It was just as Sabine was beginning to wonder where Leaps had wandered off to that Roland screamed and skidded straight into the water. She was concerned for a moment, but as Roland's head burst to the surface again, she began to join in with the laughter.

Angela tried to feign indifference as she stroked over to Roland, but given that she was the only one who seemed to be moving to help, no amount of acting would protect her. "Are you okay, Roland? It was just a lizard."

After the laughter died down, Freida turned to Sabine. "Is that the baby wamasu you told us about, Sabine? It's so cute!"

Sabine was still to amused to answer with anything more than a nod.

"I would trust you to think it's cute, Freida." Rikki commented, "It looks slimy to me."

"Leaps isn't slimy, he is just shiny," Sabine said, "Would you like to meet him? Careful, he likes jumping on people."

"Never would have guessed with a name like that," Freida said.

"Roland, would you like to meet Meesei and Leaps?" Sabine called out, though not quite as clearly as Thyme did.

[hr]
"I can assure you, if it were Vaermina herself that cursed you with nightmares, her job would be much easier with what you have been through." Najirra didn't quite laugh, even though he looked as though he might. He paused instead as his expression brought concern. "Just to make sure, you have not done anything to offend Vaermina or any other Daedra, have you? Apart from Clavicus Vile, of course."

"I don't think so," Fendros answered slowly. "The only one I could think that we have particularly offended would be Vile."

"Well," Najirra shrugged, "We shall keep Daedric influence in mind. But, back to explaining. Where to begin...where to begin..." Najirra itched at the underside of his chin for a moment. "All minds of creatures that resemble us enough have similar ways of working. Animals, people, even some smarter fish, we all have fear in a way, and we all have memories. The greater beings that created us all decided to use a simple way to make sure that we wouldn't keep falling into danger; when we are in danger, we panic. If you ever remember panicking in your lives, I guarantee that you either thoughtlessly lashed out and stood your ground, ran as fast and as far away as you could, or froze in place and barely even dared to breathe until the danger passed. This is natural if a greater predator is hunting you. Anyone who decides to stop and consider the situation..." Najirra clapped his hands together from above and below, curling his fingers to look like teeth, "...is eaten! Your best chance, most of the time, is to act instinctively." Najirra waved a hand, "But this is what you already know. There is another reaction in your mind that is barely noticed." Najirra pointed to his forehead, "A strong memory of the danger. You will find that the easiest memories to recall are the ones where you felt in danger. This is natural, as anyone who does not recall how to anticipate danger is eaten as well! And dreams! They are influenced by your worries, your memories, all manner of things that roil in the mind. You might see now where this leads." Najirra grinned slightly.

Fendros was starting to connect the dots. This was all a new level of understanding for him, so it was somewhat hard to keep up with. At least most of it lead on from common sense. Still, it felt too simple. He wondered whether he should trust Najirra's explanation at all. It could be a trick, but then again, if it helps...

"Greater kinds of danger and fear imprint stronger memories." Najirra continued, a little less proud of himself this time. "Our minds were never meant to survive such ordeals as prolonged near-death experiences or horrors above and beyond the wilderness. What happens when we are witnesses to such things, anyway? Well, the memory becomes so strong that being reminded is unnaturally easy and often involuntary. It appears in nightmares more easily than anything a beast spirit imparts onto the mind. The memory becomes so strong that even recalling a part of it flows into our bodies, making panic and flooding our senses with how it was in the first place. This is why you become distressed with opened living flesh, and this is why the nightmares are so common." Najirra stopped to clear his throat and lifted the tea set onto the small table again. "There is more to it, but that it the basic explanation," Najirra poured himself another cup of the sweet tea, "Do you both understand so far? Is there anything you wish to clarify?" Najirra's tone became lighter as he gestured with the teapot, "More tea?"

[hr]
Janius returned Kaleeth's smile. It was nice to see her react with happiness after transforming for a change. Her question was at first something he didn't think hard about. He glanced back at the children and then to Kaleeth neutrally. "Sure, I don't mind them. They have a lot of energy and enthusiasm," Janius responded, apparently oblivious, at least for the moment.