Kerebos Keep
Encircled by a high stone wall with watchtowers and guarded gates are a collection of Olympian style buildings forming a small village. Dominating the center is a gigantic marble villa; the central courtyard alone could accommodate a mansion. Decorative olive trees, fountains and terra-cotta statuary dot the compound, and help to distract from the fortifications surrounding it.

Catching a ride to the Kerebos Villa turns out to be no small task, as none of the carts heading out of the city are going directly to the keep. The journey thus requires a few stops at farms along the route, until another wagon going in the right direction comes along. At least the stops provide glimpses of Lapi life outside of both the city and the central clan fortress. It seems that rural life is fairly universal, with the farmers being slaves (or vassals, in practice) who pretty much do as they please so long as they provide food or goods to the Clan, and aren't being attacked by other Clans.

The afternoon is trying to decide if it should start the slide into evening or hang in there for a bit longer by the time the group arrives at Kerebos Keep. A few quick words with a sentry sends them deep into the central garden, where Alcyone and Lucia are being forced to take it easy and soak their feet in a mineral spring, while Euphrosyne makes sure they don't try to escape. The squad doesn't appear to be surprised at the arrival of Layth, Tasha and Xavier, of course, since they probably heard them coming for some time.

Layth enters and bows to the two relaxing women. "Ah, good afternoon, Lady Alcyone, the most noble warrior. And good afternoon Lady Lucia, shining jewel of the mountain. It is, as always, a pleasure to see you," the buck says with a smile. "You both seem to be recovering well."

"Y'never quite think 'ow much you miss a ship until you 'ave to walk this much," Tasha remarks to Layth as she enters the hall. She stretches her wings, the appendages having become stiff from not being used, and grins at the two women. Tasha is, after all, not used to walking a great deal – that's what wings are for. "'Ello! I see you're up an' about. I saw the fight, tha' was somethin'," she greets the two Lapi women after.

Alcyone smiles at the compliment, then winces. She's nude save for her bandages, which are pretty extensive – nearly her entire chest is tightly wrapped, along with the locations of other minor injuries. Lucia wears a loose robe at least, and says, "Welcome back, Layth. And yes, it was quite a battle, Tasha, but Alcyone gained honorable victory."

"Back for more home cooking, Xavier?" Euphrosyne asks, putting Aaron into a headlock that causes his feet to flail about. "Ack! Put me down, Syne!" he complains.

"And I am glad to see they are making sure you both rest and recover. It would be a great loss to lose either of you," Layth says and goes to sit near the two. "Our visit here is because Lady Tasha wishes to seek your advice, Lady Lucia."

"An' such is the will o' Abaddon," Tasha agrees, nodding. "We're 'ere to talk to you, Lucia, abou' a place up north. The oracle 'as tasked me with journeying to the Rift 'o Fenris, an' I'm 'opin' you know somethin' abou' it." The Vartan walks forward towards Lucia, then sits down on the edge of the pool so the two Lapi women needn't crane their neck up.

"Oh yes, I've been there," Lucia says, her ears rising in interest. "It is where the skymetal comes from. My armor was forged in a settlement within the Gash, overseen by my great aunt Herriot."

"Do you know of any problems there?" Layth inquires, then tilts his head to look at Lucia's injured leg. "And, may I examine your wound? Forgive me, but I want to see how it is healing."

"The source of skymetal?" Aaron squeaks, rubbing his throat to get his voice back after Euphrosyne released him. The older warrior doe and the Alcyone both show great interest as well.

Tasha's ears perk as well when Lucia says she's been there. "Oi, that's perfect. I 'ave to go there, an' Layth's got the right o' it: there's a problem to solve. Don't know wha' it is yet, but all will be revealed, or so I'm told," Tasha explains. Folding her legs beneath her, she adds, "'Ow dangerous is the region, anyway?"

Lucia pulls her robe back to expose her mending leg, and says, "Problems? It has been many years since I was there last, and it is an isolated settlement. If there had been trouble, I certainly would not have heard of it down here in the lowlands."

"Isolated sounds dangerous," Aaron mutters.

Layth takes a few moments to carefully inspect the mending leg, checking for any unusual discoloration or drainage. "And, do you know if anyone who could guide us there? Or, could you provide a map we could follow?" the buck asks absently.

"Well, the Gash is near the very peak of Mount Fenris, where the snow falls year round," Lucia explains. "It is very difficult to find, and you would need to be guided by one who has been there before and is recognized. Their location makes them safe from raids, but they depend on trading armor for food and other supplies. And there are no maps of the mountains, cousin Layth."

"Only someone 'o won' mind the danger, an' won' mind listenin' to me. I'm s'posed to lead this … expedition, like, by order o' the Temple," Tasha adds. She nods to what Lucia says, and asks, "Will you 'elp me? Us? One way or another, I'm goin' tha' way."

Layth frowns at that. "Then, we would need you to help us, I think. My memories of the mountains are faded and old. I am sure much has changed," the buck says, clearly not liking the idea of a wounded Lucia going with them.

"I can ride still," Lucia says, and glances at Euphrosyne as if daring her to say otherwise. "But… the lands between here and there are home to nomads and other tribes, as well as dangerous creatures. We would need able Warriors or Guardians to ensure safe passage."

Layth tilts his head and looks to Tasha. "Are you willing to endanger many lives to make this trip?" he asks her bluntly.

"Another reason I miss me ship. We couldn' get up in the mountains – winds are too 'ard that way – bu' we could get to the base … " Tasha taps her chin, then stops to blink at Layth when he turns to ask his question. "Many lives? Oi, no. Even I know tha' 'elpin' the community doesn' include gettin' the community killed, aye? I'm thinkin' we should be … subtle, like. Or, oi, is there anythin' Lapi won' attack? Scared things? A travelin' Herald? Anythin'?"

Layth nods. "Well, the only person she has going so far that has actual experience in fighting is, unfortunately, me," the buck admits.

"In the mountains?" Lucia asks in response. "A stronger force, depending on how desperate the raiders are. The only things that are ignored are Vykarins."

"Why would you want to avoid fighting though?" Alcyone asks. "It sounds wonderful… to see the mountains, and fight… perhaps bring back Snowshoe slaves… "

"Do you know which tribes are active raiders in the mountains currently?" Layth asks Lucia.

Layth gives Alcyone an odd look. "Snowshoe slaves?" he asks.

"Snowshoes?" Aaron asks. "If it's so high up, is that settlement mostly Snowshoes then, Lucia?"

"The tribe move around, so there is no telling who many they are or which are in a given area," Lucia explains. "And yes, the high mountains are home to my Clan, and we are fairly well distributed. Herriot rules over many Snowshoes and crafters from other tribes."

"I look a bi' like a Vykarin," the Vartan offers. She twists her muzzle, thinking, but she answers Alcyone absently with, "I'm no' a Warrior. I 'ave other bits I need to do, an' it's no' abou' fightin'."

Alcyone smiles to Layth, and says, "Surely if they are like you or Lucia, they must be very skilled and hardy folk."

"Cute too," Euphrosyne asks, looking thoughtful. "If Lucia is to go on this quest, then I will go with her. She is my squadmate, and I am her mentor. Besides, I would like to see the mountains before I am too old to enjoy them."

Layth chuckles at that. "Seeking your own Snowshoe servants, then, Lady Alcyone?" he asks in a slightly amused tone. "But, there is truth in being hardy. We can survive in the climate extremes."

Tasha looks between all the Lapi, then shoots Aaron a look. She opens her mouth, then suddenly closes it, frowning at the other Lapi. After setting her jaw, she stands up and says, very loudly, "ALL RIGH'! THA'S ENOUGH O' THA'!"

"Don't shout," Aaron says, tugging his ears down. The other does immediately turn to stare at Tasha. Finally, Lucia asks, "Enough of what, Aldara?"

Layth … rubs the bridge of his nose and sighs.

"You're all makin' plans an' lookin' at Layth. If you wan' to make plans, you look at me. If you wan' to come, an' wan' to 'ave slaves, you 'ask me. I won' 'ave people goin' off an' doin' whatever – it's like two cap'n's on a ship," Aldara explains, eying everyone in turn except Aaron. "This is my responsibility, aye?" She looks around again, seeing if everyone is following her.

Euphrosyne frowns a bit at the outburst, but doesn't argue. Alcyone notes, "I cannot join you, in any case, Tasha." Lucia just asks, "Do you wish me to come along as your guide?"

Layth tilts his head towards Tasha. "Tasha, I am of snowshoe blood. I was curious as to what their interest in the bloodline was. Given they're talking about potential relatives of mine, I think that does afford me the right to inquire. No one was making plans without you," he says flatly.

Tasha's ears flick, and her frown lightens as she loses her heat. "Oi, yes. I jus' … " She waves a hand vaguely. " … Didn' wan' this gettin' out o' 'and is all." She glares at Layth a moment, then frowns, before reaching over to pat his arm. "It's okay, aye?" By her tone, the Lapi might not be sure if she's reassuring him or herself.

"We just want to help you, Tasha," Aaron adds in, a bit softly.

"Well … " Tasha gives the Lapis a much less confident look over, " … carry on then."

"If you cannot accept that people will discuss many things without asking your permission first, Tasha, then this mission has already failed. It does not mean they're planning things without you. You have to have trust in the people you travel with. You you have to ask your former captain how to lead your flying creatures?" Layth asks.

Aaron clears his throat, and says, "Getting there is one challenge, but once there you have to deal with an unknown problem, Tasha. I suggest you think about what you might possibly need to deal with that unknown - and assume it won't be something already available at the destination."

Tasha drops back down to sitting, propping her head on her hand. "Well I get it now," she tells Layth, as if it were all obvious after the yelling. She glances at Aaron and tells him, "We're goin' to need warm clothes, an' … snow shoes? I've 'eard o' 'em, bu' I've only ever seen sand shoes. Food, shelter, water, a compass, maps … "

"I am sorry," Layth says quietly to the three does.

"You can rule out compasses and maps," Aaron says. "As Lucia mentioned, there aren't any maps – at least, none that would still be accurate. And the mountains border Bosch, which interferes with compasses, as well as would the skymetal deposits that are in the region. Lucia is really the only navigation tool you'll need. But beyond the basics, what sort of problems might you encounter at the settlement?"

"Oi," Tasha exclaims, reaching to swat at Layth. "It's my … command mistake. I'm sorry, you're fine. You jus' look pretty an' ask questions, aye?" She grins a little at him, although somewhat forcedly.

"One possibility is their food stores may be low," Layth suggests and covers up Lucia's wound gently. "Another is they could be besieged. And another is perhaps the passes have had an avalanche and block access to the settlement."

Tasha looks back to Aaron, and answers, "'Sides them tryin' to kill us if Lucia isn' with us? There's the problem, an' … diplomacy, like. Oi, I got it: I need to know the customs o' the clan before we get there. Then I need to know abou' wha' could endanger them, an' 'ow they'll like us comin' out o' nowhere to solve problems." She nods to Layth, too. "E's a smart one."

"Or, what if there is factioning within the settlement? One group against the other, tradition versus new, for example," Layth adds after all that.

"Food and supplies help turn strangers into friends," Aaron notes, with a grin. "Medicines as well. You'll need to be able to talk to any surrounding tribes you encounter as well, to find out if they've heard or seen anything, or have had recent contact with the settlement. That means not being killed before you can talk of course."

"The well placed bribe works wonders in all trades," Layth quips.

"You cannot appear weak or under defended," Euphrosyne offers, giving her military viewpoint on things.

"Tha' much I know," Tasha tells Layth. She looks around at the other, nods, and summarizes with, "We need food, water, medicine, supplies in case there's an avalanche, nned to knwo customs, need to not appear weak or under defended, an' … not to get killed." Her tail wags, and she rubs her chin as she ponders all of that. "S'lot, no doubt abou' it. We also need to get all tha'. The Temple will 'elp, but not entirely, an' we need … Oi! We need some way to travel there."

"Vykarins," Lucia notes.

Layth pauses, thinking on something. "Lady Euphrosyne, if it is not an inconvenience, I would like to spar with you sometime before the trip. I wish to see how well I can read the fighting styles and counter them with what I learned in the outside world," he says.

"Goin' to 'ave to learn to ride a Vykarin," Tasha adds to her list. She counts off on her fingers, nods, and looks up to say, "I'd like to see you two spar, if you don' mind it."

The older doe blinks at the request. "Do you even have a sword to spar with?" she finally asks.

"I don't fight with swords," Layth notes. "So, no, I don't."

"Lances?" the Warrior suggests next.

Layth shakes his head. "No. While I have fought with a variety of short blades and staves, I tend to prefer bare hands," the buck admits.

"'E spars with 'is mouth," Tasha jokes. "It's full o' flowers, 'cept when 'e as thorns. 'E also as some brawlin' skills."

"Bare hands against a blade?" Euphrosyne asks, mouth agape. "That is… foolish!"

"An' tha' reminds me, I need to get another whip, an' a bow," the Vartan considers aloud, looking at Euphrosyne as she exclaims her surprise.

"Not as much as you may assume, Lady Euphrosyne," Layth says with a smile. "If you wish to see what I mean, then I am willing to demonstrate."

"I am mainly curious if I can read your attacks as well as I could watching the trainees. Please forgive me, but they broadcast their attacks, which should make them counterable," Layth adds as an afterthought.

"You will wear training armor then," the Warrior insists. "I will not draw a blade against an unprotected foe. No true Warrior would!"

Layth frows at that. "Armor. That would only make me more likely to be injured," he notes with a sigh.

"Don' get yourself cut up, Layth. I don' wan' you all bruised up," Tasha insists.

"An experienced warrior does not give away her moves," Euphrosyne says. "And if her opponent still seems to anticipate her attacks, she will begin to bluff and mislead."

"That is what I wish to see," Layth says with a nod. "If you have light armor, I will wear that. Heavy armor would slow me down."

"Are all mountain men like 'im?" Tasha asks as she leans over to Lucia.

Euphrosyne seems to think about it for a moment, then begins to remove her own armor. "We will spar on even terms," she says. "And I will not use my blade."

Lucia tells Tasha, "No, they are usually not so… bold."

Tasha winks at Lucia. "I always thought 'e was a little passive, bu' I'm seein' the bold side now." She grin so much she actually smiles, showing her toothy maw. "I like your armor, by the way."

Layth blinks. "You wish to spar now? I was not meaning this moment, just before we traveled. but, if you wish now, that is … fine," he says. And with a tilt of his head he looks to Lucia and asks, "Do I really seem bold?"

If anything, Euphrosyne looks bigger without her armor, or else her underclothes aren't as closely tailored as the outer protective layer is. With the heavy bronze and leather shed, she stretches briefly, then breaks off a sword-length piece off of a nearby shamboo stalk.

The Snowshoe woman says, "Even Guardians do not challenge Warriors to spar, just to see how they move."

"Now you're actin' a bit like me," Tasha tells Layth, sounding proud.

"I'm ready now," Euphrosyne says. "With these two convalescing, I have been forced to remain idle, and I find myself suddenly eager."

Aaron tugs on one of Tasha's wings, saying, "It probably would be good to give them some room."

"I have to know if I will be of any use on this journey, or if it would be better to replace me," Layth says simply and stands, "Emotions should not govern who goes, only usefulness." The buck rubs the bridge of his nose, then bows to Euphrosyne, but never takes his eyes off her. "As you like, then, Lady Euphrosyne," he says.

"Aye," Tasha agrees. She stands up and walks to the far side of the pool before sitting back down. "I'm thinkin' I could use some archery practice after this. 'Avn't used Cap'n Eyeshine's bow in a while."

"We don't have an archery range," Aaron tells Tasha, a bit apologetically.

The Warrior moves to a point midway between the recovering does and Aaron and Tasha. She holds her stick two handed, and keeps her face impassive as she faces Layth. "Are you ready?" she asks.

"A range?" Tasha blinks at Aaron. "Oi, I jus' shoot at things off the side 'o the ship. Hittin' a movin' target is wha' I 'ad to learn, for pirates, an' the like. I jus' need some arrows an' somethin' to aim at."

"Maybe the farmers have some," Aaron says.

Layth rolls his neck, then briefly stretches. He takes up a rather relaxed stance, angling his body so that more of his side faces Euphrosyne than front. His expression is one of calm as he looks directly into Euphrosyne's eyes. "I am," he says softly.

"Soun's good to me. Goin' to 'ave to work out the diplomatic bits, too." Tasha lowers her voice, dropping it enough so even she has difficulty hearing it. She knows full well Lapi hear well, by now. "I guess I 'ave a lot to learn, aye?"

Euphrosyne charges Layth, her 'sword' held up over her left shoulder to deliver a cross cut – only she doesn't. Letting go with her right hand, she brings that arm swinging down as if she were making the cut, while leaving the sword still poised high in her left hand.

Moving as leaves do in a stiff breeze, Layth slides to Euphrosyne's left side, knowing it's usually harder backhand swing her sword to get someone on her left side. The buck then brings his foot up and makes a quick snapping kick at the back of the warrior's knee, trying to drop her down to her knees.

The Warrior is already twisting around, swinging her right arm back around in an attempt to hit Layth on the back of the skull, but the kick to the back of her knee was unexpected and her left leg folds. Euphrosyne abandons her attack, and pulls her leg up further so that she can collapse into a roll.

"'E's goin' to break me nose, isn't 'e," Tasha asks no one in particular. "Well, better 'im than some others."

"Did you upset him?" Aaron whispers to Tasha. "I assumed he'd be more likely to put you over his knee and spank you."

Layth takes a step back and actually helps a bit with Euphrosyne's roll by giving her a push with his foot, hoping to increase the distance between the two temportarily. The buck then draws back into his relaxed stance and watches the warrior calmly.

Tasha blinks at the notion of Layth spanking her. "Oi, no," she breathes. "I asked 'im to teach me 'ow 'e fights."

Euphrosyne recovers from her roll, putting her right hand down and letting her left leg straighten out again to feel for any weakness in the knee. She keeps low though, not leaving her crouch as she sizes up Layth again.

Layth nods his head to Euphrosyne with respect and merely waits for the warrior to recover.

Holding her 'sword' two-handed again, but parallel to the ground and pointing to her left, Euphrosyne charges again, leaning her body forward and keeping her legs more behind her. It looks like she'd fall flat if she slowed down at all.

"I saw 'im fight in the arena once, too. It was a sight," Tasha adds.

And surprisingly, the buck suddenly lowers and charges Euphrosyne head on as well. Except he then suddenly leaps up and tuck-rolls his body in an attempt to plant his hands on her shoulders or back and use that to flip off her, while sending her back into the ground.

The Warrior may not be able to read Layth's moves, but her reactions aren't exactly slow. A twist of her wrists brings her weapon to the vertical, smacking Layth on the side of his leg as sails above her. It isn't enough to stop him from completing his move however, and the doe is forced down, plowing a shallow trough through the garden soil.

Layth lands wish a short stumble. Deciding not to allow the doe recovery time this time buck turns and tries to jump onto her back. He's hoping to to pin her flat to the ground as well as a chance to take control of that sword briefly.

"Now, see, this feels a bi' more like 'ome," Tasha remarks as she watches the fighters.

Euphrosyne isn't as quick to recover, rolling onto her back and raising her knees in preparation to kick herself back up to her feet. Her mouth and face are full of dirt though, and she wastes a second on trying to blow her nostrils clear. Her arms aren't in position to defend when Layth lands on her stomach.

Aaron chews on the tip of his black ear, and whispers to Tasha, "I hate to admit it, but this is starting to get my blood up."

Still with that calm expression, Layth goes for the arm still gripping the sword and tries to use the hopeful moment of surprise to force it around and press the side of the stick into Euphrosyne's own neck.

"Your blood up? Or you blood up?" The Vartan inquires, raising an eyebrow at the small Lapi.

With her breath knocked out of her, the Warrior doesn't try to resist. She glares at Layth through her dirt streaked face, and wheezes, "Impressive. There is a mating bower nearby… "

"Well, not as 'up' as Syne's is apparently," Aaron replies to Tasha, and adds, "And try not to make a scene because she's hitting on Layth… "

"'Ey no-" Tasha stops suddenly when Aaron calls her on her outburst, and instead simply glowers. "Well, … fine."

"Really, Syne," Alcyone says. "You are too old now to have children. You should not even be thinking of such things."

"A bath then, at least," the Warrior says. "And a massage to ease my wounded sensibilities."

"E's good at wounding sensibilities," Tasha quips.

Okay, that breaks Layth's calm expression with the raise of his brow. "Ah," he says then proceeds to brush some of the dirt from Euphrosyne's face and ease himself off her stomach. "I am sorry for the dirt, Lady Euphrosyne. You gave me little options after that strike you landed on me. I had to finish the match fast, as such a blow with a real blade could have left a nasty cut," he apologizes as he then stands up and offers her a helping hand. "And of course. I would be honored to bathe you."

The doe accepts the offered hand, and regains her feet. Then she tosses the stick back into the garden. Euphrosyne looks to Tasha, and says, "He would be useful to have along."

"Are you sure you want to spar with him too?" Aaron whispers aside to Tasha, and his left hand (the black one, with a mind of its own) starts rubbing Tasha's rear.

"I was originally intending to allow you to wear yourself out before going for any real attack," Layth admits to Euphrosyne. "But, your skill dictated that I couldn't allow you too many chances to make a strike at me."

Tasha gives Eurphrosyne and knowing nod. "I've already seen 'im fight. 'E was comin' no matter wha', anyway. If 'e thought I was in danger I wouldn' be able to force 'im away with a stick. 'E's stubborn, even if 'e pretends to be all passive," she tells the Lapi.

Aaron realizes what he's doing, and pulls his hand away, crossing his arm across his chest and using his right arm to pin it. "Ah… yes, stubborn. Almost as stubborn as a doe."

"'E's my doe," Tasha says with a nod, then laughs loudly.

"Forgive me, but you saw me nearly lose to the tiger," Layth points out to Tasha. "That was not exactly complimentary to any fighting skill I may have."

Tasha glances at Aaron. "'E's kind ' obnoxious about a compliment. I 'ave to work 'im out of apologizing left an' right, aye?" She turns and grins at Layth, then waves her hand at him. "What's the sayin'? You learn from losses? I learned a lot."

"A loss on this journey would cost lives, though. I had to know if I could … how does it go, ah yes … hold my own, in a fight here." Layth notes and resumes picking dirt off the warrior. "I appreciate being wanted, but I fear being a liability. I also fear I may have just increased the desire for them to get themselves some snowshoe slaves." The buck can't help but grin slightly at that.

Lucia stands up, favoring her hurt leg, and says, "That was quite informative, Layth. If you will all excuse me though, I would like to speak with Hudak and see if he is interested in Aldara's mission, and if he know any other unbonded Vykarin who might be."

Layth nods his head to Lucia. "Thank you, Lady Lucia," he says with a smile.

"Aye, thank you Lucia. Tell Hudak hi for me," Tasha says, wavinga again. She then grins at Layth. "If they start gettin' slaves, I'm puttin' you in charge of tha' whole mess."

"I am to wait here until Nemo fetches me," Alcyone says with a hint of complaint, as others are heading to the baths or elsewhere.

"Would you like to join us?" Layth offers Alcyone, "Or would that cause a problem?"

"I can't get my dressings wet," the wounded doe notes.

"You would be welcome to sit and talk with us, though," Layth says with a smile. "Or, Master Lightfoot and Tasha may wish to stay here and keep you company."

"I think I might 'ead outside an' look for a bow. Maybe see 'ow Lucia is doin' with the Vykarins, 'avn't seen Hudak in a bit," Tasha says. "Layth, I'll be aroun' ere. You take care o' her, now."

"I'll show you where she's gone then," Aaron offers. "Not sure about finding a bow in the keep though."

"Ah, then I should attend to whatever she wishes?" Layth says, then bows to Tasha, "As you like." The buck might be trying to tease her, but it's hard to tell. He extends his arm to Euphrosyne and smiles, asking, "Shall we go?"

The doe takes a moment to figure out the extended, arm, then grabs a hold of the upper part in a Warriors handshake. "Yes, let us."

"I'll jus' trust you to do wha' you feel is best, Layth," Tasha says with uncommon, at least for her, calm. She stands up and offers to help Aaron up, too. "Alrigh'. Might 'ave to go all the way back to the Temple for a bow at this rate."

"I'm sure the farmers will have some you can handle," Aaron says. "They use them drive off or kill scavenging animals and predators."

Layth suppresses a small chuckle. The buck then heads off with the warrior in the direction of the bathes. He can be heard telling her, "Had you been wearing armor, my tactics would have changed. Armor can be used not only for defense of those who wear it, but a way to control the person. It can make a great handhold… "

"I think 'e's gettin' a wicked sense o' humor," Tasha whispers to Aaron, eyeing the way Layth vanished off to. "Bu' I 'ave to trust 'im, right?"

Outside of the garden, Aaron leads Tasha towards the Vykarin grounds. "I doubt there'll be a problem getting Vykarin to join up, given how they see you," he tells Tasha. "Oh… and… uh… sorry about the rubbing back there. Sometimes my hand thinks it belongs to Roland."

"Oi, I was hopin' it'd make Layth jealous," Tasha admits. "An' it's no' like I'm no' used to men grabbin' my butt. Worse men than you 'ave gotten grabby. Course, if you 'ad tried more, I'd 'ave 'ad to 'it you." The woman grins, and follows along. "They see me as a messanger, aye? I guess everyone does. Herald, messanger, an' so on."

"You shouldn't try to make him feel jealous," Aaron says, frowning. "That's really a cruel thing to do, manipulating someone's feelings like that. Hurts the person you're using to make him jealous too."

Tasha's brows raise; she looks genuinely surprised. "Is tha' true?" She sounds like she'd never heard the idea before. "I never thought 'o that."

"Well, of course… do you like feeling jealous?" Aaron asks.

"Wellll, I don' usually 'ave to. I guess it's because I was the only woman aroun', usually, an' better lookin' than most you'll find on the docks. The ones tha' don' wan' your shekels, too," Tasha admits. "It's all dif'ren' 'ere. I don' think I've stayed aroun' anywhere this odd this long before. I'm really kind 'o a 'orrible person, aye?" She chuckles, although it sounds uncomfortable.

"You're young and pretty, yeah, so of course you never had to think about this stuff before," Aaron says, blowing his left ear out of his face. "It wouldn't have worked anyway. Layth is too service-to-others oriented to get jealous."

It isn't long before the smells of lots of Vykarins living together is strong enough to let Tasha tell which way to go. At least these Vykarins are dry though.

"Oi, he is, isn' 'e," Tasha agrees. "This is all part o' wha' the monk was tellin' me. 'E said I should stop bein' a 'god,' tha' I should be a real person. It's like this: people jus' tol' me wha' i wan'ed to 'ere because I'm pretty or loud, or both, bu' it wasn' the truth. I just heard wha' I wan'ed to. Gods only 'ave to see the reality they want to." She pauses, then points in a direction. "This way, I smell 'em."

"I never thought of it that way," Aaron remarks. "I guess I shouldn't call any girl a 'goddess' then, if it's some kind of insult. Anyway, are you going to invite me along on your trip of Divine Troubleshooting?"

"I thought you'd tell me if you wan'ed to come." Tasha glances at the small buck, searchingly. "You followed Aisha an' Calli out o' obligation. You said you do it for us. I thought you'd come, out 'o guilt, bu' I wasn' sure I should ask. You've done enough, aye?"

"I'd like to come… well, that's not true, but there's something I'd like to see about up at that settlement," Aaron says. "And while I can't fight as well as Layth or see a trail like Lucia, there is one thing I can offer you that nobody else around here can."

"Your spunky good cheer an' 'abit of rubbing me bum?" Tasha asks, grinning widely.

"More useful than that, even," Aaron says, grinning. He stands up straight, throws his chest out, and says, "I've been to just about every horrible place you can think of, and faced all kinds of nasty natives, flora and fauna. I can give you expert advice on the very best time to run away from trouble."

"If I see you runnin', I'll take tha' as expert advisin'," Tasha agrees. She reaches over and tugs the Lapi's ear a bit, then says, "I need to figure out 'o that monk is before we leave, too, by the way. Can' see 'is face, doesn' soun' like nothin', no scent I can catch, covered in robes. Do … do you think 'e could be Abaddon? 'E knows things. Odd things."

"What do you mean by 'odd' things?" Aaron asks, tugging his ear back.

"Like, 'e says tha's stuff abou' bein' a god. "Bein' a god is not different than 'earin' wha' you wan' to 'ear," an he uses blessin's no one I talked to ever 'eard o'. An', he vanishes. I think 'e vanishes. E's there an' 'e's no', bu' I think 'e may be blind, too. It's right spooky," the Vartan explains.

"Spookiness is all part of religious indoctrination," Aaron says, as if reciting from a book. "If you think this guy is Abaddon, or Dagh, or whomever, then that's probably the answer you should give. It could all be a trick or ruse of course, but… then the answer could be anything, couldn't it?"

"Oi, that's smart 'o you. I figured there was a real answer, an' if I didn' find it I'd … I dunno, no' be allowed to be the Herald anymore, or somethin'," Tasha replies, scratching her head. "'E wan's me to explain my answer, an' I get three tries. I think I 'ave two."

"Well, you explained your reasons to me, and they seemed pretty straightforward," Aaron says. "Not that I'd really expect a God to be putting you through all this stuff personally. It's all mind games, and I've read up on those a lot."

"I've been told the Temple 'ere is the real Temple, tha' Abaddon is stronger 'ere. An' … " Tasha leans closer. "I saw visions woth 'im. Didn' know it much at the time, bu' tha's wha' they were. 'E knew I'd 'ave 'em."

"I've got stuff in my shop I could give you that will cause whatever hallucinations I suggest to you," the Lapi claims. "Not that I ever would… that's strictly used by Mind Mages for special rituals and rites."

"E' didn' suggest anythin', I jus' stared an' … it 'appened." Tasha then sucks in a breath, which makes it sound like a hiss. "Magic! Oi, don' even talk abou' tha'. Mages steal souls, s'what me mum is always tellin' me."

"Nah, they can only do that to your spirit," Aaron says, trying to sound reassuring. "At least, some of them can. The ones that smell like embalming fluids and are crazy. Once this creepy white-scaled six-armed Naga came into my store and conjured up a real mess… "

Tasha gives Aaron a puzzled look at the mention of spirits, thinking soul and spirit are one and the same. "Oi, magic," she breathes, sounding unsteady. "Air mages are … alrigh', the res' … " She shakes her head, glancing around as if a mage might leap out and tackle her. "Bu', it wasn' magic! It was sacred."

"Eh, same thing, different name," the Lapi says. "Err, not that I'm saying what you experienced wasn't important," he adds quickly.

Tasha just eyes Aaron, the way she usually does before she hits him. This time, she doesn't. "I think we're almos' there. I wonder if Hudak remembers me?"

In answer, a lot of barks and clicks and grunts come from around a corner, and several Vykarin, lead by the white-on-white Hudak, barrel around and head for Tasha, tails wagging excitedly.

Tasha's ears shoot up at the approaching Vykarins in surprise! All the tail wagging syncs with something in her own canine genetics, making her wag her tail, too. She holds her hands out to greet the leader. "'Ello, Hudak!"

"I'd say yes!" Aaron calls out, backpedaling at high speed away from the surge of Vykarins. Hudak, as usual, pounces on Tasha and slurps her face.

The other Vykarins that surround Tasha seem a bit younger than Hudak, or at least smaller. Not the sort suitable for Warriors to ride. A white Lapi face also looks down at Tasha. "Are you hurt, Aldara?" Lucia asks.

Tasha is bowled over like a stick in a hurricane, landing in the dust with a grunt. She laughs, though, and ruffles Hudak's face fur up. "Well I see you do remember me! An' who's your friends, Hudak?" She glancs at the other Vylarins while trying to nudge Hudak's muzzle away before her face becomes completly slicked by slobber.

"They are from many families," Lucia tells Tasha. "But all are eager to go with you to… ah, the 'Grave of the Fallen Sky God' is the proper translation."

"Both names are ominous," Tasha reflects aloud. She pats Hudak's muzzle and tries to sit up. "Do they 'ave a legend abou' the place, then? I 'eard it said earlier Vykarins can go jus' abou' anywhere." She then grins at Hudak and the others. "I'm glad you wan' to come with me."

"Only that 'A Sky God fell there and was buried' and that it was 'long long ago'," Lucia offers.

"Better than nothin'," Tasha says. Once up, Tasha decides to lean on Hudak, hooking an arm around his neck. "So wha' does a 'bonded Vykarin' mean, exactly? One o' serves a Warrior?"

"Yes," Lucia says, leaning a bit on Hudak as well. "Once bonded, a Warrior and Vykarin are all but inseparable."

Tasha laughs, reaching up and fuzzing Hudak up. "Unless I come along, aye? Ha, you're a lucky woman, Lucia," she says.

"It took nearly a year to teach Hudak not to lick my face," Lucia notes.

"I've 'ad worse from men, an' much less loyalty," Tasha admits. She pats Hudak, then stands up to look the other Vykarins over. "An' they all wan' to come? No' tha' I'm no' grateful. Hrr, there's Layth, Aaron – come 'ere Aaron! – yourself, an' whoevere else is comin' … " She peers at the Vykarins, now, curious which one she'd ride.

Aaron comes closer, until a few of the Vykarins turn and give the once over. "I can see them fine from here," he claims.

"Oi, Aaron's a good guy! Go an' show 'im you're a nice bunch o' Vykarins," Tasha insists, grinning Aaron's way. Unlike most times Tasha gets Aaron in to trouble, this time she sounds like she's genuinely trying to help him out. It must be having her near so many canines.

The Vykarin aren't too clear in their understanding, or maybe Tasha's accent is to blame. After a lot of chasing around, one of the young males finally brings Aaron over to Tasha, the buck hanging from the back of his tunic which the Vykarin has firmly in his mouth. He then drops Aaron at Tasha's feet proudly.

"I would have gotten away if they hadn't ganged up on me," Aaron complains.

Tasha bursts out laughing, leaning over to hug Aaron and pat his head consolingly. "Oi, you poor bun. I do see tha' your instinct to run is as sharp as ever, it is," she ruffles his head up, then grins at the Vykarins. "So! Who wan's to be me Vykarin? I need to ride to Rift."

This results in a shoving match, followed by growls, and then an all-out brawl that Hudak has difficulty breaking up. In the end, tradition wins out, and a red-shelled, blondish-furred Vykarin steps forward.

"That's Eadwig," Lucia says, introducing the Vykarin to Tasha. "His name means 'Fortune in War'."

Tasha scoots over to the red-shelled Vykarin, settling until she's at eye level him. "Eadwig?" She leans forward until she touches noses with him. "You wan' to come with me? We'd make a good match, you an' I."

The Vykarin nods vigorously, and only slurps Tasha's nose once.

"An 'e's reserved." Tasha seems a little hesitant about that, eyeing the Vykarin a moment, but then smiles widely eand leans over to hug him. "Accepted!"

Eadwig click-pop-whurfs something, tail wagging happily.

"Wha'd 'e say," Tasha asks, looking back at Lucia.

Lucia looks a bit uncomfortable, but finally tells Tasha, "He wants to know if he gets to eat Xavier for winning the contest."

"No!" Aaron says immediately.

"Oi, tell 'im no one eats Xavier 'cept me," Tasha replies, chuckling. She reaches over and fluffs Eadwig up some more.

Lucia makes ratchety noises, and Eadwig look a little disappointed, but soon forgets about it while Tasha rubs his fur.

"I'm goin' to 'ave to learn 'ow you do tha', Lucia. I'd like to be able to talk to the Vykarins. I 'ave to say it, I like 'em a lot," Tasha says.

"You spend one night with a couple on that boat, and now you're ready to join their tribe?" Aaron asks, a bit teasingly.

"I dunno abou' tribe, bu' I feel comfortable with 'em. Mus' be because we're similiar lookin'," Tasha tells Aaron. "I guess I un'erstan' 'em more. Tail waggin'? I know tail waggin'."

"My tail wags too," Aaron says, but doesn't try to demonstrate. Or maybe he is, and it's just impossible to tell. "Anyway… we've got transport. What next, fearless leader?"

"I need a bow, but more importan'ly, we need a source o' provisions. I'll check the Temple on the way back, bu' we're not sure who all is comin'. I'll see 'ow much we can ask for, an' work out numbers from there." Tasha scoots around, then press a hand on Eadwig's back to get him to lay down. "Then we need … medicine, an' trade goods, an' … clothes."

"I can handle those," Aaron volunteers. "After going over it all a million times with Calli and Tyche, I can rattle off stuff like that in my sleep."

"Tha's great; you're much more useful than jus' runnin'!" Tasha grins at Aaron, then leans back againt Eadwig. "I'm thinkin' o' askin' the healin' Temple if they 'ave any 'ealers tha' wan' to come. There migh' be someone like me, lookin' to test themselves, an' 'aving a 'ealer would be right 'andy."

"You mean, someone like Celosia?" Aaron suggests. "Although I don't know if she specializes in healing or not. Arcadia is usually the Temple with the most healers."

"I'll 'ave to ask Celosia then, an' try the Temple of Arcadia if she's no' in'erested." Tasha pats the red-shelled Vykarin, then gets a mischivous look in her eyes. She leans over and rubs him just under the shell, like she had with Hudak. "Lucia, it was said we'd need warrior … bu' 'o many? Would any come? It soun's like if we 'ae enough force, force won' be needed."

"Euphrosyne is a senior warrior," Lucia says. "She can find as many as you want. Her sons are all Guardians as well."

"As many I wasn' … " Tasha glances at Aaron. "Question is, 'ow many is the right number?" Looking back to Lucia, she asks, "'Ow many would you recommend, Lucia? You alone aroun' 'ere seem to know abou' tha' area an its dangers."

The white warrior doe leans against Hudak and thinks things over for some time. "No less than four, no more than six," she concludes. "Four would be enough to cover the non-fighters, but more than six would slow us down and require more supplies."

"Is tha' Warrior, Guardians, or a mix o' both?" Tasha leans against her own Vykarin, finding it soothing.

"A mix might be best, if we're going to be on a long journey," Lucia explains. "Guardians are much better at… well… protecting things than Warriors are. We're good at breaking things."

"Six, then, three o' each? We wan' to seem defensible, to ward off attacks, bu' not too many as you said," Tasha agrees. She then glances at Aaron, and says, "Oi, Aaron, 'ave you picked a Vykarin yet?"

"Ummmm, no," Aaron admits. "Are there any without any teeth?"

Lucia shakes her head.

"Maybe I could ride with Lucia then," the buck offers. "To make sure she doesn't fall off Hudak and hurt her leg again… "

"Roland told me the story of the Vykarin riding incident when you were a child already, Xavier," Lucia says.

"What… all of it?" Aaron asks, shrinking a bit.

Tasha peers at Aaron, then sits up. She holds her hand upto get the Vykarins' attention. "'Ey, you! 'O wan's to be … " She glances at the buck, then frowns. "Are you sure, Xavier?"

"An' wha' story?" Tasha prompts, ears perking.

"Yes, even the part about the pumpkin," Lucia notes.

"Okay, I'll ride the purple one then," Aaron says quickly, to change the subject. "And it's a dull story, Tasha. If you want a good exciting one, I'll tell you about the time I saved the world by thwarting two Babelite spies from stealing the secrets of the Boomers."

Tasha turns towards Lucia and mouths "tell me later," before grinning back at Aaron. "Purple it is!" She tilts her head, then wags her tail causing it to beat against Eadwig's side. "Can either of you think o' anythin' else? I know I need to 'ave a word with you abou' customs an' practices up tha' way, Lucia."

"If they outnumber us, kill them all," Lucia says. "If they are fewer than us, let one survive to warn others about us."

"I'll help with the diplomacy thing," Aaron offers.

"Oi … Righ', Aaron," Tasha agrees with the buck, nodding slowly. She tilts her head, then nods again. "Tha' makes … " she counts off on her fingers, " … me, Xavier, Layth, Lucia, might be Celosia, two more Warriors an' three more Guardians. It soun's like our crew's comin' together. Jus' 'ave to supply our ship an' an' an' set sail. Soun's like we better get to it, then." Tasha turns to Lucia, now, grinning a little. "I'll leave the Warriors an' Guardians to you, Lucia. Xavier'll 'adle supplies. I'll see wha' else we need, an' get to tha'. I can get weapons an' some other supplies from the Temple, an' I can go with you if you need to get 'em there, Xavier."

"And soap, lots of fruity smelling soap," Aaron adds to the list.

Tasha flicks an ear, shrugging at that. After all, she takes a bath about once a week, usually, if the ship can land near water. "Then it's all set." Tasha stands, then look down at her new mount. "You wan' to ride back with me, Eadwig? Might as well start learnin' now, an' it looks like fun."

Eadwig leans down so Tasha can climb onto his shell, while Lucia asks, "Have you ever ridden before?"

"No' in me life. I expect to fall off," Tasha answers. She eyes the shell a moment, then carefully swings a leg over and has a seat. "It's a bit rough on me bum," she admits.

"I'm sure you've had rougher," Aaron says, before Tasha can say it herself. "Grab hold just under the shell on either side of the neck," he suggests. "Don't try to sit up yet. Lay flat. Trust me."

"I think I'll do tha'," the Vartan agrees. Aaron may be a nervous Lapi, but he's a careful nervous Lapi. She imagines he's fallen off all sorts of horrors. Grabbing under the shell, Tasha leans forward, tucking her wings against her back. "Like this?"

"Yeah, now go 'click-click-growf-whirrrrr' to make him go," Aaron says.

Tasha opens her mouth to make the noise, then she shoots Aaron a suspicious look. "An', 'ow do I make 'im stop?"

"They usually stop when you fall off or start screaming," the buck says. "But if you're still on… uh… I think is 'wharf' or 'hork' or something."

"It is 'whoa'," Lucia notes.

"Yeah, that," Aaron says, nodding.

Tasha continues to give Aaron a suspicious look for a moment longer, then she looks forward and lays head head flat. "Alrigh', Eadwig," she says as she gets a firm grip, click-click-growf-whirrrrr!"

The red-shelled Vykarin leaps up to his feet (with air space to spare) and lands with both hoof-claws churning. He streaks off, jouncing happily, and half the remaining pack race off after him.

Turning to Lucia, Aaron asks, "I never got to the part about how to steer. Is it difficult?"

"It helps to wear a helmet at first," Lucia notes.

As Tasha zips off in to the distance riding Eadwig, the two Lapi can hear her whoops and yells of joy, mixed with the occasional scream as she almost falls off – repeatedly.