Quote from _Grimnir_ >>

Lerak looks at Val with doubt. "Are you sure ? I mean they have big claws and sharp teeth..."

Valrieth's uncertain smile indicates that she's not sure, but she gives him an encouraging nod.  "Just see what's there," she says, waving him forward.  "If they see you, just be nice.  We're right here if you need help."  

Val hides, but she can't see anything from her hiding spot.  She wishes, not for the first time, that they had a way to communicate with each other silently at a distance.

(OOC: now that we lost GerStud101, I'm wishing that Val took telepathic instead of telekinetic!)

Ilifir also recognized the creatures as Blink Dogs. 

"very intelligent creatures" ilifir comments casually, as if discussing the weather rather than a potential threat "although i doubt they speak our language. oh, and they teleport. hence the name. well, in case you do understand us" he nods to the blink dogs and appreaches about twenty feet, hands held loosely a bit away from his sides"i am ilifir" then in his native sylvan repeats "i am ilifir" 

(OOC: @willow_ivyleaf - the party was hanging back, 60 ft away, while Lerak sneaked forward to see what the blink dogs were doing.  You'll probably need to specify whether Ilifir waits for Lerak to come back to the others and report or whether Ilifir approaches the dogs right away to introduce himself.)

(ilifir speaks loudly but ill edit to clarify"

Lerak understand what is happening. Sadness is all around. He signs to the rest of the team that everything is ok and ask them to keep their distance then he stay silent and keep watching respectfully...
Could he see what type of gift the dogs are giving ?

Valrieth is still hanging back in her hiding spot, waiting to see how the blink dogs react to Lerak and Ilifir.  If they don't teleport away or attack, then she'll come out of hiding and move up to stand  5' - 10' behind Ilifir and Lerak.

Finley is following along, staying behind Ilifir and Lerak by about 10' or so, keeping a curious eye on the blink dogs, wondering what they're going to do or if they're hostile at all.

Lerak sees the gifts being offered to the departed blink dog include flowers and a bit of animal hide. 

Some of the blink dogs growl at Ilifir as they do understand what was said in sylvan though they cannot speak it. Then you hear a series of barks or snuffles as if they are speaking. Both Lerak and Ilifir knows that Blink dogs have a language of their own.

What do you do next? 

Lerak could feel the sadness of the creatures.

He then speaks then in Sylvan "Ilifir, please give them space. They are mourning." He then picks a few flowers and bows in respect towards the dogs. "We are sorry for your loss and to have come here during these difficult times. May I offer these flowers as a token of compassion. We will give you space and wait. It seems we do not understand your language but maybe we can try to communicate in another way once your are ready."

Lerak turns to his team " maybe asking questions that can be answered by yes or no would work...one bark , two barks ? They seem to understand our Sylvan"

Valrieth joins the others and uses her skill with her herbalism kit to ensure that Lerak isn't giving the blink dogs anything dangerous or poisonous.  She looks sadly at the little grave and tells them (in Sylvan), "Do you plan to bury your companion?  If you'd like, I could cast a spell that will quickly fill the grave and even raise a little mound."

Val then stands back with the group while the blink dogs finish their funeral rights.  She fills in Finley on what's going on, explaining to Lerak and Ilifir: "Finley doesn't understand Sylvan."  

Quote from _Grimnir_ >>

Lerak turns to his team " maybe asking questions that can be answered by yes or no would work...one bark , two barks ? They seem to understand our Sylvan"

Val agrees, "Yes, good idea Lerak.  Or -- most importantly -- we could ask them to guide us to Little Oak, if they know how to get there."

Several of the blink dogs says something again in their language. They let Lerak offer a flower and Val confirmed it is not poisonous. Though Lerak is also right they wish to have the space to mourn the death of one of their own. One of them shake their head at Val's offer to bury their departed friend. 

If left alone they will finish the funeral by burying the blink dog shoveling dirt into the grave with their paws. Once done most teleport away though 2 remain perhaps to guard the grave. 

"Whatever yer doing seems ta be working." Finley adds, "maybe we can offer them some food or somethin' fer their services?"

Quote from Weathervision >>

If left alone they will finish the funeral by burying the blink dog shoveling dirt into the grave with their paws. Once done most teleport away though 2 remain perhaps to guard the grave. 

Yes, Valrieth sits down a respectful distance away so that she doesn't disturb them.  She gets out her notebook and quietly takes notes on blink dog funerary practices.

Quote from Snievan >>

Finley adds, "maybe we can offer them some food or somethin' fer their services?"

Once they're done burying the blink dog, Val says, "OK.  I'll see whether they're willing to help us."

Choosing her words carefully so that they don't give too much away, Val asks the 2 remaining blink dogs in Sylvan, "We're sorry for your loss, and we beg your pardon for disturbing you.  We are trying to find a place called 'Little Oak'.  We are not from Prismeer, but we are trying to help children from our world who may have gotten lost here.  We thought that the missing children may be at Little Oak."  She wait to see how the blink dogs react to the mention of missing children and Little Oak.  (I guess that would still be Insight 16)

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

She waits to see how the blink dogs react to the mention of missing children and Little Oak.  (I guess that would still be Insight 15)

(In particular, do they seem suspicious and guarded or interested in helping?  Do they show any signs of recognition when she mentions "Little Oak" and the children there?)

From Val experience with dogs, she gets the sense that indeed they do know Little Oak and the children though they have a hard time conveying it as they realize no one in the party speaks Blink Dog. They do not seem suspicious though they are somewhat guarded. One of them tries to say something but looks rather frustrated as they are unable to communicate with the party. 

Valrieth figures that even scary-looking, big (to her!) dogs must be somewhat good since they were practicing respectful burial rights.  In Common, she warns Finley, Lerak, and Ilifir, "I think that they want to help us, but I think that we'll have to risk revealing a little more.  Get ready.  This will probably either get us their help or cause them to attack or raise some sort of alarm."

Then Val turns back to the blink dog and switches back to Sylvan, "We are not just trying to help the children.  My friends and I are on a Quest to find someone else."  She briefly moves her hands in intricate gestures, casting mold earth.  She then points to the ground next to the blink dog's grave where there is now a 1' x 1' rendering of Zyblina's "chicken foot" symbol, which Val also remembers from Madryck Roslof's tattoo.  The symbol is rendered in slightly-raised dirt and is also bright blue so that it shows clearly against the dark soil.  Val continues, "Our Quest is to find her and help her, if we can.  We know that she still has allies in Prismeer, and we hope you'll help us.  Could one of you take us to Little Oak?  Or find us someone who can guide us?"

Finley stands back, looking a bit relaxed or at least as relaxed as a heavily armored dwarf can look.

One of the blink dogs draws an arrow in the soil, with its paw, towards the northwest. Then the blink dogs look to each other and vanish as they teleport away.