[@Takashi]
The mangy felidrake rowled in its throat and paced in circles. It sat down haughtily, licked its paw in a futile attempt to appear unconcerned, tried to stretch its wings but only hit the bars of the cage. If a glare could kill, the yellow glower this cat gave Telio would have been a long and torturous murder. It snarled and licked its fangs, claws twitching for the chance at the artist's face. The moment he let his guard down, those claws might just find their way between the bars and into whatever flesh was closest. Telio had used this felidrake's insecurities against it, and it would never forgive him.
[hr]
[@jordy0403][@c3p-0h][@Skittles][@Diggerton]
Spook had been lazing against a rock, watching a hummingbird flitter around one of the dangling silver bells, waiting for the retrieval of the last of the felidrakes -- but the glassy eyes of his mask caught the bright red of blood.

Slowly he crawled to his feet, smacked the dust from his coat haphazardly, and approached the small group that had formed around the injuries. The Traveller knelt near them, and he held out a wide, palm-sized jar to whomever would take it. The jar was half-full of a pale blue paste that had obviously been used and refilled quite a lot in the past.

[b]"Try this,"[/b] he said with a hidden smile. [b]"It's blueflower salve, the best among Travellers."[/b] Once someone had taken the jar, he reached in his bag again and retrieved a weathered, crumpled journal.

[b]"Now is later, isn't it?"[/b] Spook had turned to the first blank page and was drawing a pencil sketch, but he was apparently speaking to Emma. [b]"Most of the people who live outside city walls are the Temple Magi and the Travellers, but sometimes you'll find rough villages on the forest outskirts. Sometimes they're even friendly."[/b]

He tapped the end of his pencil against his mask, then pulled out the page and handed it to Emma. It was a drawing of an exotic flower with spiked petals and looping filaments. [b]"That's the blueflower that makes the salve,"[/b] he explained with a grin, as if she had asked. [b]"It's fairly common this time of year, if you can get to it before other Travellers do."[/b]
[hr]
[@Crimson Raven][@DFTBA]
Meanwhile, a tremendous screeching and howling came from the direction of Kelsior and Andica and the bagged tangled mess of felidrakes. Fur flew everywhere in the tumultuous chaos of wings and fur and teeth and claws and blood. Andica managed to get one confused critter into a cage without much hassle, but the second one spread its wings too wide for the cage opening and struggled in a manic hissing frenzy. It was already scratched up and bloody from being trapped among its fellow scared felidrakes, and now it was crazed for something to kill.

As soon as it was out of Kelsior's makeshift bag, it clung to the edge of the cage, wings wide and flapping. With a [i]poof[/i] it was gone, and Andica would hear the telltale [i]pop[/i] right behind her. The felidrake was clinging to her back with its claws, still flapping furiously and yowling.

The remaining felidrake in Kelsior's bag had gone quiet, scared and bloody and panting, curled up as small as it possibly could.
[hr]
[@Jay Kalton][@hoppiholla391]
All the felidrakes had gradually disappeared to be captured elsewhere, leaving the temple ruin empty except for the one creature hiding inside the broken statue.

The chorus of whistling eventually went quiet, and all the two women could hear was the ambience of the forest and the distant screeching of felidrakes being caught below.
[hr]
Spook returned to the site of the magic circle and looked around lazily. [b]"Bring them all in,"[/b] he called to the cityfolk. [b]"The whole litter is coming with us."[/b]

He waited for the cityfolk to gather round, and he studied them with a tipped head and gloved hands in his pockets.

[b]"I'll need some volunteers,"[/b] he said with a grin, and he stepped back away from the magic circle on the ground. [b]"Sit down and touch the edge of the circle. You're going to do magic today."[/b]

Spook walked slowly around the circle, waiting for whomever would take him up on the opportunity. Off to the side, the caged felidrakes meowed and fussed.

[b]"Think of something you want more than anything in the world,"[/b] he instructed the volunteers. [b]"Or someone or something you love with all your heart. Think of something that takes your breath away and makes your heart clench."[/b] He waited a moment, still walking slowly around the circle, watching each person carefully. [b]"The power of magic is in Dreams,"[/b] he said quietly, so as not to disturb their imagination. [b]"The stronger the Dream, the more powerful the magic."[/b]

It was time to see who among them would have a natural knack for magic.