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Dear Mr Curly,
I have done little travelling lately because I have been so dreadfully weary. Can it be true as the old Ecclesiastes said; that all things lead to weariness? Surely not. Perhaps the opposite is true: that all nothings lead to weariness. I have a peculiar feeling, Curly, that I am worn out from something I haven't yet done and the more I don't do it, the more exhausted I become. How strange. Could it be something I haven't realised? Perhaps it's something I haven't said? Something I haven't finished! It must be very large and true whatever it is and a lively struggle in the doing but I look forward to it immensely. I know I need it. First, however, I must curl up in my chair and sleep deeply with the duck. Perhaps I'll dream of this thing and wake up refreshed and do it. My fond wishes to you Mr. Curly, and to all Curly Flat.
Yours sleepily,
Vasco Pyjama
xxx
P.S. Not having breakfast can make you weary. That's for sure!
Michael Leunig. The Curly Pyjama Letters.

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Janius leaned back in his chair, "Well, just when I thought I had seen them all..."

"Indeed," Fendros responded to Ahnasha, "For a journey driven by such serious matters, we have seen much and more. Perhaps we'll have more time to take it in on the way home...or wherever we next end up."

Tzirret licked one side of his teeth and held up his hunting horn in one hand. "This one did make this for himself," Tzirret said. The horn was well carved from one of the minotaur horns Tzirret had kept. It was attached by a leather strap slung over his shoulder, but was otherwise rather plain. When Tzirret turned it in his hand, he revealed where he had carefully written his name, but no other defining features. "This one was going to ask a smith back home to reinforce it with bronze or something."

The horn was neatly done, but Sabine's curiosity had been piqued by the jewellery. If Tzirret had spent so much time on it, especially with the care put into his hunting horn, it must have been pretty. "Can we see the necklace, Tzirret?" she asked.

Lowering his horn and putting his hand back into his pocket, Tzirret looked down again. He responded slowly and carefully, "This one would like to keep it a secret."

The answer confused Sabine more than anything. She held her head back and frowned, "Why? You are not giving it to any of us, are you?"

At that, Tzirret looked up and leaned forward, turning his head side to side and inspecting everyone at the table. He sat back and considered for a moment, ears rising halfway. Somewhat apprehensively, he pulled the necklace out of his pocket and held it over the table in his hand. It was obscured by his hand but for the thin leather strap that hung out from it. Tzirret carefully placed it on the table and brought his hand back to reveal it. The sight elicited an intake of breath from Sabine.

It was a heavily curved crescent moon, barely half the size of Tzirret's palm, coloured with a mottled brown on off-white of the minotaur horn. Intricately carved onto the lower half of the moon was a napping cat with its tail coiled around the moon's shape. The detail of the cat was rough in places, but the rest of the piece was so smooth that it resembled marble. All of the painstaking hours could be seen in every aspect of the pendant, from the cat's smile to the near perfect curve of the moon itself. Sabine hardly knew Tzirret to even be capable of such a thing.

"It is beautiful," Sabine breathed, looking up at Tzirret with amazement, "When did you learn to make something like this?"

Tzirret still seemed rather blank, but he managed a small smile of self-esteem. "It is what Tzirret did before he turned. As a child, he had to make money for the caravan like everyone else," Tzirret explained, "He did not do it at Bruma, because it reminded him of...bad memories." Tzirret looked at the pendant intently, "After the minotaur attack, he wanted to see if he could try again."
"Perhaps the age of this place also lent to its secrecy," Fendros thought out loud. He looked around the rafters of the room, "This place is large, but surprisingly secluded."

Janius narrowed one eye and leaned towards Ra'kalesh. "Who are the Dagi?" he asked.

Before Peiter spoke to Tzirret, he was starting blankly at the table in front of him with his hands in his lap. His eyes flicked up curiously at the question. "Um, I...no this one is not afraid of these people," he mumbled before looking into his lap, "He is just tired, that is all."

Interested in what was going on, Gallus leaned and looked at whatever Tzirret was looking at. He spoke clearly enough for Peiter and Sabine to hear, but not particularly loud, "You have been working on that necklace for quite a while now. I've not seen a spare moment you've spent doing anything else but either carving it or inspecting it. Have you been staying up late trying to perfect it?" Gallus grinned, "Is it a gift for someone in your future?"

Tzirret seemed to shrink a little at this, shuffling with his hands to put them in his pockets. "It is nothing, really," he said, clearly lying by his body language.
The first treetop buildings that the packs had seen were a novelty back near Senchal. They were small and practical, their size lending to their hidden nature. The buildings in this outpost were more impressive, not because of any chance that they retained their stealth, but simply having something liveable of their scale suspended so far above the ground. The meeting hall in particular was surreal with the way it utilised multiple trees for support.

Janius sat next to Kaleeth with Newt on his lap. This time, he was amazed as she was. "I would think it nothing short of a city in the trees if it is anything like this," he answered.

Fendros took a seat across from the pair and commented as well, "I can't imagine how something like this would be built. This clan must have some very talented carpenters."

While everyone sat down, Tzirret hung back, trying not to draw attention to himself. Gallus made sure to drag him to a seat and sat next to him.
Sabine gave Peiter a glance when she was nudged, but she wasn't quite as amused. "If you mean getting arrows aimed at us, I do not like the theme," she said. From her voice and posture, Sabine was a little tense.

Fording the river came with the relief that the water source was a sizeable one. As for the outpost, it was really more of a large encampment at this point. The eyes on the group were returned by the gaze of almost everyone as they passed.

"This place resembles how we lived in the clan before we found the Ayleid city ruins," Uthri commented, "But everyone here...they look quiet. Afraid."

Gallus responded, "I imagine several months of hiding would have that effect."
Both of Uthri's eyebrows raised up, surprised at Colours' continued brashness. "Don't ask me for forgiveness, ask her!" she said with a high voice, "I'm not going to help you play your game." Uthri let her arms loose and turned to pick up her luggage, "Just get your bags and lets move."

Rhazii seemed satisfied enough with Ahnasha's answer to turn forward again and look on. Fendros grinned, but he couldn't help but feel sorry for the affected parties.

When Newt latched onto Janius after the episode, Janius stooped down and picked him up under the arms. "Hey there, little Newt. Are you alright?" Janius repositioned Newt such that he was being held up by one arm. They were heading out anyway.
I'll be leaving a bit early today. I'm going to a birthday party. I know, great timing for the person born then. I'll be on for another couple of hours, though.
While the rest of the camp was silenced by the loud slap that sounded off Colours' face, Uthri did not seem to react at all for a second. "Worth it," she said through the silence. The scene gave her with a satisfied smile.

The fact that Colours maintained his oratory serenade with such passion, only to lean to Uthri and ask Vilana's name, did not earn him any favours. Uthri just crossed her arms and gave him an amused, if unimpressed look, raised eyebrow and all. "You want to know her name?" Uthri asked to confirm, speaking at his volume, "I'll tell you. Her name is 'I'm sorry I was such a codfish, I'll leave you alone now'."

It still struck Uthri as surprising how emotionally explosive Vilana was with Colours, even through this other hardship. Colours must have horribly betrayed her. Still, she wasn't going to directly involve herself in their personal issues.

"I wonder how many times we'll be hearing that slap when we arrive at the clan," Fendros commented quietly to Ahnasha.

Rhazii was sitting on Ahnasha's lap and had not missed the commotion either, but he was too young to know what was going on. Looking a little perturbed by the situation, he looked around to Ahnasha's face, "Mama, why did that lady shout and hit Colours?"
Might throw some ideas in for fun :)
Oh, whoops, haha. Now I have to edit.

Done. G'night!
"Heheh, just doing our part, Lorag," Uthri quipped. She stood up to address Meesei with a more direct manner, "Meesei, this is Vilana and her pack. They are scouts for what is left of the Senchal clan." Uthri looked over at Vilana while she explained, "It was clever, what they did. To keep hidden, they masked their scents in a durzog perfume. We had the kids in the trees with Peiter by the time they came up to us. Oh yes, and, er..." Uthri leaned closer to Meesei and spoke quietly, "Your reputation precedes you with these fellows."

"Say what you like about our search effort, I'm just relieved that we came across anyone," Janius added. He was grinning widely at the prospect of ending the drudgery of their search.

Uthri narrowed one eye and looked to Meesei. "One more thing, Colours is searching with Ahnasha today, yes? Did you spot them on your way back?" Uthri failed to hide a sly smile, "One of our new friends is looking forward to seeing him again."
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