Titaani nods along, glad that the rest of the party believes her. "We mean you no harm so long us you don't mean us any harm. But if we are to trust each other, than Ben's right - you have to show the others who you really are."

The kitten seems to be similar in nature to the cat-like creature you met at the lost property wagon at the carnival.

"My name is Will of the Feywild. We're called the The Getaway Gang. This is Bobi, Sloane, and Zennor," indicating his young companions. "And Star," he adds, patting the tentacled kitten. "We escaped from Loomlurch, from Granny Nightshade's workshop. And we're gonna break out th' rest of 'em. That's all the truth. And are you gonna help us?"

Matikda nodded, " We will."

She turned towards the kitten, " I met your mother, she misses you very much."

The kitten does not respond, but continues begging for Will's attention.

"How?" he asks.

" How will we help?  Well, hopefully things will go better than the last time we went up against a hag......could we sneak them out?"

"I've got a plan..." begins Will, drumming his fingers on his chin.

"You should visit Wayward Pool and find the unicorn Lamorna!" pipes up Zennor, the young orc from behind him.

The other two nod in agreement. "Only unicorns can reach the shore of Wayward Pool, but the magic protecting the pool can’t tell the difference between a real unicorn and a make-believe one. We made a unicorn costume to hide with. You can borrow it!" adds Bobi, the boisterous adolescent dwarf.

"I dunno," responds Will, skeptically. "I think that unicorn is a no-good goody-goody who is too scared to challenge Granny Nightshade. I've got a better plan. Why don't you guys come up into our house?" He gestures for everyone to climb the rope ladders from the ground to a pair of trapdoors in the floor. "We'll discuss it inside." He looks around for spies.

Matilda facial expression indicates she is 100% behind the unicorn plan...

Ben:

Insight:  16

If he doesn’t feel that their new hosts plan to betray them, Ben will follow along and head inside.

Titaani grabs Ben by his armour, desperately trying to pull him back. "No, no thank you, we don't want to go inside," she says to Will. "We are fine right here. Tell you what, we can go fetch your unicorn without a costume - I have a few magical tricks up my sleeve."

"Well, you can tie a wooden horn to your head, too, I suppose. Otherwise, th' pool won't let you near it," adds Zennor. "On a small island in th' middle of the lake there's an iron bowl filled with coals. Light a fire in th' bowl to call th' unicorn." 

"Let me tell them my plan!" interjects Will, annoyed at all the unicorn talk.

Will hops down, grabs a stick, and sketches a rough map in the dirt. (Map forthcoming!)

"Loomlurch. We gotta free the remaining kids that are trapped in Loomlurch. Forget the unicorn. Here's th' plan."

"We Approach. Bobi, Sloane, Zennor, and Star will creep through th' woods to th' west of th' tree and hide just out of sight of th' screaming scarecrows. Meanwhile, I'll sneak around to the entrance to the kitchen on th' east side of the tree." He indicates each of the locations on the map.

"Distraction. You guys enter th' goblin market pretending to be travelers, buy some sweets, and set up a meeting with Granny. During the meeting, we'll alert th' screaming scarecrows and lure th' tin soldiers into the garden."

"Escape. While everyone is distracted,  you free the captives from the workshop while I climb into th' textile mill to free the captives there. Once th' kids are all set free, everyone will run back here."

He looks up, eyebrows raised, for assent. "Nothing could go wrong there," responds Sloane sarcastically from up in the treehouse.

Horatio looks at Will funnily for several minutes, a growing impatience in his eyes. He crosses his arms like his father used to do, then in an admonishing tone, "What's your deal? You didn't answer my question, you won't reveal yourself, you keep ignoring other people's ideas, and you're trying very hard to herd us around with clear motives that you won't explain. You do understand that we don't trust you yet, right? I mean, that's obvious to you, right? We came here to find help, and we're more than willing to help others in return, but so far good is bad, up is down, innocent is conniving... the things we've encountered in this strange land have all been deceptive. So far, you're being deceptive. You see the issue there? We're asking you direct questions and we need you to answer them. We will do the same in return. What are you? Why do you fight against the Hags? What do you intend to do with these children, will you help us return them to their homes, or do you intend on keeping them? If the Unicorns are good guys, why don't you want us to work with them? If we go distract the Hag while you start a breakout, won't that leave us having to fight the probably horrifyingly powerful Hag with no backup since you'd be running away? What the hell are 'tin soldiers'?" 

Ben:

Halting when Titaani grabs him, Ben suddenly remembers about the hidden form of their host.  “My apologies, I was distracted thinking of the little one’s mother at the lost and found in the Witchlight Carnival.  I will be more cautious,” he murmurs quietly to his friend.

Staying outside, Ben agrees with Horatio, saying, “Yes, my friend has several good points.  We have encountered many here who have wished to manipulate us for their own purposes.  I am inclined to help, but if we are to work together, we need to be truthful and forthcoming with each other.”

Titaani smiles back at Ben, accepting his apology. She listens intently to Horatio, nodding along. 

"I suggest you answer my friend's questions," she eventually says, coming forward to stand in front of WIll. "Or else we will leave. We have our own problems anyway and no one here -" she gestures to the party, " - is willing to be stabbed in the back by a scary ogre and his slightly creepy pet."

Persuasion: 21

Matilda watched the exchange with slight confusion.....her brain was basically just blaring UNICORN! over and over again....

"Do you want some berries?" asks Zennor, holding out a handful of blackberries.

"Fine, fine..." says Will, frustrated. "I ain't stopping you from seein' th' unicorn. I just think it's a waste of time. That hag is really evil, though, and I just want to save th' kids. That's all I want to do. She uses them like slaves to make her toys. I just want to free them and then they can go home or whatever. Tin Soldiers...uh... they're like little metal guys, like little suits of armor that run around. Not very smart, like machines or toys, really. And uh, what were the other questions? I just need some help freeing the kids is all."

"The most important question," Titaani says, beginning to get angry, "Is what on earth are you?"

"I am Will of th' Feywild!" he pronounces, striking a pose. "I used to work for Skabatha Nightshade, just like these guys. I met both her hag sisters, too. I escaped and helped the kids escape. Every kid must dash free and wild, like me! Granny wants me caught, dead or alive. My goal is to free the children and cause her grief. That's what I am.” 

Matilda looked at Titaani, " Maybe he doesn't know? Or can't say?"

Ben:

”Indeed, perhaps he is unaware of his true form,” says Ben, puzzled by Will’s continued deception.  “Perhaps if you describe to him what you see,” he adds.