Master Of Hawks

Description for MASTER OF HAWKS by Linda E Bushyager:

IN THE SILVER DUNGEON

Hawk probed the walls of the cell---but the silver mesh was unbroken, a telepathic barrier that isolated him completely, cutting off any attempt to send warning or to seek help.

He heard footsteps---a guard, making his rounds. Suddenly what sounded like the squealing of a thousand rats was mixed with a human scream. There was a thud, and the frenzied squeals became a roar.

Hawk's skin crawled, but he could not fight the compulsion to look through the window into the corridor. The Hallway was covered with a dark, living carpet of rats. In the center of the turmoil something large twitched and grew still.

Then Hawk could see several of the creatures moving purposefully toward him from the body of the guard. They were dragging a ring of keys behind them...