"It has been a while since I have seen my family in Ellsprin," Nadya says to Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight with a sad glance in the catatonic Coramus's direction, "But I feel certain they would be happy to look after Coramus and nurse him back to health. He doesn't seem to require much, other than a bed and minimal food, so it wouldn't be overly much of a burden."
Nadya smiles warmly as the goblin overcomes his inherent greed to part with valuables, "Thank you for these gifts. I accept them gladly, but will pass them on to my family in thanks for taking care of Coramus. I hope that meets with your approval."
A chill breeze picks up from the direction of the village and Nadya makes preparations to get away, "How far, Ishbaad? It really depends on the weather and how much we are willing to push it, but two days if we're lucky, three days at the most. We can stop in Ellsprin as long as you like to recover and possibly buy supplies, but the longer you stay there, the greater the chance you will be discovered. I will leave Orm and Mjoli there while I take you onwards to the fish camps outside Whitethrone. There, I will introduce you to Uncle Ringeirr and we can talk with him about how to approach Whitethrone."
"So we should leave Ellsprin as quickly as possible," the child voices in reply to Nadya's comment to Ishbaad. "You may want a little time to make sure Orm and Mjoli are safe with your family in Ellsprin, as we will want to make sure Coramus is doing ok there, but then we should head toward the fishing camps as soon as we are able." The child speaks her thoughts aloud, realizing they will not have much time to rest before continuing on their path to Whitethrone. She knew what Nadya said was true, the longer they waited meant a greater chance of being discovered. What was worse, it occurred to the child, the longer they waited meant more danger for Nadya's children, Nadya's family, and even Coramus, which was something she could not accept. It seemed to her they should move as quickly as possible to help draw attention away from the ones they cared for the most, and Coramus, Nadya, and her children, were very much like Aoife's own family.
"If we were to wait to get supplies in Whitethrone," the child started her question. "Do you think we would be able to come out of hiding in order to get what we need?"
"This is north. Whether child or adult, no mercy is given. Winter gets us all if we're not careful." There was nothing surprising in the tale of the children. Perhaps one would have thought the priests of Desna would have been more resolute. With this tale in mind, Kuragin cannot help but cast glances at Nadya, and wonders if the woman would hesitate to leave her children behind if her own survival depended on it.
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The journey onwards, and the approaching Whitethrone makes Kuragin withdraw to himself even more than usual. At least he reacts when spoken to, unlike the near-comatose Coramus. Sometimes, as the dullness of the travel becomes too much to bear, the witch moves next to Taavi to check the stranger's condition. "How are you today? Remember anything about how you got into the cave?" (Of course, smalltalk is still far beyond Kuragin's communication skills...)
"Yes let us complete the journey as quick as possible. I pray that the journey to Ellsprin can pass uneventfully." Jorvik spits upon the snow.
"Nadya, you and I have worked closely these last few weeks. First with the villagers, and now guiding this group of ... not sure what we are even yet. I have enjoyed the time we have spent together, and I am so grateful for all that you have taught me on this journey. Yet we shall be parting ways soon. What will you do when our paths divert? If it is okay with you, I would like to see you and the boys again. I have no family, and you see it is nice to see you with them. To see you be a mother. Like I always wished mine would act. "
"Anyone talk to Taavi today? Is he any better?"
Two me witless.
While they work on Onyx together, Jorvik turns to Ishbaad. "Should I become witless like the old men, I wish for you to end me. That is not a life I wish to live." He involuntarily shudders at the thought.
Using swift commands, Jorvik tries to get Onyx to turn left or right while gently tugging on the rope tethered to her.
Less than a day from Ellsprin, the companions wake to find Taavi actually helping out with getting the camp ready. "Hello," he says, somewhat lucid, "I feel like I have been asleep for some time. I have vague memories of being attacked by moss, and I believe I have you to thank for it." Taavi seems to be addressing Jorvik and Kuragin to the exclusion of the others.
"You are Stilyagi, yes? That explains the foreign clothes and the strange company," Taavi rubs his hands as the fire he started himself begins to envelop the small wooden structure he created, "So thank you. I thought I would never make it out alive. Tell me, why are we going to Whitethrone? I appreciate you saving me, but I would really like to get back to Hoarwood."
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When Nadya says that her family will take care of Coramus, he noticeably relaxes. Still, he tries every night to find some combination of curative that will snap him out of his stupor. He does his in spite of the fact that his time would probably be better spent brewing potions and the like.
On the road, he hears Jorvik talking to Nadya... he snickers to himself before going over to Aoife to say, "Boss Jorvik is all googly-eyed over Miss Nadya. Me think he gonna wanna play giggly-poke with her!"
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Ishbaad rolls his eyes at Taavi's reaction to everyone but Kuragin and Jorvik.
He moves out of earshot of the haughty man. "Aoife. It will be like this in Whitethrone. People will ignore us, and look down upon us. We might as well get used to it now. In fact, it will likely help to keep us from being noticed, if they deem themselves to high to make eye contact with someone as low in station as us."
Ishbaad sighs deeply and looks the girl in the eyes. "I am saying this to myself, as much as you. Do not take offense. And you must keep your feelings inside should you see someone mis-treated unfairly. Whitethrone is a city that thrives on cruel treatment and the oppression of lesser folk. We cannot right all the wrongs, we must focus on our task at hand. One thing at a time." Ishbaad trails off, looking into the distance by the time he finishes, talking to himself more than speaking to Aoife.
Snapping out of his reverie suddenly, he turns back to the girl. "The world is a cruel, dark and unforgiving place. People like you were meant to be the light in that darkness. Your mother, my Jewel, you are all lights. There will come a time when your light will shine so bright, the darkness will recoil in agony. But now is not that time. It will take discipline, but you must. I must. For all our sakes."
Ishbaad stares at the girl again, unsure what to say next. Instead of adding to his monologue, he simply turns off, walking towards where Onyx paws at the snow, searching for sprouts under the blanket of ice.
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The child nods along to her guardian's comments, listening while occasionally casting sidelong glances at Taavi. She watches the man, noticing him speaking with Jorvik and Kuragin, and finally realizes what Ishbaad was referring to. "I think I am ok with not being noticed for a while," she mentions, still looking toward Taavi.
As Ishbaad continues on, she knows he is speaking of serious topics, and issues near and dear to his heart, but some of his context and meaning is lost on her. It seems he is referencing more than her simply remaining quiet and keeping largely from sight while in Whitethrone, but she cannot place or truly grasp the references to his beloved wife, Jewel. "I'll do my best Uncle Ishy, and try to not draw attention to us in Whitethrone." she reiterates the most basic point of his words.
"I hope the people there are not too cruel, like so many others have been here," she speaks the words almost absentmindedly, as if the idea of terrible and cruel people all around was becoming commonplace to the child. "But even if they are, I will try to keep out of sight."
"I just hope we can keep from lowering ourselves to their level," she adds, turning back to face her uncle.
Turning to the man who has recently joined the living, "It seems that you have regained your abilities, Taavi. Yes, we rescued from a cave in the Hoarwood. It was a nasty business." Jorvik shudders that the though of being unable to control yourself.
"Please, tell us your tale as we continue to Ellisprin. We can try to figure out how to get you back to the Hoarwood on the way. Perhaps a group will depart after our arrival, for now though it is best to travel in numbers."
"... I am so grateful for all that you have taught me on this journey. Yet we shall be parting ways soon. What will you do when our paths divert? ... "
Nadya looks wistful for a while. "I am a trader by nature," she says simply at last, "I will perhaps just continue to do that. I can hunt also, so maybe providing meat to the villagers of Ellsprin. I am sure I will find a way to carve out a life for myself and my boys. I just hope you stop Queen Elvanna and her crazy plans before she brings ruin to Irrisen.
"Why do you ask, Master Jorvik? Are you so eager to be rid of me?" She smiles warmly indicating that she does not intend the last question seriously. Still, she does wait for a response on the first question.
Taavi looks to Jorvik, considering the wisdom in his words. "Strength in numbers. Perhaps you are right. It is only a little way to Ellsprin and there is like to be a caravan from there to Hoarwood eventually. Tell me, do you think your witch friend would mind writing me a letter explaining the situation? I do not mean to insult you, but I feel it might be better received if it were penned by a full-blooded Jadwiga.
"As for how I came to the cave," he continues, barely even registering whether or not his words insulted the snowcaster elf, "I was on patrol with two of my comrades. They decided to head back, but the cold doesn't worry me as much as it does them... so I thought I'd push on and scout out a little father. The wind picked up sharply and the show filled the air. I realized that I would not be able to make it back in time. That's when I spied the cave. Shortly after sheltering there, I felt something crawling over my back. Beyond that, I have only snippets of memories left. I remember fighting it with my mind, but my mind became more and more distant from the rest of my body. The first thing I remember is waking up in that woman's bed... and even then, I do not remember it well. Today is the first day I can recall all that has happened since waking."
"You were part of the guard in Hoarwood then?" Ishbaad asks, expecting to be shunned.
What soldier willingly separates from his comrades? Brash and stupid ones, who look for glory that usually gets someone killed, that is who.
Ishbaad's passive face hides his quickly evolving measure of the man in front of him.
"The cave where we found you was several days travel from Hoarwood, if my limited memory of this country serves correctly. I mean no insult, but why was the patrol out so far? I too, have spent many years as a soldier on the wall. Call it professional curiosity." Ishbaad hopes his thin smile hides the direction of his leading question.
Stilyagi... A completely logical explanation for travelling with a child, a goblin, and a non-human from southern lands. Kuragin cannot help but smile at the thought.
"I am a stilyagi, yes. Given that, I am not sure how much my name is worth on a letter. But I can write one for you if you want." Kuragin doesn't know if Jorvik was offended by Taavi's words, but at least the man said it politely. At he had a point in there.
"I hope I am not overtly curious, but what were you patrolling for, when you ended up in that cave?"
As the conversation between she and her guardian begins to shift toward Taavi, and in fact as Ishabbad addresses the newcomer, the youth moves quietly closer to the man, waiting expectantly for his replies. Because of the words Ishbaad has just conveyed to her, she decides now is as good a time as any to begin to stay out of the spotlight. Keeping her mouth shut, and suppressing the questions she wants to ask the man, the youth moves in closer to him while keeping her friends interposed between herself and the near-stranger.
The others must see it too, Aoife thinks to herself. They probably all realized it when we first found Taavi, and well before I ever thought of it...
But it seems like too much of a coincidence that he happened to be patrolling in that particular area, when it appears to be out in the middle of nowhere, with noting around it. Mrs. Sylgja even seemed to have moved there specifically because there was nothing else in the area... So, if Taavi wasn't looking for us, maybe he was looking for Mrs. Sylgja. And if Taavi wasn't looking for Mrs. Sylgja, then he probably was looking for something else specific... But what could it be?
She leans in closer to the man, still hoping to be hidden behind her companions, but wanting desperately to understand and to be able to put the puzzle pieces of the Taavi mystery together.
"Thank you for agreeing to write the letter" Taavi smiles gratefully at Kuragin. When Ishbaad asks his questions, he looks first to Jorvik and Kuragin before answering, "Hoarwood is a relatively large town for something so remote. Our territory covers a few days' travel in all directions. We need to go on long ranging patrols from time to time. You never know where you will find enemies of Irrisen."
Taavi looks cautiously at everyone present, and then leans in close to Kuragin so that the others cannot easily hear, "Also, on Queen Elvanna's orders, we were to investigate all known hidey-holes for a 'Black Rider'. Two thousand gold to the patrol - or individual - who finds him. Worth the risk of ranging so far, I thought."
* * *
It does not take long before the companions arrive on the outskirts of Ellsprin. Just over a week since leaving Waldsby, Orm and Mjoli's final destination comes into view. The village looks quiet, almost eerily so from this distance. Ellsprin is smaller even than Waldsby or Heldren. As the companions approach...
A solitary wooden house sits on the outskirts of a small village, partially surrounded by a small grove of trees and hardy shrubs, far from the other houses in the village. A thin column of smoke rises from the chimney, but there is no other sign of life from within, and the window shutters are pulled closed. Fifteen feet in front of the homestead, a humanoid shape lies facedown—the snow around it is dyed red with blood.
Nadya rushes up to the scene. "He's dead. The blood is relatively fresh," says Nadya, shocked to find someone in Ellsprin has been left dead outside, "But in this cold it is hard to tell how fresh. What do you think we should do?"
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Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight turns to talk to the party. "You longshanks too tall to sneak properly. Me think Aoife and Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight should sneak down there and see what is up. Not rosk you big noisy folk. Me mean no offense, Uncle Ishbaad, but you are very big and strong... Not very quiet,"
He looks at the grou, and continues,,"maybe amiss Nadya good in woods.... Maybe she trained to track and scout. Maybe she wanna go with Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight and Aoife Limerick and scout. If we find anything, we come back, if you hear big boom, you run as fast as you can!" He gives a look like he is not going to take a no for an answer, as he pulls out his mutagen.
The youth takes a few cautious steps toward the goblin, detaching her skis and letting her bag fall to the ground a moment later. Reach upward and stretching her hands, the enormous gloves open and clench shut as Aoife pulls on each of the cuffs to ensure a snug fit of the gauntlets. "I'm ok to go with you, Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight," she says finally stepping beside her friend and turning to face the other companions, forming a united front with the goblin.
"We can sneak over and hopefully get a look at what's going on," Aoife says, her voice lowering into an almost whisper. She waits until the others agree to the plan, or at least nod in begrudging acceptance, before she sets off toward the structure with Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight. Even thinking about the task, her heart begins to beat quickly and flutter in her chest while her legs fidget nervously beneath her.
She is ready to move forward so long as the others agree, and maybe this time Aoife could help protect her friends is the hope that forms in her mind.
"Ah, Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight, that is a risky and bold plan. Do we need the element of surprise? I think that with our prowess we can handle most situations, and I for one am uncomfortable with you little ones heading off alone.
"Though I do see the logic here. We shall be not far behind."
The thought of sending a child and goblin to fight his battles leaving a bad taste in his mouth, Jorvik readies his bow and send Heafoc skyward.
The hawk pumps her wings a few times, gaining altitude before circling higher and higher, ready for a command from her master.
Ishbaad's face remains impassive as the goblin and the girl insist on scouting things out alone.
"I am slow. I cannot come quickly." He leaves the thought hanging in the air. He can see Aoife's face already start to droop, as if she expects him to say no.
"Be quick, and be quiet. Do not start a fight without coming to get us first. Remember, Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight, you still wear the cursed ring."
Ishbaad looks to Jorvik and gives a little sigh, his feelings matching those of the snowcaster.
"Unfortunately, my magic does help you go any more quietly. But I can make one of you invisible, which should help. And I hope you don't mind if I stay a bit farther away."
The idea of poking one's nose into house whose occupants were very recently butchered isn't into Kuragin's liking. But he is willing the other to do the scouting.
"Old friend, I for one would like the chance to accompany our two little ones. That is if Aoife and ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight do not object?"
Jorvik looks at them expectantly.
"Of course you can come," she starts, responding to Jorvik. "But..."
The youth looks to golbin, her voluminous eyes catching the dim light and sparkling with excitement. As she stares at the goblin, the look on her face unmistakably changes, shifting for eagerness and excitement, to that of mischief. In a flash Aoife turns back to Kuragin and speaks in a hurried rush.
"I'lltaketheinvisibilitysothatIcansneakupevenbetter!" she stammers, finally taking a breath after vomiting the mass of words and pausing to look at Ice Melts Quietly, before looking back to the jadwiga. "I'll take it. Cast it on me, please..."
She feels slightly bad for not discussing these decisions at all with her dear friend, the creature that has basically become a brother. But just as she could see treating a younger sibling, in their situation Aoife knew that she would certainly be the elder, more wise sister. And, she also knew, she had never been invisible before. Invisible! Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight would understand that this was something she really wanted, and even if it took some time, and Aoife also knew that she, as the elder sister, always had the foolproof, unarguably perfect authority to enact the rule of tough love.
"If Jorvik was invisible, he could accompany them. I would feel much more at ease if we weren't so split up. Do we have any other potions or magical means of hiding?"
Ishbaad keeps his eyes off of Aoife, not wanting to weather her disappinted stare...
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"Me no know that draught yet. But, maybe tomorrow, Kuragin teach Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight? Then me can make lots of draughts of no can be seen!" He smiles at the witch, hoping he'll agree.
"Yes, Uncle Ishbaad. We no start fight without you. Maybe we finish one if you not fast enough, be we no start one unless someone else start it first! Just listen for the BOOMS!"
Aoife disappears from view, and Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight and Jorvik both hunker down so as not to be seen by whatever might have killed the poor man who bled out near the steps of this cottage. They come around the side of the house, stepping as quietly as they can.
As Aoife is the one who cannot be seen, she goes first at peeking through the window. Inside the cottage, rather than some blood thirsty beast, she sees a woman huddled down under a table with her two young daughters. They have clearly been crying and are still frightened. From this distance, the girl adventurer can hear the mother singing soft lullabies in an effort to calm her children. She occasionally looks frightfully up and through at the window, more out of habit than because she saw anything, and then turns her attention back to her girls. The black-haired of the two bears a remarkable resemblance to the man lying dead outside.
Ishbaad and Kuragin, meanwhile, survey the situation near the corpse. They see some tracks leading around the southern side of the house. They are quite clear in the snow still, and have been made by very small feet. The tracks lead directly away from the corpse and the first few foot-falls have drops of blood near them.
Kuragin points at the footprints in the snow, and whispers to Ishbaad: "Are those the killer's? Would that be a fey creature, with so small feet? Should we investigate?" The witch sure isn't interested of going to search the killer alone, but the oread's company would be enough for him to move.
The child slinks down from the window, compacting her body so it is completely beneath the sill before she begins to whisper to Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight and Jorvik. "There is a woman and her two children..." Aoife pauses, cutting off her low whisper. The child has just now realized that she is invisible, and that there is no needs for her to duck out of sight as she is at all moments hidden from view. Even to her friends, her whispers must be floating disembodied on the icy wind to their ears, which she had not realized would happen before the spell was cast. "They looks afraid, and the mother is doing her best to calm the two girls by singing to them. They're hiding on the floor by their table ."
Aoife turns to look toward the body in the snow. "That is the father in the snow," she nods in the direction of the fallen man again not realizing the others cannot see the motion.
"I think there is some other danger here. Something the mother and children inside are afraid of," she finishes her whispering.
Ishbaad walks over to the body and crouches down to take a closer look. A sly grin appears on his face, as if that is all the answer to Kuragin's question that is required.
"I'll lead." He states simply. Pulling the hood of his yeti cloak onto his head, he walks carefully, his snowshoe clad feet walking to the side of the small tracks, following them where they lead.
Resplendent in his snowshoes, Jorvik whispers to the child and goblin, "Watch the door, i am going to try and heal that man. If something comes, yell fire, bomb second." Jorvik gives Ice the 'don't mess around look.'
Sneaking back towards the man, he bends down and taps his with his wand of cure light wounds.
Hovering over the man protectively, Jorvik draws his bow, arrow nocked, looking for any sign of intruders. His eyes scan to and fro, trying to keep Ishbaad in his prefiery.
I dislike this splitting up. Our strength lies in a unified front. Desna let us hold for a few moment longer.
Jorvik returns to the man. He realizes, however, that Nadya's assessment was correct. The man is dead, and the wand will do nothing.
Meanwhile, Ishbaad leads Kuragin as the pair follow the strange, small tracks in the snow. Near a tree, the tracks end abruptly. The snow is disturbed a little around the spot. It looks as though the fey took off. Or turned invisi...
Like lightning, the blurry outline of an emaciated, child-sized creature with long wavy ears and a needle-like short sword appears right next to Ishbaad. At the same time, a small thorny collection of twigs breaks loose from the tree. A set of glowing eyes reflect pure evil and stare menacingly at Ishbaad.
Ishbaad and Kuragin both recognize these creatures as a quickling and a twigjack respectively.
The evil little fey hoot and howl in a premature victory celebration as the oread bleeds. "Stone man outside, real man inside! Blood and guts for us to spill!" squeals the twigjack in delight.
"Notsotoughnowareyoufatty?" screeches the quickling, almost to quick to make out.
Practically giddy with glee, the two evil creatures continue their assault.
The big oread is punctured with too many wounds, and scratches. The blood loss is incredible and in moments he loses consciousness and flops down upon the snow.
"Hee hee!" cries the twigjack, who landed the felling blow. He follows up with a savage claw to Kuragin's face.
"Catchmeifyoucan!" wails the quickling, as it rushes off - impossibly fast - behind one of the bushes and out of sight.
"Here! Ishbaad's down!"
"Fey... *gurgle*" The attacks are swift and brutal. While none of the cuts alone would be enough to faze the hearty oread, the multitude of cuts overwhelms him. Blackness washes over his vision as he drops to his knees, then falls on his yeti-like face, his spear hardly raised in defense.
Get back up... Aoife is already mad it seems like, this isn't helping... get up you weak fool! Ishbaad's own voice rings inside his head, his internal willpower trying to do the impossible.
The snow around the fallen Oread continues to turn red, not unlike the grisley scene the group first encountered.
Kuragin and Ishbaad try their hardest to recall lore regarding these two creatures of the First World.
Quicklings are naturally invisible, if they can stand still for long enough (invisible when they haven't taken any actions that round, visible for any round in which they take more than a free action).
The vicious little fey are also incredibly fast, moving at four times the speed of an average human (120ft), which they use to deliver attacks from great distances before retreating (spring attack).
- Kuragin -9hp [/ooc]
The child hears Jorvik's words as he divulges his plan to check on the body of the unfortunate man. Again she makes the mistake of nodding in reply, forgetting that her friends cannot see her.
Following invisibly behind the the skald, Aoife moves near the front door of the building to keep a weary eye out.
Aoife lurches forward and suppresses a wild scream as her guardian is attacked with a sudden barrage of quick stabbing strikes. Uncle Ishy! her mind cries, and she staggers toward her fallen guardian. If it weren't so cold, preventing her from forming tears, and if a blinding rage weren't beginning to build within her, Aoife would have run to his side and cast off the invisibility in order to show Ishy that he is not alone. Don't die... Don't be dead... Don't do this to me again... her mind continues to churn. Seeing him in danger was devastating for the child, but he had almost fallen in battle once before, and she knew now the terrible reality that in these moments even the people she cared for could die before her eyes.
As the youth's feet finish carrying her toward her beloved and endangered Unle Ishy, she looks about in vain for the swiftly scurrying creature. Before the last bit of building rage takes hold and doesn't allow any tactical thought for the youth, beyond attempting to tear the agile creature limb from limb, she realizes her being hidden from sight is a great advantage that she might be able to exploit against the devious beast.
As she keeps an eye out, she focuses her mind to better allow swift, deadly attacks when the creature next becomes visible.
"Ishbaad!"
Shifting to the south, Jorvik lines up a shot. He pulls and hears the creaking of the bow. Praying in his states that he does not snap it in half, the releases before the pressure becomes too much. The arrow whistles towards the wooden fey.
"Attack Heafoc!"
The falcon streaks from the sky towards the twigjack hoping to sink its beak deep into the wood.
Aoife rushes towards her fallen mentor, running through her best tactics in her mind before settling on 'attack it hard'.
Jorvik, meanwhile, scrapes the twigjack with an arrow. The special metal of the arrow tip causes the creature to cry out in shock and pain. Heafoc, on the other hand, has no luck piercing the natural defenses of the thorny fey.
- Kuragin -9hp [/ooc]
Not ever a very brave man, Kuragin retreats from the front line (promising to himself to tend to the fallen inquisitor a bit later). His flight will the twigjack an opportunity to strike him, but that's a pain he must accept. Much better option than receive the full attention of the both feys. Once closer to his allies, Kuragin calls his mystical powers, and hexes the twigjack into slumber.
The twigjack manages to stay conscious.
- Kuragin -9hp [/ooc]
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Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight screams when he hears Uncle Ishbaad is down... forgetting that he promised to use everyone's full names! "Uncle Ishy!!!" with his snowshoes on, he rounds the corner of the cottage, sees the fey creature, and surveys the situation. He cannot get a good shot, cannot even tell if the twigjack is on top of Ishbaad. He decides to be careful, and drinks his mutagen (DEX/WIS).