The young hekoye, as assigned by his mentor, sits in a quiet corner of the Bazaar. Minutes tick away like hours as he tries to force himself to sit and simply observe the world go by. Sometimes the scenery is dull, other times it's lively… but never quite the same at any given time.

The young Savanite, Kaela, wanders back to her home from her trip to the temple… cutting through the shops and the streets. Her path leads her towards Jaundice's quietly observing eyes.

Jaundice sits up and rubs his nose, taking a breath and trying not to think of what it smells like. He looks up briefly, long enough to catch a familiar face in the crowd.

Kaela quietly moves along, her mind apparently preoccupied by other things as she passes by Jaundice. She doesn't even glance in his direction.

As Kaela rushes home, a young Jupani and several of his Kavi friends intercept her… they circle her like a pack of hunters.

Jaundice watches Kaela pass by without much of a thought… then sees where she ends up. He blinks, and begins to rise…

"Lookit! It's a midget mute!" the wolf (obviously the leader) yaps. "What's the hurry, slave?"

Jaundice thinks, . o O { I've seen her before, in the ruins. How'd she get back here? What does she do? }

Kaela looks between them, swallowing. She signs, "My master expects me at home." Not that she expects them to understand Savanite, but…

A one eared Kavi snarls. "Lookit that! I'll bet she's signing something nasty… that's all those stupid slaves do… I'll bet that's why they never speak."

Jaundice looks up into the wolf's face, studying his build. Almost before he realizes it, he's on his feet and moving towards the group.

Kaela swallows hard and shakes her head several times, fearfully looking between the group.

Jaundice easily bridges the gap between his stoop and the cheetah kit. His unobtrusiveness is to his advantage, such that the others don't notice him before he's next to Kaela, looking up a good foot on average into their faces.

The wolf doesn't seem to notice the young coyote… he bends down to pick up a handful of mud, obviously intended for the Savanite.

Kaela backs several steps away.

"Ooooh! Lookit," a fat Kavi jeers, "She's gotta boyfriend!"

Jaundice looks upwards, scanning faces. His expression is unreadable, though he's likely much more scared than he lets on without speaking.

Some of the wolf's followers seem to be backing away already, bullies rarely taking a stand when their prey shows a hint of fighting back.

Jaundice is hardly a threat at first glance, but he does have one thing going for him. He continues to look the toughs in the eyes though they turn away. So long as they aren't talking…

The Jupani leader growls, "Go away, cub. Find your own slave to play with." He hefts his handful of mud, grinning at Kaela.

Kaela backs several more steps away, swallowing hard.

Jaundice looks up at the wolf, trying to meet his eyes as he crosses to where the grin is aimed. He backs up slightly, staying aware of where Kaela is standing.

Jaundice swallows, then makes contact with the Jupani's eyes. "I don't have anywhere to go." He's rather matter of fact with this statement.

Jaundice thinks to himself. . o O { What's that supposed to mean? } He mentally shakes it off, and keeps his pose.

The group seems to have attracted the attention of several of the nearby shopkeepers (especially those with Savanite slaves). A couple more of the wolf's band step away… shrinking the group to only two nervous Kavi and the wolf.

Kaela turns to run in the opposite direction from the wolf.

"I suggest you find someplace to go… or would you like a mudbath as well?" The Jupani dangles his handfull of slime over Jaundice's head. A couple of drops threathen to spill out onto his headfur and poncho.

Jaundice briefly takes his eyes off the Jupani to glance back at Kaela, just as she turns her back. He turns around to call for her, then feels a drop on his head and the wolf's breath just above him. He whirls and nearly runs his head into the mudball.

Jaundice loses his balance briefly, and staggers back a step. He thinks maybe the Savanite has the right idea.

The wolf's two companions shakily try to block the escape route. They don't seem as enthuiastic as their leader.

"Why don't you ask my permission to go? Do it nice enough and I might let you." The wolf sneers.

Jaundice gets his footing again, feels an opening in the crowd behind him… turns, and bolts after Kaela just before the two Kavis close the gap.

Envoy turns a corner, and ends up in Kaela's path.

The two dash by the Kavis without much resistance, As they bolt away… the sounds of an angry Jupani slinging mud at a certain pair of Kavis can be heard.

Envoy blinks at the two familiar people rushing towards her. "Hello!"

Jaundice looks up and blinks at the road ahead, skidding to a stop. "Uhm. Envoy." He blinks, glancing around, making sure he's not still being followed.

Kaela bolts right past Envoy, ducking through stalls and around various shopkeepers and people in the crowd.

The only thing behind Jaundice is a squeep vendor. There seems to be quite a few of those lately.

Jaundice looks around Envoy's wings, seeing Kaela rush past. "Excuse me." He ducks around her side, trying to keep watch on Kaela.

Envoy smiles, and follows Jaundice. "Are you and Kaela playing tag?"

Jaundice puffs, trying to keep in step. "Uh… no! Who's Kaela?"

There seems to be some kind of hawker in the path of Kaela… it seems to be another Naga oil salesman. Whoever he is, he's gathered quite a crowd… which makes for slow going as the cheetah cub tries to weave her way through the mob.

Jaundice pants a bit. The Bazaar air is making it hard to breathe, let alone run or think.

Envoy keeps up with the hekoye easily, having longer legs. "Kaela is the girl you are chasing."

Kaela finally presses into the crowd, gasping down air. Safety in numbers. She tries to catch her breath and rest a bit, while looking about worriedly, eyes searching out the Jupani who accosted her before…

Jaundice's pace slows as he nears the thick of the crowd. He tries to keep an eye on Kaela, not even bothering to question himself as to why he's even trying to follow.

"Yes indeedy! My miracle formula is guarenteed to keep away those pesky canine tongues! Pure alum powder… just one little sprinkle into the fur and you'll never have to worry about unwanted slurps again!" the Naga shouts to the listeners.

Envoy doesn't try to enter the crowd. She just calls Kaela's name.

Kaela slowly begins to recover her breath. After a moment she moves towards Envoy's voice, pressing through the mass of bodies.

Jaundice hears the barker above the din of the mob. . o O { Is there anything in this place that's truly worth buying? } He finds Kaela's diminuitive form amongst the mass of bodies and tries to find a path to reach her…

"Works WONDERS for those unwanted relatives that insist on kissing you twelve times before they leave."

Kaela finally reaches Envoy and looks up at her. She smiles a little bit.

Envoy kneels down to be closer to Kaela's eye level, and signs, "Why were you running? Are you playing?"

The Hekoye uffs, pressed in between shoppers interested in the snake's oil. He watches her weave out, and tries to extract himself.

Kaela shakes her head a few times. Still breathing heavily, she signs, "A Jupani and a bunch of Kavis were being bullies… "

"Excellent for keeping your cubs in line! No chewed up rugs with Slurp-Away!"

Jaundice finally squeezes through, his poncho forced sideways and his headband askew. He walks back towards Envoy and the Savanite… who he guesses is named "Kaela." He tries to put his clothing back in order.

Envoy furrows her brow (an odd effect, due to the horn), and asks vocally and in sign, "What are bullies?"

Envoy glances up and grins to Jaundice, "Do you understand Savanite?"

A grumbly Kavi, covered in mud, walks past the three… he mutters a couple things about Jupani and disappears down an alley without even making eye contact.

Jaundice wheezes, slowly making his way over. "Bully. *gulp* A person… who is habitually cruel or overbearing. *gasp* Especially to smaller… or weaker… people." His face is hangdog. "No… I don't know any Savanite."

"Does your growing little kit stay out too late with the girls? Not a problem! Just sprinkle Slurp-Away into his clothing and he'll be home before suppertime every night!"

Envoy says, "That seems a silly way to behave. You two look overheated, want to get something cool?"

Jaundice watches Envoy's hands move. "What is that?" He swallows and retracts his tongue.

Envoy blinks at Jaundice, "I'm using the Savanite hand-signing language."

Jaundice turns to Kaela, getting a good look at her for the first time since the jungle.

Kaela nods uncertainly. She signs, "I don't know when Lord Titus will return… I can't stay very long… "

Envoy nods to Kaela. "You always seem to be in a hurry. There is a shaved-ice vendor back the way you came. I can get you something cold to help you on your way back to your household."

Jaundice only half-understands Envoy's explanation as he looks at the cheetah kit. "Green," he says. Again, without thinking.

Envoy says, "You both met on the expedition, but I suppose you haven't been properly introduced. Kaela, this is Pe'er, a student at the College Esoterica… "

Kaela nods to Envoy and gives her a grateful smile, then starts and turns to look at Jaundice, blinking.

Envoy says, "And Pe'er, this is Kaela. She is part of Lord Titus' household."

"Does your mate snore? A pinch of Slurp-Away on his nose and he'll be quiet for the rest of the night!"

Kaela smiles at Jaundice tentatively, glancing back to Envoy.

Jaundice blinks and shakes his head, as he realizes he's staring. "Uhm… hello. … Kaela." He tilts his head, only vaguely aware of Envoy.

Envoy smiles, "Why don't you both catch your breath, and I'll be right back." With that, she stands and vanishes into traffic.

"Yes indeedy! Slurp-Away is the powder with a million uses!"

Kaela blinks as Envoy vanishes into the crowds, then glances back to Jaundice. She gives him a tentative smile, uncertain of what more to do, since he so obviously doesn't understand Savanite sign.

There is the sound of a commotion up ahead, and four insectoid heads pop above the crowd. Their two "prisoners", a muddy Jupani and an even muddier group of Kavis, march through the square. Obviously they bullied the wrong person.

Jaundice takes a shaky breath, and rubs his nose. . o O { Why hasn't she said anything? } He harums, and tries again. "Kaela… i-is that right?"

Envoy reappears on the heels of the Zelaks, carrying two strawberry sno-cones.

Kaela moves a bit closer to the edge of the mob, gently tugging at Jaundice to join her. She really doesn't want to be too close to them as they pass…

Kaela nods to Jaundice quietly.

Jaundice blinks as Kaela takes his arm. He staggers closer to her as the mob passes behind.

The Zelaks disappear into the crowd… they seem to be heading towards the lake.

Envoy comes over and offers a cone to both the kit and the cub. "This should help you cool down a little. I hope you like strawberry."

Jaundice turns to Envoy as she pushes a snocone into his hand. "Er… thank you." He examines the queer red ice, then looks up to the odd white face. "Envoy… what is Savanite sign? Why hasn't… " He looks to Kaela. "Why doesn't she talk?"

Jaundice blinks again. The realization has already come halfway to him.

Envoy says, "Savanites don't have voices."

Kaela smiles up at Envoy gratefully. Sno-cones are a _very_ rare treat for her. She lets Envoy explain to Jaundice, and just concentrates on consuming some of the frigid, sweet stuff. :)

Jaundice looks at Kaela, watching her attack her snocone. "You can't talk."

A vermite carrying a chitin key in its mouth skitters quickly past… with an angry Cervani merchant hot on its tail!

Envoy says, "They talk with their hands, and there are at least two different hand languages they use. I understand the phonetic one that uses two hands. I haven't seen the one-handed dialect enough to understand it yet."

Jaundice brings the snocone to his nose and sniffs. He gives the ice a lick, and quirks an eyebrow.

Kaela glances up and over to Jaundice, blinking, then smiles to Envoy.

Envoy smiles, "So they do talk, you see, and even have a written language."

The snocone is probably one of the most pleasant things Jaundice has smelled in the Bazaar to date.

Jaundice looks up at Envoy, playing back the image of her waving her hands about in his mind. "But … you know how to speak with them." He plays the thought around in his mind. "Can she understand us?"

Envoy says, "Of course she can."

Kaela smiles at Jaundice a bit, licking at the sweetened ice dust.

Envoy leans in towards Jaundice to whisper conspirationally, "Kaela saved the lives of everyone on the expedition to the City of Hands. Except for the ones that died, that is."

Jaundice holds his snocone close to his nose, preferring the smell. He turns back to Kaela, unsure what to make of what Envoy tells him. He finds those green eyes again, and pauses.

Kaela looks from Envoy to Jaundice and back again, her eyes widening with worry. She promised not to tell anyone!

Envoy says, "There are a lot of things about Savanites that you will never find in a book."

Jaundice takes a breath, realizing something. "Who is Lord Titus, anyway? How's she… " He gestures with his snocone. "… part of his 'household'?"

Envoy says, "Lord Titus was the master of the expedition you came to observe, Pe'er. Kaela is one of his… slaves. All the Savanites in Rephidim are slaves. Property."

Envoy makes a twirling gesture next to her head with one finger, clearly expressing what she thinks of the concept.

A gold-furred vixen emerges from the crowd with a bottle of Slurp-Away. She gingerly sprinkles it on her fur and walks away. As she turns the corner a sharp *yipe!* can be heard… and a wolf races out from behind the corner clutching his mouth.

Jaundice never takes his eyes off Kaela. "Slave?" He tastes the word on his tongue, and just stands with his snocone a moment.

Kaela takes a few more bites of shaved ice before signing with her free hand, "I should go. I'll get in trouble if I'm not back in time."

Jaundice decides he doesn't like the taste. "I… didn't know. No one ever told me."

Jaundice watches Kaela. "What is she saying now?" He nearly drops his snocone.

Kaela glances over at Jaundice and gives him a faint smile.

Envoy says, "I didn't understand it at first either. Kaela has to return to her home now. Do you want some company, Kaela?"

Kaela blinks, then shrugs ambivalently. "All right," she signs.

Jaundice watches blankly, seized by the unanswered questions represented by Kaela. "Is she going now? Can I come?"

The crowd from the snake's hawking seems to have diminished for the most part as the Naga's stores are quickly bought up.

Envoy nods to Jaundice, "She doesn't mind. Her neighborhood smells nicer than the Bazaar, too."

Kaela sets off along the path towards Lord Titus' estate, briefly glancing back to be sure the others are following.

Envoy trots along, never having made the journey on foot before…

Jaundice's tail wags gently, unbeknownst to him. He follows Kaela, unsure of where she's going, unsure of why he's following. Some recess of his mind is making a note to analyze this later, but right now… the majority rules.

Envoy chatters idly, "Play is important in the development of young mammals. What sort of games do you two play?"

Jaundice watches Kaela. "I never had time for games… " He shrugs off the possibility that Envoy might be right, and that he might be developmentally challenged.

Envoy watches Jaundice. "What do you do that gives you physical and emotional satisfaction or release then, Pe'er?"

Kaela glances between the other two, listening quietly as she wanders along the cobbled path away from the Bazaar.

The group passes the Zelak guards they saw earlier… standing at the edge of a lake while the Jupani and his friends sulk in chest deep water. Very, very, very, COLD water…

Jaundice's mind wanders aimlessly. "Uh… what?"

Envoy waves to the group in the water!

Kaela ducks her head slightly and avoids looking at the group in the water. Maybe they won't notice her.

Envoy says, "What do you do that is 'fun', Pe'er? I think Kaela dances, or runs. It would seem an activity that would be very satisfying for a Savanite."

Jaundice looks at Envoy waving, and follows her gaze. His eyebrows raise, and in a flash his hood is around his face.

Jaundice stares straight ahead. "I don't know if it is or not. I haven't read anything about it."

The bully and his gang don't seem to notice the passing three. They seem to have their eyes fixed on the Zelaks.

Envoy glances at Kaela, to see if she will confirm the Exile's guess.

Kaela nods slightly at Envoy. "Sometimes I explore the gardens and climb the trees," she signs. "It reminds me of home."

Envoy smiles, and relays to Jaundice, "Kaela likes to play in the garden and climb trees also."

Jaundice watches Kaela's hands move, trying to figure out how the signs make words, or meanings. He's lost.

Jaundice thinks a moment. "The last time I was in a tree was during survival training. It wasn't fun."

Envoy notices Jaundice watching the signing. "Would you like to learn to sign, Pe'er? There must be some activity you enjoy, that makes you happy."

Jaundice stops in his tracks. He pauses, then turns to Envoy. "Yes… I would like to learn." He turns, falters, then follows Kaela again.

Envoy smiles! "It's very easy to learn. The common two-handed version uses gestures that represent phonemes, just like written letters do. The more formal one-handed version uses gestures to represent entire concepts, like heiroglyphics."

The bustle of the bazaar slowly fades away, and is replaced by the more 'sophisticated' areas of Rephidim. Titus' estate looms closer.

Kaela smiles at Jaundice tentatively.

Jaundice quirks his mouth, trying to make sense of Envoy's explanation. "Uhm… phonemes? All right… " He catches Kaela's gaze again, and smiles back. "… Yes."

Jaundice suddenly realizes something. . o O { Kaela has to go back… and if I'm going to learn the signs, then… } He looks back at Envoy, one ear wilting.

Envoy tries a simpler explanation, "It's like writing on air. You read what the person's hands are writing."

Jaundice takes a shaky breath, trying not to let the image of Envoy overexplaining everything devoid of context invade his thoughts. "Well, that makes sense anyway… " His gaze follows Kaela as the trio reaches what must be Titus's land.

Kaela turns back to the others as she reaches the overlarge gate before Lord Titus' estate. She smiles at them softly, makes soft signs of thanks and farewell, and then moves to enter the grounds.

Envoy waves to Kaela as she passes through the gate.

Jaundice thinks, . o O { Why do I want to spend time with Envoy for however long it takes to learn an entirely new language? }

Envoy turns to look at Jaundice.

Jaundice watches Kaela pass through the gate. His hand raises instinctively. "… I could understand her." He catches himself.

Envoy smiles, "You're a fast learner then."

Jaundice blinks, pausing. "No… I meant… " He sighs. "Never mind."

Jaundice says, "Are you going to teach me how?"

Envoy says, "If you like."

There is a very pregnant pause.

Jaundice swallows, and blinks his eyes shut. "Yes." He opens his eyes. Envoy's still there.

Kaela vanishes through the servant's entrance to Titus's home, to one side of a rather grotesque skull with prominent tusks.

Envoy smiles, "Are you right handed, or left handed?"