It is still morning, and long shadows are cast by the towering buildings around the Temple, as the spires and polished surfaces of the structure gleam and glitter in the sunlight. No one pays much attention at all to the young cheetah kit, bundled up against the crisp breeze, who stands at the steps leading up to the massive archways at the front of this structure.

A Templar guard stands at attention nearby, dressed in ancient, beautiful armor and flowing robes, his face hidden underneath a helmet made of unknown materials. He stands guard with flintlock rifle, and with a sword at his side as well, though it is rare that the elite guard are ever truly called into action here in the shadow of the Temple itself.

Kaela swallows softly, then slowly starts up the steps to the temple, trying not to watch the guards too much.

Some poodle nobles shuffle by, almost bumping into the cheetah kit. One gives Kaela an annoyed glare, before snorting and poking his nose into the air as he trots away.

Kaela hurries along, fidgeting nervously. She really doesn't know where she's going, but she hopes she might meet someone…

A few steps more, and the general entrance is just ahead. Inside the archway can be seen tall, elongated statues of persons long gone and mostly forgotten, though chosen for veneration by whomever commissioned these sculptures in ages past. Their stern gazes are fixed above the persons who mill past, oblivious to the cracks and crumbling faults in their own forms that have gone without repair.

Kaela fidgets as she moves along. She has to be here somewhere… She moves along slowly, looking for the face of her older sister Zorah…

A poodle dressed in magenta and yellow-green robes, over to the side, seems to be having a heated argument with a tall, black unicorn in black and red robes. Or, really, he seems to be doing most of the arguing, while a fretful cheetah aide looks down at the floor nearby.

Kaela searches, wandering the hallways at random.

A couple of Auditors stride by, prompting hushes amongst all those who notice them. The twosome wear white and golden robes, over-decorated (according to ancient Temple regulations), displays of the abundant wealth of the Temple … and their authority to take it away from pretty much whomever they please. Fortunately, a Savanite slave has little to fear from them.

Kaela keeps moving, looking around. She watches for any unescorted Savanites who she might be able to ask for directions.

A male cheetah limps by, carrying a scroll-case, and not looking to be in too much of a hurry.

Kaela moves over towards the cheetah, signing, "Excuse me… "

The cheetah turns toward Kaela, looking at her, but not bothering with a reply. He suddenly looks much more busy (and put upon) than a couple of seconds ago.

Kaela fidgets a bit. "Do you know where I could find Zorah?"

The cheetah smirks. "Her worship? Her high and mighty majesty? She's just that way," he points. "Follow your nose. No one else dares to wear as much perfume as she does," he snorts. "Except for, of course the – " He pauses, looking at Kaela again. "Just down that way, and left at the T-section. You can't miss diMedici's office," he signs.

Kaela blinks a few times, then nods. She quickly signs, "Thank you," before hurrying off in the direction he indicated.

Actually, there might be some truth to the cheetah's remark after all. There is a faint scent that Kaela picks up that is reminiscent of the perfume that Zorah had … but it's not particularly strong. In fact, from her experience in the past, most other Savanites wouldn't notice at all. (The Jupani, however, would pick it up in an instant. But then, their noses are widely known to be fairly sensitive.)

And, it's not at all hard to find the office once turning that corner. Big bold letters on an overly fancy sign make sure of that. The hall is here spotless clean, with a few potted plants here and there, quite different from the austere look of so much of the rest of the Temple.

Kaela pauses at the door. What now? After a moment she carefully knocks at the door.

The door slides open at Kaela's knock. Looking through, it's not evident who might have opened the door for her. Past the door is a lobby, where several nervous-looking merchants and business men sit on couches and chairs along the walls. It would seem this is a waiting room.

Kaela cautiously steps in and glances around. Who opened that door?

At a desk near a door on the opposite side of the room is a black bat with even darker hair. She looks up from filing her nails. There's something a bit unnerving about her eyes. When the light catches them just right, they seem to flash red. "Hello. Are you bringing some forms? It's against regulations to have your papers delivered by slave, you know. They have to be brought in person, or by a legally designated – Oh, bother, you wouldn't know anything about that. Come over, would you?"

One of the merchants, a plump rat, fidgets at his collar. There's the smell of anxiety and fear in this room. From behind the far door, a man can be heard sobbing pitifully.

Kaela hesitates a moment, then pads over towards the bat. Reaching into a pocket, she fishes around for a moment before producing the pass which her sister gave her. She presents it to the bat, hoping it'll be enough. She starts slightly and casts a worried glance towards the door at the sudden sobbing.

The bat's eyes register recognition. "Ohhhhh!" She looks up at Kaela. "Oh! You must be Zee's little sister!" She pinches Kaela's cheek. "You're so KYOOOOOOT!" Thankfully, she quickly lets go.

Kaela squirms uncomfortably at the picking of her cheek, but gives the bat a tentative smile as she lets go.

The bat flashes a fangy smile at the cheetah kit, revealing especially sharp-looking canines. She indicates a door just to the left that escaped notice before. "She's just through there. You might have to wait a while before she can get to you, though. She's busy, I think. But she'll be so glad to see you! I never knew she had any FAMILY before. I mean, that's so rare for – oh, but go on through. Don't worry!" She shoos Kaela toward the door – not the one with any sobbing coming from behind it, that is.

Kaela nods quickly, giving the bat one more smile, then goes and knocks at the other door.

From behind the door the bat indicates, there is an audible "SMACK", followed by some yelling by a female voice. Even Kaela's keen ears can't pick up the whole of it, except that it seems to concern something concerning management of an estate and hired help and a party, and bumbling thereof. A sharp click click click comes toward the door, suggesting someone who is heading toward the door … and quite probably NOT to answer it.

The bat mouths an "uh oh", and gets up from her chair, reaching over toward Kaela.

Kaela winces slightly and moves a bit away from the door.

Not but a moment later, the door swings violently open, prompting an eep from the bat secretary as she narrowly avoids it, on its route to bang against the wall. A very sore-looking young lady poodle storms through, flinging a fur around her collar and panning her gaze around the lobby, fixing her baleful look on anyone who dares look back.

That done, the poodle click click clicks away on high heels, only pausing for the office door to slide open for her … then spinning around the corner and disappearing down the outer hall.

Kaela slowly moves towards the now-open door, casting a nervous glance towards the bat before leaning in the doorway.

The bat finally lets out her breath. (Were her ears starting to turn purple?) She sinks back down in her chair, and takes a renewed interest in the scant paperwork on her desk.

Kaela looks into the office, glancing about.

Through the doorway is a short hall leading into a larger room – a meeting room of some sort. And … it has windows? Odd. There shouldn't be any windows to the outside this deep in the Temple. Silhouetted against the windows can be seen a very tall woman, facing away.

On a second glance, the windows aren't really windows at all. They're picture-boxes of a sort, little terrariums in glassed enclosures with some sort of lighting arrangement that gives the illusion of vine-tangled windows looking out upon a garden.

Zorah turns around, wiping at her muzzle. She signs with her free hand, " Please close the door behind you."

Kaela moves in and closes the door. She concernedly signs, "Are you all right?"

Zorah signs, "I'll be … Just give me a moment." She turns away from Kaela again, and walks over to one of the "windows", breathing deeply and slowly several times.

The room is comfortably furnished with a table down the center capable of seating perhaps twelve people with plenty of elbow room, and more than that in some more chairs that are positioned along the walls. The table presently holds a number of papers and folders scattered around in disarray, and more on the floor, as if someone threw them.

Kaela pads over to Zorah's side concernedly, and tries to give her a gentle snug.

Zorah reaches up and tries to straighten her hair a bit, then turns to smile at her sister, resting a hand upon her shoulder. "Thank you," she signs with her free hand.

Zorah crouches down, to get a little closer to eye level. "It is good to see you again, little sister," she signs, smiling, though her eyes are still a little wet around the edges.

Kaela gives her another little hug. She signs, "It's good to see you again, too… "

As Zorah stoops down … Kaela notices something odd about her leg stance. Perhaps she noticed it a little before … especially when she spotted those shoes for the first time. Her legs aren't built exactly the same way as most cheetahs. The term would be "plantigrade", though that's not exactly a term in common usage. Another would be "flat-footed".

Zorah hugs Kaela back, saying nothing more for the time being, but purring quietly.

Kaela mmmms, nuzzling her gently. After a moment she pulls back and looks up at Zorah, her eyes suddenly showing her recent lack of sleep. After a moment, she signs, "Are you sure Third-Sight is dead?"

Zorah frowns, looking down. She backs up a little and stands. "I did not say she was dead, little sister," she signs. "I said … she was 'long gone'. But … she is dead to me."

The tall cheetah looks as if she's not inclined to crouch or stand for much longer, and pulls out one of the chairs to sit down in, her tail flicking to show her agitation at something.

Kaela's eyes widen. "Then… she is my sister?" she signs incongruously.

Zorah looks to Kaela. "Why did Mother bring her up?" she signs, then nods. "Oh. Since I showed up, you must have been asking her all sorts of questions about your sisters… "

Kaela shakes her head softly. She signs, "Someone at the estate… told me she's my oldest sister… she has three eyes… " She fidgets nervously.

Zorah blinks incredulously at this. She signs, hands shaking, "You're … you're not lying, are you? Please, if this is a joke, it's not funny… "

Kaela shakes her head several times. "That's what she told me! I… saw her dancing with shadows one night… I hid in the closet all night… "

Zorah brings her knuckles up to her own muzzle, holding them there, looking with wide eyes … and then her expression gives way to anger. Her hands shake as she brings them back away from her face. "I'll … kill … her," she signs.

Kaela shakes her head a few times, looking up at Zorah worriedly. "Why? What's wrong?"

Zorah takes a while to recompose herself, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths, before she slowly starts signing, "Yes, she was once our sister, but she betrayed us. We were the first to pay for her wickedness."

Kaela shakes her head a few times. "I don't understand."

"We were the first that she arranged to be sold into slavery," Zorah signs, barely controlling her emotions.

Kaela swallows hard, her eyes dampening. "Why?"

"I have picked up tales of her – of the three-eyed shamaness. For a long time, she dealt with a slave ship called the Rotten Eye. Her tribe was protected from collection, and she received some sort of payments in return, in exchange for hunting down her brethren and turning them over," Zorah narrates, as impassively as she can possibly manage.

Kaela shivers softly. She signs, "But why would she do that?"

"We were but the first. She returned to the ways of witchcraft, which our mother had turned away from. She went to our grandmother to learn the ancient ways, although our father had forbidden it… " Zorah signs.

Zorah signs, "When her secret was revealed, she turned the tribe against our father and our mother – who was the shamaness. Third-Eye, after all, had the Mark. None could deny that. And she had the power as well. Our people followed the power, and our family was banished. But that was not enough for her."

"She knew where we were. And, somehow, she made contact with the slavers … and made a pact with them," Zorah signs. "Many have arrived in Rephidim from our homeland thanks to her ways."

Kaela looks downwards. She signs, "She's here now… she… can't betray more… "

Zorah looks away, then back again. "The Rotten Eye was destroyed. By a very strong Savanite known as 'Speaker', for he has a loosened tongue. He was in this very Temple. Jade-Eyes has spoken to me of him, but she yet withholds some things from me. This must have been Third-Eye's downfall."

Zorah smirks. "It has taken so long," she signs. "It is only just that she become a lowly servant. I hope she serves some fat merchant in Darkside and has to clean out chamber pots in a building with no plumbing."

Kaela blinks. "Jade eyes?"

Kaela shakes her head. "She serves Lord Titus… like me… and does no cleaning or cooking… " After a moment she adds, "I'm not sure what she does, exactly. Except dance."

Zorah looks back to Kaela. "Jade-Eyes. She is the personal attendant to Inquisitor Melchizedek – the dark one with the red hair and the midnight-blue horn. To the speakers, she is 'Azhtar'."

Zorah frowns at the mention of Lord Titus. "She is in the same household? Does Mother know?"

Zorah looks down. "Mother … she said nothing… "

Zorah sighs and leans her muzzle against one hand for a bit, resting her elbow on the table, gazing off into an imaginary garden through the windows.

Kaela shakes her head. "I don't think she knows… Third-Eye made me promise not to tell her… I didn't know if I should… Mama's so sick, and… "

Kaela fidgets a bit. "That's why I came to see you."

Zorah frowns, and lifts her chin away from her hand again. "Do you want me to do something?" she signs.

"If she's close to Titus… " Zorah signs, "… I am not sure what I could do. Not without great cost." She bites her lip.

Kaela fidgets a bit. She signs, "I don't know… I just wanted you to tell me… I don't know… that she wasn't my sister. But now… " She shrugs softly, eyes lowered.

"By what name is she called?" Zorah asks. "Surely no one knows about her blind eye. She would have been killed for having such an obvious Mark. Of all of us, we seven, none has such an obvious Mark as her." She sighs. "I am sorry to disappoint you, my sister. But the truth is there. It is not something I am proud of."

"If she is there … she already knows about me," Zorah signs.

Kaela swallows a bit. She signs, "She is called… Jezebel. She said… that Lord Titus knows of her mark."

"Perhaps I should see that she receives a message … to leave you – and Mother – be. If any harm comes to either of you, so help me, whatever it takes, she will pay." Zorah gulps at Kaela's statement. "He … knows? … I shouldn't be surprised, really. She must have something on him. She has a way of finding out secrets unknown to others. Of finding out your darkest, most hidden secrets… "

"When did Titus acquire her?" Zorah asks.

Kaela thinks for several moments. She finally signs, "Recently. A month ago, maybe."

Zorah glowers. "What a coincidence," she signs. "Third-Eye – pardon me – Jezebel arrives … you go to the City of Hands … and Mother becomes ill."

"If she wanted to," Zorah signs, "I am quite certain she could arrange to quietly disappear into the jungle, back where she came from. But she's after something."

Kaela swallows. She signs, "You think… you think she did it?"

Zorah frowns, then shakes her head. "I'm sorry. I don't know if she is capable of something like that. But if evil happens when she is around, it is not too much to assume that she is involved."

Kaela nods a little bit, swallowing. She signs, "I don't know what to do now… "

Zorah looks to one side. "It is a simple matter. All that has to happen … is for me to reveal to the right person that Titus has a slave who has a Mark." She frowns. "But … no. If he was implicated, then if it wasn't all swept under the rug … if he was in serious trouble … his estate might be sold off. Mother … " She clenches her fist, breaking off her next word.

Kaela swallows hard, shuffling between her feet. "I thought… I thought that maybe we could go to the City of Hands again… " Not that it's a very helpful idea, but at the moment she's not at all certain what to do, and yet feels like she ought to be suggesting something.

Zorah looks to Kaela. "Savanites aren't supposed to practice magic. There are some in the Temple who know of the legends that those who are born on the surface and who have a Mark may learn to use a type of magic. It is not a written law, but any Savanite slave who has an obvious Mark must be reported – and eliminated. Harboring one with such a blatant deformity would be… " She pauses, only belatedly realizing Kaela's statement.

"To the City of Hands?" Zorah signs. "But … I've heard tales of monsters there. And many deaths. … Go there? Why?"

Kaela shakes her head. "The tales are true," she signs. "But it's safe now. Everyone else is frightened of it, and would stay away from it… They wouldn't even think to look for us there… "

Zorah lets out a long breath. "You're right," she signs. "But … how would WE, two Savanite girls, get there? I may have done an excessive job of impressing you with my privilege – Even my mistress would not let me slip off back to the jungle."

Zorah frowns. "And … quite honestly … I don't really think I could survive there," she signs meekly.

Zorah asks, "Are you suggesting we … run away?"

Kaela fidgets. "I don't know," she signs. "The city is destroyed… but… we could rebuild it, if there were enough of us… "

Zorah shakes her head, smiling. "You have such big dreams, little sister," she signs with a sigh, "but my hands are not made for moving stone blocks and wrestling with jungle serpents."

Kaela swallows hard. But signs, "But… it'd be better than living here… being slaves… " She looks up at Zorah plaintively.

"Better?" Zorah stands up. "Better? Hardly! You don't realize how hard I've worked to get where I am today," she signs. "I may be but a slave … but I live better than countless 'free' people who are slaves to their jobs!"

"Even you do not have it so bad," Zorah signs, "living in the Mikide Estate. Why … " she frowns, continuing, "Mother's illness alone would break many homes." She bites her lip, some of the steam dissipating.

Zorah signs, "There are far worse places to be, after all. And you're only a little kit. Once you start to get older… " She pauses, frowning. "Well, there's … I mean … " She shakes her head and gives up on trying to say whatever she had in mind.

The tall cheetah looks out the fake windows at the redirected sunlight and the boxed-in plants that pretend to be a flourishing garden.

Kaela fidgets some more, her eyes lowered. "If… we weren't owned by Lord Titus… They would have killed Mother by now," she signs. "Think of the ones who are worse off than us… "

"But you aren't them," Zorah signs. "You don't need to throw away everything you have on some … dream."

Zorah shakes her head. "You sound so much like Jade-Eyes," she signs. "She has these dreams of going back to the jungle … but I want no part in that. I am content with what I have right here."

Kaela stares down at the ground, only vaguely picking up Zorah's signs. Her hands move in tentative motions as she shuffles a foot on the floor. "You wouldn't have to come… you could stay here… " After a moment she smiles a bit. "That would probably even be better… you could keep them from coming to look at the City of Hands again… "

Zorah looks to Kaela. "You're really serious, aren't you?" she signs.

Kaela nods several times. "I want to go home," she signs. "I don't want to be a slave any more." Her tail-tip flicks from side to side as she looks back up at Zorah.

Zorah frowns. "Don't sign that to anyone," she signs. "Not even other Savanites. You must be careful." She pauses. "I should know better than this, but perhaps you should meet Jade-Eyes. If you are in no hurry, you might wait a while. She will be coming by later. Her master is being Audited."

"Unfortunately … her master will be coming, too. I do not know if we could pull her aside," Zorah signs.

Kaela swallows a bit, but nods. She signs, "Lord Titus is away today… he won't miss me."

Zorah nods and smiles, then begins picking up the papers that have been scattered across the table and floor, and begins putting them back into their folders.

Kaela finds a place to sit and stay out of the way. She silently watches Zorah, idly swinging her tail back and forth off the edge of the chair.

After a while, Zorah has the mess cleaned up, the chairs put back just so, and fusses with her hair and her business-like attire just a bit, before marching out of the meeting room. She turns to sign, "I'll be back in just a bit. I have to put these away."

Kaela nods softly, casting Zorah a quick smile.

Zorah smiles back, and then is gone, closing the door behind her, allowing just a brief glimpse of the same assortment of fretful-looking businessmen in the lobby. And then Kaela is left, alone, in the very quiet meeting room. There's a very faint sound of rushing air from the vents. This whole place has an alien feel to it. No candles or lanterns necessary to light it … everything so polished and deliberate.

Kaela sits back in the chair, waiting anxiously.

Time passes. And passes. Kaela's keen ears occasionally pick up the bat chattering with someone, or a door opening in the lobby beyond, and some sobbing businessman being led out, or some nervous and fearful one being led in.

After much more of the same, there are footpads that come up to the door … and then the door opens.

Kaela quickly looks up towards the door.

Through the door, in the lobby can be seen someone in red and black robes, a dark blue horn poking up through a cowl that obscures most of his face, except for the tip of a muzzle that peeks through, visible in profile. Holding the door is a cheetah who has a pile of documents strapped together, under one arm. It's not Zorah.

The cheetah is turned away, facing the unicorn. She doesn't seem to have noticed Kaela. The unicorn, by all Kaela can tell, isn't saying anything, yet the cheetah watches him, then nods. She at last looks into the room and closes the door behind her.

Kaela looks up at the cheetah and smiles at her tentatively. "Hello," she signs.

The cheetah lets out a heavy sigh, then pauses a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dim light in here. She blinks, looking back at Kaela. She is dressed in light, white linens, with long, brown tresses that tumble down to her shoulders. She wears a dark blue enamelled collar about her neck, and regards Kaela with … green eyes.

The cheetah smiles to Kaela, then squints a little, regarding her curiously. She walks on into the room, holding the pile of documents in both hands, and sets them down on the table.

Kaela pauses a moment. "Jade Eyes?"

"Greetings – " the cheetah starts, then pauses at Kaela's sign. She nods. "Yes, I am Jade-Eyes. And you are – ?"

Kaela smiles tentatively. "I'm Emerald-Eyes. I'm Zorah's sister." Odd that she refers to Jade Eyes by her native name, but to Zorah by her slave name…

Jade-Eyes breaks into a wide smile. She pauses a moment, remembering herself, removing the bindings from the pile of documents, and begins to sort out some of them into two separate piles … but then she pauses again, and looks back to Kaela. "I had thought that green eyes were so special. I had heard that there was a kit with green eyes on the Savan Queen. And just the other day, I thought I saw a kitten in the Bazaar with green eyes who was riding a Vykarin."

Kaela's inner ears flush lightly. "That was me… both of them." But she smiles a bit and nods. "Green eyes are special." Her hands make a quick up and down motion to stress 'are'.

Jade-Eyes grins again, absently sorting a few more documents, then noticing a mistake, and moving one of the folders from one pile back to the other. "That's good to know," Jade-Eyes signs, smiling. "I was worried there for a while."

Kaela fidgets a little bit, feeling that she ought to be a bit careful. "We were coming from the City of Hands on the Savan Queen." Surely Jade-Eyes already knew that, but…

Jade-Eyes looks around the meeting room, as if just to make certain that, yes, the door is still closed, and, yes, they are alone. She looks back to Kaela. "Yes," she signs. "I learned some of that. But, I think, not all."

Jade-Eyes continues, "Is it true? Did you see the buildings – the pictures – for yourself? What did you see?"

Kaela nods a few times. "It's true. We lived there before… we had royalty who ruled… and the last Priest-King was still there."

Jade-Eyes pauses at this, apparently struggling with the phrasing. "… the last Priest-King was still there?" she signs. But she's evidently interested in Kaela's report about royalty.

Kaela nods a few times. "He tried to become a god… but something went wrong, and the city was destroyed… those who weren't killed fled… and… our slaves became our masters." As an afterthought, she adds, "He was still there. Held within the ruins of the palace."

Jade-Eyes mulls over this, and returns to sorting the papers some more before making much of a real response. But evidently something is going on behind those green eyes. At last, she turns back toward Kaela. "I think … I will have so many questions to ask of you. I hardly know where to start… " she signs.

"But is he gone? The report was that there was still a danger … that any who went there would become stone golems and monsters," Jade-Eyes signs. She focuses on the "was" … Her eyes go wider. "He didn't … escape, did he? I've heard awful things… "

Kaela pauses a moment, her eyes searching Jade-Eyes'. Finally, she signs, "Can you keep a secret?"

Jade-Eyes smiles weakly, and looks down. "Yes," she signs. "But I have done such a horrible job of it in the past. Many times I trust the wrong people, because I follow my heart rather than my mind." She looks back into Kaela's eyes. "But I have learned. Yes. I can keep a secret."

Kaela nods softly. She signs, "He was about to escape. But he has gone to the Procession now. Everyone else thinks he is still there, and the City is dangerous to enter… " Well… everyone else except for Zorah and Envoy, but she doesn't mention that.

The older cheetah's eyes twinkle. "So, it is safe? My master had it quarantined… "

Kaela nods a few times. "That's why I didn't tell anyone. Someday, we may return there… and no one would know to look for us there."

Without so much as a warning, suddenly Jade-Eyes … throws her arms around the kit and gives her a big hug! A couple of papers flutter to the floor in the disturbance, as Jade-Eyes' ears wiggle, making her seem not much older than Kaela all of a sudden.

Kaela looks momentarily alarmed, then grins as she catches the movement of Jade-Eyes. She gently nuzzles Jade-Eyes' neck and smiles up at her.

Jade-Eyes backs off and smiles back. She signs, "Thank you. I don't really know what to make of this … but this must be a sign!" She wipes at her eyes. "I … I really must get these papers to Inquisitor Melchizedek. I don't want him to be suspicious of me. But … I'll find you again. Could we exchange tales later?"

Kaela nods up at Jade-Eyes, smiling. "My master is Lord Titus… I'm usually at his estate." Her ears make a slight flick of distaste at the sign 'master'.

Already, Jade-Eyes is picking up her papers and finishes her chore, whatever was involved. She looks back. "Well, most do not know me as Jade-Eyes. I am known as 'Azhtar'. My master is Inquisitor Melchizedek, the Aeonian." She nods toward the door. "He is out there now. There is an Audit being done. He has many enemies, and I think they intend to make life difficult for him now."

Azhtar sighs. "Of course, he has made life difficult for many other people as well," she signs.

Kaela nods softly. "I am Kaela." With a grin and a slight wiggle of the ears she adds, "But if you ask for Emerald-Eyes, they'll probably know who you're asking for."

Azhtar's ears wiggle again as well. "I hope people won't start confusing us!" she signs. "Well … I must go. I must say … it has been a pleasure, and then some, to meet you!" She hurriedly grabs for the papers. She slang-signs a "Catch you later!" with a flick of her tail-tip as she rushes for the door.

Kaela grins, watching as she leaves. She then settles in a chair to wait for Zorah's return.