“I come…” says Giriel, using the arm that was just a moment before patting Kayl to pull him backwards, dragging his knees along the ground so that he’s not in Uusha’s way “…to make soup.”

What else was there to do, hm? Peregrine was going to be starving when she was done, and there was no point interrupting her in a ritual like this. Best odds of that were something going horrifically wrong, and even if that were avoided, Peregrine would be livid. And what’s the point, from what Red Wolf said, the shades were already happening. Plus, Uusha was here and that meant there was a lot more happening than Giriel had known coming into this. Better to see the ritual, serve everyone a good meal, and then figure things out from there. 

“Well, to make soup and to talk. I won’t hide that Red Wolf sent me, but I want to know why you’re doing all this before I decide what sort of magic to work.” As she speaks, she walks past Uusha and sets up at a nice spot under the shade of a tree with a wide gravestone that has a flat top where Giriel can put her things. She sets some stones (regular ones, not gravestones) in a circle for a fire and gatherers a few loose branches fallen from the tree and strikes a spark while she sets out her bowls and some travel things. The townsfolk may have been less than forthcoming when it came to these graves and whatever this ritual was, but they were still willing to sell a sack of potatoes and a bundle of carrots. Good, hearty, travel food. Add some water, some salt, a little sage, and boil them slowly so they softened and flavored the broth. 

And, if it happened that Giriel had set herself up so that the wind would blow the scent of her cooking toward Peregrine and most of the gathered N’yari while she spoke with Uusha, that was a coincidence. And, if it happened that Giriel had a clear view line towards Peregrine’s music…well, that was just the layout of the cemetery. And if it happened that Giriel made a point of offering a bowl of soup to the spirits of the dead before serving the living, well, that was just polite. 

[Giriel is looking to figure out Uusha (and the overall situation) from chatting while she cooks and observing what’s happening here. 4+4+2=10. Giriel gets two questions
1. What does Uusha hope to get from this ritual?
Reserving the second.]