Lorag had a reasonable point. Even for an orc, he would stand out due to his lycanthropy. Ariel bit her lip at the idea of an alchemy competition, "Nothing that I know of. Alchemy's not like other things in competition. Most things are what people can understand and appreciate, or have enough spectacle to be entertaining. Alchemy doesn't really have either of those traits. It wouldn't hurt to have a look, though I doubt anything I could make in just an afternoon would be competition worthy, unless the rules are to make it on the spot."

As Ariel finished, the door opened with a creak and Sabine crept in. Even though she looked at them both and saw they were both awake, she still padded her way to her bed as quietly as she could. Ariel smiled at her, "Hello."

Sabine nodded as she undressed for bed. She didn't appear as if she wanted to talk as she slid herself under the sheets.

There was a mischievous chuckle under Janius' breath. "I think you should join in, you'd have fun, and you'll be in a better position to learn, like you said. Also," Janius put his book at his side and looked over to Meesei with his head bowed forward, "it's not every woman, come now, be fair. And as for propositioning you, well..." Janius wrinkled his nose and threw one arm up, turning back to lean against the wall and looking forward, "... you're the alpha, it's undermining of the respect I have for you, and... I don't know, it wouldn't feel right." His put his arm across his torso and rolled the back of his head across the wall until he was looking at Meesei with an apologetic look, "I'm not making you feel left out, am I?" He said, as if the comment about Janius' success rate wasn't as true as it was. In truth, Janius didn't realise how blatantly defensive he had reacted. Had he realised, he might have acknowledged his own insecurity about it.