Kuiper headed off alone toward the farmhouse while the others found places to bed down in the barn. A few minutes later, he returned with an older man and the boy that some in the group recognized.
"I'm Krynen," the man introduced himself, "and this is Maxim. My wife says the ladies is welcome to sleep in the house with her. Me and the boy'll stay out here with you gentlemen."
Wordlessly, Jana gathered her things and walked over to Jyothki and waited for her before going to the house.
Kaileer smiled in amusement and started to chuckle but it was cut off by a few rasping coughs.
"Give them my thanks, Aloysius." he said to the wizard, looking rather pale as he sat against the barn, obviously exausted.
Aloysius looked apprehensively for a moment at Maxim, and then spoke. "Mr. Krynen, uh, my . . . elf . . here wishes to thank you for letting us use your barn. And . . . I do too." He glanced around at the barn, paying particular attention to the rafters and the corners. "Ah . . . would you mind terribly if I borrowed . . . well," he began to mutter, "I don't suppose 'borrow' is the right word." The mage then cleared his throat and stood up as tall and straight as he could.
"Mr. Krynen, I don't intend this to sound derrogatory in nature, but methinks that thou hast spider silk in the far reaches of thy barn, and Stargazer would like to collect some of it." A faint reddish hue colored his cheeks as his shoulders sagged. "Would, uh, that be acceptable to thee?"
"That's your elf? Didn't know folks kept 'em as pets," Krynen chuckled at Aloysius' awkward speech. "I'll know who to hold responsible for him then. Who does the other one belong to," he glanced at Jyothki and the smile faded from his face. He nodded at the mage, "Yeah, take all the spider webs you want. Spiders too, and there's probably some roaches and ants too, if you want 'em."
"But no need have I of roaches or ants," replied Aloysius, a hint of confusion in his voice. "As for Kaileer . . , uh, that is his name, 'Kaileer', he's not MY elf, but is my . . um. ., oh hells, nevermind. Thank you for the spider silk."
The mage then picked up a stick off the ground and began to look about in the corners of the barn.
"Just say 'friend', Aloysius." The ranger said in elven with a slight smile, "Or he's going to start thinking we're lovers and make one of us sleep inside the house." Another cough silenced him, though the smile didn't quite leave.
"Yes," continued the mage, "what he said. He is my . . .my . .f- f- fr-. . " Frustated, the mage closed his eyes and concentrated. "He . . .is . . .my . . . friend." His eyes widened in surprise at his success. "That's it." he muttered quietly.
He grinned at Kaileer before heading off to the musty corners of the barn.
Etienne sat on his blanket as people arrived and left the barn. He tried to chuckle as Aloysius tried to explain who Kaileer was, but stopped as the pain set in again. He then looked to Krynen, "Thank you again for the use of your barn, sir. I'm afraid a few mean squirrels could have been the end of us, considering the shape we're in. " He looked as if he would fall over any moment.
Jana gave Jyothki a questioning look. She waved at the door Krynen had come in then back where she'd been resting, then returned her gaze to Jyothki. She was covered in blood, mostly her own, her throat half torn out and looked like she might collapse at any moment.
