A Dream of Quiet (IC)

[Recaiden]

Some Abyssals would poison their own water or contaminate it with the Lesser Contagion. Luckily, this is not one of them. It's fine to drink, although it has slightly more metal salts than might be healthy for a normal person.

The Deathknight smiles, very slightly. "Nobody's made for this climate. Best part about these operations is being out of the sun's rays."
Crucible cringes when Drake correctly identifies the Neverborn. "Don't say his name."
"Ye also don't want to be saying "Ramethus" or "Jheel-Kan" or those other names if you happen to know them." Crucible glares daggers at his companion (but not, clearly, with Eyes Like Daggers) and sighs. "Masque did...something. The Lion found her with the Monstrance as soon as she re-entered the underworld, directly at the Tenth Bolgia. She entered the Bottomless Pinnacle, The Twice-Fallen One's tomb-self, emerged a week later, and vanished again. Whatever happened, he wasn't pleased. Although... he did let her go. She couldn't have escaped against his will. I'm-I'm almost certain of that. I don't want to imagine if she could." He looks like he can't quite imagine it, really; they're just words, having nothing in common with possibility.

The two will go with our three heroes out of the cave, and across the desert slopes to Gem. not all that much time has gone by, it's the travel that eats the minutes, although for already weary travellers who are not transcendent desert creatures, it is the awful climate that hurts.

---

1

While passing into the city proper, one might see some odd marks on the wall of one of the first tunnel entrances. It's well disguised by graffiti and random marks of the volcanic rock, but to a trained Lunar, the clawspeak inscriptions are pretty clear to see. If one went closer who could read them...

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They would be a message left by one Shadow Dancer, student of <inscription too broken to read> that he came here. Describing how he has come to the city hunting a band of fae, how he can probably be found near a certain park area, giving due respect to those whose territory this is.

---

1

When Drake first gets somewhere alone, a standard heavenly message box appears, offering him a few scrolls.

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To: Drake
From: Nazri
Subject: Heightened Ghost Activity in Gem Necropolis
Semi-reliable sources report a large movement of the armed ghosts to and within the Necropolis of Gem, tentatively identified as belonging to the Legion Sanguinary of the First and Forsaken Lion. Numbers are estimated at five score thousand. No immediate action on their part is suspected, but in the middle term some action is obvious. Other Deathlords are predicted to act shortly to interfere, indicating a high level of danger to your whole area. Get me details on what's going on there.

To: Drake Unending
From: Convention on Essence Use
Subject: Unaccounted Lunars
Be advised that a large number of untracked Lunar Essence sources are at large in your area. The Convention on Essence Use regrets that it is unable to provide more detailed information or support at this time.

To: Drake
From: Nazri
Subject: -
Someone turned up in the Crescent who shares a common recognition of the threat that the Fae pose, but I think they might be able to help you out too, so I'm steering them your way for a while. You'll know them when you see them. Don't mention me.

---

1

In a certain abandoned lot previously mentioned, there is a young girl trying to entice a cat closer with a bit of dried meat. There is also a brass lobster lurking in a splintered, broken barrel on the side of the lot.

[Drascin]

A sigh. So his guess was perfectly right. Wonder-****ing-ful. "<And as usual, no good deed goes unpunished>" he sighs in English, before turning his head at everyone. "That would explain that. I just wonder what the hell she did, then, to be able to rile up a dead monster" he says, serious and thoughtful. "And on the escaping versus letting go thing... honestly, Crucible, I would not especifically discount either possibility. You guys have a Solar Essence. We have records of bored Solars and Lunars in the First Age going into Neverborn tombs, and then annoying and poking them with sharp sticks to see what fell off, out of simple curiosity. Most of them came out alright. So it obviously must be possible to escape an angry Neverborn. ****ed if I know how, though"

He's markedly less talkative during the trek back, though. He's no friend to heat in any circumstance, but deserts are the worst thing ever. Melty brain no think gud.
________________________

The scrolls find Drake in a private place to hole himself up (having made sure to scout the city for good hiding spots previously, in case he had to run). "Just in time" he smirks humourlessly before poking at his little communicator scarab.

"This is Drake. Just got your message. Can you speak?"

[Scarlet Dragon]

In the alleyway a light gray Egyptian Mau cat with brilliant green eyes didn't have to be asked twice and eagerly took the piece of meat from the girls hand. Staying within loving distance the cat finished the piece of meat leisurely and then proceeded to lick the girls hand in appreciation. After a few licks the cat began to rub against her legs in an attempt for more attention, all the while purring in pleasure.

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To those that would notice the Tell they would see that the ears and tail were a pure silver color instead of the normal gray with charcoal spots

[Tavar]

Seeing the problems that some have during the trip, Wing changes into camel shape while out of sight of the civilians, then offers the most suffering a ride.
_______________________

Seeing the note written in clawspeak does surprise him, though. As soon as he gets back to the home, he changes shape, and goes to Drake.

"Okay, things are even stranger that we thought. It looks like there's another Lunar in the area. The note says he or she is in a nearby park, to pay respects to who's territory it is. I figure I should go check it out, but I'd like backup. The Silver pact can be...dangerous."

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Yay, my shapeshifting is useful again.

Also, if it matters, speaking in english

[Leliel]

Having to clear his head after everything in the cave, Raziel had begun to walk around aimlessly, attempting to get the blood to his brain and think over what had just transpired.

So, now we have a friendly relationship with another Abyssal, a woman who is powerful enough to stand up to an Exalted using abilities that look similar to Malfeas, a Lunar with the spirit form of nothing on record (nice job with helping me out on how that could be, Corona) and snaps at flies, and the Lion is attempting to turn Gem into his base of operations. Add that to the fact that Masque seems to have been completely hollowed out by her masters, and is now an avatar of pain and anguish who wants to end everything. Jesus.

And of course, my act like the sun had scorched my brain had amounted to nothing. And I was having fun, too!

I need Beheris to vent at.

It was at that point that he rounded his way into an empty lot...and with an interesting-looking cat and a girl attempting to feed bacon to it.

"Uh, kid? I don't think cats eat bacon. You're thinking of dogs" he said in Low Realm. "I do happen to have a sleeve that cats seem to love jumping at, so if nothing else, I can entertain her that way...as will my allergies..."

Except even as he said that, the cat ate the bacon. Whoops. This was what happened when you were allergic to cat hair since birth but loved pets-only the language of dogs was what you spoke.

And then, just like that, he realized how much he missed Ricky. And then he was depressed. A brief, lonely sigh escaped his lips as he hung his head in his palm, looking forlorn.

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Don't know if being outside fate allows you to see Tells.

[Scarlet Dragon]

Ears perking at the sound of the stranger's words. Twisting his head to the side the cat meows rather questionably at him while tilting its head in a decidedly confused manner as if it was wondering what was said and mulling it over. With a semi shrug the cat rolls onto his back proffering his tummy to the little girl deciding to enjoy the belly rub while he could purring profusely...

[Recaiden]

[Scarab]

"Nazri here. I have a while to talk. Where were you? Has there been trouble with the Deathlords already?"

---

1

[Lot]

The girl smiles and reaches to pet the cat, but then Raziel arrives, and she hops back, slightly fearful.
Her childish accent is very Gem, but she speaks in Old Realm and judging by her pale skin and blond hair, she's not from anywhere around here.
"No, I wouldn't feed the dogs. I'm allergic to them. So it must be cats. See look! He took it."
She steps back up and pets the cat softly, wondering for a moment why the man looks so sad. The child's attention is swiftly recaptured by the cat.

[Drascin]

"Yeah. We're in trouble. I'm going to need another Loom reading ASAP - things have changed" He stops for a moment to gather his thoughts, breathes, and sighs.

"Okay, let's see if I can sum up how today went, very quickly and to the point. As you know, I'm part of a circle of Exalts down here, to keep an eye on them and have a hand in protecting Gem. We're trying to worm our way into the Despot's good graces to have a bit more of a say in how Gem works, with dragonblooded Cathak Pyrus as our public relations, because, you know, Dragonblooded. The despot asked us to investigate a bunch of missing people that'd been disappearing. So we did, we followed a trail to a nearby mine, and got inside through various means.

Deep inside, what we found was that the disappeared people had been taken by a deathknight who was going to use their blood and a strange container stone to power a ritual that would have turned the area into a shadowland. We managed to stop him, convince his lieutenant to make him leave the Lion's service, and he's now staying with us for a bit while we get some intel from us.

And yes, that means we just stopped the start of the Lion's offensive by sheer miracle. Had we happened to got that message an hour later or had I failed to piece together the location of the kidnapees, Gem would be dead already. This is very bad. We no longer have months, which means that the plan I had been starting to concoct is probably too slow to work now unless we can find some way to speed it up.

But it doesn't end there. The container in question, the deathknight thought it held some kind of Wyld monster, he was going to use its energy to power things. I almost called you to flare up the raksha alert. Instead, it cracked and what came out was a Lunar halfway into Chimera state. It wanted to kill the Abyssal. We were tired after the fight and I want to get a lot of information out of this man, so could not allow that, so I offered a trade for his life - I could give him information, in exchange for me keeping Crucible (the Abyssal's name) to get information myself. The Lunar said he was interested in a bunch of things - among them, destroying the Dowager, for being a traitor Lunar. So I gave him her true name like he wanted, and sent him in direct arrow flight against her. That way, we keep a deathlord distracted with a powerful enemy, and I get a slightly crazy half-chimera out of my protected area" Kinda cold there, Drake.

"Then I could talk to Crucible a bit. I've found out a bunch of things. First, something has really stirred the Neverborn, and they're really breathing down the Lion's neck hard. Our prime suspect for that something is that crazy Abyssal I met not too long ago. But in any case, the Lion is really crapping his armor now and is moving already in desperation. We have half the goddamn Legion waiting on the other side of this place, and we could be under attack already. And second... remember that thing you mentioned about the "lost Gem gate"? The deathknight says rumor among the Lion's forces is that he's so intent on getting Gem to get ahold of a "portal of some sort". It could mean something else, of course - but I also could be a material intelligence in a false body and I don't know it, if you catch my drift" Drake says, serious. "The question is what does he want with that gate... about the only explanation that fits is that, well... I think for some reason the Lion might well be wanting access to Yu-Shan"

[Leliel]

[Lot]

The girl smiles and reaches to pet the cat, but then Raziel arrives, and she hops back, slightly fearful.
Her childish accent is very Gem, but she speaks in Old Realm and judging by her pale skin and blond hair, she's not from anywhere around here.
"No, I wouldn't feed the dogs. I'm allergic to them. So it must be cats. See look! He took it."
She steps back up and pets the cat softly, wondering for a moment why the man looks so sad. The child's attention is swiftly recaptured by the cat.

"Huh, that's funny. For me, it's the other way around. Which is unfortunate, because I love cats.

Speaking of which, what's with the Old Realm? I didn't think people spoke it around here...unless you're a god, in which my apologies, m'lady."

Some part of the original Raziel resurfaces as he begins to pet the cat, making a mental note to wash his hand before rubbing his eye.

[COLOR="green"]"There you go, uh, girl"[/COLOR] he said in Seatongue. "You've traveled a long way from your owner, haven't you, Ms. Silver Ears?"

[Scarlet Dragon]

"Huh, that's funny. For me, it's the other way around. Which is unfortunate, because I love cats.

Speaking of which, what's with the Old Realm? I didn't think people spoke it around here...unless you're a god, in which my apologies, m'lady."

Some part of the original Raziel resurfaces as he begins to pet the cat, making a mental note to wash his hand before rubbing his eye.

"There you go, uh, girl" he said in Seatongue. "You've traveled a long way from your owner, haven't you, Ms. Silver Ears?"

Somewhat reluctantly it seems he allows the strange man to pet him. However at the mention of "girl" he flicks his head towards the man and indignantly meows as if it understood that bit and didn't agree.

At the man's utterance of traveling a long way there appears an almost wistful look in the cat's eyes, which vanishes the moment he says Silver Ears. Thinking quickly the cat bats away his hand and hops up to stand beside the little girl, moving more dexterously than any normal cat should, eying the blue eyed man cautiously... he couldn't just leave this girl alone with this man, no telling what the man might do to her.

[Leliel]

"And of course, you hate me. What, I got your gender wrong, it's not that traumatic.

Unless you're smelling some of my obligations on me. <Evil-Detecting Cat, I guess. I wouldn't be surprised if someone bread you to smell Yozi.>"

[Recaiden]

[Lot]
"I'm not a god, Prince. But it is what we speak at home." The girl(?) turns towards the cat again. "That's a funny name. Its ears are brown, see?"

[Scarab]

Nazri is quiet far a short while even after Drake finishes.

"At least you all have saved the city. Well done. You have been guided to take victory from the jaws of defeat. The city is intact, the Deathlord's plan broken, his servant betraying him. An enemy of our enemies released and set to helping us, all good. I will make a note that no one hamper the Lunar you set loose for the time being. A shame this is all still secret. Do be careful of this Crucible. I would not trust him if this were not so desperate. But I think the fact of it is that we do need him. We are too blind against the Underworld. Like the Fair Folk, they tear at the Pattern just be existing. We will get another reading, but I cannot know how much it will help you with those who walk under the Calender at every turn."

"We do need another plan now. Yes, I recall mentioning the gate. We have surprisingly little information on it, but there are, as you know, persistent rumors of ways into Heaven besides the gates in common use, and we cannot prove that they aren't there. Further, the number of gates that we do have suggests that there should be others, perhaps lost in the Wyld or forgotten underground."

"It is...disturbing to say the least, that the Deathlords might be aiming for Heaven itself. They had always been turned towards Creation and what little we have heard says that the Neverborn are the same. It is the forces of hell that had been an, admittedly tiny, threat to us. But then, heaven has resources that could be of great use to a ghostly warlord. I hate to imagine what would happen if the Apocalypse scrolls somehow fell into his hands, and there are other more plausible things he could be aiming for."

"You need to find this gate, if it exists. Whatever their plans, I'm not going to bet on you secretly being a material intelligence, you understand?"

[Scarlet Dragon]

"And of course, you hate me. What, I got your gender wrong, it's not that traumatic.

Unless you're smelling some of my obligations on me. <Evil-Detecting Cat, I guess. I wouldn't be surprised if someone bread you to smell Yozi.>"

As the man keeps talking the cat's caution begins to seem mostly unfounded... if he had wanted to attack he'd would have done it already. Calling him a female was just a minor annoyance and the cat really wasn't mad about that. Besides noticing the Tell, and that was more surprising than anything, the man hadn't done anything to show he was an enemy. After pondering these thoughts for a few seconds the cat comes to a conclusion.

He might as well get his ears scratched while he's here, so he walks back to the man's hand and rubs his head against his still outstretched fingers.

[Rhyvurg]

After purchasing wagons laden with supplies, animals to pull them, and Finely crafted equipment for his new soldiers, Pyrus leads his new caravan out of the Lap and south to Gem.

[Leliel]

As the man keeps talking the cat's caution begins to seem mostly unfounded... if he had wanted to attack he'd would have done it already. Calling him a female was just a minor annoyance and the cat really wasn't mad about that. Besides noticing the Tell, and that was more surprising than anything, the man hadn't done anything to show he was an enemy. After pondering these thoughts for a few seconds the cat comes to a conclusion.

He might as well get his ears scratched while he's here, so he walks back to the man's hand and rubs his head against his still outstretched fingers.

"All right, we're friends now. Cats, huh?"

He turned to the girl.

"Anyway, love to stay and chat, but I have business to attend to. Lots of things happened today...exhausting things."

[Drascin]

"At least you all have saved the city. Well done. You have been guided to take victory from the jaws of defeat. The city is intact, the Deathlord's plan broken, his servant betraying him. An enemy of our enemies released and set to helping us, all good. I will make a note that no one hamper the Lunar you set loose for the time being. A shame this is all still secret. Do be careful of this Crucible. I would not trust him if this were not so desperate. But I think the fact of it is that we do need him.

"Eyup. Though the Lunar is less "helping us" and more "thrown at one of our enemies like a bomb". I'm just hoping he doesn't do too much splash damage" Drake sighs. "And on Crucible, yeah, we need his help - but more than that, what he knows could be incredibly useful. If you had not told me the Convention on Deathlords might be compromised, I might have just introduced him to them so they could ask him stuff and get his help.

Hell, maybe even see Lytek's face when face to face with a deathknight. " Drake adds, with a touch of sarcasm. "Though Crucible or not, when this emergency is over, if I'm still breathing, I really need to have a couple words with that pompous annoyance" he smirks humourlessly.

We are too blind against the Underworld. Like the Fair Folk, they tear at the Pattern just be existing. We will get another reading, but I cannot know how much it will help you with those who walk under the Calender at every turn."

"I thought some of our charms worked under the Calendar, too?"

"We do need another plan now.

"Yup. Man, and I had actually thought up a pretty good plan and everything. Subtle as a flying kick in a Royal Warstrider, mind, but definitely unexpected" Drake chuckles sadly. "I'm going to have to reevaluate the situation and see what I can come up with. I'll wait to see what Cathak Pyrus brings as reinforcements when he comes back, and see if I can get some more data out of Crucible. Such as just how many Deathknights the Lion has left. We've freed two of his and killed a third, now, he can't have that many left - and chances are some of the ones he does keep may well be considering retirement after two have managed to get out... well, not scot-free, but with their skins at least, which is probably more than you can expect if you keep serving the First and Forsaken Lion"

"It is...disturbing to say the least, that the Deathlords might be aiming for Heaven itself. They had always been turned towards Creation and what little we have heard says that the Neverborn are the same. It is the forces of hell that had been an, admittedly tiny, threat to us. But then, heaven has resources that could be of great use to a ghostly warlord. I hate to imagine what would happen if the Apocalypse scrolls somehow fell into his hands, and there are other more plausible things he could be aiming for."

"For the record? The "tiny" thing probably doesn't apply anymore. I would keep an eye out for infernal presence up there. Remember, Yozis hate us and now they have Solars on payroll. Some of them with Ebon freaking Dragon charms. Whatever happens with the Lion here, some increased security would probably not be a bad idea, sir. Just saying"

"You need to find this gate, if it exists. Whatever their plans, I'm not going to bet on you secretly being a material intelligence, you understand?"

A nod - not that Nazri can see it. "Will do. I'll get to it right away. Absolutely any clue you can get on it will be appreciated, sir - we're kind of racing against time, here. In the meantime I will imprint on people here the importance of finding this. Tossing Exalts at a problem is a time honored Fellowship tradition, after all" Drake says, with a hint of irony. "I'll make sure to keep you posted if I find out anything. Wonder if I could find time to master the Old Thing scripture and get some hints..."

[Drascin]

Seeing the note written in clawspeak does surprise him, though. As soon as he gets back to the home, he changes shape, and goes to Drake.

"Okay, things are even stranger that we thought. It looks like there's another Lunar in the area. The note says he or she is in a nearby park, to pay respects to who's territory it is. I figure I should go check it out, but I'd like backup. The Silver pact can be...dangerous."

Drake looks at Onyx and only takes a second to think before nodding. "Alright then. No problem. Want me to go in Sparrow persona to look totally inoffensive or just this incognito look?"

[Tavar]

"Just being incognito would be fine. Really, all I want is for someone to hang back and observe, for the most part. Probably nothing will come from it, but better safe than sorry. Let's go."

______________________

Leaving the house, Wing heads to the park mentioned in the scratchings.

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So...who is still at the park?

[Leliel]

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I'll say me.

"...Assuming one of my friends doesn't come about right at this second.

Hello Wing!"

[Scarlet Dragon]

With a confused meow the cat tilts it's head toward the newcomers and meows excitedly when it sees a fellow Lunar.

In a quick bound the cat comes to rest near the other Lunar's feet. With exaggerated care to make his actions discreet he writes the Clawspeak symbol for Greeting's in the dirt.

As he completes the symbol he meows expectantly to the Lunar in front of him.

[Drascin]

Drake, on his end, is somewhat nearby, sitting in the shade of a nearby alley while looking inconspicuous and with his Telltale Symphony and alarm charms still up. Dammit, Raziel is there too? If things go completely south his charms can only bail one person, not the both of them.

Let's hope it goes right...

[Recaiden]

"All right, we're friends now. Cats, huh?"

He turned to the girl.

"Anyway, love to stay and chat, but I have business to attend to. Lots of things happened today...exhausting things."

"Goodbye then! Take good care of the cat!" Off she runs then, seeing the other people come up and deciding that she ought to be the one leaving.

"[COLOR="YellowGreen"]"I thought some of our charms worked under the Calendar, too?"

"Such as just how many Deathknights the Lion has left. We've freed two of his and killed a third, now, he can't have that many left - and chances are some of the ones he does keep may well be considering retirement after two have managed to get out... well, not scot-free, but with their skins at least, which is probably more than you can expect if you keep serving the First and Forsaken Lion"

"Will do. I'll get to it right away. Absolutely any clue you can get on it will be appreciated, sir - we're kind of racing against time, here."

"They can, with difficulty, reach into the Underworld, but the Restless Dead themselves are outside of fate, with all the complications that brings."

"As for Deathknights, we have it on good information that he has three left active, and four or five not yet incarnated. Further, his servant the Black Heron is believed to have a Deathknight of her own."

"I'll get you more information as soon as I know it."

[Tavar]

The marks are clearly clawspeak, which means this is probably the lunar in question. Hmm...wonder how he identified me. First things first, though.

In English, Wing fills Raz in. "Hey, it looks like the cat's another Lunar. Drakes watching, ready to be backup if needed. I'm going to address the Lunar, so be ready for, well, anything."

Taking off his shoe as he says this, Wing begins tracing his own message in the dirt.

Same. Talk in trueform.

[Scarlet Dragon]

Giving a subtle nod of understanding the cat darts into a dark recess in the alley and after a few moments a man appears and walks out of the alleyway.

The man walking out of the alleyway is approximately 5'11" in height with golden tanned skin, jet black hair and forest green eyes. In place of normal human ears he has silver cat ears and twitching behind him is a tail of the same color. He is also wearing typical clothing of the Silent Crescent tribes.

As he approaches his fellow Lunar he assumes a nonthreatening stance with an easy smile on his face. A few steps away he gives him a polite bow and says in Seatongue "Greetings, I am Shadow Dancer though I assume you already knew that if you read the message I left near the entrance."

[Leliel]

Giving a subtle nod of understanding the cat darts into a dark recess in the alley and after a few moments a man appears and walks out of the alleyway.

The man walking out of the alleyway is approximately 5'11" in height with golden tanned skin, jet black hair and forest green eyes. In place of normal human ears he has silver cat ears and twitching behind him is a tail of the same color. He is also wearing typical clothing of the Silent Crescent tribes.

As he approaches his fellow Lunar he assumes a nonthreatening stance with an easy smile on his face. A few steps away he gives him a polite bow and says in Seatongue "Greetings, I am Shadow Dancer though I assume you already knew that if you read the message I left near the entrance."

This almost completely passes over Raziel's head, as he realized what he just did.

I'm dead. I'm dead I'm dead I'm dead I'm going to die I'm dead.

"Oh. Um, R-Raziel Kablah, Lord of the um, Eaters of Own Feet. Please don't hate me...."

[Tavar]

Not understanding what's being said, Wing questions Raz in english.

"What's he saying? What happened?"

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Note, this is actually English.

[Scarlet Dragon]

With a half turn toward's Raziel, Shadow Dancer grins "No harm done, though you could have gotten my gender right the first time... honestly though I'm not mad about that at all, you would be surprised how often it happens when in animal form. However you did surprise me when you saw my Tell." as he continues in Seatongue "I take it this is your friend" Shadow Dancer gestures towards the other Lunar.

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If my character was from earth I would totally say after the "you would be surprised how often it happens when in animal form" bit "You could almost say it's a pet peeve of mine" :( but I don't think they would have that phrase.

[Leliel]

"Pretty much, yeah. Cross-Exalted ring, nothing to be afraid of."

[Scarlet Dragon]

Seeing the confused look the other Lunar was giving Raziel, Shadow Dancer could figure out what the problem here was. "I take it your friend does not speak Seatongue..."

On a whim Dancer tries his native tongue of his tribe "Do you perhaps know my own tongue?" As Dancer says this he searches Onyx Wings face for any clues if he understood. When none present themselves he knows he didn't understand.

With a sigh he bends to the ground and after wiping away the previous runes he writes in Clawspeak I'm afraid this is the only language I know that we two share in common, however your friend Raziel Kablah does share one language with me.

Standing back up he turns towards Raziel "It appears as if you will have to translate for me for convenience sake."

[Tavar]

After waiting a decent amount of time for an explanation, Wing taps Raziel on the shoulder, speaking in English a bit louder than normal.

"Hey, Raziel, I don't speak the language. Care to translate?"