of the vampaneze fight to preserve themselves? not to destroy the vampires."
Vancha nodded slowly. "Then they're motivated by fear for their lives, not hatred of us. I understand now. . After all, isn't that why we're fighting too - to save ourselves?"
"Both fighting for the same reason," Harkat chuckled humourlessly. "Both terrified of the? same thing. Of course, if neither side fought? both would be safe. Mr Tiny is playing the creatures of the night? for fools, and we're helping him."
"Aye," Vancha grunted disgustedly. "But there's no use moaning about how we got ourselves into this sorry state. The fact is, we fight because we must."
Vancha stood and stretched. There were dark rims around his eyes. He looked like a man who hadn't slept properly for a very long time. The last two years must have been tough for him. Although he hadn't mentioned Mr Crepsley, I was sure the dead vampire was never far from his thoughts. Vancha, like I, probably felt a certain amount of guilt - the two of us had given Mr Crepsley the go-ahead to face the Vampaneze Lord. If either of us had taken his place, he'd be alive now. It looked to me like Vancha had been pushing himself to his limits in his hunt to find the Lord of the Vampaneze - and was rapidly nearing them.
"You should rest, Sire," I said. "If you flitted all the way here, you must be exhausted."