Though night has fallen on Rephidim, with the twin horns of the Procession rising to where the ring of Sinai is shadowed by the planet itself, like a scimitar falling in the east and a dagger rising in the west, Freedom Park itself continues to stir with activity – though not as much as in the daytime, for nocturnal species are rarer in Rephidim than the diurnal ones.

Presently, about ten or twelve Eeees have gathered upon the grass – and perched in trees – around a large curve of grassland where a bat-winged bard is strumming a lyre-like stringed instrument, and a smattering of other species who are curiously listening to the recital of Eeee songs. The air of the gathering is close and intimate, a joining together of the bats in the city who feel so far from their homeland now that the war seems likely not to end soon.

As a Zerda fennec healer walks home with a bundle of new tools picked up from Honest Al's Surgical Instruments, his sensitive ears pick up what sounds like numerous high-pitched bat voices raised in song. There must be some kind of concert in Freedom Park… He's certain the language is Eeee, though he can't make out the words.

A white bat sniffles in the crowd, looking a little less cheery than those around her, not singing along. She covers her mouth, stiffling a sneeze, then sniffles again as her eyes water.

Roho heads towards the singing. He hasn't enjoyed good singing in a while…

The voices become clearer – though they are higher-pitched than most mammalian species would find comfortable, they are still possessed of a beauty of clarity and pitch that Roho finds quite admirable. This appears to be an Eeee love song about two Eeees from different tribes at war against each other, who are determined to defy their parents' wishes…

Roho smiles and sits by a tree, a little distance separated from the rest of the crowd, listening to the soft melodies, a smile spreading across his features.

Wynona looks around, noticing the newcomer, and realizing he's not a bat … but instead a familiar face. She wipes at her eyes, then puts her hankie away, and, making appropriate apologies, tries to make her way through the group, toward the tree.

High above the street level, sitting on the edge of a roof, lingers a Kavi. It's been a while since she's eaten, and she sighs, wishing she had some money. This is entirely her own fault, of course, since she sent her last finances off, and is waiting on payment from the Temple for a little service she provided. But untill then, she peers restlessly into the night, rocking back and forth in thought…

Roho hears approaching sniffles, and chuckles, "Naw… that couldn't be… "

Crouching low on another rooftop, Vorgulremik curses quietly. He hadn't expected a night concert in the park, which will certainly complicate his plans. But after spending hours getting here via back alleys and rooftops from Darkside, he's not about to turn back.

Wynona makes a good sniff, composing herself enough to greet the fennec. "Hello there," she says quietly. "I hope the city is treating you well?" She takes a seat near the fennec.

Roho smiles, "Hi, Wynona. Oh, can't complain, I guess. How's the nose?"

Shardluna, a pretty gray-and-white female bat, whispers to Wynona as she passes. "You must stop by and visit my tea shop sometimes. Did you really fly with Boghaz?" She looks impressed and perhaps a little frightened to speak of such… revolutionary figures. Imagine! The Sabaoth's son at war with the Sabaoth himself. As Wynona speaks to the Zerda, Shardluna adds, "And do invite your friend as well," in a low voice.

Quicksilver's ear flicks, and she turns, instinctively pulling her black cloak-hood over her face. Her tail twiches slowly, and she squints in the night, her senses aroused by hearing some curses… but not from the street, on a rooftop. She smiles slowly. Nothing like tailing a random person to make her feel better. She works her way slowly, cautiously over, her prehensile tail and extra thumb a great help in easy, low movements over the rooftops…

Six or so of the best-voiced Eeees play the chorus for Vielanika's long ballad. "Go to, young Windchaser, proud Rockclimbers will have none of thee," they harmonize between themselves.

Wynona ohs, and smiles at Shardluna. "Oh, yes, I was there, and my friend here, Roho, was there, too. He is a close friend of Captain Boghaz. Surely you've heard of Doctor Roho? He's quite famous in Ur."

Vorgulremik's attention is focussed on the Park. He had originally planned to fly a liesurely spiral down to his target, the statue of the First Ship, thus avoiding the maze of trees and other statuary surrounding it. With so many nocturnals out though, he'd certainly be spotted or heard long before he was in flame range. Maybe there is a way to turn the presence of so many Eeees to his advantage though? His wings rustle slightly as he thinks…

The street lamps spaced around the rim of the park flicker in the night, their glass-housed flames burning a pale yellow.

Roho smiles and nods to Shardluna, speaking in Eeee as best he can, "Pleased to meet you."

Shardluna looks surprised and then bows to Roho. "I stand before legends," she murmurs with pleasure.

The petite ermine Kavi slides up on the rooftop right behind her 'quarry' for the night, and almost gasps when she realizes what sort of thing it IS. She rests her paw over her knife, slowly pulling it to rest sheathed outside her tunic, in case she needs it.

Wynona giggles, her ears blushing. "Flatterer! But, yes, I'll have to stop by for tea. I'll see if Doctor Roho may have some time in his schedule, but I can't promise anything… "

Vorgulremik begins looking at the other rooftops now, seeking one both high enough and in a straight line from the First Ship memorial to the pond.

Quicksilver moves a step closer. Could it be… a dragon? But they don't exist! Especially on rooftops in a city!

Shardluna turns to the Zerda and then whispers, intrigued, "Did you really cure the Sabaoth? I heard that… " She blushes, remembering the rest of the rumor. Maybe being exiled from Babel isn't something Roho wants to talk about.

Vorgulremik's tail swings near Quicksilver as he begins to move towards a better launching spot, several rooftops distant.

Roho sighs, and replies, "No, I didn't cure him. I was exiled before I could complete my job, becoming tangled in the politics. I should've known better, I know about as much about politics as I do about cities."

Vielanika sings an impassioned solo, the Rockclimber princess being wooed by the Windchaser prince. "If I could have just a moment of freedom with thee, I would the most happy of ladies be… " Her voice trembles and wavers with simulated passion over the Eeee words, making it sound more realistic than if she had merely sung it with her usual professional voice.

Sizing up the dragon, Quicksilver relises he's really quite small. She doubts he'd be much more that twice her length. She's tempted to stab the tail, but relises that's both foolhearty, and ineffective, as it looks quite… metallic?

Shardluna clasps her hand over her mouth and looks over at Wynona as if expecting her to confirm the story.

Vorgulremik still has to jump from rooftop to rooftop, as the buildings aren't quite as close together as they are in Darkside. His claws make distinct clattering sounds.

Wynona says, "Well, actually, yes, but then he got banished by the Sabaoth along with Captain Boghaz." Wynona's wings droop at this, but then she sighs, looking at Roho. "Still, he sacrificed … HOW much gold was it? I think that was fairly selfless of him."

Roho chuckles, "200 gold. Course, I couldn't spend that all if I even tried."

The white bat mage sighs, shaking her head, looking back at Shardluna. "See? These selfless types can be SO frustrating, sometimes. Why, if I had that much gold, I think I'd go to… " She rattles on.

Several of the Eeees look about as if hearing something, but as a drunken Kavi stumbles out of an alley and sways down the street, they dismiss the noise.

Shardluna looks amazed, feigning a swoon. "That much?" she squeaks, then covers her mouth again as nearby Eeees shhh at her.

Vorgulremik crouches down on a new rooftop, and rechecks his course. He'll be visible against the Procession when he launches, but that can't be helped. Hopefully, the statues and trees will block the critical part of his low glide across the Park, and if his special improvisation works, it won't matter if a few people glimpse him. Of course, he doesn't realize that there are Eeees sitting in some of the trees he's hoping will hide his approach.

Quicksilver runs quietly down the side of the roof, smirking at her noisy quarry, her silly Kavi mind growing oblivious to the danger in search of the sport. She finds a narrow point between the two buildings and takes off her sandles. She does a running jump, and manages to make it with relatively no noise to the next roof.

The drunken Kavi stumbles down the street and away, bumping against the buildings now and then. At this time of the night, nothing more than a few curses of easily-awakened residents follow him.

Vorgulremik glances over his shoulder, but doesn't spot the Kavi. He's looking upwards, for signs of any air patrols.

Whisker twitching, Quicksilver sees in her quarry the same look that she has seen in many a flying animal before takeoff. Oh broken shekels! she thinks, he's going to fly away on me.

A handsome male bat, nearly black save for a white underside to his chin and on his neck, sings the prince's part. "A palace far from the contentions of our tribes would I build for thee, my love," he sings to Vielanika, who seems to be blushing for real.

Vorgulremik checks to see that people are paying attention to the singers, or else to eachother, and then prepares to launch. His wings spread out, spanning a bit further than an Eeee's would but looking not too different.

The chorus rounds around the two bat singers, singing words of rejection or forbidding, with deliberate discordant notes here and there. Vielanika and the male singer draw back against each other in mock-fear.

Shardluna whispers to Roho and Wynona, "Oh! My favorite part. It's so… " She sniffs looking teary. "Tragic."

Quicksilver scampers forwards, and raises her knife. Well, a mythic creature, especially with metal skin, will be worth a lot of shekels to someone, dead…

Still unaware of Quicksilver just behind him, the dragon tenses his legs and jumps off of the roof, wings beating down just once before locking into a glide position.

Cursing a storm of noxious words, the Kavi lowers her knife and slips it into her tunic, climbing rapidly down a wall, and moving after the dragon…

Roho's ears pivot forward, to better catch the sounds of the crescendoing music…

The other bats watch the ballad draw toward its conclusion, full of dramatic surging voices, as the words of denunciation are rivalled by the song of affirmation…

Wynona sighs, wiping tears away from her eyes. "Oh … I LOVE this song!"

In daytime, Vorgulremik's shadow would have passed over the Eeees nestled in the trees. But as this is night, he merely occludes a few stars, so that only Quicksilver's eyes remain locked onto the dragon gliding into the park.

Vorgulremik swoops in low… maybe too low, as his claws sometimes strike the tops of a few statues. He gathers his breath as the bronze bulk of the First Ship approaches.

Quicksilver realizes, in a quick, shocking moment, that the dragon is flying too low to just be passing over the park. She grips her knife under the cloth and starts calling out for everyone to look out!

Several of the Eeees look up, noticing the sounds of claws and the reflected music from a large winged mass. What is it? they murmur between each other, trying to catch sight of the fast moving object.

"If only I had a bow!" thinks the Kavi in dispair…

Quicksilver cries "DRAGON!" at the top of her lungs.

Wynona blinks, noticing the distortion in sound indicative of a massive – nevermind that, she hears the Kavi. She lets out a shriek, scanning the sky.

Other Eeees look up. "What?" "A dragon? They're mythical!" But the sounds of something massive flying quickly past cannot be mistaken by the sensitive bat ears.

Vorgulremik opens his jaws and traces a lance of flame from the tip of the bronze sculpture to the base as soon as he comes in range. He actually has to grab the top of the First Ship and then push off with his legs to boost his glide, since it's too low to beat his wings until he reaches the pond.

Roho jumps to his feet at the shout, before the word even registers. As he realizes what is being shouted, he looks like he'd rather be back under the tree.

"Fire!" squeaks Wynona, and she scurries clear of the tree.

Quicksilver scampers through the park at top speed, pulling back before she runs into the flaming statue.

Vorgulremik only now begins to register some commotion, and so initiates the second part of his hasty plan. He shouts as loud as he can, "FOR BABEL!"

"FIRE!" a bat screams. "It's setting fire to the First Ship!" Vielanika breaks off her song and looks angry, her male companion likewise.

Quicksilver chirrups, "Bow! Bow! I NEED A BOW! Having NONE??"

Roho quickly walks clear of the tree, feeling it would be best to be away from anything flammable. He crouches down close to the ground, waiting to see what happens next…

Numerous Eeees panick! Shardluna looks at Wynona. "What should we do? Did the Sabaoth magic up a dragon somehow?!"

Quicksilver begins climbing a tree, and starts feeling a bit woozie, since she'd running on an empty stomach.

Wynona looks angrier at the shout, and glances to Shardluna before continuing. She puts two and two together, and comes up with trouble. She finds a spot … and pulls the "tools of her trade" out of her pouches. Magic isn't great for spur-of-the-moment responses. But this is Wynona Windcaller … and she isn't going to take time to think better of it.

Vorgulremik clears the last of the statues, and beats his wings hard over the small pond, raising some noisy splashes and scattering the sleeping birds as he tries to gain altitude.

Quicksilver cries out, desperatly, "STUPID EEES! BOW NEEDING NOW! BEFORE AWAY HE IS!"

Somewhere in the press of the bats, Vielanika shouts, "Someone start a bucket brigade! Quickly, find buckets!" Other Eeees look over at the Kavi shouting, and one calls back, "We don't have any! Who is it? What is it?!"

Quicksilver is a few yards away from the dragon, mostly under, and to her dismay, everyone ewants to go the other way!

Vielanika and her male friend organize three of the bats to go find buckets, taking flight immediately. "Fight the fire," the bard urges. "Save Freedom Park!" The other bats stare back and forth in a panick, clearly torn between fighting the fire and avenging the honor of their species; then one starts running for the exit, calling, "Guards! I'll go get the guards!"

The mostly-white Kavi assassin, crouched in a tree, observes the dragon's flight as he raises a huge gout of water from the pond and … begins to circle back? An opportunity! Meanwhile, Roho stays in one place… and has a bucket pressed into his hands by Shardluna. "Pass these along," the bat urges him, evidently not having realized that he's blind and thus can't see who he's passing buckets to.

Roho runs up towards the bandstand, to help with the bucket brigade. He asks quickly, as he gets near the others, "Is everyone okay?"

"AHhhh! Fire!" the other Eeees yell. Neighbors start to peek out of their windows, wondering what those noisy bats are doing in the park…

Quicksilver moves throught the trees, getting as near to the path as he seems to be taking as she can.

Vorgulremik completes his circle and swoops back towards the Park, hoping to cause a bit more chaos and give the fire a chance to spread.

The grass around the statue of the First Ship smoulders, green blades charring to black. The statue itself has scorched a little; however in the long days of the summer, it does not seem that the fire has as much as Vorgulremik would have hoped for in the way of fuel.

Wynona chants in the midst of a quickly-arranged circle, working on a spell.

Waiting in the outer branches of a tree, which creak under her weight, the Kavi smiles as the dragon circles back. "Not doing again THIS, Mr.Myth-ic," she mutters to herself.

Vorgulremik passes low and roars as he flies near Quicksilver's tree. Naturally, he blames the Eeees for the fire not spreading…

Another bat, one that Roho doesn't recognize, takes the bucket from the Zerda's hand. "Move, move!" he shouts. "Get the next bucket!"

Quicksilver leaps out into the air as it passes. Blind faith, or stupidity? Her arms are outspread to grasp any part of the firedrake she can.

Roho starts passing the buckets along the brigade

Several bats scream as the dragon passes by! "Ahhh! We're being attacked! It's the Sabaoth's dragon!"

Amazingly enough, no one has fallen over onto Wynona as she continues to chant her spell…

Vorgulremik feels a considerable weight impact one wing, pulling him down enough to cause his chest to smack into the carved face of some unknown human, which also causes his wings to snap forward.

The blank face of the statue looks back at Vorgulremik, staring blindly. From the sextant he is holding up, he must be another representation of an Astromancer. The statue cracks at the base and starts to fall over…

Wynona keeps chanting.

Quicksilver grabs onto a wing, but trying to draw her dagger causes her fingers to slip, and she jolted forward onto the ground as the drake hits a statue. She screeches, landing on her feet, barely.

Her eyes go wide… Oh no! The statue is falling on her!

With his breath knocked out of him, the dragon can only cling to the statue as it tips over.

Rolling out of the way, Quicksilver draws her knife, panting and sitting up painfully.

Vorgulremik kicks off from the statue at the last moment, and lands on the shoulders of another to catch his breath and let his bruised muscles recover. He also glares about, seeking the person who dared to defy him.

Quicksilver smiles, and leaps at the dragon, ignoring the screaming pain in her shoulder, her black knife like a shadow, her cloak held before her with the other paw, in case of accidents.

Roho hears the sounds of a scuffle, and grimaces. He turns to the Eeee behind him, "I hear fighting, there might be wounded. Can you fill in the gap?"

Shardluna gasps. "It IS a dragon!" as she catches sight of what has concerned Roho.

Vorgulremik blinks in surprise, despite his anger. A Kavi attacking HIM? He leaps up and beats his wings down hard, hoping to regain the air and swat the Kavi at the same time.

Roho passes on another bucket, then grabs his cloak around his neck and runs in the direction of the noises.

Wynona keeps chanting.

Quicksilver screaches in frustration as the dragon takes off, half knocked over by the wings. She tries to grab a hold of his long tail, climbing the statue ruble to do so.

From the edge of Freedom Park comes a squawking. "How much farther?" A guard must be arriving on the scene – Vartan from the sound of the voice and the flapping wings.

"I have to keep him here, untill the guards get here!" thinks the kavi…

And as the Kavi lunges through the air, her hands grasping, she catches the tail! Her body swings like a pendulum beneath the small, yet strong-winged dragon…

Vorgulremik hisses at the Kavi, noting her white face so he'll recognize her again. He tries to shake her from his tail while still beating hard for altitude. Despite his anger, he's not about to risk facing a Vartan in the air.

Vorgulremik shouts out, "DEATH TO THE ENEMIES OF THE SABAOTH!" as he turns back towards Darkside and his hiding place in the old cemetary. He tries to loose his Kavi anchor again by attempting to smack her against one of the statues.

Quicksilver digs her claws in desperately. She's definitely a kavi of one idea. She stabs her knife, hopeing to get a joint inbetween the scales, but only having a second to aim…

"What's that?" some of the bats yelp. "AHHHH! The wrath of the Sabaoth is upon us!" The bat bucket brigade starts to dissolve, but Vielanika goes back and forth trying to keep everything organized.

Roho runs beneath the flying pair, a little ways behind, towards the pond…

Groaning, Quciksilver's swing goes wild as she hits a statue. Her world tilts as we all fall down…

Vorgulremik swallows a curse as he's thrown badly off balance, and pulls in his wings rather than risk smashing them against more statues. He still hits the ground rather hard.

Wynona, mindless of the crashing and smashing, keeps on chanting, her hands forming arcane patterns in the air before her.

As they come crashing to the ground, Quicksilver is a little faster on her feet to come rolling out of the fall, and makes a quick stab… Vorgulremik feels a piercing pain in his tail! But only a few scales come away in the Kavi's hand as she pulls away.

Vorgulremik screeches and gets back to his feet, running on all fours towards the edge of the park.

Quicksilver gasps, and cries out for someone to stop him, her paw grasping the scales tightly.

The bats back away wildly in all directions from Vorgulremik's charge! "He's attacking us! Help!" The sight of a supposedly mythical creature seems to intimidate them.

Roho runs to where the fighting occurred, and finds the Kavi, "Are you okay? Do you need any help?"

Wynona, despite the chaos, keeps right on chanting, tracing a complex cluster of runes in geometric arrangements in the air about her.

The Vartan comes into sight of the gathering of the bats, a red and orange creature, and orders, "Stop! Everyone, hold your place!" He draws a sword from his scabbard.

Vorgulremik snaps and snarls at anyone near him, and begins to spread his wings once he's clear of the statues. Wait… is that an Eeee just sitting calmly over there?

Groaning, and feeling terribly dizzy, Quicksilver uses her last effort to try and implore the bats, but blacks out.

Vorgulremik growls at the appearance of the Vartan, and needs a new distraction to cover his escape. He angles towards the chanting Eeee, hoping her spell will be nice and chaotic if he breaks her concentration…

Roho checks for a pulse on Quicksilver's throat, and, finding one, stands up for the moment, calling out, "Is everyone okay?"

Quicksilver's eyes open for a sec. "Stop… dragon… " she says, her voice cracking. She closes her eyes again, moaning softly.

The Vartan keenly glares around the Freedom Park, the fire mostly contained thanks to the effort of the bats… And fixes his stare on Vorgulremik. He starts running toward the dragon. "You! Stop in the name of the Temple!"

Roho kneels back down by the kavi, "I'm not stopping any dragons, the guards will take care of that. Can you breathe okay?"

The bat next to the Vartan says, "See? I told you! It WAS a dragon! But you wouldn't believe me! We need more guards, more!"

{ Yeah, sure officer… } the dragon thinks as he starts beating his wings to turn his gallop into a takeoff. He roars at the white-furred Eeee in his path.

Wynona, heedless of approaching danger, keeps right on chanting, signing sigils in open space, forming an invisible tapestry with her hands.

Quicksilver does say anything more, since she's weak, and very battered. Her breathing sounds fine. Finnally, Roho hears her head move, in what must be a minute nod.

Roho calls out, "I've got a hurt Kavi here, I think we need to move her to a hospital!"

Quicksilver's ear flicks at the word hospital. No… no hospital… oh no… She falls into a series of confusing and highly personal dreams as she loses conciousnes compleatly.

Vorgulremik leaps into the air before he reaches the Eeee, and beats his wings hard for lift… hoping the downdraft will disrupt the Eeee's chanting at least.

The Vartan guard squawks! "Stop or I'll shoot!" He returns his sword to his sheath, then reaches back for his crossbow.

The lightweight bat mage falls backward, breaking the impromptu magic circle. The energies she's been trying to knit together dissipate. Nothing. She just lies back, weakened by the shock of it. The tapestry is gone, the effort wasted.

Vorgulremik wings back towards Darkside as fast as he can, not bothering to look back and see if the mage provided any distraction.

Shardluna kneels by Roho and the Kavi concernedly. "Is she all right?" she asks, laying her hand to her skirt, getting ready to rip it for a bandage.

The Vartan curses and starts running after the shadowy dragon, leaping to the air.

Roho grumbles under his breath, and starts checking the unconscious Kavi for broken bones, or bleeding. After bandaging some very minor wounds, he finally heeds the sounds in her stomach. "I think that she's actually passed out from lack of food. Probably the exertion pushed her over the edge."

Shardluna gasps. "No food? Well, I can fix that. Here, why don't you, your patient, and Wynona come back to my shop, and I'll fix you all something to eat? Speaking of which… " She looks around. "Wynooooonaaaaa! Where are you?"

A look of tragic concern comes across Shardluna's face as she searches the crowd of bats carrying buckets and the gathering spectators for Wynona.

The Vartan streaks away after Vorgulremik, in hot pursuit…

Roho moves a little distance away, and finds a partially-full bucket leftover from the brigade. He carries it back over to the kavi, and dips his paw in it, flicking some water in her face to try and wake her up…

The two flying creatures disappear into the skies toward Darkside…

The Kavi sneezes as water touches her nose. She opens her eyes groggly. "No… hospital… " she manages, while trying to focus on who is standing by her…

Vorgulremik's mind seethes with anger. A Kavi!! Well, just let ANY Kavi come out at night in Darkside now…

Shardluna stands and goes looking for her friend. "Wynona!" she yells.

Wynona reluctantly sits up, looking around at the Park – the panicked bats, the bucket brigade, the destruction of property – and at her ruined magic circle.

Roho shakes his head, "No, no hospital, you don't need it. But you do, however, need some food. Which, if you're awake enough, we're going to make sure you get." He lifts his head, trying to figure out where Shardluna's gone…

Several Jupani guards lope toward the Park. "What's going on here?" one exclaims, and the other starts sizing up bats to find out who to arrest.

Quicksilver smiles. It lights up her face, though Roho won't know that. But even her voice sounds nicer now, and a bit stronger. "You food giving to Kavi?"

Shardluna kneels by Wynona. "Thank the First Ones you're all right!"

Wynona squeaks, "What happened?"

Roho nods, "Yes, as long as we don't get arrested. It sounds like the guards have just arrived, and need to arrest someone to show the Temple they're not useless. Can you stand?"

Quicksilver groans. "With help," she says. "*bleep*ing Temple guards," she mutters, realizing that being here is NOT a good idea.

"There was a horrible dragon! He swooped through, set fire to the First Ship, and came around again," Shardluna says. "Then a Kavi jumped on him! It's the bravest thing I've ever seen. But he must have shaken her off, because he took off again and with that Vartan guard in chase. Are you okay?" The gray-and-white bat offers Wynona a hand up.

Wynona shakily rises to her feet, still disoriented. She has enough habit and presence of mind to break away to grab her things, rather than leave them scattered, before going anywhere.

Shardluna says, looking over her back. "We'd better go to my shop before the guards decide we're the ones who started the fire. Come on! Your friend, Dr. Roho, says the Kavi needs some food, and my shop is close by."

Roho nods, and slips an arm under Quicksilver's shoulders, helping her to her feet and giving her a support. "Come on, I hear my friends this way… "

Vielanika trots up to the guards. "We were giving a concert," she says, accompanied by the black-and-white male bat. "When suddenly this huge, horrible creature jumped out… "

"You'll have to come along to the station and give your testimony," the guard says. Evidently he recognizes the bard. "Is it still around?"

Wynona looks annoyed. "What? Why should we have to run away, as if we're somehow criminals? What, you expect all the guards are idiots?"

Vielanika shakes her head. "I'll be glad to give what help I can."

Quicksilver gets up, hearing all the explenations. She sighs at how feeble they all sound, even to her, who was there.

The other guard calls out, "Anyone else want to testify? Seen anyone who started the fire?"

Quicksilver presses the scales into Roho's paws. "Giving this friends to… show guards… " she says, keeping two for herself.

Shardluna shrugs. "It's better not to risk coming to their notice," she murmurs.

Roho and Quicksilver join up with Wynona and Shardluna, "Can one of you help her to the shop, get her something to eat? I have to go talk to the guards."

Wynona looks indignantly at her friend, then raises her hand to the guard. "Here!" She walks toward the wolves. "I saw the whole thing."

Shardluna wrings her hands. "All right," she says. "Wynona! Come back and see me at the shop when you're done, all right? I want to make sure you and your friend are all right."

The other Jupani nods to Wynona. "Your name, citizen?"

The Kavi looks up. Bats? Oh, yes, bats… Her brain is a bit off. She turns to who is holding her. It looks to be a cute, small, and blind fox, with big ears. She smiles a bit.

Quicksilver slips her remaining scales in her treasure pouch…

Roho sighs and switches Quicksilver over to Shardluna, "I'm sorry, I'll be right back… " He runs off after Wynona, calling to the guards, "It's true, I found these on the ground by where it fell… "

Wynona waves to Shardluna, then says to the guard, "I am Wynona Windcaller, Alumnus of the College Esoterica, of the Sphere of Air … While I was here at the concert… "

"One at a time, citizens," the first guard says. "It's good to see that we have so many law-abiding citizens here. Now then, you say you have found some evidence on the ground? Your name, sir?"

"A mage!" the other guard says, impressed by Wynona's position and learning. "Well, will you come with us to give your testimony?"

Roho hands the scales to the guard, "These were where the dragon and his assailent fell. I'm afraid I didn't see anything, but I heard most of it."

Shardluna helps Quicksilver down the street, away from the guards. Talk of 'law-abiding citizens' or not, she has no intention of attracting their notice.

Wynona briefly smiles, appreciating the respect she finally can earn now that she's, at last, paid off her tuition. She will have to thank Boghaz again for being so generous. "Yes, I will do my best to assist, sir."

Quicksilver stumbles along with the bat, her stomach growling and her head spinning. She just wants this day to end.

"Scales, eh? You're sure these aren't from someone having a fish lunch?" The Jupani peers at the iron-seeming scales closer in the light, but finally pockets them. "Hmf. Not even real metal. Well, I'll list them as evidence in this. What did you hear?… " The two Jupani guards, Vielanika, Wynona, and Roho walk away down the street toward the nearby precinct station.

After a few hours, the guards seem satisfied that Vielanika, Wynona, and Roho are not making this up to cover their own guilt in the affair, especially when the Vartan guard returns and gives his testimony of chasing the dragon into the alleys of Darkside, but losing him somewhere therein. "All right," the Jupani lieutenant says. "We appreciate your testimony. We'll look into this. If it's true the Sabaoth has raised a dragon, and a fire-breathing one at that, this may explain the attacks on some of our merchant trade. This could be very serious… "

"Thank you for your testimony, Bard Vielanika, Mage Wynona, and Healer Roho." The lieutenant shakes hands around.

Back in Shardluna's Tea House, it is a somewhat tired white bat who walks in the door with a Zerda healer just behind her. The empty dishes on the table are mute evidence that the Kavi, Quicksilver, has managed to demolish enough food to feed three ordinary Kavis; Shardluna gets up to pour more tea for the newcomers – even some of the bittersweet Eeee 'cham' tea that Wynona hasn't tasted in so long because of the shortage. "Do come in and make yourself at home," she urges.

Quicksilver waves and slurps her seventh glass of tea, her stomach bulging a bit.

The tired white bat mage thanks her host, and collapses in a chair.

Wynona squeaks, "I'm trying to figure out whether it's a good or bad thing that I didn't see what everyone else did."

Roho sits at the table, looking a little tired himself, "Mmh, nothing like a little friendly grilling to make one feel relaxed and comfortable."

Quicksilver sits up. "Going well, questioning did?"

Wynona nods. "Quite so. They're certain I didn't do anything."

Roho chuckles and nods, "Considering none of us were arrested for treason, or accused of being spies, then yes."

The Kavi ohs. "That good being is. Ummm… finding dragon did?" Roho might note her voice is much stronger, and chirpy, reminding one of a bird. A bit of worry enters it at the last question.

Roho shakes his head, "Apparently it escaped. Hopefully, it will lay low for a while."

Quicksilver shudders. "Yes… lie low, pray-to-gods… "

Wynona squeaks, "Oh, come on. I'm sure if I could just have it distracted enough so that I could fire off a spell, it would be no trouble at all."

Roho rasps, "Are you feeling a little better now?"

Roho grins at Wynona, "Figures, huh? You finally get a spell uninterrupted by sneezing, and a dragon comes along and breaks it… "

Quicksilver frowns, snapping, "Oh, distrascted was… where spell being?" She turns to Roho, "Yes, better, but headache… "

Quicksilver points to a big bump on her forehead, though Roho can't see this.

Wynona shrugs. "You'll see. I'm an Alumnus now. I have a bright future ahead of me." She sniffles.

Quicksilver rolls her eyes, and refrains from making another desparaging comment.

Wynona says, "I'm sure that a well-placed lightning bolt would have done wonders against any metallic flying lizards. Or just a simple buffet to ram it against the ground a few times. Or, really, it would be simply lovely if a well-placed burst of wind could redirect its flame upon itself. Or maybe just a highly concentrated rainstorm… "

The white bat crosses her arms, smiling, looking satisfied. "You simply do NOT cross a Mage of the Sphere of Air!"

Quicksilver smirks. "Of course, KAVI being one fighting dragon when all high thinking doing? Free next weekend being for this, maybe, healed by then hoping… "

Wynona frowns. "Well, your bravery IS commendable, of course. But, you must understand, magic takes a certain amount of time and preparation to do properly. You can't do these things on the fly or in the rush of the moment."

"Yes… dying, though, is on fly… " notes the kavi.

Wynona's ears turn reddish-magenta. "And just WHAT are you implying?" she huffs, lower lip quivering.

Quicksilver sighs. "Spells, VERY good being for, before hand. But, when dragon eating you, chanting long taking does… "

Roho erps, and interrupts, "I don't think there's a reason to fight here… Wynona, you were very brave to stand your ground, when a dragon attacked. I'm sure if the spell hadn't been interrupted, it would have helped." He turns, "And you were very brave to attack a dragon with just a knife, Miss Kavi."

Smiling at Roho, she turns. "Name being Quicksilver, dear dok-tor sir," she notes cheerfully.

Wynona doesn't acknowledge the fennec's attempts at peacemaking. "Now, see here! I can't simply chant FASTER. Why, that misses the whole point! And just what do you expect me to do? Leap onto the dragon's back and pound on it? Magic is what I DO. And, mind you, I'm a full-fledged mage. I'm as good as they come." She holds her chin up high.

Quicksilver nods slowly. "Is very good knowledge," she says diplomatically.

Roho coughs, "Um, Wynona… "

Wynona looks to Roho, wiping away at one eye. "Yes?" she squeaks.

Roho smiles, "Nobody's accusing you of being a bad mage, it just happened that you didn't have time enough to work with. I don't think our guest needs to be shouted at."

The Kavi twirks her spoon in her cup, not saying anything.

"Shouting?" Wynona squeaks loudly. "Who's shouting?"

Shardluna stops by Quicksilver as she's tidying things up for the next day's business. "By the way, dearie," she suggests. "If you're looking for a job, I might have one for someone to help me take care of the customers during the afternoon. I have a spare room that you could use… "

Quicksilver perks up. "Oh! Thank you! Very nice being… but… umm… not speaking well do." She frowns self consciously.

"That's all right," Shardluna says with a smile. "I'm sure they won't mind."

Grinning, the Kavi gets up, and helps clear the table.

Wynona blinks at the table. "Oh. I suppose that means our little … chat … has come to a close? Very well then."

Shardluna clasps hands with Wynona. "Please do stop by, and bring your friend," she says. "We really should get together more often!" She grins to her friend, whom she sees so rarely.

Quicksilver blinks. Being herself, she forgot totally about the argument. She gives Wynona a look of polite confusion, and aids Shardluna as best she can, stopping to give Roho a quick pat on the paw and a whispers thanks.

Wynona manages a smile despite herself, to Shardluna. "Of course. Very well then … I should be moving along. Take care."

The white bat and the Zerda fennec head out of the shop, the Procession light serving to light their way as she guides Roho home. Behind her, Shardluna waves, a Kavi beside her looking rather better fed than she has in days. Somewhere, there is a dangerous dragon whose pride has been injured… But for the moment at least, the night is quiet and peaceful.