Thieves World 7 – The Dead of Winter by Asprin, Robert

a human with a severe lisp. Sweetboy, however, seemed unaware of his lack and

expressively moved what he had. He even managed to make it obvious when he was

not just moving the thumb-length stub, but lashing it. Now he peered at his bowl

under a thigh the thickness of a trim man’s waist. It moved, straightened.

“Drink up, Tige,” Ahdio said, and turned to his own mug. By the time he lifted

it to his lips, his beer-loving cat was sounding more canine than feline in its

enthusiastic lapping. Hip against the table and one elbow on the keg, Ahdio

quaffed his beer while watching Sweetboy put away his. The big man’s face wore

an indulgent smile. It faded, and he sighed.

The hard part was the disappearance of Sweetboy’s former companion and fellow

watch-cat. Notable. Both Ahdio and Sweetboy missed the big red cat. First Hanse

had popped in late one afternoon and just had to borrow him; then, even while

Ahdio was trying to explain that Notable was a one-man cat, the damned traitor

had come in all high-tailed and started in rubbing Shadowspawn as if the cocky

thief were his favoritest person in the whole world. So off went large watch-cat

with smallish thief, and into the governor’s palace and out. And Hanse had

brought Notable back, too, bragging on his loyalty and valor-and loud voice.

That was right before Hanse had left town, in a hurry. Apparently he had taken

with him the eldest daughter of the murdered S’danzo, Moon-flower.

Next morning, Notable was gone, too. Just short of frantic, Ahdio searched and