The third and and final novella in the "Sirronde's World" series.Sirronde faces an ultimate challenge as she discovers she must go up against the Shadow during the Dreadnights, that wintry time of year when the Goddess's archenemy is at its strongest -- and with no help but that of two most unpromising traveling companions: an untried young man and a kitten. Her fate lies in their hands (or paws) and theirs in hers as the three venture into the darkness under the mountain, none of them knowing whether any of them will live to see the dawn...

"Parting Gifts" first appeared in the Dell SF anthology Flashing Swords 5.

The story was later released into the wild by DD as part of the Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day celebrations of 2008, and is available here for free download.