As they began to head back, Janius' shoulders relaxed in relief. It appeared that Zharanthixil had swallowed the lie for now. For a moment, Janius didn't think he still had it in him since the last time he had to try and convince someone's suspicious father.

Janius slid his hand around Kaleeth's and brought it up to shoulder height for a moment, smiling at her encouragingly. Apart from questions that would be best to ask away from Zharanthixil, there were no words Janius particularly wanted to say. He just wanted to keep Kaleeth reassured.

After a while, the party approached the village again. The desperate mood of a couple of hours ago was now a distant memory to most of them, but the issue of Kaleeth's new condition was still pressing on the mind of Janius. He had no doubt that it was similar for Kaleeth. The sooner they addressed it, the better, but Kaleeth needed some food and rest, and perhaps some family comforts. Janius stopped for a moment at the edge of the village. "Go and see your mother, get something to eat. I'll go and talk to Meesei about this." Janius looked at her and wanted to kiss her softly, but for fear of raising the Master-Hunter's ire, he only hazarded as much a hug. While he held her, Janius whispered to her, "Come to the common hut when you can."