The group left Tersa, Devon, and Barb to have a short discussion by the stream. Jana caught up with them a few minutes later, lugging a couple of heavy sacks. The party then headed back to the abandoned farm where they had left the horses. Jana lagged slightly behind the rest of the group, sinking more in the mud because of the added weight she carried.
Seeing as they had little trouble on the way to the farm, Kaileer volunteered to carry a part of the feed.
Jana handed Kaileer one fourth to one half of the bags, depending on how much he could carry. "Thanks."
They made it back to the farm without incident. Puddlejumper and Jana's many-named steed awaited them. The two horses were very pleased to see Jana with their dinner. With the same watch schedule as the night previous, everyone got some much needed rest after a day of fighting the thick mud of the swamp.
Jana watched to see who appeared to be Puddlejumper's owner/caretaker, and gave him/her one half of the feed. She kept an eye on Puddlejumper's dinner to make sure he received enough, but not too much, while she fed her own horse. "Sorry, Sweetie, no apples yet, but here's something to tide you over. Faintly offended, whether by the lack of apples or by having to eat sheep food, Sweetie nonetheless scarfed down his dinner. When finished, he gave Jana a pathetic, pleading look. "Liar," she laughed, and scratched back behind his ears. She groomed him thoroughly, as she had the night before, not so much because he needed it as because he appeared to enjoy it. Afterward, she carefully cleaned her armor and equipment.
After waiting for everyone to settle in, Aloysius approached Arachne. "Small one, more have the two of us to speak of."
"All right." Arachne climbed up and straddled the wooden fencing around one of the pens in the barn. Having put herself more or less eye-level with the stargazer, she waited to hear what he had to say.
The magic-user sat down next to the small gnome. "Know do I that my behavior offends thee. 'Tis not my intent. My actions be the product of my ignorance of people and their ways. Galaret hath been most kind in helping me with this. Although you and I have many differences, our general goals be the same. Stargazer would like to at least get along with thee, if he could but have the chance. What say you?"
"It depends what you mean by 'get along with thee,'" Arachne replied. "Certes, our general goals are the same, but the way that you proceed toward your understanding of yours is sometimes egregious. Ignorance is no excuse. When your lack of manners or courtesy is directed at me, I am irritated. When it is directed at our companions, I shall leave it to them to look after their own affrontery. When it is directed at people we've met who I perceive as requiring diplomatic conversation, I do not trust you to be sufficiently influenced by a word from your companions. It has not been adequate in the past. Hence, I demonstrated to Barb that your attacking Devon (for so she perceived it) did not have the support of the group. Do you think I over-reacted? It would seem from your own response and that of Gala, that the two of you at least think so. I don't.
"The action was not entirely calculated. I admit that I was and am feeling predisposed toward kicking you in the shins. You _are_ irritating and self-involved. But I could be quite confident that my action, while it hurt, was not harmful. I am a weakling; I expect that Barb's feet were not less forceful than my own against you. Moreover, my boots are soft and, were caked with impact-absorbing mud. So, I may have shocked you with the nature of my outburst. I may have hurt your feelings. But I didn't hurt you physically.
"But what are we to make of your reaction? What is this vitriol you mouth about if I ever touch you again you'll make shredded gnome of me? Is that getting along? Was that speech a promise or simply an angry threat?
"What would you do if a bull got into a china shop and simply removing the bull were not an option? No, don't wrestle with that metaphor. It's probably too unfamiliar. You had a mentor, I gather. Someone who taught you much of what you know of magic and showed you from time to time that there was much more that you didn't know. Right?"
"So," Arachne continued, "how did you behave when you'd come to the edge of what you knew and your mentor asked you to handle something that was from beyond your previous ken? With caution, I expect, since you're still alive. Well, that's what you need to do with absolutely everyone you meet. It's what everyone has to do, not just you. But you are notably less trained at even the concept than most other folks. Courtesy is that cautious handling of the infinitely mysterious magic which is other people.
"What you need to do, youngster," Arachne grinned at Aloysius, "is take a little time to remember some of those magicks of your mentor's that you never did master. Remember them and keep them fresh in your mind. Then, when we encounter beings who don't immediately rush at us with swords drawn, pick out one of those magical things that seems to you to be appropriate to the occasion. Then, keep in mind that feeling of awe and uncertainty. That awareness that you _don't_ know what might result whatever you do. Keep that humbling knowledge near to you and you'll perhaps break less china that way.
"You see, Aloysius, you're a great and powerful wizard. You could probably shred this little gnome just as you say. So you have to be cautious about what you say. Me, I'm simply a harmless little gnome." Arachne smiled shyly. "No menace to anyone. So I'm free to kick people simply to make a diplomatic point. Once, anyway."
"So, I'll work on increasing my tolerance for your ... idiosyncracies." She made a face. "And I'll try to trust you to recognize more subtly delivered advice. And you work on tempering your majesty and might with a little more caution and perhaps we can get along."
Initially, Aloysius carefully followed each word Arachne spoke so as to fully understand her message. However, as she went on (and on), his chin slowly began to lower towards his chest, until finally it came to rest just above the spot where his collarbone met his sternum. When Arachne concluded, he sat there for a moment just to satisfy himself that nothing more was going to gush forth from her tiny little body.
"Moons and stars," he finally muttered. "More success had I at comprehending Melf's Treatise on Dimensional Transposition." He shook his head as if to rid himself of a fog. "Which part didn't you get?" Arachne asked icily, as he did.
"Mine earlier 'threat' was but a thoughtless reaction to anger, small one. I'd first see harm done to myself afore seeing it done to thee. But admit must thee that no kindness hath thee shown me these past weeks. Mayhap I be overly sensitive to that, mayhap not.
"No. It has only been three weeks and... I warm up to people quite slowly. My sister says it's the only properly gnomish thing about me, but there 'tis. As for your being sensitive to the kindnesses of strangers -- or lack of same -- it does seem to me mildly perverse of you that you should be so sensitive to that and so insensitive to so much of your effect on other people."
Aloysius continued,"In any event, try will I to quell any impulse to act towards others without first making a lengthy consideration. I shall endeavor to observe for a length of time the ways of people. In sooth, there be more than what be in tomes mystic to learn of this world .
"And caution is not the same as consideration," Arachne sighed. "Very well, Stargazer. I shall endeavor to show thee kindness ... as long as you do not presume from such behavior that I consider myself your friend."
Although barely perceptible, Aloysius did cringe slightly at that last word. He recovered quickly, however, and stood back up. "Very well, Arachne Convola, and I shall endeavor to reduce any blue monster that doth harry thee to a smoking pile of dust." With that, Aloysius gave Arachne a quick flash of the PSF and then headed off to see what Gala was up to.
Azrun was quiet the rest of the way back to the barn. Once there he helped anybody that needed it and then retreated back to a corner of the loft where he could watch everything. He looked quite amused as Arachne and Aloysius had their talk.
The ranger was quiet for most of the time, speaking only occasionaly when he needed to learn a new word from either Gala (who he also helped with a few elven words if she asked) and Maisar (who could most easily make any needed translations).
Before they went off for the day, Kaileer approached Pug. "Want know if Pug scout with Kaileer later," he asked rather bluntly, as usual.
"I would be happy to scout with you, but I can't track." Pug replied to Kaileer
The ranger smiled. "I notice Pug not make many sound when walk, Fein teach Kaileer try not make many sound. Kaileer want..." he seemed to be searching for a word, "...practice?"
After getting a good nights sleep and studying his rather large (for a gnome) tome, Pug approaches Maisar. "Would you, perchance, like the protective benefit of the spell I cast on Arachne, Azrun, and Kaileer? I have regained it for today." Pug asked with slight nervousness, being unsure of how to approach their quiet and mysterious companion.
Maisar looks down at Pug, Down for Maisar keeping his face hidden, and tells him "jkfghjklfghehvmnvbdjkghdkjgh".
Seeing that Maisar had no need of his spell, Pug approached Aloysius. "Aloysius, would you care to be the recipient of my fine magic? It might keep you from being smacked on the head by the flat of someone's sword." Pug finished with a grin. Asuming he has no objections, Pug proceeds with his spell.
Aloysius seemed surprised that Pug would ask. After a moment's consideration, the magic-user spoke. "Aye, Pug. I would like that. Uh . . . .'thank you'? Be that the phrase I should employ?"
Pug shrugged his shoulders "The stronger we are as a group the more likely we'll all live to be rich someday." Pug says, and yes 'Thank you' is appropriate.
The evening before we set out on the trail to skirt the marsh, Maisar goes over to Kaileer and asks him if he could please talk to him in private.
Kaileer nods. "We walk together."
Once again, Aloysius had decided to leave his robe and hat behind at the barn. He had spent part of the evening talking to Arachne and then studied a book for a while before going to sleep.
The next morning, Aloysius made his usual trip to the outhouse, although he didn't jump up and announce his departure as he had the day before. He seemed to be very subdued as if something heavy was weighing on his mind.
As the group slogged towards the mouth of the brook, he kept mainly to himself and didn't even take any interest in any of the birds or flowers that were around. Upon seeing the cave entrance, he stopped abruptly and waited to see what the more stealthy, and martially oriented, members of the party were going to do.
The next morning the group was able to skirt most of the mire as had been suggested. By midday, they made it to the northern edge of the Patchwork Hills. As they progressed southward along the hills, the ground grew soupier and soupier, much like the center of the mire they had ventured into the day before. The day was growing late by the time they were close enough to the reported "blue monster" sighting for Kaileer to begin checking for signs of the fiends. A couple of hours of searching for trails through the increasingly muddy area led them to the mouth of a cave not far from the headwaters of Cutter Brook just as the day began to change to night. The ground here was so wet that even the lightweight gnomes were sinking, and everyone else was wading more than walking....
Azrun kept quiet and to himself during the long walk through the mud. He stopped to help the others when needed but kept quiet even then. It was very clear that he had something on his mind.
Jana led her horse carefully, walking in front of him to test the ground. She was clearly unhappy with the terrain and worried about the horse.
If there was any debate on the matter, Arachne was in favor of bringing the horses along the next day. The party was planning to skirt the mire, which was supposed to mean not going where the ground was really shloopy. When the party found itself getting into mushy ground anyway, Arachne left the trail-hunting to Kaileer et whoever. She kept Puddlejumper company, trying to find relatively firm ground for him to sink into.
As the group slogged towards the mouth of the brook, he kept mainly to himself and didn't even take any interest in any of the birds or flowers that were around. Upon seeing the cave entrance, he stopped abruptly and waited to see what the more stealthy, and martially oriented, members of the party were going to do.
Waving for the others to stop, Kaileer drew an arrow and pointed to Jana, then to himself, hoping to say, "come with me," without resorting to noisy words.
Jana left her horse with one of the others, but not that weird guy. He might poke at the horse with his dagger or something equally upsetting.
Wordlessly, she followed Kaileer. She didn't bother to draw her weapons, having only a mace and sword, nothing ranged. She moved slowly and tried to follow Kaileer's footsteps. She stopped when Kaileer indicated. She flashed an apologetic smile for the noise she was making. She made sure Kaileer saw that she carried no ranged weapon, and could not provide cover if he went on ahead by himself and got into trouble.
He then approached the mouth of the cave carefuly and (if at all possible) quietly, hoping to see what was inside before he was spotted. About 30 feet from the mouth of the cave he motions for Jana to stop, and continued towards the mouth of the cave ever so carefuly.
And no doubt, brave Kaileer immediately insisted that all those terribly noisy non-ranger types come not a bit closer... Arachne contented herself with looking around at a distance, trying to ascertain any trails to or from the cave mouth and what might traverse the trails.
After a playing in the mire briefly while Kaileer was sneaking up on the cave mouth, Arachne went and tugged very gently at Pug's sleeve. "Want to see something?" she whispered to him, trying to keep her voice so quiet that the ranger would be undisturbed.
When they found the cave entrance, Azrun became very alert and tried to watch all around Jana and Kaileer.
Aloysius watched with concern as Kaileer and Jana slogged forward towards the cave opening. Slowly, and as quietly as he could, the magic-user edged towards Gala. Once he reached her side, he drew a pair of daggers, holding one in each hand. Convinced that the area of the cave opening was being well monitored by the group, he focused his attention to the area off to the group's right, just in case something blue happened to appear from an unexpected location
Pug was nervously watching Kaileer when Arachne asked him. "Is it important?" Pug whispered, still keeping an eye on the cave mouth.
Arachne, standing very close to Pug, let her voice get quieter.
