Chapter Six: Roundabout!

[Wolf Rawrrr]

"Why, that's..." Wolf starts to say, "That's quite a tale! I think I am beggining to understand the Felane. I... It is certainly a lot to take in." He rummages excessively through the stacked pages, two or three times over again due to the fact that only three were actually filled out. His expression changes from frowning to inquisitive and amazed, then back again. He looks kindly at Maelshaef but then turns his attention to her son.


"Powerpaw. I would relish hearing of your arrival to Sharseya." Startled, he quickly adds, nodding respectfully to his mother: "That is, only if you are done speaking, Maelshaef."

 

[killfire]

"I don't speak much, until it's needed, and wanted." That to Mom'paw. "Good will always win if only we do something."

 

[Purr]

Earlier...





Before heading inside, Mamapaw regards Bronze with compassion. "Your words are welcome with me, my rescuer."


Now...


A low growl of frustration erupts from within Powerpaw. Yet as unusual as these sounds may be among non-Felane, it seems that between the cats, this style of communication is simply part of their language and culture.


"Ya ready, Mom?"


Mamapaw solemly folds her paws. "I am, son."


Powerpaw looks to all of you, especially Bria. "Guys, dis might get uglies."


Mamapaw does not seem worried about that. She looks down at her paws then back to him. She speaks slowly. "I... read the note you left for me. I have nearly memorized it. And yet, I fail to understand it. Shaballah is everything to us, son. It is all we have ever known. Wise Bast created us for a sacred purpose, a purpose we alone are born to fulfill. And yet... you chose to become the very first exile of our people!"


"Did... did I fail you as mother? Did we fail you as a family? Why did you leave Shaballah, my son? Your family? Your destiny? And... what brought you here?"


Powerpaw keeps his large arms crossed but his facial features soften a touch. "Aw, Mom... Youse never faileds me. Dad, Shimmer, heck, mosta youse loved me da best you could. It wasn't youse..." Powerpaw slowly clenches his fists. "It was everybuddy elses..."


"I knews I was differents... an' everybuddy else dids, too. An' I wuz okies wif dat. But nobody ever accepteds me! Ever since I firsts opened my mouf, it was, 'Oh, stop talkin' like dat, you sound stupid!' 'Oh, what iz wrong wif him?" My whole lifes, all dey give me iz, 'Oooh, lissen ta stupid! "Dumb guy got hit in da head too many times?" 'Get away from me.' Yeah. you makes us look bad in front a Bast...' My whole lifes..." Powerpaw's blood-red eyes become thin slits. He shakes his head, ruffling his fur. "Iz not my faults I talk like dis. Dis da way Mama Bast made me. But you tink dey give a dang? Da other Kitty-faces go on an' on about 'glorious destiny!' But dere ain't no such glory fer a guy like me..."


Powerpaw looks at the floor sadly. "All cuz I talk funny..."


"So what?! Who gives a cares howz I talks?!" Powerpaw taps his chest with a claw. "Big Bast nots puts us here ta talk! She puts us here ta kill! All da humans runnin' in fear an' prayin' ta her fer safety an' peace! We iz da ones supposed ta supplies dat safety an' peace! An' how? By killin' da cursed Yuan-ti! Killin' em, dead, dead, dead! Ain't dat right, Mom?"





Mamapaw nods quickly.





"So, how come every times I try ta get wif my fellow Kitty-faces, dey push me off? Spit at me? Call me names? Dat crap hurts, Mom! What'd I ever does ta dem? I may haz no fear, Mom, but I still haz feelin's!" Powerpaw's following growl is threatening enough to make one's hair stand on end. "Dats why I nevar had any friends... nobuddy gave a damns about me! I kin counts on one paw how many fellow Kitty-faces care about mes. An' you knows them all!"





Mamapaw takes a deep breath. Her face is full of concern. "Of course, I believed you when you told me these things, but... I had no idea it had gotten this bad... You did not leave out of misunderstanding or lack of patriotism; you left because your own people failed you."


Powerpaw cracks his knuckles and snaps back. "Yer damn right dey did..." He stalks around in circles, his sharp claws emerge. He turns to Mamapaw with open paws. "Dad said when I gets angry, da best ting da to is train. Put dat emotion an' energy inta sumthin' positives. I haz done dat all my lifes. Dat iz da only reason I iz as good as I iz. While da other Kitty-faces were out playin' tagether an' gettin' girls an' learnin' whatever people learn when dey hang out, I wuz trainin'. Workin'! Bleedin'! Kickin' tail! But where dids it get me among my own people? Nowhere!"


"Fer da love of Bast, Mom, how many times did I cross da Shaballah Wall in da middle of da night ta come back wif evil snakey corpses over my shoulder come dawn? When other Kitty-faces were goin' out in da day when the snakeys waz hidden, I went out. Alone! I bagged moar snakey kills dan anybuddy else of my generation! An' we Kitty-faces haz only two generations, Mom! Yers an' mine!" What comes out of Powerpaw sounds like a quiet hiss. "An' what happeneds when I show everybuddy my kills? My accomplishmentses? My desires ta join a party an' fight tagether fer da glory of Bast? Dey all laughed me off! 'Aww, da dumb kitty wanna joins us! No room fer stupid kitties in our proud groups! Learn ta talk, dumbass!"





"Dat hurt, Mom. Here I iz feelin' like I iz riskin' my lifes fer nuffin'. Finally, I figgered, ta hell wif dem! If I couldn't joins a Kitty-face party, den I was gonna so damn bad I woulds be my own party. I doesn't need dem - I kin makes Brave Bast happies my own way! Bast haz nevar done me wrong! She loves mes! Heck, she mades mes! Now iz my turn ta give back."





Powerpaw glares. "But den one day another guy got in my face an' caught me on a bad day. He sez ta me, 'I know you iz goin' over da Wall an' gettin' kills behind our backs. You can't do dat." And I sez, 'Why nots?' An' he sez, 'Easy. Nobody wants youse. Yer probably goin' out in da night an' tellin' da snakeys about us.' An' I sez, 'WHAT?!' An' right dere in front of da high priest an' all da temple-goers, he sez, 'Dat's right. You ain't one'a us. I bet you iz a traitor.'





Mamapaw gasps and reels at this news. She quietly murmurs a prayer of forgiveness and covers her eyes in shame as Powerpaw describes.





"Mom, I beated an' brokeded him so damn bad da high priest hadda break it up an' heal him fer fears of permanents injuries. An' den, da high priest got mad at me! Chastised mes right in front of everybuddy! 'No Felane haz ever strucks another in our entire histories! You iz crazy kitty! Begones from my sights!'" I did as he saids.


"An' here I iz, by myself, prayin' ta Justice-filleds Bast... 'Why iz dis happenin' ta me? Why my own people treats me like dis?'"





Powerpaw then turns to you. "Guys.... It got so bad dat I couldn't walks down da street wiffout a challenge. I wuz alone. I wuz nobody. But my peers would nots leave me be. Dey heard about ta temple fight. But when dey got in my face, I put every ones a dem down on dere tails. An' I tellz you..." Powerpaw's smile is grim. "Dere iz a point where da guy looks up from da ground where you just put him, an' he reaches up an' sees hiz own blood from hiz face, an' den he sees you wif your weapon above him, an' he gets dat look on hiz face dat sez, 'Oh Good Bast... Dis is bad! I iz on my duff, dat big stupid guy can kill me at any time, an' dere ain't a damn thing I kin does about it!! Helps me!'


Powerpaw nods. "Ain't nuffin' better dan seein' some jerk gettin' what he deserves by yer own hand."


"But den.... da very next night, it wazn't one guy dat came after me, but bunches. Soon, I had whole groups jumpin' me in da street. I tried talkin' to dem; dey nevar listened. So we battleds. An' I nevar went down. I waz bloody, I was hurts, I was rocked, an' I hated havin' ta swing on my fellow Kitty-faces, but I alwayz walked away. I remembers da look on da high warriors' faces when dey saw me fights. Dey couldn't believe it. Sometimes, neither coulds I. But one ting becames painfully clears..."


"If dis crap kept up, a Kitty-face, mebbe me, was gonna die."





Powerpaw turns to his mother. "I can't take dat. So I lefts. I talked to our human buddies. Dey told me dere was a ships, a single ships, dat could sail across da whooooole oceans. Take me to a places I haz nevar beens before. No Kitty-faces. Justs new races an' new faces. An' I sez, 'Dats da place fer me!' I gave da humans my best (cuz dey nevar said nuffin' about how I talks) an' left Shaballah. On my way across da desert, I came to a cities where dey had a big, big arenas. I asked, "What iz dat?' An' dey said, 'Opportunities! Killin', gladiator-style, fer glories, coin, an' moar!" Again, I sez, "Dats da place fer me!"


"Dats where I became a gladiator an' earned my coin, Mom. Dats where I met Crisis." Powerpaw softens and smiles suddenly to you. "Crisis waz dat high priest dat sent me away. He came after me ta right hiz wrong. All dat way... ta apologize. Only he got wound ups in da arena, too. Somehow he got dere first an' he trained me in gladatorial combats. Until Dubble Trubble cheateds an' killded hims. Now Crisis iz avenged too."


"Dats why I wanted Dubble Trubble so bad..."





Powerpaw looks down at his feet. "Dats my only regret, guys. Crisis. If I had not lefts Shaballah... Crisis would still be alives. Preachin' an' teachin'. He forgaves me, but I iz still hazin' trouble forgivin' myself over dat one."


"Still, I earned enuff coin ta make da voyage. I traveled to da coast an' found dat magical ship, Da Dragonslayer, an' paid up (half up front; alwayz half, nevar all of it). Dey brought me here." He points and smiles, warmly this time. "An' Bria an' I mets. Bria. Da first total stranger who loves me fer who I iz. No judgments; no conditionz. Just loves."


"An' dats how I became da first Kitty-face on dis continent."





He eyes Bria's fighting stick and takes a deep breath. He looks ready for anything. "You haz questions, guys?"

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

At the end of Powerpaw's tale, Wolf's face is equal parts sad and understanding. "Powerpaw..." he calls him out gently, but his voice trails off into silence. It was hard to imagine someone picking on the towering Felane that he'd fought alongside with on several occasions now. But he guessed that his own kind would be be less intimidated to do so. A cruel irony.


"Such sadness in your story." he finally said, looking at both Felane. "I can scarcely believe that your own people would treat you like that. And so many at that! Has no one outside your own family ever shown you kindness? Pardon my words but..." The ranger looks hesitantly for a moment. "The Felane come out as cruel and uncaring from this, which is definitely not the case with the two I have met personally. And I do have a question: Was there no one to go to about this issue? Some higher figure of authority to right this? Self-exile seems such a final and forlorn fate over something so... Well."


He stops there, still looking cautiously at Sabrefang and Powerpaw.

 

[Sherwood]

Luna wipes a tear away from her eye as she listens to the sad tale. Impulsively, she rises and gives the big kitty a hug. "I wish that ignorance and prejudice were a thing of the past, but sadly, those traits seem to run rampant throughout all the races. There is nothing I can do to make others see the heart that you have shown us, but I promise that you will always have a friend in me."

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Otiorin listened in silence. He did not need to voice his feelings, since he'd already related his feelings of being an outsider within his own culture. He frowned, in an ideal world, there would be no divisions, people would be able to be individuals without facing stigma or derision for their race, mannerisms or behaviors. But sadly, this wasn't an ideal world and it didn't look like such a world would exist for a good long time.

 

[Kaerri]

Bren shakes his head sadly at the description of Powerpaw's treatment at the hands of his fellow Felane. "My Kela tells me that a lot of elves find it hard to relate to something different and unexpected. Perhaps it's the same among your people, as well? They are a very young race, after all, and maybe insecure in some ways. Combat is not all there is to life, and I know some excellent fighters that are ... troublesome, off the battlefield. Of course, I don't mean to defend your people's actions, and I certainly don't condone them! I have known you only a very short time, but I can tell you I'd be pleased and honored to have you part of any group I've ever been in, not just for your battle skills but for your spirit and integrity as well."

 

[Purr]

Spoiler

Location: The Road of Kings


Thursday, September 18th, 1118. Time: 1:45 p.m.


Weather: Windy and cloudy.


Travel time to Highwind: On day 3 of 14.


Travel time to Melshaef's Tree: On day 1 of 3.


Wolf sez,

"Such sadness in your story." he finally said, looking at both Felane. "I can scarcely believe that your own people would treat you like that. And so many at that! Has no one outside your own family ever shown you kindness? Pardon my words but..." The ranger looks hesitantly for a moment. "The Felane come out as cruel and uncaring from this, which is definitely not the case with the two I have met personally. And I do have a question: Was there no one to go to about this issue? Some higher figure of authority to right this? Self-exile seems such a final and forlorn fate over something so... Well."

"Well... in Kitty-face society, da high priests an' priestesses are da law. Ra az my witness, Wolf-face, I doezn't tink dey knew what ta do abouts me. Dose fellow Kitty-faces dat cared... dey didn't know how ta act. Dere was nuffin in da hieroglyphics about dis. Really, most Kitty-faces just stayed outta my way an' looked uncertains. By da time da holy folk came ta conclusions, I waz over da Wall an' gone. After my fight in da Temple of Bast, I really didn'ts feel like hangin' out long enuff ta get dere opinions..."


Then Luna stands up, walks over, and hugs Powerpaw while sharing her words of comfort. Powerpaw takes a step back out of surprise, but returns the hug all the same. Tail swishing, he looks down to Luna and sees the expressions on all of your faces. "Hey, tanks, Luna-face... But... uhh.... Why all da long faces? It didn't happenz ta you..."


Sparkle speaks up. "For you to ask, we must be your very first friends..."


Bria nods in agreement and folds her hands as if in prayer. "That's why we're sad, fuzzy goof. We care about you. How can we be at peace knowing these circumstances forced you from your home? My people have a saying: 'Your pain is our pain.'"





Powerpaw's ears go up. "But dere is nuffin you kin doez about it now."


Bria glances at Otoirin and back to Powerpaw. "I don't think that makes any of us feel any better about it."





The furry warrior has no reply to that.


Powerpaw listens to Bren as he speaks. He thinks about his words and finally nods. "Youse right, Bren-face. We iz young. Dats sumthin' our human buddies back in Shaballah helps us wif. Dey has centuries upon centuries of cultures." He scratches his head. "Don't gets me wrong, guys - I iz proud of my peoples an' I iz proud ta be a Kitty-face. We doez a lotta good against da bad guys in Rhumia. I just tink da way dey treat people like me just plains sucks..." Powerpaw sighs. "Just you waits, though. Bootiful Bast haz a way about dese tings - she'll show 'em somedays. She ain't da most awesomes goddess of love, kitties, an' vengeance fer nuffin'..."


Finally Mamapaw emerges from her silence with a very sad sigh. "Ohhh.... I cannot help but pray that she does, my son. You should have never had reason to leave us."


Powerpaw digests that with grim seriousness. Then he turns to his mother. "You iz dang right about dat, Mom."





After a few moments of uneasy silence, Bria lifts her head. "I am content."





(EDIT: Added Location, Time, & Weather)

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

"That's right." Wolf spoke up, approaching Powerpaw. "I for one am glad to have met you, fought alongside you, and learned your tale." He reached out to place a hand on his shoulder, or as close as he could anyway. "You will always have a friend in me, Powerpaw." he added solemnly. "You don't have to walk alone. The Wanderers are with you for as long as you are willing to wander with us. Right?" he looked at the others for support.

 

[Sherwood]

Luna nods happily in agreement. "Of course! All of you are new family to me, and my life would be less without you in it. You can all count on me to go jumping into the fray head first alongside you. I can't guarantee that I will be able to restrain my enthusiasm, but I also know that any trouble I get into will be fixed with this group of misfits alongside me!" She grins at the whole group as she slips her arm around Wolf and squeezes him close.

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Otiorin looked around, his face still neutral. He still had questions, but they were of a more personal nature and not really within the preview of the Roundabout, so instead he simply said, "I am content."

 

[Kaerri]

Bren nods. "I, too, am content, and thank you both for sharing not just your own stories, but that of your race as well." He looks expectantly at Bria, as the one who knows how this is supposed to go from here.

 

[Purr]

Spoiler

Location: The Road of Kings


Thursday, September 18th, 1118. Time: 1:45 p.m.


Weather: Windy and cloudy.


Travel time to Highwind: On day 3 of 14.


Travel time to Melshaef's Tree: On day 1 of 3.


"Awww," Powerpaw grins and purrs at Wolf with raised whiskers and ears. "Tanks, Wolfie-face!"





Sabrefang nods eagerly with an expression much like Powerpaw's own. "Bless you! Bless you all!"


Vardadraug takes a careful step forward as the three woodland faeries upon his back hold on. He looks up to Bria. Uh, might I be allowed to ask a question, please?





Bria turns to the little wolf pup with surprise. "Um... you may. What is it, Vardadraug?"


Vardadraug looks up to Powerpaw and Sabrefang who now regard him with feline curiosity. I have wondered... since the moment our paths crossed...





"Yah?"


Your horns... I have never seen a cat with horns.





"Oh, dese old tings?" Mother and son casually reach up and take their horns off of their heads and show them to Vardadraug. Attached to the horns are cleverly-colored leather harnesses, so cunningly-crafted as to seem as part of their very heads. Yet, now that they are off, each of you can tell the harness marks on their faces and throats.


Sabrefang smiles. "Ornaments, really, born of tradition. As part of our rite of adulthood, we are to adventure deep into Shaballah's jungle and, alone, slay a Great Horned Toad to prove to Beloved Bast our battle prowess. These horns are fashioned from that very creature. We take them off whenever we sleep and such."


Powerpaw chuckles. "Non-Kitty-faces laughs about it... dat iz until dey see da toads fer demselves. Den da laughter dies. See, da toads iz about az big az dose horsies outside. An' dey are az quick ta fight az dose Bloodland Bull-faces we foughts. Oh, and dere croak iz deafenings."


Oh! And here I thought they were part of you. What happens if you lose them?





"Ain't no biggie. If we loses dem, we jus' go an' fight another toad. Shaballah ain't evar gonna haz a shortage of 'em an' pragmatics Bast doezn't mind."


Vardradraug smiles while the Daughters take turns gawking at the Felane horns.


Bria nods to Bren and slowly stands. She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes for a long moment, then she steps forth and takes up her fighting stick. This she taps upon the floor. Her gaze turns heavenward. Once again, her voice echoes across the Great Pool as she states, "Kosayris, kosairis... We who are brought together by justice and love bring this Roundabout to a close. We who seek truth in our actions. We who long for wisdom for the goodness of others. We who desire enlightenment for our souls. Now we are a great blaze that will burn as long as our wills fuel our fire.


"May we keep close the precious lessons and secrets we have learned. May we be enlightened by what we have shared here today. May our gathered flame be a touching warmth to those whose hearts are cold and a shining light to those in darkness. Asteallo verris lasai ris shantala..."





That is when the Daughters of Summertime pipe up. "All done?" "We have something to share with you too!" "Everyone line up, single-file and present your favorite thing!"





"What?" Bria turns. "But my favorite presentable thing is..." Bria looks over to Sabrefang. "... being worn."





Sabrefang grins. "Should I get in line and present it for you?"


While they chat it out, what do you do?

 

[Sherwood]

Luna wonders what the fairies have in mind as she stands up to receive the gift that they are talking about. She steps forward to the Daughters of Summertime, and says, "Well, my favorite thing is not something tangible; it is my knowledge. But, I suppose that the closest thing to a physical object would be this." She pulls out her spellbook. "I don't know if what you have in mind will work for it, but we can find out, I suppose."

 

[Kaerri]

Bren grins at the description of the great horned toads. "I encountered a crab once of similar size, out Glimmerdawn way, where they're relatively common. Good eating! The crabs, I mean, not the toads. Gah." He makes a face at the thought of eating toads.


He smiles at Bria as she closed the Roundabout then turns to the fairies with a raised eyebrow and questioning expression. "My favorite thing, is it? Hmm, well, like Luna my favorite 'things' are not things at all, but perhaps this will do instead, as it is a token of what is most precious to me." He raises his left hand, upon which he wears his sturdy, engraved wedding ring.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

Wolf responds to Luna by wrapping one arm around her and holding her even closer.


"My favorite thing...?" he asks himself out loud but is unable to produce anything for the time being.

 

[Purr]

"Giant crabbies?! Oooh!" Powerpaw licks his lips at Bren's description despite his full stomach. "I hope we kin fights giant crabbies somedays - I wanna smack 'em in da face an' noms 'em!"





Bria smiles and pulls her long brown hair behind her. "Giant crabs? That sounds really dangerous. But then again, when was the last time a monster served both as a challenge and as a meal?"


"Uh, I gotta good chomp outta everybuddy but dat Craven!"





"You'll nom anything, fuzzy goof!"


Bria then excuses herself and makes her way outside the Adventurers' Wagon. Once on the porch, she nods her head in quiet prayer, the wind her only companion in that moment. When she raises her eyes again, the Ko monk dances her way down the steps to Bronze's forge. There, still clad only in the harem girl's outfit, Bria approaches Bronze, careful to keep herself in sight of him lest she surprise him and disturb his work. "Hi-hi, Bronze! The Daughters of Summertime wish to reward us. They are asking for our favorite thing; an item, I think. Have you such a thing close to your heart? Do you want to come inside and join us?"


The Daughters of Summertime cheer and dance about when Luna decides to offer her spellbook for their alteration. "Oh boy! A real spellbook!" "Yeah, with magic spells we know nothing about!" "Spellbooks are like what oak trees are to dryads, right?" "Well, not quite that close, but a wizard without a spellbook is... in big trouble!" "O.K., so let's improve her spellbook!"


With that, they grasp Luna's spellbook with their tiny hands and flutter about with the precious tome suspended in the air between them. Together, they raise their voices and sing:

Spoiler

This is ShaDoWCa7's cover for Mummer's Dance. If one of you tell me that I have posted this before somewhere, I won't be too surprised; her singing and playing are that good. =)


[media]

[/media]
Then they call out:


"Sparkle, Sparkle with the venomous tail!


Come hither with haste without fail!


Touch the spine, caress the tome!


Luna's book can be your home!"


Sparkle hears this, glances to Luna, and comes a'flying. She lands upon Luna's spellbook - and vanishes!





Then the Daughters hand the book back to Luna. "Look inside, look inside! Hid well and safe lay wizard's pride!"

 

[Sherwood]

Curious, Luna opens the book and looks inside, wondering what she will find.

 

[Purr]

When Luna opens her spellbook, there is a warm flame-like glow of light from the pages at her fingertips. It is clear that she will no longer need an outside source of light to read her book as it now supplies its own.


She also notices the addition of two extra pages inside. The first, in the very beginning of the book, shines a terrific light (providing light in a 60 foot cone, much like a bullseye lantern). As for the second page, it is found directly in the center of the pages. Therein lies a picture Luna recognizes:

Spoiler

(Image credit: www.gamergeoff.com)


When this page is turned to, Luna hears an amused and "familiar" voice in her mind.


Amazing, Pyri. I am inside a little pocket dimension both comfortable and protective. I do believe I can leave this little place whenever I desire.





The Daughters climb the book and sit upon its top. "You sure can!" "You really care about your spellbook and your pseudo-dragon!" "Our gift to you is protection for them both, for now your spellbook cannot be harmed normal fires!" "Nor will it be damaged by water, even if immersed!"


The three together then say, "Thank you for helping us, Bright Fire!"

 

[Sherwood]

Luna smiles wide as she holds the book close to her chest. With genuine emotion in her voice, she says, "I don't know how to thank you enough for this wonderful gift! I shall cherish this always!" She then lands over and gives each of the small fairies a gentle kiss on the cheek.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

Looking at the spellbook next to her, Wolf is as amazed as Luna, if not more. "Now that's incredibly helpful." he says while nodding his approval. "Hey, Pecker!" he turns to his falcon. "You think maybe we should get you something like that?" he asks with a grin.

 

[Purr]

Each of the Daughters giggle with the purest joy seen under the sun when Luna kisses them, for woodland faeries after all are creatures of child-like natures, where kisses are a special and wonderful thing.


When they finally recover, they form a circle, clasp hands, and wonder what to do next.


"Hey, do you remember who was next?" "I think Far Fang the Ranger said something about Pecker the Falcon." "I remember, I remember! We're forgetting Shield Stallion! His ring of loving promise is his favorite thing!" "Oh right!" "So what do we do?" "Hmmm..." Hand-in-hand, they close their eyes and spend a few moments being something woodland faeries often aren't - quiet. Then suddenly one springs to life with a high-pitched, "Yeee!" Her sisters open their eyes and peer at her expectantly. They share something unheard, unseen, and as one, they all turn to Bren. Then they flutter chaotically over to the big man's left hand. There, they perch themselves on his shoulder, wrist, and right hand and gaze at his ring.


"There is something written on it..." "What does it say?" "I don't know - my Common reading skills are as rusty as a poor man's pitchfork." "Well, is it true? That's what's important..." They gaze awhile longer and look up into Bren's blue-gray eyes. "It is! It is!" "Yippie!" Then they sing to him.


"Stallion, stallion, remember this,


The light that you yearn to hug and kiss,


She yearns for you too from far away,


Our gift will guard you night and day!"


The Daughters then reach out and touch Brendoran's Wedding Ring. For a brief, tender moment, Bren sees the smiling face of his wife in his mind as if she were standing there before him now.


"Many are the magical charms that separate lovers from one another." "Yeah! As long as you wear your ring, it will act as a shield from those who would take your free will from you." "Sure will!"

Spoiler

+2 to saving throws vs. Enchantment and Illusion spells of all kinds in addition to its other qualities.


In addition, the spells Charm Person and Charm Monster are ineffective against Bren while he wears this ring.


 
Pecker thinks a moment. Thinking about higher things takes energies that hunting falcons don't often like to spend, but he tries anyway. Then he comes to a startling realization. Through a series of irritated chirps and tweets, Pecker says, "No! Do not stick me in book with dumb, fish-hating dragon!"


Vardadraug pads up beside Pecker and nudges him with his nose. I think they had something else in mind, Pecker. Something better.





Pecker turns to Vardadraug and then back to Wolf. His feathers get less ruffled the more he thinks about the Exalted Wolf's words. Then he sings, "Better is good if Wolf thinks so!"


Vardadraug glances to Wolf with a grin that says, "Birds... They worry too much."

 

[Kaerri]

Bren's eyes widen as he feels the faeries' magic settle over his ring. Then a sweet smile, such as none of the Wanderers have yet seen, spreads over his face as he beholds the image of the lady his heart has chosen. He sighs softly as the image fades, but the smile remains as he looks down to the three tiny people perched on his arms. "Thank you very much, for the gift, the sight, and the poem. I think my lady would approve of all three." He closes his hand gently into a fist, as if assuring himself that the ring will not fall off.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

"Listen to Vardadraug, Pecker." Wolf says to the falcon. "I meant get a separate book just for you, a book about fishing maybe, with plenty of ponds and fish inside..." He winks. "But it was just a joke so don't worry."


The ranger then turns and smiles sensibly at Brendoran and his gift.

 

[Purr]

Excitable Pecker hears this and starts chirping up a storm. "What?! There is book of fish? We must get it! Maybe it shows where all fish are! We can fish forever!!" It looks as if Pecker is about to pester Luna about it (seeing as she is one of the big folk who has a newly-improved book of her own) when the falcon hesitates, apparently in realization that he and Luna do not speak a common language.


Then Pecker sees Wolf wink and further gets his feathers all ruffled up. "Joke? Joke?! Book of fish is joke?"


Sparkle chuckles and cannot resist temptation. Not like you can read anyway!





Pecker looks at Sparkle's face and chirps, "Shut! It! Why you tease me?!"


You have it coming! Why did you put fish in front of my face when I am sleeping?





"So you can dream of fish!"


I do not want to dream of fish!





"That is because you have scales for brain!"


You're one to talk!





And back and forth the chirping, squawking, and growling goes...


Powerpaw grins and watches the show with enthusiasm as if wondering who is going to come out on top this time. "Dey nevar get tired of arguings, does dey?"





Mamapaw watches them with a mother's eye. "Seems to me some part of them appears to enjoy this..."


The door to the Adventurers' Wagon opens and through the purple mist in the doorway comes Bria.





"Hi-hi! What did I miss?" Powerpaw takes a moment to fill her in. Bria clasps her hands and beams a very sunny smile Bren's way. "That's wonderful!"


The Daughters of Summertime flutter about, leaving sparkling trails of blue and green. "Who is next?" "Yes!" "We want to reward you!"


Bria turns to Powerpaw. "What is your favorite thing, fuzzy goof?"


"Me? Uh!" Powerpaw fumbles about. He glances only once at his hammer before his heart pulls him away from it and to another thing. "My favorites ting?" He points a sharp claw... at Mamapaw. "Her!"





Mamapaw recoils. "Me?!"


"We can do that!" The Daughters look to Powerpaw approvingly, but the feline warrior's full attention is on his beloved mother.


A moment of silence passes as Powerpaw does not appear to know what else to add.


Mamapaw looks to each of you worriedly. "What... what do I want? Have you any ideas, my little rescuers?"


 
Bria thinks and thinks and thinks some more on it. Then she raises one finger and looks from Mamapaw to Wolf. "I'm not certain what would serve you best, Misses Sabrefang, but I just wondered... Wolf doesn't have a spellbook to enchant. So what would you use? What is something you're hardly ever without? Your... quiver or something?"