Fendros was surprised at how quickly the bantam guar moved. Watching it run away was almost as comical a sight as its appearance. He got caught up in Ahnasha's laughter as it scurried away on its stumpy legs.

When Ahnasha moved up to the mushroom tree, Fendros stood up and followed up close. He put his arm around her shoulders and looked up to where she had her gaze. He had seen plenty of mushroom trees on the way to this area of Vvardenfell, but up until now, he didn't appreciate the pattern that the circular, gill-like scales made on the underside of the cap. It was from here that the size really seemed uncanny. "I hadn't really believed that they could grow [i]this[/i] big until I saw them, let alone to the size of a city," Fendros said, a smile forming on his lips again, "It makes me feel small, being underneath it. Like in a story where you're shrunk down to the size of a mouse. I'm half-expecting a great hand to come down and pluck the tree out of the earth-" Fendros pinched at the air in front of him, "-and chop it up to make a soup." Fendros knocked against the stalk with muffled thunks, "Might be a bit tough to eat."

Fendros then looked to Ahnasha, she seemed to have knowledge about these lands that he didn't. It was interesting. "Did you read about Morrowind a lot? You mentioned that books passed through the stock of your parents occasionally."

------

Ariel's question to Sabine was one that gave her pause after a moment. Wasn't it obvious? Why was she asking? Such little annoyances didn't escape into her face, but she had to put the words together, and that was always a little difficult. "They are family," Sabine started, her voice so quiet that it bordered on a mumble, "... they care about me... I... care about them." The corner of Sabine's mouth twitched and she paused, looking away with her wide eyes and relaxed frown.

With patience, Ariel nodded. "Go on," she said at a similar volume to Sabine's voice.

"Meesei, Alpha, makes me feel safe..." Sabine resumed, her eyes going across the chamber to where Meesei was working on the skeleton, "I don't... I'm not scared when she's there." Moving her head to look at the cave wall nearby, Sabine shivered a little at articulating how she felt about everyone. She didn't expect it to be so difficult. "Lorag is big... he can be mean, but he doesn't hurt me. He doesn't worry about things. I don't have to worry about things as much when he's there." Sabine took a deep breath, then let it go shakily through her mouth, "Ahnasha is a big sister. Like you, but... she's Ahansha. She is skilled. She's always practicing. She still loves us, though."

Ariel didn't quite know what to make of those last words, she wouldn't have known that Sabine wasn't really trying to make a comparison as trying to draw parallels to help her explain. Still, the reminder of her own neglect brought a pang to Ariel's heart.

Sabine continued all the same, not appearing to heed Ariel's change of expression. "Janius," Sabine twitched again, though this time into a small smile that faded as quickly, "He is funny sometimes. He is a big brother... he cares about us all. He just likes being with us." Sabine looked down again as she continued to think. She paused for so long that Ariel thought she had finished, but she was just trying to put the right words together.

"And Fendros?" Ariel asked, still curious.

Sabine sat still, then thought of what to say. "Fendros is a little brother." She explained, "Even if he is bigger than me, he has to learn things." Sabine stared at the space in front of her, "He cares though... about us all. And he makes Ahnasha happy."

Ariel nodded again. Perhaps Fendros was a newer member of the pack. He seemed familiar enough with things as far as Ariel could see though. He couldn't have been very new. Casting her mind back to Sabine's comments on big brothers and sisters, another question arose in her mind. "Am I a big sister for you, Sabine?"