[h3]Aemoten[/h3]
	The savage - though it was perhaps no longer entirely appropriate to designate her as such now that her demeanor had undergone a drastic change - looked at him and Jaelnec as she picked up on their approach (or rather, had them pointed out to her), apprehension and fear briefly showing on her countenance as she swallowed, taking in his and Jaelnec's appearance. 
	By the time he had halted by the small group, though, she had acquired a smile of some description - though more likely one of embarrassment and nervousness than any gladness or relief at the sight of them. Made sense, he figured - Jaelnec had but a dozen minutes ago questioned Olan's assurances over sparing her life (though the squire had to no small extent been influenced by a rather personal kind of pain), and he bore the grim mask of duty. What little signs of improved mood he had shown when he was conversing with Jaelnec in private had once more become overshadowed by weariness, pain, sense of urgency and the ever-present air of duty, of [i]had to[/i] over [i]wanted to.[/i]
	[i]Just may this be quick for once...[/i] An one-syllable word was all he gave to encourage them to reveal what they had been discussing - especially as it seemed it somehow involved him, judging from the patterned guy's notion of 'the one in a black coat' and the accompanying hand-gesture ... and Olan chiming in with [i]"Yeah, the hatless one, you know?"[/i]
	[i]"H-Hi there..."[/i] their new acquaintance stammered over her words before his gaze. [i]"I, uh... I'll be just cleaning myself up, actually... best not wait much longer, right?"[/i] 
	Clean herself up... One could not say she did not direly need it. Furthermore, he could relate - how many times during the last two weeks alone had he himself been the first to bid for warm water and a chance for clean cloth as soon as his and his companions' relative safety had been established and the worst wounds closed. And whatever settlement or location she had heired from - if it were not a solitary farmstead, her appearance was sure to gather quite some attention. 
	On another side ... delay upon a delay, obstacle upon obstacle. Did she expect them to wait? Or just let her off without making sure whether she was still a threat, to herself or others? Was [i]it[/i] gone? He was not sure whether there was still a faint trace of it left, or it was just his own [i]natural[/i] physical condition speaking. If he could just be sure she was safe for the time being, he supposed Jaelnec could even linger for an hour or two, have her find some water and make use of it and a washcloth. They would still make it to Zerul in the evening this way, after or with Thaler and him. If the thing was still within her, maybe someone there could figure out what it was... Much more reasonable now that she was not rampant. 
	Before he could formulate all those thoughts, and his plans for the group as a whole, though, the young woman let out a half-hearted laugh and proceeded to see herself off with nary a chance for him to get a word in. He tensed, his free hand automatically shooting out, as if to reach after the woman. 
	"Wait." 
	His voice was louder than before, if closer to his normal speaking volume than anything else. Before, the weariness and scraping in his throat had significantly diminished his usual mannerisms in speech. He was not angry, though, but forceful. Yet, it had no effect. Off she went. She would not get far if they so willed, but nevertheless. 
	A muscle by the corner of his jaw twitched as he slowly let his raised hand drop again, his eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly as a minuscule amount of emotion seeped away from his gaze. 
	[i]No.[/i] He cannot let ire over small [i]accumulative [/i]things take over again ... not so soon after he had made himself to let go. Was it unfair to expect that a person who had - though not truly through a fault of her own - added injury to all too many open wounds, yet had been spared, to be cooperative enough to at least speak with the person standing at the head of the people who had quite probably had saved her? Or at the very least let him finish a sentence...
	He sighed, expression once more assuming more neutral lines.  Yes. He did not look the most approachable. But he was also visibly unwell and all but using another person as a crutch. Some questions were important ... like where had she picked that thing up. Were there more? Did they have a nest somewhere? Were they infecting people, and could there a dozen more Angoras leaping shrieking at people from bushes? He did not know. 
	The prospect of a dozen or more other [i]possessed[/i] ... it was more than scary. Especially considering that Thaler had just wandered off on her own, already injured. The foreign warrior could feel an odd coldness settling in his chest, and his limbs feeling strangely weak, more so than they had from common weariness. For a moment, his gaze became empty, his face blank rather than stern. [i]Hurry,[/i] his feelings demanded. 
	He was not a match against one for the time being ... but Etakar could probably take upon several, if need be. Jaelnec better still stayed with Olan, the hunter and the healer ... the last of whom looked quite exhausted herself after her multiple feats. 

	"Is it gone?" he suddenly inquired, eyes moving from Olan to Iridiel, briefly flickering to Domhnall. 
	Iridiel watched as Aemoten tried to stop Angora from leaving the group, and shook her head ruefully as his hand fell back to his side. Mustering up what she knew of Rodorian, Iridiel tried to explain as best she could. "I think... she feels threatened? Aye, threatened. You both... frighten her. Both of you. She thinks you still want her dead, or at least hand her over for murder."
	 The Lower Sekalyn's eyes fixed on the female Éireannach, confused. 
	"She didn't attack us. [i]It[/i] did. Before [i]it[/i]? I wouldn't know if, why and how. I was wondering whether [i]it[/i] was gone ... and if there are more like her." Somewhat unexpectedly, his tone had shifted to one that was just [i]patient.[/i] He closed his eyes. "I'm not - I don't want anyone dead. Too many things have happened; I'm weary, worried, and have to devote more mental energy to just staying upright than a man should. It would be a welcome change if things were to progress smoothly for once."
	Iridiel took out her dagger and twirled it around in her hand as Aemoten explained his own standpoint on the situation - she didn't understand everything, but she was slowly getting better at comprehending Rodorian... Iridiel shrugged and nodded at the question - if only because it was the easiest thing to do in response. 
	"Angora is... herself again. I think the thing inside is still there, but not in her head. It's inside her, but not in control." Iridiel stopped for a moment. "I think... she trusts me. I can talk to her if you want."
	Still there. Not good. That would have been too easy, would it not? With yet another sigh, the foreign warror opened his eyes, observing Iridiel's face.
	"Do you reckon you can keep it at bay, should it try to take over again?" At least until there is some decision on what to do next. He, like most Seklayns, had very unusually intense gaze; his people did not often look people directly in the eyes, lest it was to intimidate or make a very strong point. "You must realize, I'd rather no more needless harm came to my people - least of all today, which has proven more than painful enough. I shall take them on their word on what they can still endure. If you can talk to her ... it would be much appreciated. To find out how it all came to be, whether there could be more people that might be affected. Things like that."
	Iridiel found Aemoten's eyes to be very... overpowering, and yet she couldn't bring herself to try and break away from his gaze, and she nodded in acknowledgement. 
	"I was not the one to break it. You must look to the Mother for that... and the Mother always provides for her children." Iridiel gave a small dreamy smile and turned away, looking over in the direction in which Angora had traipsed off, whilst the Celtic cross marked on her back began to tingle with a strange warm feeling, almost as if two large arms descended on her in a warm embrace. "I think Angora will be fine, but I should go and check on her."
	"Do so," he affirmed with a nod of his own, finally shifting his eyes away from Iridiel as she went after the woman, and onto Olan and Domhnall. 

	Olan rubbed the back of his neck as he shot a look in Angora's direction, concern and uncertainty discernible in his expression. That expression remained mostly unchanged when he turned back to Aemoten, licking his lips as he pondered what exactly to say about what had transpired here with their new acquaintance.
	[i]"I can tell that the being inside her is still there, you know,"[/i] he said hesitantly, taking his hand off his neck to make a vague gesture at nothing in particular. [i]"And it seems more... dormant, I think? Like it's more at peace, almost assimilating into Angora herself. I have no idea what happened, but I think it worked, you know?"[/i]
	This confirmed what Iridiel had assumed, and made an attempt to convey him in her broken Rodorian. Unexplained as Olan's abilities were, they had proven true in the past, and his trust in them was quite unwavering. In addition, he did not think a person would be able to pull off an act as convincing as Angora's change evidently was. It was - or had been, an actual affliction. 
	"I do believe the change in Angora's demeanor was a genuine one; the question is, then, is it going to last, and if, then for how long?" He sighed. "This, however, will have to wait for now."
	And with that, he let go of Jaelnec's shoulder and walked a couple of steps over to Etakar and leaned a hand on the nape of his neck instead. Yet again, he halted, pausing to gather his thoughts and figure out how much of the situation was up for sparing. 
	"I - as well as Etakar and Thaler - will be going ahead for now. We might yet meet on the way to Zerul City; if not, we'll meet in the city, tonight or tomorrow. Food and accommodation should be arranged for us there, by one William Devian - we expected to be there by the evening." Technically speaking, they had been in a slightly different composition back when the arrangements had been made, but the number was about right, so it would have to do. "Jaelnec will be taking over for me for while I'm gone. Any last questions?"
	His eyes shifted between Olan and Domhnall, the latter of whom appeared hesitant, looking vaguely in the direction Angora and then Iridiel had gone to and absently scratching his neck. 
	"Think no'," the latter finally noted, looking back at him. Neither Olan nor Jaelnec spoke up. 
	"Very well, then," he concluded, "If we do not meet again before Zerul City, I wish you a safe trek." 

	And just like that, he brought his right leg over Etakar's back and wrapped one hand in his mane, patting the noble beast's shoulder blade with the other to signify that he was ready - which caused the mighty creature to stand. One final nod in Jaelnec's direction, and the dekkun turned away, picking up a pace as the foreign warrior asked him to follow Thaler's trails.