[color=0076a3][i]"Why, would you have been jealous?"[/i][/color]

Ruby raised an eyebrow. [color=red]"I suppose that would depend on how much [i]cleaning[/i] you did,"[/color] she replied, restraining a smirk.

Kaath's subsequent question about the kite caught her attention. [color=0076a3][i]"Any of you...hold the string?"[/i][/color]

[i]Kite. String. Now there's an interesting connection - if only because it evokes the imagery from before. Perhaps my first inclination was correct: that creature there is the kite in the visions. If that's the case, who is the bird?[/i]

Ruby glanced at Kaath.

[i]Could she be...?[/i]

She ground her teeth as she mulled over the possibility. [i]What if this Kaath is just trying to get on our good side so we'll drop her guard and let her eat the kite? She may want to know who "pulls the string," so to speak, to find out who to snatch it from so she can drag it down. Even if I knew who that was, telling her might not be a good idea unless we're doing a bait plan or something. In fact, it might be better if [u]I[/u] didn't know who that was, because with all this mind-fudgery going around, God only knows whether some hell-forsaken creature might drag it out of me. All this assumes, of course, she is the "bird" from the visions, which she may not be.[/i]

[i]Speaking of hell...[/i] She turned her attention back to Violet, who was now apologizing for her earlier outburst. Ruby pinked a little, realizing she'd zoned out while Kaath and Walker talked the girl down. [color=red]"Oh...um, I forgive you, Violet."[/color] She sat back down next to Walker and began pulling medical supplies out of her bag to treat his wound.

It was then Kaath said something that sent a shiver down her spine.

[color=0076a3][i]"So, the rest o'ye got names, eh? Ye humans love that kinda thing, I take it."[/i][/color]

Ruby froze. [i]Wait, what?[/i]

Violet said what everyone else was thinking: [color=violet]"Keepa said the same thing. Come to mention it, you know a lot about this place and you two almost talk the same...you both would be working-"[/color] Violet cut herself off with a curse and grabbed her head as she struggled to control her breathing.

Keepa had known Ruby's name, and lying about it seemed to just make things worse. What if Kaath was also...[i]in[/i]...on this place, and knew her name as well? Ruby decided to test this.

[color=red]"Call me Sapphire."[/color]

Violet, meanwhile, seemed to have collected her thoughts. [color=violet]"Speaking of plague surgeon, where [i]is[/i] Kite?"[/color]

[i]So that's the name we're going with. Fair enough.[/i] Ruby pointed. Violet rushed over to Kite and examined him. [color=violet]"Is the Nightmare Oil still affecting him? Is he still locked in the nightmare?"[/color] She checked his breathing and looked to Kaath. [color=violet]"What's happening to him? Do you know anything about this?"[/color]

[color=red]"I washed it off as best I could..."[/color] Ruby murmured. She turned to Kaath. [i]May as well throw the language back at her.[/i] [color=red]"So, you must have some secrets, huh? You creatures seem to love that kinda thing."[/color] She smirked and leaned forward, adding, [color=red]"Wanna trade?"[/color]