Rory goes to the Bazaar, armed with a map and instructions from Counselor Heth, to fetch some herbs on an errand that serves as his "punishment" for a previous incident in a class at the College Esoterica. Along the way, he runs into a couple of Kavi children who try to mug him (but don't know what to do next), and then eventually reaches the shop of a lion Khatta who prepares the herbs for him. Along the way, he has an unexpected companion in the form of a little vermite that has nested in his pocket. Saith the vermite, "Squeak."