Zoltan squeezes through the doorway of the shop… for some reason it seems much more narrow than he remembers it to be. "Hey shopkeeper! Can you polish a pair of metal gauntlets for me?" he squawks, grinning.

The Vartan motions to the figure behind him to follow.

Jezebel follows behind closely, ducking in, and keeping clear of anything looking fragile. She blinks upon seeing the Cervani-Vartan halfbreed inside the shop, then smiles.

Nicodemus, the Cervani-Vartan in question, looks up from inspecting some crystalline trinkets that seem to have seen better days, missing a few pieces. He sets down his scope, a look of surprise on his face quickly giving way to a broad smile. "Zoltan! You've returned!"

Zoltan rushes up and hugs his old Master, practically lifting him off the ground with his enthusiasm. "It's good to see you again, Master." He ruffles his beak through the old shopkeeper hair, then motions to his companion. "This Jezebel." He scrawks in Rephidim standard. "She good friend of mine."

Jezebel bows her head to the Cervani-Vartan, looking the part of a good slave, despite Zoltan's odd introduction of her.

The oddity of the introduction does not go unnoticed. "Friend?" scrawks Nicodemus, using Vartanspeak instead of Rephidim Standard, giving Zoltan a curious look.

The old shopkeeper fusses with his own garb a bit, trying to recover his dignity from Zoltan's greeting, trying to look a bit put upon, though he can't hide a hint of a smile and a twinkle in his eye.

Zoltan begins pushing aside some of the items on Nicodemus' table to make room for his heavy pack. He sets it down with a heavy 'thud'… which is quickly followed by the clattering of metal bits shifting. "A very good friend." he squawks back. "We've spent the last several months in one another's company… it is a very long story, Master."

The Vartan suddenly blushes… realizing what his words just sounded like. It IS going to be quite a long story…

The crystal chime on the door rings as another customer enters, a rather average-looking Temple guard. The Jupani looks back at the fire-haired Savanite behind him, who nods. He enters fully into the room with the slave following. They gaze around at the collection of shiny objects decorating the walls.

Nicodemus' beak turns into an amused smile, but then his face creases with concern. "Yes, Zoltan," he squawks, still using Vartanspeak. "Is it a story that you care to tell yet?" He looks again to Jezebel, whose gaze drops from his.

The shopkeeper's attention is quickly diverted from Jezebel, to those entering, noticing the Guard more than the slave with him. "Good day!" he says, reverting to Rephidim Standard. "Is there anything I can help you with?" Jupani are not frequent customers here.

Zoltan nods to the guard and his slave. He raises an eyebrow at her odd hair coloring, then jerks his head back around as his master speaks. "We have been on the trail of Shokar together. Jezebel was… a tarnished shiny I found that shined very brightly after some polishing." he squawks in Vartan.

Jezebel turns around, following the gaze of Zoltan and Nicodemus. The blackened silver pendant at her neck bounces as she does so. She looks at the guard, but her gaze quickly shifts to the slave, the one with that strangely red hair.

The fire-haired Savanite looks at the Jupani, then down at his hand. Her attention is focused on making the guard remember he has his instructions written down, and is supposed to read them. She gives the wolf an expectant nod, and then looks to the Vartan-Cervani.

Zoltan seems oblivious to it all as he fidgets with the clasp on his pack. Jezebel has always had an interest in Savanites after all.

Kray remembers himself, momentarily distracted by the dazzling "shinies" in the shop, and looks down at his paper. He walks up to the Cervani-Vartan, then says, as if reciting a speech, "Good shopkeeper, I am looking for a telescope. Have you one?"

Zoltan pulls one of the odd tools he found on the metal raktor from his pack, he holds it quietly… mustn't interrupt the master's work after all. He drums his fingers on the handle of the tool and signs a quick "Hello" to the red haired slave.

The Cervani-Vartan pauses a bit, starting to reply in Vartanspeak, then finds his tongue in Rephidim Standard again. "Ah … Yes. Just this way." He leads the guard over to a telescope that he reveals upon pulling a cloth off of it. It looks to be a relic in fairly poor condition, a 'fixer-upper'.

Leeta relaxes as Kray starts following the instructions. He's easier to direct than Nebo was. She looks at the other two shop patrons, a Vartan and a Savanite. A royal Savanite! Leeta looks more intently, then sees the Vartan's sign. "Sorry Master" She bows her head, respectfully.

The black Vartan grins at the slave, "It alrights. Your master could find better scope in Bazaar, you know."

Zoltan refrains from saying this out loud, lest Nicodemus lose a sale.

Kray sucks in his breath as he looks over the telescope. It is has a crack in one of the lenses. He looks at his paper again. "Perfect." He says this furrowing his brow. "But let me take it outside to test it to make sure." He looks to Leeta as if for confirmation.

"We… need to use the one here, master." The fire-maned slave signs in reply, oddly including herself with the Jupani.

Jezebel's gaze doesn't depart from Leeta. She squints her eyes a bit. As she frowns, some of the scars pronounced about her lips are more visible.

Leeta nods to Kray as he turns around, then moving out of his way, standing beside the door. She seems rather tense, for this simple purchase.

The shopkeeper nods, and lifts up the telescope and its wooden tripod. It's lighter than it looks … or else the shopkeeper still has a fair bit of Vartan-esque strength. "Very well then," he squawks in Vartanspeak, which the guard can't understand, but it doesn't really matter, as he hefts the device to the door.

Kray holds the door open for the shopkeeper, then steps outside after him.

"But it broken!" Zoltan shakes his head. "Sorry, it your masters shekels that being wasted."

Zoltan's eyes narrow as he begins to sense that something might be amiss. He looks to Jezebel for some confirmation or a hint that perhaps she feels the same.

Leeta replies to the Vartan, "It is all right master, he likes to repair them."

Jezebel is still scrutinizing Leeta, but belatedly notices Zoltan's look. She looks back, evidently agitated over something, but she doesn't sign anything to reveal just what.

Outside the door, the Jupani's voice can be heard. "Ah! This is fine! I can … see the star so well with it!"

The fire-maned Savanite is curious about the other one present, but also getting increasingly nervous from the large Vartan's attention. She checks the scarf around her collar, ears wiggling a little as she hears Kray outside. That other Savanite, the way she is staring, stirs a possibility in Leeta's mind.

Zoltan removes some of the metal cans from his pack. "Interesting hobby." he signs, his tail flicks back and forth nervously, causing his shiny collection to rattle noisily.

"Your master got big job ahead of himself," the Vartan signs. Oddly, the flick of his tail, the angle of his ears, and the sweep of his hands as he signs show a certain level of the wild handsign… more commonly used in the jungle.

The Jupani comes back into the store, opening the door again for the shopkeeper. "Yes, this will do," he says. "And not a bad price." He hands over a few coins appropriate for a piece of bulky wooden and glass junk.

Jezebel notices the transaction finishing, then hurriedly signs to Leeta, "What is your name?"

"Yes master," Leeta signs, waiting for Kray to come back in. {I should have brought Nebo, he at least is almost as big as that Vartan. I've never seen a black one, or one that big before!} The many scars on the slave beside him also worry her. Then she stares, {Wildsign?}

Leeta returns an equally strong look at the slave beside the imposing Vartan. Very tall, she has the stripe spots, though her covered forehead and scars make the other cheetah hard to recognize. It has been a long time, but she just might be… "Moon-Brow?"

Zoltan looks quizzically back and forth between the two Savanites. Perhaps the red haired one is a friend of Jezebel's… hopefully not an enemy.

Jezebel's ears flush. She signs back, "Fire-Mane? Daughter of Running-River and Creen-Song?"

Kray seems to have been distracted by the enthusiastic shopkeeper showing him many more expensive 'shinies', the wolf guard nodding politely.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Fire-Mane straightens, a grin spreading across her muzzle and her tail-tip flicking. "Moon-Brow!"

The Vartan's eyes widen. He keeps quiet for now… torn between whether he should feel happy that Jezebel found one of her sisters so quickly, angry at her deception, or understanding as to why she did it. "Think we should go someplace more private," he signs.

Jezebel shrinks, backing into Zoltan, tears forming in her eyes. She doesn't see Zoltan's signs.

Zoltan drapes a comforting hand around Jezebel's shoulders. "Will you master give you moment alone?" he signs to Leeta.

Kray's head is still bobbing up and down as he politely goes through Nicodemus' spiel. To a Vartan, it would be a parade of wonders, but to a Jupani … it's just shiny junk.

Leeta is torn, and very confused. She wants to run and hug her sister, but the Vartan worries her. She can't understand why Moon-Brow is crying. She also doesn't know what to make of the black bird's signing. She replies, "Yes, he will. Where?"

Tears run down the sides of Jezebel's eyes. She reaches up to wipe at her headband … as a droplet traces down from it, running along the bridge of her nose.

Zoltan makes one sign, "Follow." He leads Jezebel toward a curtained doorway that leads into the back of the shop.

{Did I just see… ?} Suddenly the back of the shop doesn't seem quite so inviting. Leeta still follows the two, but holding back. As she passes Kray, she waves for his attention. Distracting him briefly from Nicodemus's pitch to hold up three fingers, then points at the back room. Hopefully Kray will understand.

Leeta steps through the curtain.

Kray sighs loudly, nodding, then returns his attention to Nicodemus' pitch.

The black Vartan leads the two Savanites into a smaller room situated in the back of the shop. He motions to some chairs and takes a seat himself, setting Jezebel net to him. He gives her a reassuring pat on her shoulder, then signs to the red haired slave, "You one of her sisters?" The hints of wild sign become more prominent.

Jezebel reaches up to her headband with one hand … then drops her hand back to the table. Her gaze drops as well.

Leeta nods, before she remembers to catch herself. Tahir is the only one she trusted enough to tell about her family. If the Vartan knows, then her sister must trust him as well. Still, she is reluctant to admit it, but she signs, "Yes, I am Fire-Mane."

Zoltan whispers something very slowly to the slave next to him in Vartanspeak, before looking up to sign. "It good too meet you. I met Storm-Hand and Emerald-Eyes. We friends."

"Moon-Brow is just a bit younger than me." The fire-haired Savanite adds, approaching the table, but still very carefully watching the Vartan. She tries to get the other Savanite's attention. Leeta's shoulders slump as she sees the Vartan's sign. "Emerald-Eyes is dead. Third-Eye killed her."

Jezebel takes a deep breath, then reaches up to her forehead again, removing the headband. There is a very faint glow from her forehead, like foxfire. The white spot, however, is not a mark on fur. It is, rather, a third, pupil-less eye set in the middle of her forehead, partially obscured by tangled strands of black hair.

"Emerald Eyes not dead! Who told you that lie?" the Vartan signs. "She alive and in Rephidim somewhere, not know where."

As the Vartan sees Jezebel remove her headband he hastily signs, "We not harm you… please hear us out."

Leeta screams, a ripped bark that is barely audible. The Vartan's signs become meaningless gestures as the whole room vanishes around her, and all she sees is that glowing eye. The floor tilts, her feet losing the ground as she stumbles backward tripping over her own tail. {THIRD EYE!}

Zoltan shrinks back. Oh Dagh…

Jezebel cringes back, closing all three eyes tightly, shaking her head back and forth.

The Vartan's hands sign in a flurry of gestures, pleading for Leeta to be quiet, to calm down… to listen for just a moment.

Jezebel fumbles with her leather headband, putting it back on her head to cover the blind eye.

Fire-Mane's shoulders crash against the wall, snapping her back to the room. Her feet slide on the floor as she tries to move away. Moaning, her hands come up defensively as she cringes, all the shadow terrors Third-Eye used on her as a child coming back at once.

Jezebel looks to Zoltan … then dashes out, back into the main room. "WATCH OUT!" cries out Nicodemus from the other room.

Zoltan quickly moves to the opposite wall, throwing his hands up beside his head. "Calm down… please," he pleads one final time, this time verbally.

A lupine guard bursts into the room, sword drawn, looking about. "Leeta?"

Leeta flinches away to the corner as Jezebel rushes by her. She stares up at the Vartan opposite her, eyes wide as she sinks down against the wall.

"It all right, she just got scared." Zoltan slowly drops his hands and signs slowly, "She changed, and want to make peace with family. We willing to meet in place you feel safe… but please, give her chance to speak."

Leeta barks, scrabbling up from the ground to rush to Kray.

Kray holds the sword aside, taking Leeta with his free hand. "What happened?" he asks, without pausing to think about the likelihood that he will get any meaningful answer.

Leeta holds onto Kray's arm, holding herself up, shaking her head, no, no, no, over and over. She doesn't even try to explain it, she can't, it just feels like one of her nightmares came true.

"I must have scared her. Did not mean to, am very sorry." The Vartan rises to his hoofed feet; his size could easily be considered frightening by some. "I not mean any harm… and I sorry if actions were mis-en-terp-ed as such."

Kray looks warningly to the Vartan as he backs out of the room with Leeta. "Of course," he says in a tone that suggests nothing is for certain. "We'll just be leaving now." He retreats cautiously with the cheetah.

Zoltan tries one final time. "Third-Eye been through much, scars on face should attest. Please… you can send message through this shop if you want to meet. She only want to make peace… "

The Vartan looks out through the curtained doorway, hoping to catch sight of Jezebel.

Jezebel is nowhere to be seen.

"She just wants to destroy us all, again. All over again. Again, no." Leeta's hands fly, gesturing as much to herself as to the Vartan, as she lets Kray pull her along.

The Savanite sobs, burying her face against Kray's arm as she stumbles.

Kray tows Leeta out of the shop. He mutters, "Leeta, you are the STRANGEST Savanite I have ever met," as he pushes the door open with the flat of his sword. He frowns, giving her a worried look.

Zoltan tries to exit out the curtain as well, although doing so and keeping Kray and Leeta at a comfortable distance isn't easy. He frowns and this time speaks aloud. "She not have shown you true face if she meant to deceive… bah… you just like Storm-Hand, not even give her chance to defend herself!"

"Where did Jezebel go, Master?" the Vartan squawks to Nicodemus.

Nicodemus looks away from the guard and slave, then says, "Your slave went out the back door." He points to the indicated door. "Into the alley. Can't be far." Indeed, that alley has always been pinned in by a fence on one side and piles of garbage on the other. Nicodemus has sometimes been brave enough to use it as an overflow storage area.

Zoltan spins around and heads out the door after her. "I'll explain everything, Master. I swear."

Leeta's ears start wiggling, even though she's still crying. Her one thought at Kray's words, {Then you haven't met my sisters.} Her emotions let go, and she can't stop her silent giggle, her fear, and just wants to run. Kray drags her towards the door, his progress slowed by Leeta's breakdown.

Out in the alley, Jezebel is standing against the tall wooden fence, leaning forward, burying her face against the planks. She doesn't show any acknowledgment of Zoltan's arrival from the shop.

A name on a piece of paper floats up in Fire-Mane's mind, Jezebel. The cold brush of Moffat's Legacy brings back her focus.

The Vartan slows as he sees Jezebel, grateful that she didn't run very far. He slowly walks up to her and places a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry… " he says softly.

Jezebel turns toward Zoltan, then practically melts against him … but stops herself, pushing away. She looks up to him, then signs, "Please. Find her. Don't lose her. We have to be able to find her again later … when maybe I'll be better prepared." She bites her lip.

Leeta lets Kray pull her outside, as she tries to think how to explain any of this to him. She can't.

Zoltan nods "Don't go far," he signs and then bursts through the store after Leeta and her guard. "Wait… please, wait!" he shouts.

Kray spins around, standing in the street, still holding Leeta, though he has put away his sword and reaches for the hilt now. "I don't know who you are, but you don't touch this one, you hear? She's real special to me and my comrades."

{Thank you Kray.} Leeta watches the Vartan, holding onto the Jupaniguard.

Zoltan holds his hands up and approaches slowly. "Draw you sword," the Vartan says. "If she think I a threat, then let me talk to her in situation she feel safe in." He keeps his hands above his head, in full view.

The Jupani blinks, but does draw the sword. "You'd better not be playing games. I don't take kindly to games."

The Vartan walks slowly forward, until the tip of the Jupani's sword is almost resting upon his chest. "I not play when life in danger." He looks to Leeta, "All you master need to do is move arm forward a fraction, and he spear me in heart. I mean no harm. Please hear me out?"

The Savanite feels a sick tightness in her stomach as she slowly lets go of Kray's arm. He won't be able to fight if she's holding on. She keeps looking at the great black bird.

The showdown has attracted a small audience, as some curious Kavis stop in the street, and a couple of Vartans watch from further back. Others move along more quickly.

Fire-Mane nods.

A couple of Kavis whisper to each other. "… five shekels to two … "

"Third-Eye has been to City of hands. You mother is there under care of Twelve-Times-Twelve… she alive and well," Zoltan signs. "I joined with Third-Eye after I visit Storm-Hand's village with Emerald-Eyes."

The Vartan continues. "Third-Eye was exactly as you remember when I first meet her. But her want for power eventually cause her to fall bad… she almost die, and I save her. Slowly we both heal together… and she change. All she want right now is you forgiveness… is nothing we can do to prove that?"

Kray frowns. "Listen, I don't know what trickery you're up to, but I really don't take kindly to all this finger-wiggling." He growls, his ears folding back.

Zoltan frowns back. "I speaking to her in her own language. If I do anything threatening, you can kill me easy."

"The City of Hands is a place to be feared. It is a Naga city and the wall are alive, with speaking hands that trick the unwary close to swallow them up, and it has been destroyed." Leeta signs back, giving small glance to Kray, she needs a bit more time. "The other things you gesture have no meaning, except for Storm-Hand."

Kray growls, "Listen. She's just a Temple slave, and to someone very important. She means no harm, and she's none of your business. And, believe me, if her owner heard she was being harassed … he's got a lot of pull to make your life very miserable."

The Vartan blinks. "It is not. It is great city built by Savanites. I go there because they had device that could track planet movement… it help me find mythical island. It was made to look Naga in hopes that nobody find out abouts you legacy. Destruction was just illusion. It stands now… with the twelve times twelve, Savanite mages, watching over it. You mother is there, she was very sick but now healed. One of mages from city is at my home now. He testing Third-Eye for year to see if she worthy for Priest-King. Savanite empire is being rebuilt."

Zoltan scrawks to Kray, "I mean no harm… and I gots good business. I trying to reunites her with her sister. Please let me talk."

Kray says, "Her sister?" He glances at Leeta, unwilling to take his gaze off the Vartan for long.

Leeta just stares at the black Vartan so confident, or so desperate, that he is willing to stand on the end of a blade to speak to her. {Which is it, a trick to delay us long enough that Third-Eye can work a spell, or the only way he thinks I'll listen to him? It's meaningless, the twelve times twelve, the Savanite empire. He is almost as bad as Tahir for making no sense.} The fire-haired Savanite nods in response to Kray.

She pounds her chest, as if she was stabbing herself with a dagger, to give Kray some idea how she feels about her sister Third-Eye.

Zoltan steps back a bit… worried that Kray might get the wrong idea from the gesture.

Leeta shakes her hands, waving them in front of Kray's chest.

Kray furrows his brow. "Leeta, you know I don't know that finger-wiggle business."

"Only wish is to make peace. Let her meet with you… on you own terms if it make you feel better. Or you can send message to Nicodemus. But give her chance to speak her story. You not know whole thing." Zoltan signs. He sighs… "Guard, I know Savanite sign. I can translate, she can nod yes or no if you think I translate wrong."

Kray looks to Leeta. "Okay. Nod 'yes' if that's okay with you."

The Savanite nods to the guard, then signs to the Vartan. "Thank you Kray, for being here and helping me. He is telling the truth, about the other slave being my sister. I do not know if the other things he says are true. She asks for forgiveness, and… " Her gestures trail off.

"… that is asking a great deal," Leeta answers or finishes. She hangs her head and folds her hands, unconsciously assuming her respectful position.

Zoltan translates the slave's words in his choppy Rephidim Standard, then signs and speaks at the same time, "I know after all you been through it hard for you to trust her. Was hard for me to trust her as well, but can you give her chance? All she want is to say she sorry… although she understand that is not easy request. She honestly feel bad for all she done, and want to make amends."

Leeta signs, "Her slave name is Jezebel?"

"Please think abouts it?" Zoltan asks. "I know that you not trust me very much either, so my words no mean much. But you sister takes care of my children." He blinks at Leeta's question, and simply nods his head… not quite sure if it's safe to say his name aloud.

The Vartan looks to the guard, "My name is Zoltanos Cambio. I have done work for Temple many times, you can look up my record there. I always do goodwork."

"She is on a list to be assassinated sometime soon," Leeta signs, still looking at just the Vartan's hands. "I don't remember how or when, but you should be aware, master. I will think about what you have signed to me."

"That is more warning than she gave me when the slavers came," the fire-haired Savanite adds.

"There was bounty on both of us… but it got cancelled when Titus die in sleep." The Vartan pauses, then says, "Thank you… and please, let her tell you her story. It not make right the wrongs she do, but she has suffered too… you can see by scars alone. I am not one to tell her story though."

Fire-Mane looks up and holds the Vartan's gaze. "Titus was first on the list." She doesn't look away, for a long moment.

Zoltan blinks. "He was assassinated?!?!" The Vartan keeps his mouth shut; some things were not meant to be spoken aloud.

"Was told he died in sleep!" the black hippogryph signs. His tail lashes back and forth again.

Kray frowns, the sudden break in verbal translation not escaping his notice.

"He didn't, master. Tell Kray that we are done, and I want to go back to the Temple with him now. I need to think about what you have said." Leeta gestures, "Tell him also… "

The Savanite pauses, trying say what she wants, without it somehow seeming insulting, or presumptuous. "… that I am glad he is my friend, and that he puts up with me even though I am a bad slave. I enjoyed being a guard."

"She says that she finished speaking with me, and that she would likes to go back to temple now." Zoltan shakes his head at the last bit, not quite sure what to make of it, but shrugs and says, "She is glad you her friend and you puts up with her even though she bad… and she enjoy being guard."

Fire-Mane gives a small growl and a smile to Kray, as Zoltan says the word guard.

Zoltan steps back. "Please consider what I say. You no even have to meet with her. Just drop message with shopkeeper, we send word back through him."

Kray smirks. "All right then." He pulls the sword away and sheathes it. "Let's go, little guard," he says, leading Leeta away.

Zoltan sighs and jams his hands in his pockets. He's going to have to do a LOT of explaining to Master Nicodemus… and Jezebel.

The little Savanite guard nods to Zoltan as she is led away, signing, "I won't forget." It isn't obvious if she is referring to Third-Eye's crimes, or Zoltan's instructions. Though, by the way she walks beside Kray, she might be thinking about a happier event.