"It's a pleasure doing business with you," the Rhian proprietor whinnies, as he counts the shekels Alptraum spent in his store. Autumn-Storm feels the fabric of her new bandana, and uses it to tie up her hair. The Rhian hands Alptraum another bandana, a nice little composite-material tinderbox, and some sturdy torches.

Outside, it's a fairly nice day, as weather in Sylvania goes this time of year. Certainly, it's better than "Guy Fox Day". Even when the storm had begun to abate, a new one erupted – so to speak – right after Alptraum's well-intentioned offer to Autumn-Storm that "someday" she would find "someone real". Whatever he said made her angry to the point of tears, and she wasn't inclined to go to the trouble of explaining just why at that point.

It was not until several nights later that, at last, he was able to discern from her that the Savanite she thought she was with, back at the Dew Drop Inn, wasn't just "somebody". It was somebody in particular … someone she loved … someone she "thought was dead" … though, now free of the illusion, she is certain that he still is dead, and Alptraum's well-wishing isn't going to change that. Couple this with having to witness (illusion or not) Alptraum shredding her beloved in front of her, and she's not been all that warm to him as of late.

Alptraum's dreams have been troubled, now and then. The days seem to go together in a blur. Now and then, they've found signs that might suggest that they're on the right path. Perhaps the sorcerer might be in this very town … or perhaps he stayed here the night before, and has moved on.

But so far, no sorcerer, not just yet … and Alptraum hasn't seen that mysterious girl in his dreams any more.

"Good doing business with you, sir," Alptraum replies cheerily to the Rhian. The ebon Eeee claw-combs his hair back, then wraps the bandana around his head. He ties it tightly in the back, then takes a moment to tuck stray strands of his hair under the bandana. His hat is then placed on top of the bandana, mostly covering it. I hope people won't be unnerved by my appearance now, as I won't as readily be taken as someone who looks like Sunala. He then taps the Savanite's shoulder, then points to the bandana upon her head and signs to her, "Look good."

The cheetah just nods, quiet as ever, and flexes her hand. He catches a glimpse of an ivory comb in her hand, before it disappears into a pocket on the inside of her cloak.

Alptraum pauses to look at the Savanite for the moment, as if deciding something. He then turns back to the Rhian and asks, "Good sir, do you get many travelers passing though?"

The Rhian nods to Alptraum. "Now and then. It picks up during the holidays, of course, and now's the season."

"Ahh! So we aren't alone on the roads. Good to hear. Seemed like we were the only souls in the world at times along those lonely roads. Anyone recent pass this way besides us?" the Eeee asks.

The Rhian nods. "Recent? Yes, as a matter of fact. Let me see … The Willowbarks – that's a Korv family – landed here on their way south to visit their kin for Harvest Tide, just the other day. Then, there were the Dells, come up the river. Not too many by road, like you, though. Too much trouble with monsters and ghosts to the west of here. But there was one small group that came this way, just last night. Some old Khatta fellow, and a couple of humans. Anyone in particular you were hoping for?"

"Actually, yes. We're from down south and some time ago, a visitor stayed in our fair town," Alptraum explains. "When he left, he left behind some old trinket. Looked fairly important, but the elders thought it would bring us bad luck to hold onto. So, we've been hoping to find the owner. I believe it was a Khatta in fact. We volunteered to try and return it, figured we might get a reward."

The Rhian furrows his brow. "I hope that's some reward. You must have traveled a long way."

"Quite," Alptraum replies, "but I've always wanted to see some of the northern towns, anyway. Not many Eeee back my way, you see. Heard rumors some were up this way. Figured I'd maybe get a reward and get a chance to meet others."

A colt in the back area steps in, setting down the broom he was using to sweep. "Pa, I'm going out. Be right back!" he nickers, and then clip-clops out.

The Rhian nods to Alptraum absently, waving after the colt. "You be back in before sundown!" he calls after.

"Road has been pretty creepy, but nothing horrible, thankfully," Traum continues babbling. "How're things around here? Fairly safe? Anything we should avoid?"

The Rhian says, "Well, I'd stay clear of Bankford. I've heard some strange tales coming out of there. And watch out for the bridge over the Blood River. I hear that there's a troll that sometimes takes residence there at night. Cross only during the daytime."

"Thanks, good sir," the Eeee replies with a grin. "Say, how long ago did the Khatta pass through? It would be grand if that were him and he's nearby."

"Like I told you," the Rhian says, "just last night."

The Eeee tips his hat. "Sorry, scatterbrained today," he apologizes. "Well, I think I've taken enough of your time. Good eve to you."

"And good even to you, too," the Rhian says, smiling broadly. "Be sure to stop by again on your next time through!"

"Most definitely!" Alptraum calls back as he heads toward the doorway. As he walks, he waves to Autumn-Storm to follow. "Come, let us see what wonders are in this town, eh?"

Autumn-Storm rolls her eyes, then follows the bat out the door.

Outside, the sun is drawing low to the horizon. The town is a loose collection of cottages, some of the trees having been thinned out to make farmland, and a river passing nearby. In addition to the general store, there's a cobbler's house, a small bakery, and a tavern with a sign out front identifying it as the Gorged Gallee. (Presumably no Gallisian nobles travel this far north, or surely one of them would have forced the sign to be destroyed by now.)

Alptraum gazes around the street and starts to walk down the road at a leisurely pace. His silver eyes scan, making a count and note of the number of people outside. In addition, his ears train toward the tavern, trying to estimate if it's very full.

There are only a few people outside. Here, they don't even bother to light lanterns outside. Every cottage has a door – and a thick one at that – and every window has shutters or bars – and many of them are already closed and latched for the night. The tavern has a few people inside, perhaps as many as the Dew Drop Inn – though hopefully more of the breathing variety – but not as many as dropped in at the Blackshire Inn, and not so little as the nameless inn in Kurai Town.

The tavern is also an inn – a house two stories tall, the sort with private rooms upstairs which would be more expensive to stay in than just sleeping on the floor in the commons below, with the tables moved aside. Hanging outside the front door is a sign that declares the tavern to be the "Gorged Gallee", depicting an outrageously fat poodle with a sloshing stein of frothing ale in one hand, and holding a leg of poultry in the other. Evidently, there must be an artist or two in the area, for the door frame sports some fancy wood-carved swirling patterns, and other features of the house sport similar attention to detail.

Alptraum signs at Autumn-Storm, "Tavern." He then starts walking that way. When he reaches the door, he opens it and starts to step inside.

Just as the bat opens the door, he notices a young human with close-cropped hair inside, looking as if he's nonchalantly checking out the window on the weather. He also catches a glance of the same young colt that he saw in the general store, being handed a coin by a black Khatta with graying fur, across the room, even as the Khatta grabs up his cloak and leaves his chair. And in that same instant, the young man by the door grabs the door just as Alptraum's opening it, and gives it a shove, throwing the bat slightly off-balance.

"Oh, pardon me!" Alptraum exclaims. "I didn't know someone was behind the door." His wings flick out slightly to help recover his balance. Hmm, two are helping; not good odds. He waves to Autumn-Storm, motioning her to remain outside by the door. The Eeee makes another attempt to enter the Tavern, this time prepared in case the door is shoved again.

"Oops! Didn't see you there!" the blonde man says, in a not-very-convincing tone with a slightly Chronotopian accent to it. "Just on my way out. Pardon me, pardon me, pardon me." He starts to shoulder his way through the door at the same time Alptraum tries to come in.

The Eeee presses into the young blonde, one arm lowered. Quickly, the Eeee's claw tips attempt to undo the young fellow's belt. Not too much different than picking a pocket, really. "Excuse me, good Fellow," the Eeee says with a fake smile, "but I'd really like to get inside if you don't mind."

fwip The man's trousers drop, and he stumbles. "Hey!" he shouts. Several heads turn this way at the spectacle. The older Khatta is already out of sight. There's another human at his table, though, on his way out.

Alptraum pushes past the young blonde and into the Tavern. He scans around the room, looking for obvious exits that were near where the Khatta was sitting, eyes occasionally flicking to the man who was with the Khatta.

The man who was with the Khatta stops in mid-step, as he sees Alptraum entering the room. He's a redhead, of age close to the other human, with a large scar cutting up across his lip, and going up across his broken nose. Around his neck, Alptraum can see an amulet like the one that Autumn-Storm retrieved from the Dew Drop Inn.

Behind him, the blonde man is struggling with his trousers, just as Autumn-Storm shoves her way in, knocking him over.

The Eeee tenses up, eyeing the scarred individual. His ears strain, trying to tell if he's at least breathing. Hopefully not more undead, he thinks.

It's hard to tell. Maybe it would be more clear if he saw the fellow bare-chested. As it is, his shirt's a little too loose. He doesn't seem to be walking with a frozen, shambling gait. (That is, presuming that's how undead are supposed to walk.) Autumn-Storm steps in behind Alptraum, then gives him a "What now?" look.

Alptraum signs quickly to Autumn-Storm, "Deal with man." Then he points to the red-headed fellow. He does happen to remember that she's a decent, and rather dirty, fighter. Alptraum them breaks into a run toward the back door. Hopefully, the Khatta hasn't gone far.

The blonde man tries to grab at Alptraum's leg, but Autumn-Storm tries to intercept by stomping down on his hand. However, she's a little overly confident in her maneuver … as she ends up getting her foot grabbed by him, and she falls to the floor! She lets out an annoyed barking noise when she hits the floor. The red-haired man, meanwhile, moves to interpose himself between Alptraum and the back door.

Alptraum lunges toward the red-haired man and makes a grab for the talisman! "Let's see what happens if he loses this," he thinks.

Perfect! Almost. Alptraum manages to grab the talisman, but there's one problem – unlike the bone talismans at the Dew Drop Inn, this one is on a metal chain. That, and this man happens to have a very strong punch, and hits Alptraum squarely.

Alptraum takes it like a champ – for a split second. The man looks momentarily surprised that the bat is still standing, after such a solid punch … but then Alptraum feels his legs give out from underneath him, and he collapses roughly to the floor.

The shocked patrons just watch this exchange, perhaps uncertain just which side to root for. But then the man calls out, "Is there a sheriff here? Someone going to lock up these troublemakers?"

Meanwhile, the blonde man lets out a pained cry, reaching down, as Autumn-Storm struggles away from him, a feral look in her eyes. She doesn't immediately challenge the red-haired man, however, when she sees Alptraum collapse. Instead, she just stands there, as if weighing things out.

Alptraum gasps for breath and clutches his stomach in pain. "Nnnngh," he rasps.

The burly man doesn't give Alptraum much of a chance to recover. He kicks Alptraum in the gut. "That's for pantsing Hans," he growls.

Pain, and lots of it. Alptraum isn't going to be getting up on his own power yet. Just then, a Korv waddles into the tavern. "KAW! What's this ruckus about here?" he demands.

The red-haired man says, "This tough guy smashed into Hans on his way in, then yanked down his pants. Everyone here's a witness." He looks around the room.

Alptraum just lays there, wincing in pain and clutching his stomach.

The Korv hops over to Alptraum, regarding him. "Doesn't look so tough to me, eh?"

"I'll go help my master," the red-haired man says, forcing himself to sound more calm. "He can't take this sort of excitement, you know. Bad for his heart."

The Korv only nods and waves the man out. "But come back right after! I'll have questions for everyone."

Autumn-Storm chooses this moment of distraction … to bolt out the front door.

"KAW! Someone stop her! Here now!" the Korv caws, hopping up and down angrily.

Smart girl, Alptraum thinks, still gasping and unable to do much for himself, Run. Run and don't look back. Don't come back.

Hans gets to his feet, casting Alptraum a scowl, then says, "I'll stop her!" as he heads out the door. Both the humans are outside now, and the Korv just works his beak a bit, then looks back down to Alptraum. "Hrm. Some young ruffian come to town to cause trouble, then fly away, eh? Tch. It'll be a night in the stocks for you, boy!"

Alptraum struggles to his feet, one arm held tightly against his gut. He winces and takes in a deep breath. "It … it's not exactly… ," Traum manages to say, "… that. They were deliberately preventing me from talking to their master, who is a suspect in a theft of an item from the Duchess Kurai. I also suspect them of practicing necromancy."

The Korv cocks his head to one side, regarding the bat. "Duchess Kurai, hmm? So, you're working for her, eh? Well then! Tell me … " He then pauses, as if thinking of a particularly clever question to ask.

"I'm new to Blackshire. My family moved there to weather out the winter," Alptraum explains calmly. "Since Sheriff Darken was a bit wary of us newcomers, I volunteered to track them down. I bet that neither of them will return for your questions."

A Rhian walks up, this one tan with a black mane. "Hey, that fellow said that there might be someone asking questions after him. He was on some sort of special – "

"Special what?" Alptraum snaps. "That fellow is suspected to have stolen a dangerous magical item from the Duchess."

The Korv looks from the Rhian back to Alptraum, narrowing his eyes. "Eh, so you're with Sheriff Darken, then, eh? Heh. Haven't seen that old bag of bones for ages." He puffs up, looking like he's about to start reminiscing about "the good old days", but then he snaps back to the business at hand. "A magical item? Well, I don't know much about those. Hrm. Rock, go and fetch those fellows before they go too far, would you?"

The horse nods, giving Alptraum a suspicious look, then heads out the front door.

"I'm trying to help Darken, yes," the Eeee replies. He then curses under his breath and says, "I should have kept that medallion. A few days ago, someone set a magical trap that nearly killed myself and my companion. We recovered a necklace from a zombie that matches exactly to the one that big red-haired guy wore."

Rock pokes his head back in. "Uhm … Sheriff? This is pretty bad. They took their Drokars – broke Wren's arm when he tried to stop them. They've fled."

"KAW!" the Sheriff crows, flapping his wings angrily. "Round up some people and go after them, then! It's almost sundown! They'll disappear across the river!"

Alptraum's fists clench. "I knew it," he says, looking to the Korv. "How will they disappear? What is across the river?"

"The woods!" the crow repeats, sounding annoyed. "Bandits and brigands over there, you know. Lawless land. Now I'm going to take wing, before it gets too dark to see a thing! KAW!" With that, he waddles out the front door with surprising speed, then spreads his wings to take to the air.

Alptraum runs after the Korv. Once through the doorway, he spreads his wings and launches into the air. "Good life to you, Autumn-Storm," he says softly as he climbs skyward, not expecting to see her again. His ears begin scanning the surroundings as do his eyes, looking for any evidence as to which way they fled.

By the way the townspeople out in the street are looking, and some younger colt is limping along, occasionally clutching a hurt arm, and occasionally pointing down the road, it would seem that everyone supposes the sorcerer and his lackeys have fled across the bridge, further down the road, the direction they were originally traveling. Alptraum's own expertise in tracking – cursory though his examination may be – doesn't give him any cause to assume they went the other way instead.

Alptraum then dips some and soars over the roadway, following it toward the bridge. His ears and eyes remain alert. If it hadn't have rained recently, there would probably be a dust cloud, ah well.

The Korv is airborne as well, though not as spry a flier as Alptraum. Alptraum is easily in the lead, and it's not long at all before he can see that there's someone on the road – Autumn-Storm – looking like she's pausing, catching her breath. Further on, he can see the Drokars, galloping away from the town, though he can't clearly pick apart which rider is which at this distance.

Alptraum dips down and soars toward Autumn-Storm. Ah he approaches her, he calls out and waves, smiling. He doesn't stop to land, though. He continues on flying down the road after the Drokars.

Autumn-Storm doesn't wave back. It looks like she's run herself ragged, from his brief glimpse of her. As he gains on the Drokars, he can tell that they've spotted him. Two of them fall back, while the third heads on forward. The one heading on forward is the Khatta, most definitely, and something flies from his hand – something like a coin, only it glows … and instead of falling, shoots up into the sky.

The sun dips below the horizon, the sky blood red, the shadows long and dark.

Alptraum shouts a stream of curses and arcs upward so he can bank around. He doesn't have any desire to confront magic directly. His fists clench in anger, realizing he's going to lose them.

The Korv lets out a loud caw as he sees the spark of light shoot upward. It impacts a cloud overhead, sending out a strange ripple, as if a stone hit the surface of a pool. The cloud darkens, and crackles with electrical energy. A miniature storm starts brewing, with supernatural speed, and the cloud reshapes, looking almost skull-like, to one with any imagination, before it becomes too dark to pick out such details.

The winds pick up immediately, at an increasing rate.

Alptraum makes a quick dive. He realizes he has to land before the winds get too fierce. Even as good a flyer as he is, he cannot fly in a storm.

The Korv, struggling in the wind, seems to get the general idea as well, though when he comes down, his landing is not quite so smooth as Alptraum's. Up ahead, Alptraum can make out the forms of the two thugs, standing on the road. Behind them, several bobbing torch and lantern lights indicate that the town has gathered up a small mob fairly quickly, but they're still a considerable distance away – as the bulk of them are not fliers.

"Those two may be undead," Alptraum calls out to the Korv. "What do you think? Should we try and take them? There's no way we'll be able to go after the Khatta, even if we do beat them."

The Korv struggles to his feet, glancing over to Alptraum, then checking a light double crossbow he carries. "All right there! Stand down, and we'll go back to the village!" he says, sounding like he's forcing some bravery into his voice. "Any funny business, and I won't hesitate to put you out of my troubles!"

The red-haired man grins back at the Korv and the Eeee. "No going any further, no," he says. There's a wild look in his eyes, as he draws a wickedly curved dagger with an ivory (bone?) blade from a sheath at his side, scrawled with runes. "Hans, this is our moment. We make our final transformation … for Dagh!"

Alptraum flexes his hands. Toe-to-toe with these two would be iffy, as he learned quite recently. The Eeee doesn't have much time to mull over strategies, though, as his eyes grow wide at the declaration. The Eeee begins to back up. This is not good.

Hans looks a bit uncertain. "Kurt, we've got the Drokars. The storm's got them grounded. Let's go!" Alptraum can hear the sounds, however, of some other Drokar-riders closing distance, from the direction of the town. These criminals aren't the only ones with rides, it seems.

"We have the word from our master," the red-haired man, Kurt, says, his eyes wild, intoxicated. "If you disobey him, you suffer Dagh's wrath."

"D-Dagh's wrath yourself!" Hans stammers out … and he breaks into a run for his Drokar.

Alptraum stands there, breathing heavily. He glances to the Korv, then back to the red-haired man. "Stand down, Kurt," he calls out, "There's two of us and more on the way. Don't waste your life."

"I'm not wasting my life," Kurt boasts. "This is … immortality!" And with that, he raises his knife, still grinning … and draws it across his own throat!

Alptraum's eyes go wide. No, this is definitely not good.

The sheriff caws loudly, bringing his crossbow up, but hesitating –

Kurt's eyes roll back, his face still frozen in a mad grin, as he falls to his knees. He gurgles, blood weeping from his throat … but then the blood comes in violent gouts, far more than would be reasonable for even such a cut. His body shakes and convulses, and then starts to shrivel, the skin shrinking against the bones, cheeks drawing in and tearing, lips tightening and drawing back to show teeth, gums receding, eyes withering into empty sockets.

Hans, meanwhile, gets to his Drokar, clambering up into the saddle, but both of the beasts are shrieking, smelling blood, rearing up … and Hans falls off, landing hard on the ground.

Alptraum starts backing up. "I think running would be a good idea," he tells the Sheriff.

"I agree," the Korv caws, lowering his crossbow as he staggers back. "RUN!"

Alptraum turns and runs all out in the other direction!

Even as this happens, the gouts of blood, far more than should be contained in a single body, coalesce into a viscous pile just before the remains of Kurt's body … and then starts to form up into a … creature. It seems a parody of a humanoid form, demonic, with burning eyes, sharp claws, formed by … blood. The surface of the fluid darkens, turning solid, congealing.

Hans cries out, trying to drag himself away from where he fell from his Drokar. Alptraum doesn't see what becomes of him. He can just hear, with his extraordinary sense of hearing, as Hans's cry is broken off, and his body is torn violently apart.

"Turn around! Monster! Flee! Back to town!" the sheriff caws, waving his wings as the two fliers encounter the cheetah – and the townsfolk on mounts – coming across the bridge.

The Eeee winces and curses his hearing. The sounds of snapping bones still echoing in his mind. He barely notices the others as they encounter them before the bridge, only enough to shout "Run!" in tandem with the sheriff.

Autumn-Storm, looking already exhausted as she comes across the bridge, falls to her knees, her jaw dropping as she sees the horror. The Korv sheriff waddles along to the best of his ability, finally taking a chance and going to wing, but his effort ends up with him being caught up by the supernatural wind and shot off somewhere amongst the trees, the last being heard from him a startled, "KRAWK!" One of the villagers, a black Khatta, pulls his Drokar to a halt, waving the others to do the same, and starts to turn back – but just as Alptraum passes him, he hears the Drokar scream out, a man's cry, and then another crunch. The monster lets out a gurgling roar, and then the Drokar's scream is cut off as well.

Alptraum sees Autumn-Storm fall out of the corner of his eye. He skids to a halt and turns, trying to go and help her back to her feet. He's not going to let her die at the hands of that horror if he can do anything.

As Alptraum rushes to Autumn-Storm's side, he sees the … thing … rearing up. It seems to be shifting its shape at will, not content to remain in anything resembling its original form except in portions. At the top, Alptraum can see something that looks like a caricature of Kurt's face, with glowing eyes, and a glint of metal where his neck should be. The rest of the body is a dark, blackened red, like crusting blood, and from down on from there, the body erupts in various spines and other sharp pointy bits, having sprouted spider-like legs upon which the monster propels itself … and has been spearing its victims, sucking them dry, if Alptraum can judge from the state of the Drokar and its rider lying on the ground.

Autumn-Storm staggers to her feet, looking up at this thing, as she grabs hold of Alptraum to steady herself.

Alptraum grabs Autumn-Storm's arm and pulls her around. He takes off in a mad dash back toward and onto the bridge. Hopefully, they can get over the railing and into the river before that thing gets to them. The thought occurs to him to go for that glint of metal, but the life of his friend is at risk. She'd surely die if I made such a ridiculous attempt.

As Alptraum reaches the open air at the bridge – without any trees on either side to shelter from the magically-summoned winds – Alptraum (with his wings!) is hit full-force, and it's about all he can do to hold onto Autumn-Storm. They pitch over the railing … and tumble into the river below. The rest of the villagers scramble across the bridge. The creature, however, seems intent upon Alptraum, and stabs downward, splintering wood as it tears out the railing in its mad pursuit!

It's fortunate that Alptraum is doing so well in the water – because by Autumn-Storm's floundering, it's evident that she hasn't quite picked up the requisite skill. The river is carrying him downstream, which unfortunately means going toward the monster momentarily … but its thrusts into the water miss him as he's rushed underneath the bridge. It's very dark here, and the noises of that monster up above echo strangely.

The Eeee swims with the current, trying to hold onto the floundering Savanite. The only thought on his mind is to get away from that thing.

Underneath the bridge, there are some support posts and some driftwood (some of which was just recently created by the monster). The rest of the contents of the water aren't readily apparent, given the darkness (and Alptraum's sonar isn't quite that good as to be able to tell what's underneath the surface).

But that's soon behind Alptraum, as the current carries him out the other side. With a loud crash, the bridge partially collapses, as the monster splashes into the water. It shrieks horribly, and starts splashing about, as if it doesn't like the water very much, scrambling up to the shore, steam rising from its legs.

The current continues to carry Alptraum downstream, pushing him toward the middle of the river, while the monster – still visible by the glow of its eyes – lumbers along the bank, roaring in frustration, occasionally testing the water and then recoiling with a loud hiss. For all its speed on the open road, though, it seems that it is not quite so fast working its way along the river bank like this. After a while … he can no longer see it. In fact, he can't see any sign of the town out here. And it's night.

Alptraum swims toward shore, Savanite in tow. His heart is pounding, he doesn't think he's ever, ever, been so scared in his life.

He manages to make it, Autumn-Storm weakly paddling along, struggling to keep her head up. They haul themselves up on the bank, muscles exhausted – on the bank opposite where the monster was. Even now, they can still hear its keening cries … somewhere out there … but at least, for now … far away.

The Eeee flops heavily against the ground, drawing in deep breaths. He feels so exhausted, but he's alive. Autumn-Storm is alive. For the moment, he feels strangely calm and content.

The next morning, Alptraum awakes to find that he's the early riser this time. Relatively speaking, anyway. He and Autumn-Storm are collapsed in a heap, draped by both their travel cloaks (the best they could do for blankets, and by now more or less dry), Autumn-Storm rolled up in a ball, huddled against the bat. His right arm is asleep from her holding it tightly like a clutch toy.

"Nnnnngh," the Eeee murmurs as he comes to, blinking. He takes in a breath, the nightmarish evening is gone. Part of his mind wants to believe all of that was just another bad dream. But, here he lays on the ground where they dragged themselves onto the beach. He lays there for a bit, just trying to awaken. Finally, he whispers softly to Autumn-Storm, "Hey, it's morning. We made it. We made it."

Autumn-Storm groggily wakes, then realizes that she's clutching Alptraum's arm, and shakily releases it. She wipes at her eyes, then … her eyes go open wide. She bolts to her feet, looking around, in a panic.

Alptraum sits up slowly. Moments later, he can feel the familiar pins-and-needles sensation in his arm. "We're okay," he says softly, trying to calm her down. "It's quiet, and we're on the opposite shore of that thing."

The cheetah looks around, breathing heavily, as she wakes up the rest of the way, nodding slowly, then collapsing to sit unceremoniously on the ground. She takes a little while to catch her breath again, then signs, "Thank you."

Alptraum signs in response, "No need thanks." He pauses, trying to remember the signs, then adds, "You in danger. No choice."

Autumn-Storm watches the signs, then shrugs. "What now?"

"You friend. No choice," Alptraum signs.

Autumn-Storm rolls her eyes. "No mush."

Alptraum shrugs and signs, "No different if was … " He pauses and can't think of any way to sign it, so he says, "Hexen."

"Black fox friend," he then signs, thinking of a way to say who.

"Okay," Autumn-Storm signs. "Just no mush." With that, she grits her teeth as she forces herself back up to her feet, and stretches slowly, joints popping.

"It was wrong of me to drag you into this," Alptraum says as she stretches. "If you want to go, then we can part ways when we reach a town."

Autumn-Storm suddenly stops and turns around to give Alptraum a surprised look, pointing at him with a querying look. "You? You drag me?" Her signs after that are a bit too fast for him to follow, but it might be something about "If that hadn't happened… " and then, "I want pay-back. If you stop, I go alone."

Alptraum sighs and signs, "Never said I stop. I go on. Revenge get you killed."

"And you do not want to go to where the dead goes," Alptraum then says.

Autumn-Storm shrugs. "Let's not get dead, then."

The Eeee's turn to shrug. "I sorry for hotel. Should known better." Alptraum signs, "Little Eeee say me protected, not you. You not see… " He sighs and says, "Not see past the illusion."

Autumn-Storm just shakes her head at this and shrugs, sighing. "Wasn't real." She looks away from him, toward the river.

"It was real for you," Traum says to her.

The cheetah crosses her arms, hugging herself about the shoulders, hunching over slightly, as if only now noticing the chill of the morning breeze coming off the river.

"I did not know," Alptraum says, "… know what you saw was… " He sighs. "I just saw that thing and knew you were in trouble. Already smelled the death of the other guest. I reacted. Didn't stop and think that it would have appeared as someone important to you."

Autumn-Storm shakes her head, and frees one of her hands. "Stop, stop," she signs. "Stop – " He's not absolutely certain about the word after that, but it's a word related to "sorrow". She turns around to face him. "I hurt. I hurt," she signs, patting on her chest several times for emphasis. "But you save me. Again. And again. Getting old now." She smirks faintly. "Got to save you now, or fall behind." She shakes her head. "Not mad at you. Not now. Okay?"

"I mad at me. Death follow me," Alptraum signs, sighing. He then laughs softly in spite of himself, realizing that's save number three.

Autumn-Storm shrugs. "Suit self," she signs, and looks around again. "Think town still there? Or all dead now?"

Alptraum reaches up and pulls off his bandana, a mat of tangled white hair coming free. "I blood drinker and look like death," he signs, admitting it to himself as much as her. He then signs, "No, town safe. Creature no cross water."

"Yes," Autumn-Storm signs. "Look like death warm over. Me too," she signs, tugging at her bedraggled curls, then frowns, as she pats her head and realizes she's lost her nice new bandana. She growls at the discovery.

Alptraum shakes his head firmly no. "I look like death," he signs again, firmly, then pulls out his pendant and shows it to her.

If the pendant means anything to Autumn-Storm, she doesn't register it. "Don't lose head on me," she signs. She walks over to him, and waves her hand in front of his face.

"You no understand," he signs angrily, then sighs. He reaches up and takes her hand, then puts his bandana in it. "Here," he says.

Autumn-Storm nods, taking the bandana, and uses it to tie up her own hair. She then signs, "If hard explain, use mouth, not fingers."She taps on her ears, wiggling them slightly.

Alptraum laughs and says, "Well, I'm trying to improve my signing." He takes a breath, then says, "There are stories of angels and demons. There is one called Sunala, the Angel of Death. She is a black furred, white haired Eeee. The pendant I wear, is her symbol. Given to me before I can remember."

Autumn-Storm nods, listening. She tentatively traces a sign in the air while looking at his pendant, something like the symbol, then signs, " – of Death." The first word, though, is one Alptraum hasn't encountered before in sign.

Alptraum tilts his head. "Can you describe the first word another way?" he asks.

Autumn-Storm repeats the sign again, then points up at the sky. She traces a circle over her head, then clasps her hands together as if praying and looking mock-religiously up at the sky.

Alptraum nods. "Angel, something of worship." He shrugs, "Sheriff Darken, I think, recognized it. He hates me because of it. Hates me even more because I was able to talk to his dead wife, I think." He sighs.

Autumn-Storm nods at the word "angel", but shrugs at the rest.

The Eeee's wraps his arms around himself tightly. "I watched her die," he says, "before I pulled you from the underworld. Haven't you wondered how I knew you pledged your life to me?"

Autumn-Storm pauses at this, but then nods. "You – ?" Unfortunately, whatever word she uses here isn't one he's been taught yet. It seems to have some relationship to the concept of religion, though.

"I think I pulled your spirit from the underworld the night you were stabbed," Alptraum says quietly. "When I touched your spirit, I was there, beside you, as you were dying. I could understand everything you signed to me." He then shrugs. "Am I religious? No. Sunala, all these weird places I've visited, I've never known before."

Autumn-Storm shrugs, though her expression doesn't seem as nonchalant as she might want it to be. Rather, Alptraum can sense a touch of fear in her eyes, as she looks away. "Are you ghost?" she signs, slowly and timidly.

Alptraum opens his mouth to automatically answer "no," then stops. "I don't know what I am," he admits slowly. "I'm afraid."

Autumn-Storm nods slowly. "I trust you," she signs.

"Thank you," Alptraum says. He shifts slightly and looks up at Autumn-Storm and asks, "Do you remember your parents?"

"Not well," she signs. "Was taken as child."

"I never knew my real parents. No memories. I don't even know what my mother looked like," Alptraum says. "Found by the gypsies and adopted by the two Eeee. They had just lost their own son the year prior. Tribe named me Alptraum." He laughs softly and says, "Fitting name, I suppose. It means 'Nightmare.'"

Autumn-Storm shrugs. "My name bad weather," she signs with a grin.

"Still sounds better than 'Nightmare Traveler,' though," Alptraum says with a grin. At last he gets to his feet and stretches.

Autumn-Storm rolls her eyes. "Speak of travel, we get breakfast?"

"My thought exactly. Let's try and catch something, then head back to that town. We can see how they fared, then figure out a way across that river for both of us, Hopefully that thing will be gone and we can follow the trail before it grows too cold," Alptraum says, stretching his wings out. "So, shall we hunt?"