As it turns out, Hazel is amply grounded, and needs no potions of any kind to carry on with the mission. Which he does. Right away. Just like he said he would.

It’s not like he was slacking off on purpose. Hard to focus on the mission when nobody’s told you what your part in it is, exactly. Or that everyone’s waiting on you before setting out. Heron’s in the room, he thought, it’s a reasonable assumption that she’d be taking the lead, and she hadn’t said anything yet, so, how was he supposed to know otherwise? (Whatever happened to those simple instructions?)

It’s been a long night. It’s not over by a long shot. But he’s doing his best. He’s focused. He’s out in front. His antlers? Glowing steady. (He doesn’t know what he’s doing.) His eyes? Flitting about the twisting landscape. (Any minute, his “employer” will shout at him for, for, for doing [i]something[/i] wrong.) His legs? Skipping surely, swishing silk. (It’s coming. She won’t care. It’s coming.)

“Could you let me know when we get Outside? I mean, really Outside?” Keli is there. There to catch his hushed whisper. There with a smile. “I’m not quite sure what counts.”

[b]Handmaidens![/b]

You were Outside long ago.

The light of the Golden Fawn has led you down a path. Presumably. Well, he has led you, that bit is pretty clear. But presumably there’s a path he’s walking, and the rest of you have walked in his stead. Here’s hoping it’s the path you wanted.

Cair, your employee has not spoken to you unless you’ve spoken to him first. There’s a tightness in him, a tension, when he replies. (He thinks he’s hiding it. He’s not doing a good job of it.) His answers are proper. His attitude is diligent. His smile is nowhere to be seen.

He has spoken to the twins. He’s speaking to them right now. To his credit, he has not observed any bouncing. He has studiously not observed any bouncing. Very focused, he is. Very relaxed.

You can see his tail flicking at his dress.

Just thought you should know.

[Hazel is [b]Defying Disaster[/b] with Radiance. He’s putting himself out there, being brave, taking a big steppy as best as he can with full knowledge that this may go horribly wrong, for him. He risks looking like a useless goober who can’t take care of himself. In short, he is risking his dignity: 2 + 2 + 5 = [b]9[/b]]