At long last, Anisa and her companions are allowed to remove their blindfolds. They find themselves in the midst of a village belonging to these diminutive folk, and judging from the number of small weapons being brandished, they're none too friendly.

(Not that they look all that threatening, truth being. They're all, what, six to eight inches tall, at best.)

Gibson's ears swivel as he takes in his surroundings, and Anisa can tell that he's warily sizing up the threats – a gesture echoed by his ranger friend, Spencer.

Kurtis just seems to be dourly taking all of this mistreatment in stride, for the most part, while Royce clearly wishes that he were anywhere but here right now. Wanda does the best job of looking unconcerned and nonchalant. The diminutive folk seem to be paying less attention to her, in any case – Perhaps they're more impressed (and threatened) by the tallest of the tall folk.

Anisa turns back to the rest of the party, making sure they're all there and in one piece. "Is everyone here?" she asks in Lapi.

"Here!" "Here." "Here." Yes, it looks like they're all intact, Anisa included. However, she feels a sharp jab in her side.

"Here now!" one of the diminutive Skreeks squeaks. "None of that foreign tongue! We'll have no trickery from the likes of thee!"

"Ow!" The Lapi girl scowls downward, setting her ears back and looking for the source of the jab. "Trickery schmickery, I was just asking if everyone was alright. I'm amazed frankly, seeing how you treat people."

Anisa earns another poke from this. "Still thy tongue, Long-Strider!" the Skreek squeaks. "Show some humility, barbarian, or we'll teach some to thee!"

"Hey! That's my sister!" Royce pipes up. "Ow!"

Anisa winces again at the jabs. "Okay, okay! Just quit poking us with those toothpicks." She looks around the village, flopping an ear at its strange construction. "How long do you intend to keep us here?"

"Until the High Mother decides what fate will befall thee," the Skreek responds.

Just then, Anisa is able to pick out a flash of color – a diminutive Kujaku, the same one they encountered first, only now he's up on a balcony rimmed by leafy branches, at one end of the circle of tree-houses. "All hail the High Mother!" he chirrups out, and this call is echoed by many others. "All bow to the High Mother!" And all about the village, small forms genuflect.

The white rabbit blinks as the small form comes into view, then at all the others dropping down. Not wanting another jab in the side, the Lapi does likewise, swallowing her pride and bending to one knee. "Maybe this person will have some sense."

The others in Anisa's party follow suit, though she can hear another "ow!" from Royce, who perhaps was too slow for their liking. A curtain of hanging moss is parted, and, lit by the foxfire glows of tiny lanterns, a tiny Skeek matron walks out to the balcony, looking down upon the visitors. "Longstriders in Faed Schrumreng? State thy names, and state thy business! We have no dealing with outsiders, and wish to be left alone."

"We wish the same thing," says Anisa, lifting her head up to look at the small mouse matron, stifling a giggle at her appearance. "We were just passing through when we were ambushed by your people, we mean no harm to you. We're on an expedition, and we're short of time. All we ask is to pass through, and we'll leave you alone."

Perhaps the matron catches something of Anisa's stifled giggle, because her expression looks somewhat dour. "Thou shalt 'leave us alone'? That sounds like a threat, Longstrider."

"Er, that is to say … Dagh, we just don't mean you any harm, okay?" The doe fidgets uncomfortably, and looks back to her brother. "Gibson, you're the traveler, you and Spencer help me out here!"

Gibson blinks, as if startled out of a daze. "I … Sorry, sis. Uhm … High Mother, we're terribly sorry. We are being pursued by enemies. We did not mean to venture into your territory. Indeed, you are so well hidden, we had no idea this was your territory. We apologize many times over, and, if you would allow us to continue, we will try to find our way."

"Yeah," Anisa says with a nod, "what he said."

The High Mother looks to be somewhat more appeased by Gibson's attempts at peacemaking. "Very well then. Who are these enemies? We need to know if they present a threat to us as well."

The white rabbit smoothes her ears back. "They're a group that's been trying to steal some of our possessions, and they've been following us for some time. One's a big ugly Vartan." Anisa's ears set back as she relates. "The other is a Cervani that goes by the name of Vandringar. They're both 'longstriders' like us, but unlike us, they're certainly a threat."

"A threat to whom?" the High Mother asks. "Art thou criminals fleeing into our lands for refuge? We will not take part in such disputes amongst the Longstriders."

"No!" Gibson says, then lowers his voice. "No, High Mother, we are not criminals, but I assure you that they are. We're not certain exactly what they are up to, but they are seeking out some sort of … treasure … magic … something of importance in this wilderness, and they will stop at nothing to get to it. We don't want to bring you into our squabble, of course, and I realize that you are a peaceful people. If we can go our way, we'll be certain not to return this way again. We have no desire to cause trouble."

"We're not criminals," Anisa says, holding back an annoyed tone in her voice, though her face is wrenched by a grimace. "We're explorers, trying to learn new … things." The Lapi nods to her brother.

The High Mother looks more serious at this. Perhaps Gibson has said too much. "Thou does journey into the Node, then, true? Dost thou seek the Center?"

Gibson seems to be rapidly spinning the gears in his head at this, trying to formulate the proper response.

Anisa's ears perk upwards at this mention, and she quickly looks back to Royce and Gibson, her nose twitching frantically. She turns back to the High Mother. "You … you know about that?"

"Thou shalt never find it," the High Mother says, with certainty in her voice. "The wilderness here is not like the world outside. If thou dost walk in a straight line, thou mayest end up back in the place from whence thou didst come. The wilderness here is folded and looped, and only those who live here know its myriad ways. If thou truly meaneth well, we will guide thee out of this place, so that thou shalt never return. If we allow thee to wander onward, thou shalt only stumble again into our domain, or wander forever until meeting thy end at the claws of the Observer."

"Observer?" The white Lapi's nose keeps on twitching wildly, her Lapine brain trying to process the new information. "Wait, wait … first off – and I don't mean any disrespect – but what exactly is the Node?" She looks puzzled, shrugging. "We're not the first to come looking for it?"

"The Observer be a Fallen God," the High Mother says, "a guardian for the Ancients. The Node is this place thou art in now, though surely thou dost mean to head deeper into it. Amidst the Three Dark Towers, there is the Center, though it moveth from time to time. The Observer guardeth it against any who might try to intrude upon the resting place of the Ancients."

"Do you know what the purpose of the Center is for?" Anisa's apprehension and annoyance is replaced with pure curiosity. "Royce, get over here! You're the one who needs to know this stuff!"

"A-yah-yah-right!" Royce stammers, ears flat back on his head, as he shakily shuffles over to Anisa, warily avoiding pokey spears. "I'm listening! I'm listening – oh, your gracious High Mothership!" He half-bows several times, eyes wide with fear of being poked and prodded again – or worse.

The High Mother says, "The purpose of the Center is lost with the Ancients. Mayhaps thou wouldst say what purpose there is in tempting their wrath?"

Anisa ponders this for a bit. Just saying "curiosity" or "to beat Vandringar" would sound a bit tacky. Finally, she comes to a realization. "Well, primarily because of this… " Pulling on the chain around her neck, the rabbit pulls out the First Stone, resting it in the palm of her hand. "We want to know what this is for."

There are several gasps, and the High Mother stands straighter on her balcony. "How didst thou come by such a thing?"

"It was a gift, from my brother." The doe looks to Gibson, nodding to him. "Tell them about it."

Gibson lets out a long gasp, and then says, "Well … it's a long story, High Mother, but I'll do my best… " And then he starts to tell a tale of his work in Half Valley, though he chooses his words carefully, trying to simplify some of the terms and avoid jargon – though many times he cannot help but use a technical term or two, and with a stern look from the High Mother or an unprompted poke from one of the guards, is admonished not to use his 'foreign tongue', for fear he might be trying to secretly communicate with his comrades.

He covers the issue of the mysterious death, and what he supposes was an attempted theft of this artifact by – he supposes – Vandringar or one of his agents.

The Lapi sister nods along with her brother, clasping the shard to her protectively.

"Therefore," Gibson says, "I am convinced that Vandringar is a very ruthless man, and whatever purpose he has for this, he will stop at nothing to get it. I deeply regret the idea that we may have inadvertently led him this way. Please forgive us for that transgression. We would be content to lead them on and away from you again. We mean no sacrilege, as you obviously hold this Center to be a place of great importance. I do hope that our quest is something that the Ancients would approve of." He glances askance to Anisa.

Anisa nods approvingly. "We're not sure what this is for, but for whatever reason, we have to keep it from Vandringar. He's already threatened us once before, and I doubt he has nice plans for it. Besides," she says, here stammering a bit, "I think … I think it wants us to find out what it's for."

"What dost make thee think such a thing, child?" the High Mother asks. Despite the "child" address, her tone does not seem so harsh at this moment.

Once again, the doe thinks for a bit. "I can't really explain it… " She looks to the shard, holding it in her palm. "I dreamt … that is to say, I think it spoke to me, in my dreams. Oh! And it unlocked this, too… " Grabbing Royce and pulling him closer, Anisa reaches into his pack, and pulls out the Tome. "This is what led us this way."

Royce squeaks in surprise as the tome is taken out. He looks even more worried when there are several gasps amongst those gathered.

The High Mother asks, "Thou hast been touched in dreams, then, Longstrider?" She seems to consider this seriously. "There is one test we may employ to determine the veracity of thy statement. If thou dost submit to it, I warn thee – if thou hast any falsehood in thee, thy life will be forfeit, and not by our hands."

Anisa sets her ears back worriedly, wondering if she just made the wrong move. The ears lower even more at the mention of the test. "Test? What kind of … test?"

It looks like even the wee folk are exchanging nervous glances with each other, perhaps anticipating what the High Mother will have to say … or perhaps just recognizing a certain ominous foreshadowing in her tone of voice.

"The Observer will judge thee," the High Mother says. "If the Observer shalt spare thee, thou art worthy, and we will guide thee to the Center. If the Observer does not, then we will expel thy companions out of the Node, and they should never, ever return again. If we were to assist thee without the Observer's blessing, all our lives would be forfeit, so it is necessary that this test be taken. If, however, thou dost not wish to face the Observer, we will allow thee to leave in peace."

"I don't like the sound of this," Gibson whispers. "These people seem to know a lot … but I don't know how much weight we should put on this. How often do they have the Observer test someone? Have they made a god out of … a monster in the woods? I think we may want to consider just leaving in peace. Maybe we can find another way… "

This time, Gibson doesn't get poked. The wee folk are too busy whispering and murmuring amongst themselves.

"Didn't you listen to what she said?" replies Anisa in Skeek. "We'll never find the way on our own, and even if we tried, we'd probably run into this Observer thing and all get killed anyways. And if we go back, we have Vandringar to deal with." The Lapi sighs, shaking her head. "I'll have to take the risk. At least this way you guys will be safe. We've come too far to back down now."

Gibson winces. "Didn't you listen to what she said? She's talking about subjecting you to a test from some … some thing. 'Observer' isn't a term I'm unfamiliar with. It's some sort of monster – a one-eyed monster – and it's deadly. Word has it that it's some giant Scuttler … and Scuttlers aren't exactly known for being reasonable."

Anisa frowns at Gibson, and turns back to the tiny Skeek. "Excuse me High Mother; once again I mean no disrespect … but what exactly is the Observer? Have you ever seen it before?"

"The Observer is a Guardian of the Ancients. I have seen it only in mine dreams. In the Node, dream and reality are not so very far apart," the High Mother says, with all seriousness. "The Observer is a judge and a guardian. The reason for subjecting thee to its scrutiny is simple: If it will not allow thee alone to pass, it will certainly not allow anyone traveling with thee, either."

Anisa considers this, and turns back to Gibson. "I still say we try it. You heard what she said; this is a dream-like place. Maybe this Scuttler is different from a normal one."

Gibson looks Anisa in the eyes. "I … I don't want anything to happen to you. But … " He lets out a long breath. "I can't keep treating you like a little kid. I'm sorry. I wish I had gotten these … dreams."

The doe smiles, softening her expression slightly. "Nope, it was me, I'm afraid. Don't worry, I'll be fine. This way, only I have anything to lose."

The expression on Gibson's face suggests that he might havesomething contrary to say about Anisa's assertion that onlyshe has anything to lose … but his thoughts gounspoken.

Anisa turns back to the Skeek, taking a deep breath and trying to hide her nervousness. "Okay, I'll do it, High Mother. Only promise me that if anything happens to me, you'll help the others find their way out of the Center."

Wanda murmurs quietly, "Sugar, you're a brave one. Got to hand you that."

The High Mother nods solemnly. She then looks to the others. "Treat them as our honored guests. Right or wrong, they have submitted to our test. I find it hard to believe that any of foul heart would willingly accept the judgment of the Observer." Immediately, the spears and pole arms are drawn away, giving Anisa and her companions considerably more elbow room.

Royce lets out a sigh of relief that is suddenly aborted, as if the weight of the new situation is sinking into him only belatedly.

Anisa relaxes at spears are drawn back, but not totally. She rubs the spot where she was repeatedly jabbed, and taking the Tome, she hands it back to her little brother. "Well, we wanted excitement," sighs the Lapi, "looks like we got it."