[quote=Chris]"What's with the masks? Do they have some significance or something?"[/quote]

Anise took some time to respond to Chris' question as she focused on the owl. She had mixed feelings about what it had to say to her.

[quote=Wendetae][i]My name is Wendetae. I'm the greatest warrior the Kith have ever known.[/i] She held up the stone on the black chain. [i]Destroy this and throw it in the lake. The Lady of the Pond should return to the water before she really goes mad.[/i][/quote]

Anise decided to respond with a question. [i]Where is the lake? Which direction do I follow the river? Upstream? Down?[/i] This was the first time she attempted mental communication, but she felt that so long as she channeled her will through the lantern as she thought, then she could get her thoughts across to Wendetae. She accepted this request as she took the held out necklace.

[quote=Wendetae][i]And get rid of the mongrel. He's a pirate.[/i][/quote]

Anise could feel the complication behind those thoughts. She could tell that Wendetae and Reus had a history that was more than what was stated. Pirate or not, Reus was still a comrade. He hadn't done anything to hurt her outside of the initial fear he inspired when she first saw him. She didn't want to kill anyone, anymore. She let Wendetae feel her reluctance to kill without using words.

She then heard scraping as Reus dug into a platform much like the one where she was summoned.

[quote=Wendetae][i]The door to the old pirate stronghold,[/i] Wendetae explained to Anise. [i]Idiot dog doesn't realize it's been raided by Kith. Let him find out the hard way. Get the new kid to open it.[/i][/quote]

Anise couldn't understand how an animal could have such complicated and hateful feelings. Could it be the masks eventually turned their wearers into animals and that was why Wendetae and Reus were such intelligent animals? They were far from ordinary. She felt nervous about reaching into Reus' mind to attempt communication with him. She did decide to break contact with Wendetae, as the sensation of contact and the experience of it made her feel odd.

Anise faced Chris. "The masks grant abilities. The hawk allows for extraordinary vision, although it doesn't help too much with the darkness, and the rabbit makes one move very quickly. I think they may do more than that though, but I'm not sure." She decided to remain vague as even she didn't have a clear feeling about the possible transformation that could result from wearing the mask too long.

She faced Reus and focused her attention on him. She attempted to make mental contact with the large wolf. [i]Reus. What is so important down there?[/i] She would not oblige the hateful owl and risk Reus angrily lashing out at Chris.