The voyage so far has been fairly dull for Anisa. The few paying passengers she's met have all been merchants who seem preoccupied with matters of trade and shipping – the sort of thing even Aaron finds boring after a few minutes. Even the Lapi pastime of eavesdropping yields little, since the Khatta and Vartan crewmen (there are no other females aboard, apparently) converse in languages Anisa isn't familiar with.

Aaron has tried to keep the doe entertained by teaching her various card games, but it doesn't help much against the influence of bland food and company. Still, there is enough room on deck to exercise at least, and the seemingly endless Sea of Sand below is starting to give way to more cultivated landscape.

Up on deck, the white rabbit practices her punch combos while watching the landscape roll past far underneath her. The doe feels as though she'll come down with cabin fever if she stays below decks any longer, and the card games are starting to get stale.

By now the crew has gotten used to Anisa's workouts, so aren't distracted as they go about their duties. Even the Vartans don't offer to spar with the Lapi anymore.

Bearing a small loaf of bread, Aaron comes above deck to check on the doe. "The captain says we'll reach Parthos by early morning," he tells her as he approaches.

At first Anisa was annoyed at the constant teasing, but now that the trip has shifted into boredom mode, she kind of misses it. Spying the other Lapi, she halts her workout, and smoothes out her frazzled ears, catching her breath. "Good," she says, leaning against the railing to relax. "Another day of this, and I'd have gone nuts."

Aaron grins and offers Anisa a chunk of bread. "I admit it's not the greatest of rides, but it was cheap and convenient."

Anisa hungrily accepts the bread with a smile of thanks, and nibbles away on it. "Yeah, it got us from A to B all right, that's for certain. The beds were nice, too. So, what's first on the list when we get to port? Meet your cousin?"

"He'll meet us in Dianus," Aaron says, his ears drooping slightly. "I need to check at the Temple of Abaddon in Parthos to see when the ferry will be coming in. The priests there are the only ones that know the schedule, since they admire the Amazonians – or at least hate them least."

The doe blinks. "Admire … or hate them? How do you mean?" The rabbit pops the last of the bread into her mouth, and swallows it down. "Do they think they're immoral or something?"

"Abaddon is the Olympian god of war," Aaron explains, "so the priests admire the Amazonians as warriors and fellow worshippers, but dislike them for having conquered part of Olympia and for depicting Abaddon as a doe."

Anisa grins. "Don't like the idea of a woman being in charge, eh? Guess that's typical of a place filled with men." Taking a seat on a crate, the Lapi pulls out a brush, and starts in on her ears. "The whole mythology thing throws me anyways."

"It's not a matter of gender really," Aaron says as he leans on the railing, looking over the landscape below. "It's just that it was sort of the last straw in Olympia's decline."

"Which? The conquering of part of Olympia, or depicting Abaddon as a doe?" Anisa brushes her arm fur for good measure. "If I were them, I'd be more mad about the conquering bit. Are you sure they'll tolerate us, considering that you're part Amazonian?"

"More the conquering part I imagine," the buck says, scanning the horizon. "If they won't help, there's always the Temple of Ashtoreth. The goddess of fertility doesn't have any grudges against Amazonia."

Anisa laughs. "I imagine she'd be the patron goddess of Amazonia, considering, if not all Lapis." The doe leaps down from the crate, and stretches. "I guess we'd probably get ready then, if it's only a little while. Do I need to wear that stuff around your cousin, or wait until we get to Amazonia?"

Aaron stands up away from the railing and says, "Keep them handy, but we won't need them until we're ready to leave Parthos. Might as well rest up now, I suppose!"

"Sounds good to me," replies the snow colored Lapine. "Up for any more cards?"

The docks of Parthos are similar to those of Rephidim, at least in the fact that you have to watch your step. The drop from the top of the cliffs is if anything more vertigo inducing than that from the sky island since it's on a more easily-grasped scale.

Burly Rhians, Vartans and the occasional Vykarin do much of the heavy labor here, and the ratio of Jupani to Khattas favors the felines more than in Rephidim, but the activity is familiar. Cargo is loaded and unloaded, tourists gawk and travel in packs, and merchants complain about everything moving too slowly. The view is better, however; at the bottom of the cliff are the former estates of Olympian nobles – now serving as exclusive resorts – along with colorful gardens, a racing track and upscale shopping district brushing up against sparkling beaches and a yacht harbor. The colorful sails of pleasure craft dot the waters of the Lake of Languor, along with a few more practical vessels.

Beyond the warehouses of the docks rise the classical, marble-columned buildings and ruins that make Parthos itself such a famed attraction, along with several ancient ruins: the bones of a once great empire.

The two Lapis carry their travel bags through the morning crowd. "Mind if we head right for the temples?" Aaron asks Anisa.

Much like the gawking tourist – which she more or less is – Anisa is captivated by the sights, walking slower than her buck companion, and staring at all the buildings, new and old alike. "Straight away? Well, I guess if we gotta. You have to promise me we'll take our time on the way back, though."

Aaron perks his ears and grins at Anisa. "The Old City on Rephidim is probably older than this place. They just don't hawk souvenirs there."

"Yeah, but I can see those anytime," replies the doe, catching up with the buck and sticking close. "Either way, they're older than me or you, so they're worth seeing. I really love the mansions; those are nice."

Between the docks and the city proper is a marketplace not unlike the Bazaar, full of shouting merchants trying to outdo each other to draw attention. "Fresh fleen-fruit! Right off the vine!" yells one Khatta in heavily accented Standard, while another one waves a miniature model of some ruin at the Lapis.

"Maps to the homes of the Ancient Heroes!" calls another barker, this one standing on a broken column base and waving a handful of paper.

Anisa watches the vendors one by one as they walk by. "Well, this reminds me of home. What's fleen-fruit?" The doe wiggles her nose at the map vendor. "Maybe we should nab one, just in case."

"The ones down by the shore are kept up well," Aaron says in agreement. "Ugh, fleen-fruit is this sort of air bladder that grows on lake-weed. It's nasty and mildly narcotic. The maps are always fakes, too."

"Oh." The doe folds her ears back embarrassedly, feeling like a fish out of water. She follows along with Aaron, fidgeting with her bag several times. "Next time I come, I'm staying in one of the mansions, and that's final. I don't care if I have to sell one of my brothers to do it!"

Aaron tries to get Anisa to move a little quicker. Crowds still make him nervous, after all. "I thought you didn't like slavery, though?" he asks with a grin. "The Temple District is down this street, I think. It's a bit nicer than the market."

"I don't!" Anisa bites her lip. "But I like luxury, so I'm torn. I didn't know they kept slaves there anyway." The doe pumps her shorter legs a bit faster to keep up with Aaron. "Just a district full of Temples? That's kind of weird."

The street does seem a bit cleaner, and the buildings become more impressive the further the pair go. Finally, they emerge in a large plaza with a huge central fountain, surrounded by a dozen marble temples. Fantastic creatures battle with feline warriors (gods and goddesses?) within the fountain.

Anisa's eyes go wide, her jaw nearly dropping at the statues. "Wow… this is much better than the Temple on Rephidim."

"No weirder than Caroban and its schools," Aaron says, and points across the plaza to a temple with a huge statue of a Khatta holding a flaming sword – a really flaming sword, probably fed by hidden gas jets. "That's the Temple of Abaddon."

"What, no doe?" The white Lapi smirks, but still looks at the statue in awe. "I'm guessing they're the most powerful of the group, if they can get something like that. Shall we?"

Aaron leads the way to the Temple of War. As they get closer, scenes out of legends or history can be seen along the walls of the building, depicted in bas relief. The flaming sword hangs over the main entrance to the inner temple, and red-robed figures congregate within.

Anisa stares at the sword with wide eyes as she nears, then spying the robed figures inside, whispers to Aaron in Skeek, "Will they object to me coming in? I don't see any women… "

The buck stops short at the question, and whispers back, "I don't really know. Maybe you should stay by the door while I go find the temple secretary." Several of the robed figures are clearly armed with large, red chitin swords – probably ceremonial, but still sharp-looking.

The doe frowns, but nods in agreement. As they near the door, she stops, and allows the buck to go forward. "Just don't be too long," she whispers, still using Skeek. "This place kinds creeps me out."

"Okay, I'll hurry," Aaron says, then adds, "If anyone tries to talk to you in Olympian, just show them that medallion I gave you." He then walks through the door and says something to an acolyte, who points off towards some other part of the temple. The flaming sword hisses over Anisa's head in the meantime.

Anisa grimaces as she watches Aaron disappear, pulling up her bag and opening it to fish out the medallion. She takes careful note of where the dagger is as well, feeling not exactly safe all by herself in a strange land.

After Aaron has vanished into the bowels of the Temple, one of the passing acolytes (assuming that the robed ones without big swords are acolytes, anyway) notices Anisa, and pauses to stare at her with a look of astonishment on his brown-furred feline face.

The doe freezes instinctively at the cat's gaze, and attempts to appear preoccupied with the statues in the hopes she'll be forgotten.

He's soon joined by another young acolyte who seems mesmerized by Anisa. This attracts the attention of a sword-bearing priest finally, who starts to chastise the pair until he notices Anisa as well.

Anisa begins to sweat, trying to seem nonchalant as she moves further out into the square for a little bit of distance. Nervously, she pulls out her brush and works on an ear, quickly glancing inside the Temple entrance for any sign of Aaron.

The gray-furred Khatta priest strides through the doorway and asks Anisa something in Olympian, smiling politely to her. The two acolytes scurry up behind him, and seem to be staring at a point above Anisa's ears.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry, I don't speak Olympian." The doe quickly fishes into her bag, looking for the medallion. "I'm a guest of that Lapi that's speaking with your master. Do you speak Standard, or Skeek maybe?" The last bit she says in the appropriate language.

The Priest doesn't seem to comprehend Anisa's words, but his eyes go wide at the sight of the medallion. His voice takes on an apologetic tone as he tries to explain something to the doe, speaking very slowly … but still in Olympian. He also points up over the doe's head.

Frustrated at the lack of understanding, Anisa shakes her head. "I still don't understand… " Noticing the priests' gaze, and the motioning of the one, she turns around to look above her head. "What? Is it a bee or something?"

A small flame is dancing in the air over Anisa's head.

The Priest tries to explain something again, smiling and looking apologetic, while the two acolytes just stand there in amazement. Finally though, a familiar long-eared figure steps out of the Temple and looks around for his friend.

The doe doesn't quite comprehend what she's looking at first, but then does a double take as it becomes clear. "What the… ? What in the name of D-, er … What?!" Backing away from the flame, the rabbit turns to look at the acolytes. "W-what is that?"

Aaron dashes over, ears drooping at the sight of the magic flame, and asks the priest something. There follows a quick conversation in Olympian, while one of the acolytes makes a motion of drawing his finger across his throat, then shaking his head vigorously to Anisa.

Anisa's ears wilt back at the acolyte's motion, and she steps away further from the group. "A-Aaron, what's g-going on? What are they talking about?" The doe glances back over her head again, trying to see if the flame is still there.

The priest and the apothecary seem to come to an agreement, and the Khatta moves away from the group and draws his sword while muttering something.

"It'll be okay, Anisa, just hold still," Aaron says, and appears to be fighting a grin.

At the drawing of the weapon, the doe reaches into her bag and places her paw on the dagger, but doesn't take it out, instead keeping it hidden in the bag. "I'm glad you find this funny," she says, her rabbit's fur standing on end. "Hurry up and let's get out of here!"

Finishing his prayer, the priest swings the sword over Anisa's head – slicing through the little flame, which vanishes without a sound. Without a sound, that is, save for the loud, high-pitched squeak this prompts Anisa to make, as she quickly dives to the ground while squeezing her eyes shut.

Gesturing to the acolytes, the priest heads back to his temple. The acolytes follow on his heels, chatting excitedly.

"Are you okay now, Anisa?" Aaron asks with a grin.

Anisa clutches the dagger, which she has reflexively pulled out, but luckily she keeps it close so as to be obscured by her sudden dive. Eyes still closed, she feels her ears to make sure they're still there, then opens one eye at the buck. "What in the name of Dagh was all that about?!"

Aaron glances to one of the nearby Temples in alarm when Anisa mentions the D-word, but nothing horrible happens. "Oh… well, there are some really old enchantments in that big sword it seems. It recognized you as a potential sacrifice, you see, but they don't do that sort of thing anymore. The priest thought you were sent by the Amazonians to give yourself to Abaddon, and was trying to tell you that it wasn't allowed."

The doe frowns, placing the dagger back into her bag, and getting to her feet. "A potential sacrifice? Why in D-, why the heck did it choose me?!" The doe dusts herself off.

"You, uh, met the stringent requirements I guess." Aaron snickers. "Anyway, I've got the schedule. We need to get to the harbor as soon as we can."

Anisa furrows her brow, and pokes the buck, "What requirements? Why did it choose me, Flopear?" Replacing the medallion back into her pack, the doe follows along with Aaron.

"Well, you're an adult, female, a virgin, and you've been in combat, I suppose," Aaron says, taking a different route out of the plaza than the one they entered from.

"What? How did it know – " The doe cuts herself short, and her ears turn bright red in embarrassment. "That's none of their business! And none of yours either!" The Lapi crosses her arms, and walks angrily. "What kind of backwater is this? Hmph."

"Well, sacrifices used to be groomed from birth I think," Aaron notes, and hides his grin now that Anisa looks more dangerous. "So mistakes weren't likely. I don't see that it's anything to be embarrassed about, though."

Bypassing the noisy market, the new route leads to a point on the cliffs further north from the docks. Perched on the edge is a huge wooden framework of ropes and pulleys with a small group of tourists (and lots of luggage) waiting on a platform. From their dress, they appear to be well-off Abu Dhabian Khattas and Zerdas.

Anisa smirks, and shrugs. "It's just nobody's business but mine, that's all." The rabbit smoothes her ears back. "Is that where we're headed?"

"Yup, it's the elevator," Aaron says. He digs out his coin purse as they get closer. There's a toll booth at the entrance to the platform. "It takes about half an hour to descend. You aren't afraid of heights, are you?"

"Hey, we just got off of an airship, didn't we?" The doe grins, shouldering her bag. "And besides, I live on Rephidim, for crying out loud. If I were afraid of heights, I'd have had a heart attack by now."

Aaron pays the fare at the booth, and the two Lapis are allowed onto the waiting platform. The mechanism groans ominously as the elevator car – an open, railed square of wood – arrives, carrying several queasy looking felines who quickly exit via a different platform.

Anisa tries to stifle a chuckle. "They look like they just got off of that spinning thing at the skate-fair," she whispers to Aaron in Skeek.

"I missed the fair this year," Aaron laments. Attendants get the elevator ready for descent, and even carry the luggage onto it for the wealthier riders. The standing room is a bit close on board, and there aren't any benches to sit on for the trip.

Being much smaller than the average passenger, Anisa stays close to Aaron in an attempt to keep from being squashed. "I hope this thing is sturdy."

With a few jerks and ratcheting noises, the elevator begins its descent. The smaller Zerdas cluster near the center, while most of the Khattas eagerly lean over the rails to see the view. Two Vartan "lifeguards" stand at opposite corners, looking at the passengers instead of the view.

The doe starts at the sudden lurch as the elevator begins its descent, and unthinkingly grabs Aaron's arm to steady herself, fur on end.

"The wind shouldn't be too bad this time of day," Aaron says, but his voice suggests it's more of a wish than a statement. There is a breeze along the cliff side that causes the platform to sway and turn, but not enough to cause motion sickness. "It might be better to sit with our backs against the railing."

Fur still frazzled, but calm now, Anisa nods. "Sounds good to me. We're small enough we can squeeze into a space. Lead the way."

Aaron finds a spot between an ornate trunk and one of the lifeguards. "This looks good," he says, and sits down on the deck. "It helps if you don't look up."

Anisa squeezes beside the buck, and wraps her arms around her knees. " Don't worry, I won't. You said this takes an hour? Sheesh, sounds like a good extortion setup if you ask me: go halfway then BAM! Stop the lift, and demand more money if the riders want to get to the bottom." The doe grins.

"Then the people waiting to ride to the top wouldn't get on," Aaron says with a chuckle.

"That's why you also start the catapult racket," suggests the doe, trying to pass the time with humor. "Have people pay to be shot to the top. It'd be quicker than this!"

It isn't quite so long a trip when compared to the airship voyage, and nobody ended up getting sick (although a few of the Zerdas looked a bit pale in the ears at the end). The platform at the bottom is more elaborate, situated at the end of a street full of shops. The barkers here don't bark as loud as those in the general marketplace above; they just show off their wares in fancy displays. Most of them glitter, and none of them have prices written down.

Anisa gets to her feet, and thankfully steps off of the platform. "Lead the way, leader guy." She spies the various wares, perking her ears attentively at them. "Okay, we're definitely stopping here on our way back."

Aaron blinks at the jewelry and trinkets on display. "Err, stopping? These look like pretty expensive souvenirs," he comments, and tries to move along quickly before the doe's tastes get any more extravagant.

The doe cants her ears dejectedly. "I never said I was gonna buy any; I just wanted to look." She hides a grin as Aaron speeds up, keeping close by. "Besides, you never know. Maybe we'll find some old treasure and strike it rich or something."

The path to the harbor passes by more than just a few fancy shops. There are cafes producing exotic smells, beautiful gardens and plazas, and tantalizing glimpses of stately mansions. Everyone is well dressed, even the children, and the air is usually filled with laughter.

Anisa smiles as she passes by all the wonders, especially enamored of the children's clothing. "This seems such a happy place."

"For four hundred shekels a day it should be," Aaron comments, and glances around suspiciously. "Gives me the creeps, personally. I think they put something in the drinking water."

"Four hundred a day?" The doe nearly gasps, looking once more at all the adornment and finery. "How can they afford that?"

Most of the people they pass are Gallees or Khattas, with very few of any other species … and those mostly in service roles.

"Rich nobles and merchants," Aaron says. "They only spend a few days here out of the year, likely." The smell of water grows, and the glare of the rising sun on the lake glimmers ahead.

"Yeah, even they'd go broke if they lived like that year round." The doe sniffs the air. "Are we getting close?"

The harbor comes into view at the bottom of the cobbled road, alongside the glittering beach. It's packed with pleasure craft and yachts, but there is a lone pier sticking out like sore thumb at the far end. "That's it," Aaron says, pointing to the out of place pier.

Anisa gazes out at the beautiful crafts, then flops her ears to one side in puzzlement at the sight of the dock. "Kind of run down, isn't it? Looks like it was pulled up from a creek somewhere and dropped there."

As they get closer, the Lapis can make out some simple row-boats and other service craft moored to the pier, and a small craft on the lake approaching as well.

"Sorry, I never learned how to sail a yacht," Aaron says in mock apology. "Still, maybe I'll get a cottage down here for my honeymoon, if I save up enough. Or marry someone rich!" he adds with a grin.

The doe laughs. "It'd have to be an cheap cottage, with how much the land must cost. Is that your cousin?" She peers out onto the water, trying to make out the boat.

"I doubt he'd be on the ferry, but he's surprised me before!" Aaron says, and picks up his pace. "Race ya!" he challenges, and then takes off towards the pier.

"I thought you said- HEY! No fair!" Anisa slings her bag around her shoulder, and tears off after the buck. "Cheater!"

The buck does indeed beat Anisa to the end of the pier, but not by much. As Aaron doubles over to catch his breath, a small barge with paddlewheels on the sides arrives at the last berth, and a large Lapi leaps up onto the pier before it's fully moored.

Anisa reaches the pier right behind the buck, and nearly slams into him from behind as he skids to a halt. "Oof! No fair!" The doe sits down on the dock, and pants to catch her breath, looking up at the newcomer. "Oh, hello there."

The new Lapi is nearly a head taller than Aaron, and practically looms over Anisa. He's dressed in a simple white cotton tunic and shorts, with a dagger strapped to his well-muscled arm. His fur is black as night, save for a white circle around his left eye, a white left ear, white hand and white lower leg. "Xavier!" he bellows, and slaps the out-of-breath Aaron on the back, nearly knocking him to the boards of the pier. "And who is this? Another pretty Sky Island girl?"

Aaron just wheezes.

"Another pretty sky-, oh… " The doe's ear's blush, not sure whether to take that as a compliment or not. "My name's Anisa Snowshoe. You must be Aaron's cousin?"

The large buck bows, his heavy lop-ears brushing the pier. "I am Roland Athenae, at your service."

Anisa grins, stifling a giggle. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm sure Aaron would have introduced us more properly, but he cheated."

"Anysia is from Rephidim," Aaron says hoarsely, finally getting his breath back.

"Ah, he always did cheat!" Roland laughs. "But … Rephidim? Amazing! Only my little cousin could have found an Amazonian girl on a Sky Island!"

The white doe laughs. "Oh, I'm not Amazonian. I was born and raised on Rephidim." She cocks her head to one side in curiosity. "Why did you think I was Amazonian?"

The giant buck cocks his head to the right. "You are a Snowshoe, are you not? They belong to the Valkyrian Clan of Loki, in the mountains. Why, one has recently sought to join our own Clan."

Anisa blinks. "They… they do?" The doe looks to Aaron in askance, then back to Roland. "I never… even knew that. I thought we were always from Rephidim."

"I don't know much about the Valkyrian families," Aaron admits, since he never thought of Anisa as likely to have any Amazonian heritage. "I suppose it makes sense, though."

Throwing his arms around the smaller Lapis' shoulders, Roland guides them to the ferry. "Plenty of time to find out back at the estate – but not if we hang about here all day!"

The doe flops an ear forward in confusion. "I wonder if it's true? Maybe the other is a distant cousin of mine or something. I'll have to meet her. I wonder if Mama or Daddy knew about this." The Lapi scratches her ear, and is startled a bit to be steered by the larger Lapine. "Yeah, let's get going!"