Kasi watches on in awe at Sera's power. The presence of rain was such a rare gift that she didn't dare to blind as it drizzled onto the scorched and cracked earth, pooling up in muddy puddles that pattered a soft rhythm. Eager to join in, she flings off her sackcloth dress and bounces joyfully into the rain, stomping the puddles and letting the mud bulge upward around her clawed toes. The cool rain trickles down her bare scales, and she closes her eyes in a rare expression of bliss, raking her gnarled hands across her scales, which begin to sparkle from beading droplets. "Kasi not bathe in so long..." she says after gargling some of the water. It's true... she typically smells like a dirty old hound. "Can Sera heal Santekh with this power?"

Barkly tilts her head and twitters in curiosity, but remains content to sit and peck at her meal in her nest of stones. With the sun setting, it will get cold soon, and Barkly has no interest in being cold and wet.

Hastos blinks as the first drops of rain hit his face. They sting his eyes at first, his skin having gotten used to the harsh, airid climate.

Not being able to conceal his broadening smile, Hastos shrugs, he was not about to waste a shower with fresh clean water! He strips down to his tunic as well and stands  beside Sera. He runs his fingers through his hair and across the back of his neck. 

"I would not miss out on this!" He says to the others.

"Aww, Really Sera?"
Merkas says as the sandwich he was working on building starts to get soaked "I was looking forward to that one. And do you two take every opportunity to take your clothes off? Being to clean gives away your position you know. Nothing like smelling flowers when your in a charred cave, or the ocean in the middle of the desert" Waving his arm around at their surroundings before stripping his dagger belt and other items not suited to getting wet and joining the rest in the downpour "Might need to keep this a little more secret, people around here just might lock you up and force you to cast all this every day, we'd come break you out of course, and only feed you enough to keep you alive"

Glancing at Barkly he waves a hand towards her again saying "Have some heat!" A bonfire erupts under the strider, heating the rocks and warming her body. "Oh, I guess I can do that, cool!"

After playing in the rain and puddles for awhile with Kasi, Merkas moves out and starts drying off. "Y'know Haz, being the best adventurers in the town, and trying to always make things better might be the best idea to draw out the ones trying to kill us. Thanks for thinking so clearly on that. But do we rush back or should we take our time as we still have, two or three days before the task is due? Not sure which is better, sooner we get back the less the people suffer and all. Kasi and Barkly don't handle the cool nights all that well but we could take turns resting on the wagon so we aren't too tired when we get back"

Sharn sneaked out of the range of the rain and adjusted his wide brimmed hat. He exhaled slightly, miracles never ceased with Sera. However, for him, baths and the use of water were one of the few private things his people had, back when they still wondered, aimless and roadless. He didn't look down at the misuse of water, well intentioned and magical as it was, but he would bathe on his own in the future ... eventually. For now, he simply diverted his gaze to the darkness. The stars would light and protect. (22 perception to keep his eye out for possible threats attracted by the sudden smell of fresh water in a desert)

The gentle rain fell over them like a blessing, soaking through dust-caked hair and sun-warmed clothes. Sera tilted her face to the sky, letting the droplets trail down her cheeks and into the collar of her tunic. It felt good—more than just clean. Rejuvenating. Like her god was pressing a cool hand to her soul and whispering, You’re not done yet. Keep going.

Even with the long road behind them and more ahead, even with the soreness in her backside from bouncing on the hard wooden bench of the wagon, she felt lighter somehow. Brighter. Like maybe, just maybe, things were turning.

Soon they’d be back in Santech.

She could sense it in everyone—the quiet eagerness. A shared, restless energy to return. To report. To deliver the precious crates. To make the good they’d done matter.

She gave a soft exhale through her nose, flicking wet hair back from her eyes. "Alright," she murmured to herself, hands on hips, a little grin on her lips. "Let’s bring it home."

Barkly twitters merrily at the sudden presence of fire. Her mood seems to lighten. It's not as good as a successful hunt, but it's better far better than a chill wind and rain.

Speaking of chill wind... cool air begins wafting down the mountainside. But Kasi's spirits are high as she steps out of the rain, shakes herself dry, and puts her sackcloth dress, backpack, and quiver back on. Picking up her bow last, she tests the string, and straps it on her shoulders. Then, dutifully, she begins breaking down camp. She buries the scraps to hide their passage, and tosses the rest of the supplies into the remaining nooks and crannies of the cart. She puts the smelly jackal cloak and Firenewt helmet back on her head, then hops onto the bench. Setup takes about a half hour.

Barkly doesn't seem to want to leave her comfortable perch, but she dutifully complies when Merkas approaches to mount her and ride alongside the cart. The march through the wilderness is quite musical. Wild animals skirt the path curiously, on their way to catch their night's meal, or avoid becomming one, making their territorial or mating cries.

After several hours of marching,, you hear a small screeching sound coming from your left... something like a cross between an angry cat and a hissing serpent, and notice a pseudodragon guarding it's tiny lair in an opening in the mountainside. The stomping of its tiny claws must seem fierce to it, but to you, it may almost seem endearing. The size of its cave is barely large enough to crawl into if you went single-file. It arches its back to make itself look big, and Barkly leers at it with hungry interest.

“You wanna try again, Barkly?” Merkas asks the Strider as Barkly watches the psuedodragon. “Anyone know if this thing would cause trouble if we left it alone? Seems strange it’s out here like this? Kasi, are these things important to kobolds?” 

Slowly guiding Barkly off the side of the road in a gradual curve to cone back on the den, Merkas barely waits for an answer. 

“I dont know but I wouldn’t…” Hastos replies as Merkas heads off the trail.

”…try it.” He finishes flatly.

As Merkas and Barkley get some distance from the group, Hastos leans in to Sera and whispers…

Sera watched as the little pseudodragon hissed in their direction. It was more cute than threatening, and she had no desire to disturb the creature. But when she noticed Merkas starting to guide Barkley for a possible hunt, her expression turned firm.

“Please… leave the little creature alone,” she said gently but with resolve. “You’ve already fed, and there’s no need to kill unnecessarily.”

Then Hastos spoke up, shifting the conversation toward their imminent arrival in Santech—and the danger that would likely follow. Merkas and Barkley would be prime targets, he said. Sera nodded, her expression tightening.

“I don’t like pretending we don’t know,” she muttered, folding her arms. “Waiting for them to make the first move just… feels wrong. But I guess we have to.”

Working his way closer, Merkas starts thinking out loud about the last time he saw a psuedodragon, “was it back in the town he was hired in for the wagon train, or maybe it was that one battlefield where the magic made the animals all look like the came from another plane of existence. Oh, right! Bucky had one!” He starts looking closer at the critter guarding the small cave, wouldn’t be that small for a kender he figures. (Perception check: 10 does Merkas recognize this psuedodragon as Bucherans, Jasper?) 

Quote from Hrothbert_Neruca >>

“You wanna try again, Barkly?” Merkas asks the Strider as Barkly watches the psuedodragon. “Anyone know if this thing would cause trouble if we left it alone? Seems strange it’s out here like this? Kasi, are these things important to kobolds?” 

Slowly guiding Barkly off the side of the road in a gradual curve to cone back on the den, Merkas barely waits for an answer. 

 Kasi looks at it with general amusement. "Pseudodragon not a dragon. More like... house pet. This one look feral. No master.Might have treasure. Might make nice companion."

She makes some trilling sounds at the pseudodragon that sound bird-like at first, then lowers it to more closely resemble a cat. The pseudodragon looks at her with confusion, cocking its head to the side. It calls back... a chittering, mewing sound, like the cross between a dinosaur and a cat. It arches its back and flutters its wings to increase its size. Kasi doesn't seem alarmed by the presence of pseudodragons. They're fairly common in the region, and are often hunted for their leather. Black market traders will often attempt to pass off pseudodragon hides as actual draconic hides for bounties, but a discerning shopper can tell the difference. The scales are much smaller, and their hides are much thinner and softer, which make for excellent quivers, waterproof pouches, jewelry, and fashionable gloves. But their hides provide no real armor benefits, which hold a much higher value in these wartorn times.

Kasis comment and trilling make Merkas pull Barkly up short of attack. “You want a dragon Gramma? Be nice to have a companion around your shop. This one has enough fight in it it may just keep the robbers at bay.”

Guiding Barkly to lower so he can dismount. Merkas starts digging through his pack as he chats. “What you think it likes? Food? Water? Oh, maybe some treasure of their own?” With that he pulls out a couple garnets and a two gold coins. He turns and takes a couple steps nearer the cave entrance, kneeling down with hands outstretched, garnets in his left palm and coin in his right. “Here you go. You want to have a nice warm home and dry place to sleep. Gramma could take care of you and maybe you could be friends with Jasper” (16  - Animal Handling befriending/taming) 

Sharn ruminated, hand in his mustache. Kasi was explaining to him some of the kobold fighting style. How to become a smaller target and take advantage of a distracted enemy. Then, he himself was distracted by Merkas about to adopt another animal. The string of words Kasi unleashed was unintelligible to the dwarf, but despite the difference in language, he recognized the reprimand tone of an old woman.

The pseudodragon remains arched and tense, but its eyes widen at the treasure. Cautiously, it approaches, whipping its stinger around behind it in deliberate arcs. It chirps curiously as it approaches, twitching its head in rapid movements to look at Merkas, then at the treasure, then back to Merkas. When it finally approaches, it reaches out with both clawed hands like a racoon, and snathes the garnet, popping the jewel into its mouth, and backing up several steps, with its stinger held high as defense.

Merkas feels a telepathic insinuation... nothing to precise. It's a wave of conflicting emotions: fear, distrust, happiness for the baubles, and hunger. It scurries back into its lair, and comes out a few moments later with a pair of old socks in its mouth. It drops them in front of Merkas, then looks down at the socks and back at Merkas, as if pleased with the terms of the trade. The socks are quite dirty, but they don't have any holes in them. They appear to have been used as padding for its den.

Kasi considers Merkas's offer. "It much danger for pseudodragon in town. Tekel's thugs will kill it for hide. Kasi do not know if Kasi can protect. It much cute though."

The kender is obviously a little deflated but smiles none the less. "Not a good idea then? Okay, I will let Buckeran know there's another one out here, maybe he can come get them for a friend for Jasper" Taking one of the socks and setting a coin down before taking the other, Merkas pulls a strip of dried jackal and sets it beside the coin. "Here ya go little one. I feel two socks need two payments. So here's coin and some meat. A friend may be by later to help some more but I can't promise to much. You be sure to stay hidden though, some people aren't as nice as us"
Climbing back aboard Barkly and guiding them back to the wagon. "Guess since we're faster than the cart we best scout ahead. You all be moving along nice and steady we'll circle around in a bit, for some reason the night seems much brighter." The duo move off and in a few moments there's a flash of light which flickers for a bit before dissipating and then another off in another direction as Merkas can be heard faintly saying "Have some heat" with every cast of create bonfire, both to keep Barkly warm and to give some light for the kender to see.
(Survival with Barkly and Map = 14)

Sera watch how Merkas is good with animals and gets a pair of nice socks from it. She can sit and enjoy the stars and the chill night sky. Longing for a nice bed to rest in and deliver the crates. The geas nagging at the back of her mind like some bad itch.

Arriving in Santech feels like a hero’s welcome. The people are overjoyed at the sight of the crates, cheering and celebrating their return. Sera can’t help but feel a bit embarrassed by all the fuss—but then, the weight of the geas lifts. She’s fulfilled the terms, and a breath of relief escapes her lips.

Still, the excited outburst that “the town is saved!” leaves a bitter taste. It isn’t saved. Not yet. The Dragonarmy is still out there, still pushing forward. But for now... for this moment, let them celebrate.

Sera is tired. Bone-deep tired. She hopes they’ll get some proper rest soon. Her eyes drift toward Merkas’ new strider, and a small frown forms.

She really hopes that thing doesn’t snatch up some overly curious child for breakfast. Where is he even going to keep it? That’s his problem, she decides. Don’t get pets if you can’t take care of them.

“Shall we just seek out Verhenna for the payment,” she asks the others with a tired smile, “and then go get some rest?”

As the townsfolk celebrated them, Sharn looked at his companions with a genuine smile across his lips. Everyone, including Kasi, followed their path formed in the soil. A small good done, before they would continue against a greater evil. Several factors still gnawed at the back of his mind, however. The dwarven architecture, the dragon, the request to keep the kobolds a secret and lie about their fate. So many things, so little guidance. For now, it was enough. Enough to be heroes; enough to provoke awe; enough to bring back a bit of hope.

He lowered his wide brim hat, against the shinning sun. "I think you're right, lets."

Barkly moves up beside the cart, Merkas still perched atop the strider. “Sorry guys but Barkly ‘n me won’t leave this cart until it’s properly stored and under guard. If you want you can take the horses home, Barkly will easily pull the cart anywhere it needs to go, won’tcha girl?” He pats the side of the striders neck as he says the last part before continuing. “These were already taken once, not gonna let that happen again if I can help it. The Lady Verhana can come release the spell from me here if it’s necessary, but until it’s put away I don’t consider it’s safe”