Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger by Lee Edward Födi Page B

contained. Kendra knew she had to find the right one; the last thing she wanted to do was to wander into a pen and face some unsuspecting Goojun.

    After a moment, she was sure she had found Trooogul’s cage, and she scampered across the floor. The prison cell was set high up in the rocks, and once again, she had to climb just to reach it. Had she had time to dwell upon her situation, she probably would have been too frightened to act, for the dungeon cells were as black as wells and the air was filled with the slurping sounds of the slaves as they devoured their gruel. But she had that spark in her now; her purpose now was not to think, but to take action.
    She pulled herself up to the lip of Trooogul’s cage with a grunt of effort. For a moment she rested there, on her knees, staring into the dark cave that was the Unger’s prison. At first she couldn’t see the creature, but after a moment she realized he was sitting in the back corner, quietly watching her. He must have heard her approach and now, even though she could only make out his faint outline in the blackness, she knew that he was watching her, waiting to see what she would do next.
    “Trooogul?” she called, and she could hear the tremble in her own voice.
    He didn’t reply and Kendra wondered if he had heard her at all. She was just about to speak again when his voice rumbled up through the darkness, sending a shiver to the very tips of her braids.
    “Youzum,” he grunted. “Whozum are you?”



IF YOU HAVE EVER had a chance encounter with an old friend, only to have him or her stare at you blankly, then you might know how Kendra felt at that moment. How could Trooogul not remember her? She had saved his life, only last summer, and now he didn’t even recognize her. Kendra was so shocked that she couldn’t even speak.
    Slowly, Trooogul lumbered out of the shadows. He walked on all fours, and looked terribly dangerous as he entered the faint light cast by the dungeon torches. Though he was not yet as big as the adult Ungers, Kendra noticed he had grown since she had last seen him—he now seemed to tower over her. Trooogul gazed upon her with small vacant eyes, but he didn’t seem to recognize her at all.
    “Whozum are you?” he repeated, and there was a threatening growl to his voice.
    Instinctively Kendra clutched the pouch of sneezing powder. There was a row of thick iron bars separating her and Trooogul, but she knew he could reach between them and easily seize her, if he so desired.
    “Don’t . . . don’t you remember me?” Kendra stammered, tugging nervously at her braids.
    Trooogul sat down on his haunches, like a wolf, and stared at her curiously. Their eyes locked and Kendra found herself hoping against hope that he would somehow know her. Then Trooogul’s thick brow furled, as if some memory from a long-forgotten past suddenly reached him. Then, slowly, his giant mouth opened. “Youzum,” he said after a moment, a hint of accusation in his voice. “Youzum little Eeneez that rescuezum Trooogul. Long time agozum, beforezum Trooogul becomezum slave.”
    “Yes,” Kendra said, stepping forward excitedly. The bars were spaced wide enough for her to slip through, and she did, putting herself right inside the cage with the Unger.
    “Whyzum comezum here?” Trooogul demanded.
    “I didn’t mean to,” Kendra said. “We just ended up here, in these terrible mines of Umbor. But now I’m here. Now I can free you.”
    Trooogul snorted, though with laughter or anger, Kendra could not tell.
    “Youzum! Little Eeneez!” he said. “Youzum can does nothing forzum Trooogul.”
    “I have these!” Kendra said, shaking the keys indignantly.
    “Fatzum little Dwarfzum wearzum belt still?” Trooogul asked, scratching his claws against the rocky floor.
    “Why, yes, I suppose,” Kendra said. “Why? Is that how he captured you? With the belt?”
    “Yeezum,” Trooogul replied solemnly. “Cannot disobeyzum beltzum. Itzum magiczum! Makezum