[Changeling] A Gathering of Mists IC

[Anarion]

"You wanted to know how I got shot." She points her finger at the screen, jabs it twice at the darkened space where the video had been. Her whole hand is trembling. Words tumble out, and she can't stop them, "Her name is Anna. She isn't more than twelve years old. Last night, she was being carried off to become kindling for that man's fire..."

At that, Autumn gasps. Loudly. "A kidnapping. You're certain it was him and that he arranged a kidnapping?"

But threatening the victims? Hurting children? Bugger that!" The room's too small for her, her voice's roll, the tightness of the suit, the sudden hotness at her eyes.

"Yes, yes, no." Autumn starts pacing, almost feverishly. "So valuable, but so dangerous. I should tell the Court, but would they act? What would they do?" She's running her hands through her hair as she walks, the line of pink flipping up and down hypnotically. Then she stops and turns to Rose, Marchande, and Charlotte.

"You're not going to like this, and I won't make a pledge for it. But, if you happen to have the opportunity, that Paladin fellow seems like a Changeling that has lost his clarity of sight and gone mad. If you can get him to access one of these sensor stones before you cut him down in righteous fury, I'd really appreciate it."

Stephanie's head swum. That wasn't right. They stuck around - they just changed. She could tell the story easily but trying to explain it in terms that might be useful made it baffling. There were parts of it that her mind just skipped over, like a bad VCR - or like scenes deleted in editing.

"And did you change into a shadow during this trip down the Amazon? How did that happen?"