Chapter Three: Vardadraug and the Cosmic Ore

[Purr]

Luna feels a familiar presence in the back of her mind... and that presence is giggling.


Oh, to be young again, Sparkle sighs. Pyri, if only the two of you knew just how cute the two of you sound. How long are the two of you going to keep this up? If it gets any better, I may have to start writing it down. Sparkle giggles again, happy to be teasing. It is a good-natured sound inside Luna's mind, one that Wolf is completely unaware of. Luna senses that Sparkle is physically nearby, though their rapport reaches out for quite some distance. The fire mage also senses that the little pseudo dragon is cloaked, and when so, even Wolf's sharp senses have serious difficulty spotting her, especially when the young man is so greatly distracted by other things.


If the two of you are going to go exploring, might I remind you that you have a perfectly good guide at the head of this wagon? That is, unless you really want to find any traps all by your lonesomes... Sparkle then does something that is special to creatures with a familiar rapport can do - she shows an image inside Luna's mind; this is something Sparkle does often, so in some ways, Luna has seen much. This vision is of Bria - the one person who Wolf and Luna might likely run to should Sparkle's guess come true. I don't think she would mind, that is, unless the two of you inhale more of whatever knocked us out cold.

 

[Sherwood]

Luna stumbles as Sparkle's thoughts intrude in her mind. Her face once more goes bright crimson as she sends back, That is soooo not funny! It is only safe for us to explore together until we know what hazards the wagon may have. Wolf is just being a gentleman! Its not like what you are thinking. He's just being nice, that's all. Besides, its not like I'm any kind of great catch. He can do so much better than me. She looks over at Wolf out of the corner of her eye and notices the bounce in his step. Wait. Do you think he does like me? She looks over at Wolf again, this time, another blush crossing her cheeks. I don't suppose you . . . have any suggestions for me? Its not like I have a whole lot of experience with this kind of thing.

 

[Purr]

Sparkle smiles inside Luna's mind. Well, you might not think you are a great 'catch,' but I do remind you that I do not Familiarize myself with just anyone, you know. I happen to think our Leonard has good taste in girls. As for suggestions...


...I am many things, but I am horrible at matchmaking with any race but my own. Sparkle places several images into Luna's mind that provide additional meanings to her next words. For example, my first inclinations toward your query are to know which lines our dear Leonard Wolf descends from, followed by his reputation in and out of that line, the quality and overall value of his hoard of loot and lair, the locations he has conquered, the friends and enemies he has made, and if he has ever has had eggs with a previous mate. Sparkle heaves a silent sigh inside Luna's mind. And that is just for starters.


Since neither of you are dragons, I cannot recommend any of these. However, I was told by another of my kind that Ko monks are... especially good at finding the right mates for each other. Sparkle nods.


Bria is also a female human like you are. Why not ask her?





Bria shudders and leans into Powerpaw's arm.

The blood and gore across the furry warrior's armor does not deter the Ko monk in seeking refuge in her friend's presence. If anything, it seems to amplify her need of it. Bria gazes for long moments at the dried blood and fur on Powerpaw and her face falls in sadness. She is quiet for many minutes, huddled and shivering against her friend's fur as if he were a fire in a snowstorm.


"Is... is it over?"


"Yah," Powerpaw pats her on the back, his voice soft. "Go aheads."


Quiet as the moon crossing against the sky, Bria leans fully against him, her face disappearing into the white and black stripes of his fur. Then she cries. Her body shakes as a flood of tears fall from her face and onto the dried blood upon Powerpaw's armor. She gasps between sobs, her grief all-consuming and overwhelming. Powerpaw wraps both arms around her, hugging her gently, his blood-red eyes peering about the interior of the pool area from the corner they have huddled in. Her face wet, she turns her face and finally speaks.


"So much death! Misery! The confusion and pain! Oh, why?"


Powerpaw remains silent.


Her face reddened, Bria gulps and clutches his fur in desperation. "Don't they see what they're doing? To each other? To themselves? With each evil act, they fall farther and farther from the light. They die without ever experiencing it! Oh, Powerpaw..."


"...they die without ever knowing love..."


"...without ever knowing peace..."


"...a hug, a kiss, something so simple, tender, and true..."


She bows her head. "I am not meant to understand war and battle. All I can do is carry on and do my best. But in moments like these... I really miss my family."


Powerpaw rubs his head against her arm like a housecat showing affection. "Why you haz no problem wif all da killin' I doez?"


"Easy. Because you know it's either us or them." Bria gently looks him in the eye. "You're fighting to practice your skill, to test and understand yourself, and because you know that if you fight, someone innocent doesn't have to. We Ko fight for similar reasons. If there was no one left to kill, what would you do?"


"I dunno. Probably somethin' peaceful."


"You've seen the light."


"Only cuz you showed it to me. You O.K. nows?"


Bria withdraws a handkerchief from her satchel and dries her eyes. She pauses a moment as if seeking the answer inside of herself. The act of seeking seems to calm her. Finally, she nods. Her eyes are bright with life again, her expression sure and balanced. "Yes. Thanks, fuzzybuns. You're a blessing."


"Heh. Never been called dat before."


"Fuzzybuns?"


"No. 'Bwessing.'"


"I'm restored. Want to go for a swim?"


"I iz gonna stay here an' clean my armors. Somebody's been cryin' all over it." He grins at her and reaches into his pack.


Bria returns the grin and stands up. Then she winks. "Somebody gave me a big shoulder to cry on."


Powerpaw chuckles, his whiskers bouncing. Bria performs three sweeping movements across her armor and her outfit shimmers transforming from bloodied, muddied Ko battle robes into a bright and clean pink bathing suit. Without further delay, she runs, smiling, at the pool. She leaps, tucking her legs against her body, one hand across her shins, the other pinching her nose shut. 'Wheeeeee!"


The sounds of her splashing and laughter echo across the pool room as she frolics in the water. 
At the driver's station on the Grand Wagon, Stewart grips the reins and slows the horses down from a gallop to a brisk walking speed. "Good girls, good girls," he says with an affectionate tone. "Otiorin, I imagine if your friend Luna does start showing, your whole team will be forced to break for some time. Of course, I would not want to be the one tending to her motherly needs during such a time. A pregnant fire mage? It sounds like a wildfire waiting to happen."


Stewart watches the road and the night sky. "It is a pity none of your own mounts made it out of that mess. Then again, we are all fortunate to be alive." Stewart touches his chest and sighs deeply. "I think I will ask Luna for my pouch back. This night has made a different man of me, and I would see my quest to fruition with my own hands." He gives Otiorin an appreciative look. "Of course, I would not turn down any of your company. And speaking of company, would 'Killer Kittenpaw' care to share a drink with us?" Stewart raises his voice for the last, hoping to attract the hobbit's attention. "We should ride for another hour, no more, and break for the night. Unless someone has a better idea? Dawn is but three hours away."


"What's that?" Whittle gasps in mock anger from the prison-wagon as it moves parallel to the Grand Wagon. "You've got drink in that wagon and you dare hoard it all to yourselves? Come now! Be a good neighbor and share, won't you?" Beside her, Bonny keeps his hands on the reins and nods eagerly, agreeing wholeheartedly with his wife.


As Powerpaw cleans his armor...

...he peers at the floor. "Uh, uh," he shakes his horned head. "C'mere, moar. You isn't gettin' aways. We workeded too hards an' bleds too much not to keeps you safes." Powerpaw reaches over and grabs the chunk of prismalcum. He places it beside him, patting it as if it were a living thing. Then he continues to clean his weapons and armor with the same care he provides his own fit form.

 

[Kaerri]

Kitrin, riding on the steps of the Grand Wagon, giggles at Stewarts invitation. "Love to!" Then she seems to change her mind as Whittle speaks up. "Oh, hey, yes! Got something I can run over to them?"

 

[Purr]

Stewart passes a look of curiosity towards Otiorin. "Care to run inside the pool area and fetch them a nice bottle? I believe you know where the three remaining wines are in the rack."

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Otiorin grinned cheerfully and patted the steward on the shoulder, "Of course, I'm sorry I didn't think of the others earlier."


He rolled easily to his feet and padded back within with the fullest intention of snatching up two of the remaining bottles, one for the Meadowsweets and one for Kitrin. After all, the doughty little fighter had done great work this night and it deserved proper acknowledgement. As he passed through the enchanted entrance into the interior, the first thing he saw and heard was Bria in the pool, her lithe form swirling and splashing around without a care in the world. It was hard to believe that a short time ago, she had been in the thick of it with the rest of them. He could still feel the warm after-effects of her healing within his own body.


He couldn't take his eyes off her, even as he made his way around to the wine rack. She was unique. So possessed of a sunny, pleasant disposition that she seemed almost impervious to the dross and dirt of the world around her. Her gentle naivete and her willingness to see all people in a good light was special. Otiorin had quickly lost his innocence less than a month out from his family home, abandoning the idealised vision of the Human world he'd fostered from stories he'd heard. He sighed as he watched her, in part mourning his lost dreams and praying that she would never lose hers.

 

[Sherwood]

Luna moves slowly through the Grand Wagon, never getting too far away from Wolf as she explores the wonders around her, but being careful not to be to presumptuous with what may eventually turn into a real relationship. As they walk, Luna tells Wolf a bit about her family and how she started her lessons in magic, then she seems to realize that she's rambling on and not giving her friend a chance to talk. "Well, enough about me for now. Tell me a bit more about you. What got you into the adventuring business?" She casually looks over the various treasures as she watches Wolf, trying to read his reactions.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

"Ach, yes, we never talked about that, have we?" Wolf casually replied after having listened intently to Luna's story. "Actually, we didn't talk that much at all in the beginning, except for mission-wise, though I always wished we had. Umm..." This last bit seems to put him on the edge again, and he is quick to get back on point.


"Curiosity, that's what." He smiled. "I did inform of my penchant for the uncommon first thing when we met, remember? I wanted to see the world, wilds first... And I have. Part of it, at least." He seems to drift off for a moment, his voice taking on that faraway quality associated with one trying to talk and recall at the same time.


"And I believe I'm with the right crowd to see the rest. Whatever follows. And someday, I'll have written enough about it to put it into a book. At least a few. It will be an honor to list your name in the credits." he concludes with a warm smile.

 

[Purr]

Bria continues to play and splash in the pool, occasionally shouting out encouragement for Powerpaw to do the same. She is giggling and having a good time, completely oblivious to Otiorin until, finally, she spots him.


"Hi, Rin!" she calls, "Look what I found!" Then she is gone under the water for long moments. When she returns to the surface, she has a wine bottle in her hands. "Buried treasure! Hee hee!" Bria looks Otiorin from head to toe and adds, "You're not really comfy in those 'bloody muddies' you're wearing, are you? Why not clean up in here? The temperature is really, really nice."


In the corner of the pool chamber, Powerpaw is openly chuckling while vigorously scrubbing his armor, occasionally attacking a stain or bit of gore with his teeth or tongue. He appears nearly done with the chore and his white and black fur stand out against the clean pieces of red steel laid neatly about his feet.


'"Rin,'" he mutters between nibbles, "I like dat."


There are two doors opposite the entrance into the Grand Wagon.

Luna and Wolf enter the leftmost door together.


Exploring reveals a hall that stretches out before them, much like the one Luna and Kitrin entered (which is through the rightmost door) with fine carpet and five total doors. The first door on the left is nearest to the hand. They try the door and it swings open easily, welcoming both ranger and wizard without a squeak. Inside, the room is comfortable if a bit cool. A pair of plush seats invite you as torches on the wall ignite with fire that does not appear to burn. The illumination provided by the torches allow you both to see quite clearly.


Luna and Wolf look through the door to their left and see this:

Spoiler

(Picture credit: www.vangviet.com)

Turning your heads to the right, you see this in the same room:

Spoiler

(Picture credit: www.paulwyattdesigns.com)

Directly in the middle of the room, not far from the doorway you have entered, there lie three great chests stacked neatly side by side...

Spoiler

(Picture credit: galleryhip.com)

...and atop the middle chest, stands a little figurine that looks like this:

Spoiler

(Picture credit: www.statue.com)

The lifelike figurine is large enough to be held in one hand and made of some kind of stone. There is a feeling of oldness, perhaps ancientness, to its appearance, and it seems to be the source of the easy chill drifting through the room.

 

[Sherwood]

Luna moves slowly through the plushly appointed rooms, eyes wide in wonder. "I have seen luxury like this before, but never stuffed into an enchanted wagon like this! I am truly impressed!" She tucks her hands behind her back as she bends over to examine the wolf figurine. "Hey. Here is something for you, Wolf. Just like it was meant to be. I wonder if Bilal the pompous ass ever expected to be taken down by a bunch of lowly adventurers like us? Probably not. Men like him are far too arrogant to think of anything but the best of themselves." With that thought in mind, she doubts that the chests here are trapped. Reaching out to the first of the chests, she opens it to reveal what is hidden inside.

 

[killfire]

Bronze is on a dedicated search to find something he can cook on, something he can cook with, and waves at everyone. Decides to do some singing while he searches the wagon. ((OCC: What dew I roll for the skill thingie)) I also think Bronze would look for things he can clean clothes with, bodies with, so on, he's the "In the back support guy". Also he'll wander around and ask everyone if they need there clothes patched, or armor cleaned and/or repaired. Ect. Occasionally he'll snatch a blue fluffy pillow or two... ((OCC: Entering two luxurios blue fluffy pillows into invent Bag of Fluffy))

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Otiorin was having trouble. Lots of trouble. He was like the proverbial rabbit mesmerised by the hypnotic gaze of the snake. Only this snake was innocently unaware of the mesmerism she was using and it wasn't her eyes he was watching, rather other parts of her body. His mouth had suddenly gone drier than the ancient crypts beneath his family's home and beads of sweat were forming on his brow. His lips quivered as he tried to force them into doing something useful rather than hang slackly from his face in a manner reminiscent of a country yokel who'd been kicked in the head by a mule. A small part of his mind was screaming at him to say something, anything, just to break the tension. Right now, that tiny section of his mind would have happily stood behind any misogynistic, potentially fatal, bad-crude joke the rest of his brain could have conjured up. Instead, he stood, slack-jawed to the point of drooling. By the Gods, I want to tear my clothes of and jump straight in. But I don't have the bottle......bottle....bottle? BOTTLE!!!


"I'm terribly sorry,", his mouth started working, "but I'm already engaged in a job of my own. I've been terribly short-sighted in that Stewart and I have been toasting our continued survival and we completely forgot to include our Hobbit friends in the celebrations. I am under instruction to bring out some bottles of cheer for them as well,"


He snatched out the bottles and waved them triumphantly over his head.


"Here we are, just where I last saw them! Well.....I....uhh...I guess I better, uhh, go on my thigh, uhhh, I mean, way. Gosh, I nearly made a boob of myself there, I mean, a fool! A fool of myself."


He retreated, trying and failing to not keep snatching a glimpse at the Ko monk in the pool. His mind was working overtime and he wanted it to stop this instant otherwise he was going to need a cold shower. And possibly a bucket of ice.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

"Well I never..." Wolf said, slowly advancing into the room after the wizard. "I take it this strikes your fancy, Luna."


He walks over and kneels down beside Luna, focused on the figurine atop the middle chest. He examines it carefully from all sides, eying it for any markings as well as gently running his fingers across the surface in an attempt to discern something. "Uncanny. I don't suppose it could be magical in nature?" he asks.


[dice]2167[/dice]

 

[Sherwood]

Luna replies, "I have not tried a Detect Magic on it, because of all the magical power of the Grand Wagon. It may overwhelm my senses. But, I do agree that there must be a lot of magical accessories in here. Perhaps I'll risk it." She looks over at Wolf. "I don't know what this might do to me; I've never tried the spell in conditions like this. Just so you know." With that, she focuses her mind into the arcane pathways that she is so familiar with, raises up her hand and points at the wolf figurine and casts. "Detect Magic!"

 

[Purr]

Bria watches Otiorin with an almost equal sort of amazement, yet it is his mannerism that holds her attention fast. Bria watches his every move, the empty, dripping wine bottle forgotten in her hands. When Otiorin retreats, Bria raises a hand to give him pause, but then pauses herself as if thinking better of it. The Ko monk watches the half-elf slip outside to the dark of the night, and only when he disappears, does she look to the other adventurer in the room. This furry adventurer bursts out laughing.


"HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo! I thought only kitty-faces went inta heat! Hoo-hooooooo!"


"Powerpaaaaaw!"


"Rin tinks you is sexy Bria-face! Hiz words say no, but hiz body say, 'MOOOOOOOARR!!'"


"You silly goof! Rin can't help it if he has the Longing! Everyone feels that way now and then. It's only natural."


"Yeah, but he's tinkin' 'now' more than 'then." Hoo, hoo!"


"He certainly is. So he has a lusty nature... He didn't let it get the better of him, and that takes strength. A lesser man would have tried something silly with me, kind of like some of the men at the Adventurers' Guild. Still, I've never seen him at such a loss for words, though, even when we were before Koshianth. He even excused himself politely just now."


"'Politely?' Bria, Rin took off 'cause he haz a woody da size of my hammer!"


Bria blushed but nodded. "Oh, poor Rin. Wait. Why am I calling him 'Rin' instead of Otiorin?"


"Easy. Didn't you sez your people give little nicknames to each other?"


"Right!" Bria nodded. "I'm comfortable with him, that's all."


Bria looked at the door Otiorin had left through and smiled fondly. It was always enlightening to see Outsiders handle their emotions, especially when they were surprised. Outsiders were so different! So undisciplined! It was so odd to know people who had no one to train them in the ways of the world, yet here they were, off on their own roads. What did Rin see in her anyway? Sure, there was the Longing. She knew where his eyes had gone and did not think to bring excuse or illusion to it. Still, personality was part of the Longing. Bria did not think of herself as anything more than a gifted young Ko monk. She was satisfied in herself and that was enough for her. Could Outsiders see that somehow? Perhaps it was a source of comfort to some. Bria hoped so.


She placed the empty wine bottle at her feet and performed three brushing movements across her body. A soft golden light fell upon her and her bright pink bathing suit melded back into her clean Ko battle robes.


"Perhaps we should-"


At that moment, Bronze enters the wagon. Bria and Powerpaw turn to the sound of his singing and watch as he plucks two large pillows up and stuffs them into his mystical Bag of Holding. When Bronze asks what services he may provide, Bria shakes her head, but Powerpaw taps his maul and says, "My armors iz almost cleans, but my hammer still haz some evil doggy-face stickin' to it. Wanna help?"


Powerpaw proudly displays his massive main weapon to Bronze. It is thoroughly caked in dried blood as bits of skin and bone decorate the maul in ways that would cause the unwarlike to cringe in disgust.


Meanwhile, Luna and Wolf...

...examine the statuette and the three chests. Wolf peers at the items as Luna draws upon her powerful magic with expert ease - with revealing results. While the chests do not appear magical in the least, the powerful aura about the statuette radiates almost tangibly. Luna knows the longer she studies the focus of her spell, the better. As she leans over the statuette, mindful not to touch it, she feels the sudden touch of nigh-invisible cold emanating from it. This is clearly the source of the coolness in the winery and bar. Moreso, Luna senses there is something ancient to this statuette. It feels old and wildly natural... like a mountain range blanketed by the white snows of winters long past.


Wolf's own keen senses bring details to his mind as he examines the statuette in his own way. Despite being incredibly lifelike, the item appears to be one solid chunk of stone. Of what kind or from where, the ranger cannot say. He finds no evidence of molding, no etching, no marks or carvings along that fantastic sheen of white fur, and none of the telltale signs that tools leave from its icy eyes down to its broad tail. Wolf, too, feels the chill. Yet it is not discomforting to him. Not in the least.


Luna reaches out to open and search the first of the chests...


... and she and Wolf clearly hear the sound of something sniffing. Something close.


It is the chest.


What would be wood on another chest, about where the lock is, vibrates, nose-like.


The chest slowly opens on its own accord, not revealing glimmering pieces of gold, but a terrible row of dagger-long fangs inside a great and open maw. A tongue, long, red, and wide, slips out between those nasty teeth and licks the points.


Then the third chest opens all by itself. This one yawns, hound-like, as if waking from deep slumber. Its grey tongue lashes into the air as the teeth grind and the base of the chest moves about a little.


The second chest, the one with the statuette upon it, seems to inhale and grow slightly in size. Without warning, the whole thing flicks back and upward, sending the statuette into the air for but a second before the chest opens and snaps shut around the statuette, apparently swallowing it with practiced ease.


Wolf and Luna are sure of one thing: All three of the beast-like things before you appear to have one thing in common with the statuette - they never felt the tap of the crafter's hammer. Yet, this may be the last thing on the young Wayfarers' minds as suddenly, the monsters bounce and burst toward you with frightening howls and near-deafening baying! And they howl for blood!

Spoiler

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_lyvKKc5lE[/media]


And each of them looks like this:

(Picture credit: www.neverwintergames.com)


(EDITED to show picture credit.)

 

[Sherwood]

Luna leaps back from the three chest-monsters with a sudden flash of fear. I was about to touch one of those things! Note to self: don't forget to thank Wolf for stopping me! She is also mindful that the fall of the star-metal rock has refreshed her mystic battery, but as much as she may want to, a Fireball spell is just a bad idea right now. "Wolf! Get back! I need some room to work my spells!" Backpedaling as fast as she can towards the door, she raises up her hand and casts. "Shield!"

Spoiler

Current memorized spells:


Cantrips: Ray of Frost, Mage Hand, Read Magic, Detect Magic


Level 1: Mage Armor, Shield, Gravity Bow, Burning Hands


Level 2: Mirror Image, Scorching Ray x3


Level 3: Fireball x2, Displacement


Force Bolt x8


[dice]2181[/dice]

 

[Purr]

Mimics! Luna recognizes the threat from these adventurer-eating creatures from her education. These aberrations are tough enough on a one-on-one fight; three are likely more than Luna and Wolf can handle. They are terrific at fooling other creatures into thinking they are items made of wood or stone, and having a connection to these things, Mimics use some of kind adhesive melee attack, or so Luna recalls. Wealthy people have been known to use them as pets to protect their valuables.


Now these creatures are after your valuables, you might say. If Luna's instructor were present, she would have but a single wise word of advice in this situation:


"RUN!"

 

[Sherwood]

"Wolf, don't touch them! They are sticky, and then after they have you stuck, they eat you alive! We need to get out of here and get help to take them out! I don't think we can take out three of these things alone!" She takes her own advice and keeps hoofing it towards the door as fast as she can and still keep an eye on the monsters chasing them, hoping Wolf will do the same.

 

[Kaerri]

On her perch atop the wagon's roof, Kitrin drops her feet over the (front) side and starts idly drumming her heels against the wagon wall, just enough to make noise but not enough to put Stewart at risk of a boot in the head. "How hid are your wine bottles? He's been gone kind of a while. Should I go see if he fell in the pool?"

 

[Purr]

"If he fell in the pool, then he has already had the wine," Stewart smiles, stealing a glance behind him toward the entrance. "This wagon, it is- was... Bilal's pleasure wagon, you know; the place he went to to relax instead of the other wagon where he did most of his business. I felt he was in quite the rush when he invited you here instead of his usual office. Now that place is gone. I suppose I am still stunned by the reality of it all."


"As for Otiorin, I just hope he didn't go exploring in there on his own." Stewart pauses and then chuckles fondly at a memory. "Oh, there are many little secrets in Bilal's old Grand Wagon. And a few not so little! Take Arfy, Barfy, and Snarfy, for example. Rend anything to shreds in a moment's notice, they will. Unless, of course, they know you. I will have to introduce you to them when we come for a stop in a couple of hours."


Then Stewart pauses again, deep in thought. "Pardon me, I never answered your question, Kitrin. Please go seek him out. Your curiosity of his situation is contagious. Most contagious."


Not two moments after he says that, out comes Otiorin with two bottles of wine in hand. However, he may look a bit more flustered than when he left?

 

[Captain Hesperus]

It was at that moment that Otiorin exited the wagon's entrance, facing back into the mist that shrouded the portal. For a brief moment, he heard muted voices from within and sighed wistfully. He'd had experiences with human girls, mostly out-of-the-way farm lasses and tavern wenches who had been taken in by his smooth talk and exotic looks. And the points on his ears had certainly opened a few doors. But someone like Bria..... She was so far out of his league he couldn't even see her league. He turned and saw the others sat around, Kitrin in the act of clambering off the roof of the wagon.


"Here,", he said quietly, handing one of the bottles to the fighter and the other across to the Meadowsweets, "I think I'll scout ahead some. See if I can't find us a good camp site or something."


Without another word, he leapt from the wagon and flitted off into the dying night, determined to spend a few moments in solitude to recenter his thoughts.

 

[Kaerri]

Kitrin takes the bottle thoughtfully and slides down to sit beside Stewart. "Huh. Wonder what's got him stirred up? He doesn't do quiet much." She raises her voice after the fleeing half-elf. "You give a shout if you need me!" Then she turns to Stewart and the Meadowsweets and raises the bottle. "Shall we?"

 

[Purr]

"We shall!" The gathered cheer of hobbits and human adds a little brightness to the night. Still, all three watch Otiorin recede into what was left of the darkness.


Whittle says, "Is he going to be all right?"


Stewart replies, "That, my dear lady, is entirely dependent on him. As for us, I say we raise a toast to simply being alive! Given all that has happened tonight, I will remember it for as long as I draw breath!"

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

"What in the name of Solonor Thelandira...?!" Wolf exclaims, instinctively backing off as the mimic chests came to life with the racket of all the Hell's hounds. "You can work your spells better from the other room, I agree! Gods..."


The ranger will fall back as quickly as possible all the way back to the pool area, for as long as that doesn't put him behind Luna. In other words, he will withdraw in a way that puts him between the sorceress and the mimics at all times.

 

[Purr]

Luna and Wolf flee the bar and winery with all the alacrity their feet can provide. Within moments, they burst through the door at the pool to find Bria, Powerpaw, and Sparkle, the latter of whom is flapping madly above them and shouting.


"-in trouble! Ah! Luna, there you are!" Sparkle lets out a great sigh of relief and then takes flight toward the Grand Wagon's exit. Luna recalls that while Sparkle can tell that Luna might be in danger, she will not know details unless they communicate. Still, their familiar bond is as strong as ever, and with that strength comes opportunity. "I will summon the others at the front of the wagon!"


Outside, on the drivers' seat of the Grand Wagon...

...Sparkle somehow gets the front door open by herself and comes out shrieking. "Help! Something is after Luna and Wolf! They are in danger!"


The Meadowsweets and Stewart all exchange startled looks. Then, they remember they have a seasoned adventurer among them and, as if on cue, they all look at Kitrin. "What do we do?" Bonny asks.


Sparkle looks about. "And where is Otiorin when we need him?"