It's daytime, but the thick canopy considerably diminishes what light comes through. Most of the warriors are out hunting. Storm-Hand is still recuperating in her hut, nestled in the branches of one of the trees, with several platforms and walkways providing easy access to it from most of the rest of the village.

A couple of kittens play quietly with colored stones and sticks in the corner of the hut, playing at being magic-users, not able to agree upon how the magic circle should look before they start their dance.

Roho sits by the side of Storm-Hand's cot, his head hung, catching a nap. Storm-Hand is sleeping at the moment too; both had been up much of the night in tending wounds.

One of the kittens gets tired of arguing over the composition of the "magic circle", and pads over to Roho, and tugs on his tail, blinking up at him with wide eyes.

Envoy flies up to the shamaness' hut, and pokes her head inside to see if Storm Hand is conscious yet.

Zoltan follows up behind Envoy, he smiles to the kittens inside.

Roho snrks, and his head bobs up, "Eh? Wha?" His ears swivel around, trying to find his visitor…

Envoy says, "Hello Roho How is your patient?"

The two kittens look identical, save that the one tugging on Roho's tail has a collar with little red feathers sewn into it, while the determined "shaman" on the floor has feathers of green on his collar. "Red-Collar" smiles to Roho, and waves fingers at him, in an oft-repeated sign that he has reason to believe means "Is Mama going to be okay?"

"Green-Collar" notices Envoy and mews at her, then abandons the magic circle to rush over and try to get her attention, trying in a kittenish way to mimic a spooky "dragon roar". Not that it comes out anything like that at all, except to those with overactive imaginations.

Roho turns to Envoy as she enters, "Sleeping, for now … I think someone's talking to me."

Envoy smiles down at the kittens, and signs, "Hello there! I am Envoy."

Envoy says, "The kittens want your attention, I think, Roho."

Zoltan enters slowly… trying to hunch himself down a bit. He doesn't want to scare the little ones, after all.

Green-Collar mews to Envoy, then signs, "Make loud scary noises," several times over to emphasize the request.

Envoy signs back, "That might wake Storm Hand. We should let her rest."

Roho smiles, "What are they saying?"

Green-Collar makes the request one more time, but then drops his hands, pouting and finally nodding ascent. He then goes back to rearranging the stones and sticks for the "magic circle" (which only barely resembles a circle).

Envoy says, "They want me to make scary noises for them."

Zoltan smirks at the circle-builders. He pulls out a bit of shiny blue marble he had braided into his tail and offers it to the kittens.

The kittens' eyes go wide! Naturally, they immediately pounce, and then start rolling on the floor, wrestling over the little blue bauble.

Roho chuckles, "If you want to, can you do it outside? I think Storm-Hand will be fine; she needs sleep, though… "

Zoltan eeps! "Share." He attempts to sign to the kittens… not that they're paying any attention.

Nope. Certainly not. The kittens actually are probably having more fun wrestling right now than actually caring about the bauble itself, which is rolling across the wooden floor.

Envoy says, "I wonder if Storm Hand is their mother?"

Zoltan sighs. "Kids… " He scoots over to a corner and tries to keep out of the way, idly preening one of his wings while he has the time.

Kaela quietly pads into the hut and glances around, her tailtip twitching.

Envoy smiles, "Hello Kaela. Storm-Hand is sleeping."

The kittens collapse amidst some large fronds piled in a corner, and pant while trying to catch their breath, each one signing, "Mine!" back and forth, repeatedly.

Kaela looks towards Envoy. "Will she be all right?"

Roho sits back in his chair, "You know, I figure I could've done better things than get myself stuck in the middle of the jungle, with a people I can't even tell when they're talking… "

Zoltan poofles out his feathers as he scoots closer to the kittens; the effect makes him look rather silly, but it tends to attract people's attention. "Me Zoltan." He signs. "What you names?"

Envoy signs to Kaela, "Roho thinks she will be fine."

Kaela nods slowly. "Will she be well enough to perform a ritual when we get to the City of Hands?"

The kittens look at each other, then to Zoltan. They both sign at once. "I'm Red-Collar." "I'm Green-Collar." Easy enough to remember, though, since each one wears a collar with feathers of the appropriate color.

Envoy blinks. "I don't know, Kaela. It might reopen her wound… " She provides a translation for Roho and Zoltan, using her Kaela-voice.

Of course, if the kittens were mischievous enough to switch collars, anyone would have trouble telling the difference between the twins.

Roho rasps, "Ritual? Like dancing?"

Envoy says, "Yes, Roho."

Zoltan remembers Envoy's earlier question and points to Storm-Hand, "Mother?"

Roho rasps, "Dancing's out of the question."

Kaela signs, "I'm not sure… Emerald-Eyes said that if I could get a shaman to perform a ritual, then I could dance and revive the Twelve-times- Twelve… "

Envoy hmms, repeating that and looking to Roho. "Maybe there is another Shaman available."

Roho nods, "But on such short notice?"

Kaela signs, "There probably aren't any other shamans in the village… if… Storm-Hand can't do it, we'll have to find another village… "

Zoltan frowns. "Is doubt there any villages near… is hear wild Savanites rare."

Envoy says, "Maybe Storm-Hand has an apprentice?"

Storm-Hand stirs on her mat, making a hissing intake of breath, then fumbles around with one hand while her eyelids crack open just a bit.

Envoy says, "She's waking up, Roho."

Roho turns back to Storm Hand, "Envoy, can you tell her to stay down?"

Kaela hurries over to Storm-Hand's side.

Envoy places a hand on Storm Hand's shoulder and signs, "You must stay down," to the cheetah.

The kittens immediately overcome their fatigue, pouncing over toward the resting shamaness. They mew, and try to squeeze past the others.

Zoltan rises up to his feet and keeps to the back; he rarely has any trouble seeing over anyone after all.

The kittens wave their hands about, signing, "Mama!"

Roho rasps, "Envoy… ask her if there are any shamans who can take her place… "

Storm-Hand smiles weakly, reaching out a hand to brush the fur of the two kittens.

Envoy asks Storm Hand the question, once her attention is free.

Storm-Hand signs in reply, "I know of none."

Envoy says, "She doesn't know of any, Roho."

Roho chews on his lip, "Well… Envoy, it's going to be up to you guys to find one, I guess, since there isn't any way she can perform the ceremony… "

Envoy also tells Roho that the Red-Collar and Green-Collar are Storm-Hand's children.

Envoy says, "That leaves… Jezebel."

Roho thinks… "I don't know much about the mysticism. Can a child of one of the twelve be used in the ceremony?"

Zoltan leans against the back wall of the hut. "Shaman… is like mage?"

Kaela kneels by Storm-Hand's side and signs, "Do you know the Dance of Dust and Ashes?"

Storm-Hand nods to Kaela, and signs, "Yes, though I have never had cause to use it as such. It is a very powerful dance for the lifting of curses and dispelling of ancient {unknown sign}. It works better with multiple dancers and musicians."

Envoy nods to Zoltan. "It would depend on whether they knew the dance I think, Roho."

Envoy relays Kaela and Storm-Hand's conversation to Roho.

Roho nods, "Well, the choices are find new dancers, or wait until she's recovered enough. Which won't be for some time."

Kaela nods slowly. "Emerald-Eyes told me that that was how we could free the Twelve-Times-Twelve."

Storm-Hand signs, "Emerald-Eyes told you? Whatever do you mean?" She looks rather perplexed.

Zoltan cocks his head sideways, "You told you self?"

Kaela blinks slowly, confused. Oh. Of course. She never told Storm-Hand about that. "I dream about her. Another Emerald-Eyes from long ago… when the Savanites left the City of Hands."

Storm-Hand nods and signs the equivalent of "Oh, I see."

Envoy repeats this to Roho, and begins to understand how Kaela was able to produce those clothes…

( And all I ever dream about are islands of shiny rocks… or poodles, if it happens to be a nightmare. ) Zoltan thinks to himself.

Kaela glances back to Envoy and Roho. "I don't think she'll be able to do it… "

Roho sighs, "She just needs some time… but am I right that time is something we have very little of?"

Kaela nods to Roho quickly.

Envoy says, "Do you want to let Third-Eye attempt to wake the Twelve-times-Twelve then, Kaela?"

Zoltan looks at his feet; so much talk of magic…

Kaela signs, "That's the only other option… She will not do it if she knows we're there… she'll attack us first… "

Envoy says, "We could try to hold her off until Storm-Hand is fully healed."

Kaela looks to Roho. "How long will it take her to heal?"

Zoltan squawks, "Fight a mage? One that can make whole ship disappear?"

Envoy asks Roho the question for Kaela.

Zoltan makes a mental note to collect as many throwing pebbles for his sling as he possibly can.

Roho rasps, "I'd say, a week before I want her dancing. Which means that she can dance in five, maybe four. But don't expect me to like it."

Storm-Hand only half-follows the conversation – and only half again that, since she evidently does not understand anything spoken aloud. She cuddles her two kittens, looking like she's half-inclined to doze off, but half-fighting to stay awake regardless.

Envoy looks to Zoltan, "Fight her with your eyes closed. Then she can't fool you."

Envoy says, "Magic won't help against traps, or the jungle."

Zoltan squawks, "I live by eyes! No can see blind like doctor."

Kaela shakes her head a little bit. "We can't hold Jezebel that long… she'd get past us the first night… "

Envoy says, "We may have time. The Temple fleet is looking for her ship."

Kaela signs, "We couldn't even see her ship! How will the Temple fleet find her?"

Envoy says, "They will have their own mages, I'm sure."

Zoltan entertains a notion… "Is anything that can be done to make dance no work?" ( The best way to keep all the trouble magic causes from happening is to thwart it in the first place before it happens… )

Envoy thinks…

Envoy says, "Yes, we can fill the area where she'd have to perform it with debris."

Envoy says, "We could also destroy or block the path down the cliffside. She'd need fliers to carry her to the palace site then."

Zoltan squawks, "She need anything special for dance? Maybe we can hide or find before her."

Kaela looks back down at Storm-Hand. She really doesn't much care for the idea of damaging the City even further… but she doesn't say anything.

Envoy signs to Storm-Hand, "Is there anything that can be done to disrupt the dance ritual?"

Storm-Hand apparently hasn't caught any of Envoy's speech, since, again, she doesn't understand Rephidim Standard. But in regards to her signed question, "If you can force the dancers to lose their step, they must start over. It is never very difficult to disrupt a dance – only as hard as it is to overcome any defense that anyone might pose who is inclined to stand guard over the dance. It is not wise to perform a ritual among enemies unless you have warriors to protect you."

Envoy repeats this aloud for Roho and Zoltan. "Music is important. Perhaps we can introduce a counterbeat? If Wynona were here, she could create a storm… "

Zoltan squawks, "I see ten on ship… plus others on deck. How many would need be for dance and how many would guard?"

Roho smirks, "Yeah, just ask her to make a little wind, and wave a flower under her nose… "

Envoy shrugs. "It's better than nothing, Roho. I think Kaela will have to be there though, in case Jezebel succeeds."

Envoy says, "If Jezebel brings Abana with her, then she wouldn't risk hurting Kaela… "

Zoltan scratches his chin. "Could shamaness loan us warriors when we go in city? More we have, better off we is."

Envoy looks at Kaela for the answer.

Kaela blinks at Envoy. Then glances to Storm-Hand. "Would you loan us some of your warriors, for when we go to the City of Hands?"

Storm-Hand looks back to Kaela, then frees her hands from her kittens to sign, "If you go to the City of Hands to fight Third-Eye, I shall not let you go unprotected."

Kaela smiles at Storm-Hand, and gives her a gentle hug.

Envoy tells Roho that some of the warriors will go to the City.

Zoltan relaxes a bit…

Roho sighs a little, relaxing, "Okay, it sounds like things are getting at least a little more sorted out. A plan is a good thing."

Storm-Hand purrs and pats Kaela. The two kittens mew, and smile at their young aunt.

Zoltan squawks, "Is one other thing… what happen if we find black-fur again?"

Kaela smiles a bit at the two kittens, gently fuzzling their hair. . o { Those two will never know what it is to be slaves… }

Envoy says, "I don't know, Zoltan. The warriors would try to kill him, I think."

Zoltan squawks, "Who he is anyhow? I remember him from last time."

Storm-Hand looks to Kaela and signs, "You look very tired from all your worries. Perhaps you should rest, my sister?"

Envoy tells Zoltan, "He's Janus. An Exile."

Kaela nods slightly. She signs to Storm-Hand, "Get rest. And get well. There's no rest for me yet… I have to practice my dancing." She slowly stands.

Storm-Hand pauses a bit, then nods to Kaela, smiling.

Kaela nods to the others before stepping out of the hut and scaling back down the tree to the ground below.

Envoy signs to the kittens, "Would you like to hear a story?" She hopes to give Storm-Hand a bit more rest this way.

Zoltan sits back down on the floor. ( An exile? Hmmm… )

Envoy sits down with the kittens, and starts to sign the story of how Emerald-Eyes defeated the Priest-King.

The kittens sit before Envoy, watching with wide eyes, following every sign with rapt attention.

Zoltan erks… She's going to give the kits nightmares…

Envoy doesn't embellish much on the story, narrating it exactly as she saw it.