Lupp McGinnis: I Think I'll Sleep This One Off.

Somewhere in the skull bashing and glory seeking, that little twerp left me.  Guideless and whistless I went to the local cantina to wet my whistle, thats where I found her.

"There you are" I said though hazy eyes, she was wearing a hood so all I could see was her chin and nose.

"Excuse me" I heard the girl say as she looked up.  Her eyes blue and hair red, unlike the pink haired green eyed science brat I met before.  Aside from that their faces were uncanny, but definatly different people.  This girl ordered a drink, gulped from the bottle and belched aloud.

"Pardon" she excused herself, "So what brings a shaggy guy like you to a place like this"

"I came to research Ashuran weapons to help the char, but I ended up getting stuck with some science geek who took me to the fricking science fair"

"You've just described about half the people in this place.  However, if you stick around long enough you are bound to see some explosions, I've caused a few myself."

"Yeah well now I'm stuck here, guideless and no farther in my studies of blowing stuff up"

"Well I am not one for the sciences, but I have a few skulls to bash in.  I wouldn't make a good guide but if you were in the mood for a battle, you can come along if you'd like"

I cracked my Knuckles, I hadn't seen action in a while, "Ok I'm up for it."  I liked this girl.

The next few hours were a haze of blood and excitement.  We fought, drank, and fought again.  I even got to taste a few of those delicious Skrit the area is known for (those rodents are considered a delecasy at the Black Citadel), I even brought my portable barbecue flame thrower to cook them while I was fighting them. Theres nothing like eating a fully cooked fresh kill.

After a while we came across the ultimate happy hour.  A snakeoil salesman was making a wicked slime brew that could knock a grown char off his feet and leave him in a drunken haze for a week.  It sounded amazing, problem was it was still alive.  I had to kill it and cap it and eventually I would get to drink it.  This girl and I fought  like our lives and mugs depended on it, killing tiny slime after tiny slime until something hit me.  It hit the girl too so hard we both collapsed  her first then me.  my head landed on top of her with a mighty thud.

"That guy was right, that is some drink, hey you make a good pillow"

She mentioned something about drool.

"I could go for a good Lions Gate Rum chaser right now"

"You broke the wine bottle and stop" she mentioned drool again.

"Or a good Norn stout, those Norn are like master brewers"

She whined some more.

"none of that human garbage though, that stuff is skale piss"

She sounded like she was going to whine again but then " Yeah, that human stuff is garbage, also stop" and again with the drool.

I blacked out shortly after, either  there was a mesmer fighting over my head or I was seeing quadrupal, either way I passed out there and then.

Thadadear de Orion: Invaders in the Mist

It was not long after the moot that I got word from a shaman from the wolf shrine about a particular incident that had happened. Most members of the Wolf Shrine had come to me over the years when they needed advice. While they communed with the spirits directly, they found to be the Wolf's Champion here on the physical plane. At first I was unnerved by this, but my determination to live up to people's expectations led me to find this very enduring in the end. I welcomed Shaman Gamli when he brought me the news. Valda an apprentice havrouns, the warrior shamans, was found in a death like sleep in the middle of the forest. He was concerned as they could not awaken her. He believed that only a flower called the Winter Sage could awaken her at this point, but was concerned that the only place for it to grow was in the cave where the grawl worshiped their demons from the underworld.

Grawl were always primitive creatures, similar to the Char in the great age of Man, they were barbaric and savage. While the Char have since grown to be civilized, the Grawl were still wild and savage. They worshiped idols in their dark cave. There were even rumors of their success with terrible consequences. Summoning demons or elementals who would then turn on the foolish Grawl. There were times that I felt sorry for them.

Gamli warned me of the flower's delicacy and the urgency of the need for it and I found my self quickly fighting the Grawl to get to the flower. Wolf must have been with me this day as I was able to get to the flower and back to Hoelbrack with out much interference. Though my hard work was reward if for the meek idol worship I had for Eir Stegalkin. She had come to join in the vigil over Valda. I felt a bit foolish in her presence. I admired her greatly and even fashioned wearing my hair in the same style in her honor. I had met her a few times after the great wolf had brought me home in my youth, and my awe struck admiration was still flourishing in me.

"She says she came by to observe you," Gamli had explained after I presented him the flower I had fought for. "but Wolf wishes her to be here."

"I'm sure Valda appreciate her vigil as well." I mentioned, fear of shame rattled my voice as I spoke.

"I'm sure she does as well." Eir said as she slapped me on the shoulder. "I see you've added a new title to your ranks Wolf Rider. I heard the slaying of Issomir had went well."

"Yes, though I wasn't alone."

"Modest too!" She laughed, but the laughter was short lived. Her voice turned to a more serious tone as she continued. "But enough about the honors and titles, how is our friend doing"

Gamli shook his head.

"The sage should calm her down, but she has been slipping in and out of consciousness, raving about spirit world" He said solemnly. "She has mentioned on more then one occasion that the are invaders there."

"Can her ravings have any meaning? Only shamans and havrouns can freely travel there." Eir asked, there was worry in her voice.

"Couldn't another havroun help us? Surely if there are invaders they would need to be warned as well."

"Svena is a friend of mine. She is also the Havroun of the Snow Leopard. I am cretin she will help."

I could see a spark ignite in Eir, could the threat of dangers in the mist pull the great Eir Stagalkin out of the lackluster life she had lead since her return from the Destiny's Edge dissolved.

"I shall go and asked her for her help." I heard my self say.

"As shall I. No one  could say no to the two of us." She said with a smile.

I feel ashamed that I felt giddy upon leaving the lodge. I felt I was dreaming to be able to work with Eir on anything. It was truly an honor. Though I tried my best to focus on the task at hand, and hurried towards the Snow Leopard's shrine. Thankfully it was the closets of all the shrines and the journey was fast.

"Eir Stegalkin! Good to see you again. And you've brought the Slayer of Issormir. I'm honored by your visit." Svena said as we approached.

"The honor is mine, though I wish the circumstances were more favorable. We need your help Svena." I pleaded.

"If the great Wolf Rider has come to me for help then what I fear is true. The wolf Shrine has been shrouded in dread since the past night."

I nodded as Eir and I explained about Valda and her ravings. Svena listened patiently to our tale, the worry was written on her face.

"I see. I can take you into the mist, but it will be dangerous. I would need you to protect me while we're in the mists as well or there will be now way for us to return. If you are ready, I shall open the portal."

I was surprised as Eir and I spoke in unison. "I'm ready!"

The Havroun smiled and turned to open the portal. The mists did not see very different then our own world. I felt the cold chill of the world surround me though it may have been the chill of though that I was in world that housed the great spirits. I could almost feel the eyes of the Great Wolf watching me close by as noises carried up the rocky road towards us.

"Wurm's blood! Sons of Svanir in the spirit world? Impossible!" I heard Svena cry. "It's no good! We're too vulnerable here. I'm taking us back to the waking world." She said as she dropped to one knee.

It was at this time that I realized that portal had already closed. If she needed the time to concentrate, I was to be sure I would give it to her. My blade through the air cutting down any of the vile Sons that came near me. I lost track of time as they came at me, but Svena cry that the portal was open, and Eir's gentle tug, brought me back to my senses. We darted through the portal again to the physical realm.

"That was too close." Svena cried catching her breath. "I've never seen anything like this. Jormag isn't a Spirit of the Wild. Its followers should not be able to enter the spirit world, even if they call themselves "shamans.""

"That could be what Valda was going on about. It makes perfect sense. If she and her master Solvi were attacked while they were in the Spirit Realm, that would explain everything." Eir mused.

"If the Sons of Svanir are in the spirit realm, Valda is fighting them all by her self. We need to go back!" I cried.

"Peace, Thad, we'll go back and again, but we must think this through." Eir said laying her hand on my shoulder.

I gave a weak nod as Svena chimed in. "I'm no match for this task. You would need a more experienced Havroun to guide you into the mist again."

"Gretchen.is the Havroun of Bear, as Bear is the greatest of all the spirtits, surely her havroun will be able to help us." Eir suggested. 

"I hope so." I muttered, "I do not wish to delay, lets us go to her and ask."

Eir smiled and nodded, we would need as much help as we could if we were to face this threat. I had only hoped we would make it in time. 

Lupp McGinnis: Gimme a Friggen Drink

As a member of the Blood Legion we are taught that live ammunition is for live targets, yet we ignore that to face ghosts.  Our superiors focus on these false threats while ignoring the real one.  Hence, the only spirits I care for are the ones I can hold in my hand and drink down my gullet. 

We are in an arms race with the other races and we are losing our lead.  The other races with their false gods and sciences have been developing weapons of war. Call me a gladium like my father (to my face if you are really brave), but I do not want the Char to be left behind, so I left the Black Citadel and headed for Rata Sum.  The Asurans seem to be closest to overtaking us so I decided to go there to investigate their cult.  And within 10 minutes of getting there met this annoying kid.

"It's half passed noon and I'm sober, I heard this is a college town, where's the Pub"  That was me by the way.

"I believe there is one downstairs"  This snot nosed kid said to me.

"Thanks, you wanna direct me to the local College" I figured from her youthful features and her holier than thou appearance that she was a student, and high ranking one at that, "I need to study some explosives"

"Which College? There are three of them here. I am part of the College of Statics. I am on my way there now if you care to join me."

"Thank you kindly," I let myself slip "I also have to look into this Eternal Alchemy cult"

"It is not a cult" The girl spoke up in a huff.

"As a race the Char are practically experts on false gods, I don't care if your a freakin cultist or not but I need to study some of the finer points of your munitions"  I may not have been as sober as I thought I was.  The Girl probably thought I was a spy or something.

"You want see explosions?" she said sternly eyeing me carefully. "Fine, come with me." She headed towards the college, I followed and was shocked and disgusted by what I found.

"A friggin science fair"

"Not just any science fair, this is the coveted Snaff Prize. My krew are one of the top contenders this year." she said excitedly. 

"Whatever go show off your play volcano and get it over with," I reached for my flask, suckling it like a babe for drops of liquid sanity.

She didn't make a play volcano, she made a item for finding magical frequencies.  After finding an egg and a severed head, two ingredients for an ago old Char hangover remedy, she found a earth golumn and I finally got to shoot something.  I think the judges called me belligerent, I was just having a good time.  Flask in my right hand shotgun in my left, shooting that thing was the most fun I had all day.

Afterwards she drug me all over the place for her little project.  At one point at my urging we stopped to "help" some researchers being plagued by the local terrorist organization.  I was told afterwards I shot the most terrorists all day, in the mean time I was just picking the workers off at random and apparently getting lucky.  Still was a nice way to blow off some steam.  Now if I could just get past helping this girl with her "Science project" I could get to figuring out this dang weapons crisis.

Thadadear de Orion: A Moot Point

The crisp fall air coming down from the Shiverpeak Mountains was a sure sign that it was time for the great hunt. I could feel the sprits of the wild telling me that tonight would be a night that would shine on me like the brilliant stars above. It was my first year participating in the moot, our annual festival surrounding the hunt. I just became of age to do so, and with my age came all the honors and opportunities to join the hunt, if I proved myself. I was determined to do so.

My Mother said I was always ambitious. I took up a sword when I was only five and practice daily to learn how to whiled it. I can't tell you how many times I came back with cuts and knicks on myself due to my lack of knowledge. My parents finally settled on having an old war veteran teach me the finer traits of the skill. My initial interest in sword grew into weapons in general. The old veteran had taught me all he knew when it came to the art of battle by the time I was ten, and still my ambition grew.

I remember when I was just turning thirteen when a trip with our hunting instructor brought us face to face with the Sons of Svanir. Most of the other teens panicked and ran I had stood my ground with the teachers. We drove them back and I had spilt my first blood on the snow white ground. It felt different then I expected. It's true my teachers praised me for my bravery and skill... but there before me lay a body of a life of a man I did not know. Had he a family, kin of our own, and I cut him down. I remember the hollowness of the feeling, and the hot tears on my face. My teacher gave me kind words putting in prospective that these cowards attacked children whom they would not hesitate to kill. My hot tears turned to a boil as my anger rose. I ran.

I remember toughing myself into the snow in exhaustion after I ran. The cold made me numb just like my hatred to my soul. Where was the Valor, the honor, or the glory form the kill. Had the old ones forgotten what it was truly like, or did they become numb from the cold as well. I remember the soft crunch of snow startling me to my knees. A pack of white wolves had surrounded me in the dense forest. I did not fear them, they were respected as sacred beasts. They circled me slowly before sitting and great wolf, larger then the others came up to me. Her fur glowed softly in the setting sun.

"Tell me child, why did you run?" The wolf asked standing slightly over me causing me to look up.

The sound that came form her did not come from her muzzle. They seemed to echo from with in my own head.

"I killed a man today. They attacked us." I heard my self say.

"This is not why you have run." I heard the great wolf say again.

"I took a life."

"There are times when a life is necessary, but this is not why you run."

I remained silent for a moment, looking down at the snow. Then the words came tome. They choked me.

"I was ashamed."

The wolf sat in front of me, I felt her muzzle borrow under my chin as she lifted it up.

"You do not need to be ashamed. We in the wild have seen what you have done today. You protected those around you like we protect our pack. Let men pay for their own fates when they cross the mists, let them be what they may. Their honor or valor shall not take away from you own. The dangers were still live as the venom of a snake. Only do what you already know is right and you'll hold you can hold your head up with honor."

The words warmed my heart. 

"Rise child. There is a storm coming soon and you must brace your self for it." She said.

I got to my feet and wiped the hot tears from my face and was shocked to see the great wolf kneeling before me. 

"On my back child I will bare you home."

There was quite a cause of commotion from the Old ones when I was found on the steps of our home. A search party was just being set up to look for me when they found me on the great wolf's back. Great people came to see me including Knut Whitebear the protector for the village. I was questioned, feared and revered. I couldn't understand why I was giving any special treatments, but I took the responsibility to make sure I was always blameless and did not shame the Great Wolf's name.

Now today would be the day that I would prove my self once and for all. I would be the first person to be permitted on the hunt on their first year. I would celebrate in Moot, I would taste my first ale, and I would finally be proud again to wield the blade on my own strength. I had brought down a great minotaur boar shortly after the moot began. It alone would have been a grand trophy to give to Ido, our local tanner. But for the "Child Who Rode On the Back of the Great Wolf" it was not enough. I brought down a owl griffon sire, and dire boar. With these trophies I proudly presented them to Ido.

"Ho! I expected nothing less form the Wolf Rider. Any of these would have made a fine trophy for even an experienced huntsman." He said clapping me on my shoulder with his massive hands. 

"They fought bravely." I said standing up straight, though my body was already starting to feel the ware from the battle. "Please honor them by making them into fine trophies for me to display."

"Ho there! Knut! Look at these trophies!" The tanner cried to a near by man.

My blood ran cold as I the massive man came towards us. He was the mast of the hunt. Knut Whitebear. If he did not approve of the trophies I collected, then their lives were pointless to take. 

"Aye, they are worthy of the great hunt I see. Is this the huntress that brought them to you."

"I am." I said firmly standing my ground.

The massive man gave a hearty laugh. 

"By yourself too I see. Come, join us in the hunt this. You have earned your spot amongst us."

I felt my self breath a sigh of relief as the man put his arm around my shoulder. 

"I myself have brought the great worm Issormir to battle against. Let us strike her down."

Knut took me up personally to the top of the near by hill were the beast was kept. As I stepped on to the snow covered field, the great wurm exploded from the ground. I clutched my sword in my hand as I leapt into action. The battle was fierce as other of the chosen hunters joined the fray. The steel of the swords sounded  like a clash of metal against the wurm's icy scales. Time was non existing, who knows how long the battle raged until at last the wurm was taken down.

A might cry came from the group of hunters. I could only try and catch my breath. I felt the palm of Knut's hand slap upon my back. 

"Well done! Well done!" He laughed after a few more slaps. 

I could only smile nervously. "That's just what I expected from the Wolf Rider. Your held your own on your first hunt! The spirit of the wolf has truly blessed you."

I could fee the icey stare of some one as the great huntsman went on. My eyes scanned the surrounding area before falling on a tall man with a bare chest. There was something about the man that made be feel unsettled. 

"There's a storm coming....." The wolf's words echoed in my head. "...You must brace yourself." 

Luptree: Kitties!

The Black Citadel was everything I thought it would be and more.  It was like a giant metal scratching post.  And there were kitties there, so cute and fluffy.  I just wanted to huggle them and squeeze them and pet them and let them know that everything was going to be ok, But NONE of them would let me pet them.  Not one.  I don't know what made the kitties so grouchy.  

I received sneers, threats upon my person but not one fluffy thing to pet.  I don't know what gives.  
Also some strange questions came up in Ashland that I really would like to get answers to.  First off how do ghosts carry money?  I found coins and items on multiple specters.  Do you know how odd it is picking items off a corpse when there is no corpse?  Nefi Said I was just picking up junk off the ground, but junk or not it was dropped by ghosts.  Also how do the same ghosts react differently to being hit with different sword strokes?  Nefi said they were ghosts of different people but then why appear, say the same three lights and explode like ectoplasm piñatas into coins weapons and sometimes really moldy candy, I think there may be more to it than that.

It got slightly depressing for a while too.  Nefi seemed sad at points.  I think it is one thing to meet the spirits of your ancestors, it is entirely another to face them in battle because they can't tell you apart from some long dead bad kitties.  As a Sylvari we don't really have much history.  I regularly chop my ancestors down to get wood for my weapons, now to be fair I normally chop down the most evil of the trees and spare the just and honest ones.  But our entire story is two humans got into a fight.  One planted a tree.  Now the tree eventually gained sentience and started giving life to random thoughts (myself being one of them).  

My ancestral kin are the birches and oaks of Tyria, no one, not even us knows our actual lifespan. Humans on the other hand live roughly sixty to eighty years and then die, constantly renewing generation.  Nefi comes from a long line of a race that at one time were THE  great race of our world, at least before the dragons came. My only real direct ancestor is the Pale tree and while I would rather remain estranged from her for the time being, I would not wish harm upon her. 

On top of this seeing the events pass over and over, sometimes multiple times in minutes.  It must have been hard on her, and I am unsure if I would ever bring her here again.  Other than that, YAY KITTIES!

Nefidean: Agony of Defeat

A part of me wishes he never dragged me here. The charr on their own are abrasive and gruff. Of course I am not saying that they are all bad, some can be quite charming when they want to be. Being around them feels like there is an elephant in the room, an oppressing feeling that one must always guard what they say. True most Charr would take little reason to start a fight. Their blood lust has been insatiable. I fear them to be honest, though there are humans who hold the same blood lust, so I can not hold this against them. Still Luptree could only view them as precious little kittens that needed to played with and loved.

He had sent me a message via owl from Lion's Arch while I was still finishing in the Celadon Woods near the Matricia Provence. The letter was normal enough and contained a few jewels that I immediately crafted in some jewelry, but after sending a share of the spoils to Luptree for his kindness, he sent a more disturbing letter back in return. The letter it self was barely a scrawl and the hand writing barely legible. I grew concerned of course, and my fears were confirmed when I found him laying in a fountain near the Asura portals. I could only shake my head and sigh at the sight at him.

He startled me when he awoke suddenly and started to sigh in realize. "That is re freshing." I heard him say.

"Don't tell me you drink from your feet!" I asked in disbelief.

"Sometimes. It makes it really awkward when I walk though something really nasty." He said bashfully rubbing the leaves on the back of his head.

I grimaced thinking of the thought. "That... that is more information than I needed to know."

"How was The Grove." He asked. 

"It was okay. I still don't understand why you want to go stay away. Every one was truly lovely, and I was granted audience briefly with the Pale Tree's Avatar. She's very pretty...." I could start to tell he wasn't paying attention to me any more.

"I came from the Pale Tree. The grove is where the mental link is the strongest and I would really like to keep my mind as my own for the time being. It's hard enough when sharing the telepathic link with other plants."

"Other plants?" The idea had never occurred to me before.

"Yes, near all plants have a telepathic link to the Pale Tree. Do you know what I hear every time we run through a field."

"What do yo hear." I asked, though I could probably already guess.

"Ow, ow ow OW! Seriously do you know how many blades of grass our feet touch when we step on them?"

He didn't continue with the sentence, and I was thankful of that. I can't imagine that a blade of grass would be in pain for stepping on it... no more then my hair would scream from the pulling it. Though I could understand the sentiment. "Surely Hoelbra would be a diffrent story. There would be little family relations there." I began.

"No, but I went there once and nearly froze to death."

"I'm sure it's not that bad."

"If you started rotting like celery in an ice box, you wouldn't want to go back either."

Some jeers from a nearby crowd seemed to unsettle Luptree a little bit. "So what have you been doing since I've been traveling?" I asked trying to reassure him

"Nothing much. Also that dye I had sent you, don't try drinking."

I could feel the horror creep over my face. "Don't tell me you tried drinking that!" I heard my self shout.

"Only to prove it wasn't alcoholic."

"That doesn't mean it's good for you! Who knows what could have been in it. It could have been toxic! Have you ever thought about that?"

"It was distilled plant fibers, how could that be alcoholic? Besides do you want an..."

I couldn't hear what he had said I could only shake my head in disbelief. He was like a grown child, immature and reckless. So I have no idea why I had even though my next question was even logical. "So what were you planing on doing now."

"Kitties! I was planing on going to the Black Citadel. I heard it was filled to the brim with kitties, and I want to scurff them, and pet them, and give them cups of milk!"

A roar of laughter came from the crowd. "You are crazy! How many times do I have to tell you, that will get you killed talking to a Charr like that! They're not little cute kitties... aw fluffies you ran off didn't you!" I said noticing he had already made his way towards the Asura Gate. I could only groan in frustration before following after him.

I fallowed Luptree through the portal. He was way too eager for this, and was gone before I even materialized on the Black Citadel's steel earth. I stared around for a moment taking in the sight. The sight of the citadel, the sheer fact that I was in the middle of the Charr capital. The fear struck me through the core. I must of have shown more then I dared because near by Charr started to snarl and jeer at me only to laugh as I scurried away like a mouse in the house run by cats. I did not like it there. 

Luptree seemed to have been oblivious to it. I eventually found him begging a few Charr to let him pet them. They seemed angry at him and shouted, and dare I say hissed, in furry at such a degrading request. I was thankful that not a one of them attempted to place a hand on the sapling. I had a small feeling that if we got out of this city safe and sound he would not survive unscathed. I at least would beat him senseless for the heart attack he was causing me now. I had to drag him away by force before he did get himself killed. 

When I had stopped I found that I had dragged Luptree to the ruinous area of Rin. I felt strong emotions welling up  inside of me. Rin was told about in the history books as one of the first settlements overtaken by the Charr and the Grawl even before the Great Searing. My hands grazed over the aged rock. I could feel the tears fall from my face, as the rock made me strangely homesick. I could only think of the times that people used to live happily here. And now the ground was barren and dry from the wars that were fought over it. I feared that some time down the road, that even Queensdale and Divinity's Reach will fall under the Centaur onslaught. If hundreds of years our enemy would be found dancing on the graves of our ancestors. Eating and drink with their own traditions with out a thought of the people they slew to take the land. 

I tried to not burden my self with hate and anger. It's a hard and depressing thought and emotionally straining to not be angry at the living for what the dead have done. I could not fringe ignorance when everything reminded me of what had happened before. My heart ached inside and I could not help but envy Luptree for his innocence. He did not have enemies like mine. He could appreciate the Charr in their simplest form. At least having him here beside me made the pain a bit easier. It made me feel less alone. He reminded me there still hope in the world, and still green earth to love. At least I can be thankful for that.

Luptree: How to party in Lions Arch on a few copper a day.

Nefi went off to travel up north and in places I shall not be returning to so I got bored.  I explored the borderlands, and worked in sweatshops. I crafted myslf some armor, and ended up going broke because these DIY stores really don't pay anything.  Well there was that and the fact that my gathering tools had been used to the point of unusability and I needed new ones.

 I placed my last 2 silver on the table.

"I need a pickaxe and an axe"

"And and axe?" the shopkeep asked have in a daze.

"Yes and an axe" I was annoyed because I already said that.

The keep had a twinkle in their eye "Heres your sickle and three axes," he took my silver off the table and roughly shoved the four tools in my bag, "no takebacks"

So here I was near penniless and bored in Lions Arch.  I found some Gems in the gutter, Nefi  liked gems I mailed them to her.

"I found these and thought you would appriciate them.

Be forever free like the wind
- Luptree"

I recieved a reply moments later from Nefi thanking me for the gems, it had a few rings in it and I was broke and hungry.  So I pawned one and wore the rest.  The pawned ring must have been valuable because it was enough to start a party in the middle of town.  There was laughter and merriment, and I even managed to get a yellow dye off a bartender who mistook it for alcohol. I sent it in a letter to Nefi as I remembered her saying she was looking for dyes.  I woke up a few hours later in the first tier of the Lion's Arch fountain.  My shoes were wet, the water was clear crisp and tasty.  I got to my feet and stood there drinking it in.

"Ahhh... Refreshing" I must have muttered out loud.

"Don't tell me you drink though your feet" came a response.  I recognised the voice immediatly, it was Nefi.

"Only when I need to, often times it's involuntary, makes it really akward whenever I step in something." I said, "How was the grove?"

"It was..." I kinda tuned out the rest of this sentence, but picked up on the last part where Nefi asked me why I wouldn't go there.

"I came from the mind of the Pale tree, the Grove is where the mental link is the strongest and I really would like to keep my mind as my own for the time being, it's bad enough sharing a telepathic link with the other plants."

"other plants?"

"Yeah, near all plants share a telepathic link thanks to the Pale Tree, do you know what I hear every time we run though a field?"

"What do you hear?" she asked her eyes starting to glaze with what was either annoyance or curiosity, still for the life of me can't figure out which.

"Ow, Ow, Ow OW... From the grass.  Do you know how many blades of grass our feet touch when we are walking on it?"  She didnt answer but the look on her face told me she understood it to be a lot.

"Ok, well how about Hoelbra?  Surely you have no family there"

"No but I went there briefly and almost froze to death"

"I'm sure it's not that bad"

"If you started rotting like celery in an icebox everytime you went to a place you wouldn't want to go either."

At this point I started to notice something else from the people around us, laughter.  I think they noticed how broke and ragged I was as a few started throwing coppers at me and saying "keep it up," I suddenly felt akward unsure what needed to be kept up, Nefi broke the silence.

"So what have you been up to while I was traveling?"

"Nothing much, also that dye i sent you, don't try drinking it." Nefi suddenly looked at me like I killed a puppy.

"You didn't try drinking it did you?"

"only to prove it wasn't alcoholic."

"That doesn't make it good for you, who knows what is in that stuff, it could have lead or something in it."

"It's distilled plant fibers, how can that be alcoholic?" I paused reaching into my pack, "By the way need an ah..." I stopped mid word, "Why do I have 2 axes superglued to the inside of my pack?"

They were really stuck there, the only thing I could guess was the shopkeep must have put it on them so I couldn't give them back.


Nefi looked odd for a moment, like she wasn't sure how to answer, after letting out a sigh like I've never seen here sigh before she asked, "So where are you planning on going?"

"I'm heading to the Black Citadel, I hear it's filled to the brim with kitties and I want to scruff them and nuzzle them and give them cool cups of milk"  laughter was getting so loud around us that I was beginning to have trouble hearing the conversation, or seeing what everyone thought was so funny.

Nefi started going into a tyrade about me getting myself killed and something about following me for my own protection, but long story short I'm going to see kitties, and I must state in the utmost dignity, SQUEE!