In agreement, Rezivah took a short rest. Not too far from the hedron, she stares half-dazed at the sky as she lays on the ground. When was the last time I went two days without feeding.. Rezivah gulped loudly. The most severe effects normally apparent during this lack of blood were still not present, but that didn't mean she didn't feel terrible. Kayn suggested laying traps for the night. Ugh.. That would mean another night. Rezivah was sure she'd feel the more drastic symptoms by tomorrow. It was a slippery, steep slope past the first day without, and it only gets steeper and more slick.

After an hour, Rezivah felt her mana reserves about her once more. She gets to her feet and approaches Kayn. He was still in the same spot just staring at the hedron, seemingly frustrated. "Are you ready, Kayn? Have you found the black rune?"

Vesra woke just as the sun was beginning to set. She had a wonderful dream, one that had given her an idea. The druid ached everywhere, but she was anxious to stretch her legs. Where was Vasha? It didn't matter, she didn't need her sister's help right now. Vesra looked around, realizing that her clothes and belongings had all been consumed by the laval. She sighed, wrapping the blanket around her so that it at least offered a small amount of coverage.

The kor was wobbly on her feet, but the gnarlid was instantly at her side to steady her. "Thanks," she whispered, clutching its hide tightly. With the support of the gnarlid, she was able to walk all the way to the hedron. It was slow going, but she made it.

"Hey, Kayn, Rezivah," she smiled, one hand holding the blanket up and the other on the gnarlid. "Do either of you have a dagger I could borrow?"

"These!" Kayn points at the notes he took, "Are utterly useless. I left the book back in Affa for a reason. The scholar was complete gracko!" It wasn't immediately apparent what the goblin word meant, but anyone with a little intelligence could figure it out. "The only thing close to this rune's figure is here," he points towards the base of the 'door' on the right side. "I can't guarantee it will work... but we can try," he adds. When he gets back to Affa he plans on burning that book. The false knowledge in that tome was an insult to scholars everywhere. He was half-tempted to hunt the author down and feed him to his vampire companion. 

He turns when Vesra approaches and gives her a soft smile. A single tear rolled down his cheek at the sight of her. "You're still beautiful," he says, handing her his dagger.

Just as Rezivah finished asking Kayn about his findings, Vesra came out from the brush along with Kayn's pet. She looked even more delicate than ever, wrapped in a blanket. Her face still had marks from the most severe of burns, and all of her hair was gone. Oddly, she asked for a dagger. Rezivah reached to a strap on her inner thigh. "Uh, yea-" Kayn had beaten her to it. Kayn was right. The Kor still had a sort of mystic beauty about her. "If you want another, I've got one for you."

Rezivah turned back to where on the hedron the goblin pointed in his academic fit of anger. "Alright. Here we go. You should stay back, Vesra." Rezivah steadied herself in preparation for the sickening feeling, and once again touched the occult stone, pushing her black mana into the designated rune. The strange symbol flares up with blackish-purple flames tracing the its face. Standing back up, Rezivah looks over Kayn with an accomplished smile. Not long after however, about a minute, the rune dims and is no longer illuminated.

"Wha.." Rezivah looks at the 'door' of the hedron. "I think, maybe.. we need to find all of the runes, and funnel the colors of mana according to their runes, all at once. I believe the amount of mana was sufficient, as well." She looked to Kayn. "We would need everyone."

"I'm not planning to stick around here, but thank you for the dagger," Vesra said softly. "Mine is melted... Anyway, I'll be off then. Let me know if you need any help."

The druid turned and walked back into the forest with her gnarlid crutch. She followed the trail that she had walked just that morning, even though it felt like it had been a lifetime ago. The druid walked until she found the scorched trail. Fire had always been a part of her, and now it seemed to be an even bigger, more visible piece. She had been reborn from the ashes of this experience, just like the phoenix she had seen in her dream. Her old druidic focus had just been her quarterstaff, but that had also been consumed by the flames. She needed a new one, and she had just the idea.

Just as she had remembered it, she found a tree that had been burned by the hellion's trail. Vesra hummed to herself as she carved away a block of the charred wood, getting ready to whittle it into the desired shape. The work wasn't too taxing, and it was nice to be away from everyone else for a brief moment. Of course, she knew that Kayn could see her and that the gnarlid was basically just her babysitter, but it still felt like she was alone. Every time someone looked at her, she could see the pain, worry, and pity in their eyes. It, quite frankly, sucked asphodel.

Vesra poured green mana, time, and a few castings of druidcraft into her new focus, but it was soon ready. The token was a blackened phoenix, looking as if it was about to take off in flight. Shoots of green vines wrapped around the token, and a small, white elderflower lay directly over the wooden creature's heart. It was beautiful, and just looking at it made her smile. The kor made a few of the green vines elongate and wrap around her neck, turning the focus into a necklace. "Thank you for your help," Vesra smiled as she scratched the gnarlid behind the ears.

Kayn nods repeatedly. "There is always a pattern, but we need to identify which rune is which. I think it'll be easier now that I know where to look though." The gnarlid continues to help Vesra in whatever she needs as Kayn continues his research. He smiles as he does. Seeing Vesra take her struggles head-on as she did... never wavering in her strength, made him feel invigorated. No wonder the Kor was chosen. She should never doubt herself. 

Before night comes, he takes Rezivah out to set snares and traps for any local animals that might be around. It's rare that he doesn't catch something so he's confidant it'll help in the vampire's hunger. "If you feel the hunger at night, remember the location of these snares. You will find something, I hope," he tells her. "If not... try to tie yourself to a tree with the remaining rope before the hunger takes you. We will feed you at that time." 

Rezivah nodded. "Perhaps it is a pattern, instead of being filled by mana all at once.

The setting of traps was.. distasteful to say the least for Rezivah. She did appreciate what the goblin was doing, however. She hoped to the suns something would be captured. She did as Kayn suggested and took mental note of the location of the snares, identifying quick markers in their surroundings with each placement, and looking in the direction of the hedron to get a bearing on where they were from camp.

"Thank you, Kayn. You're an odd specimen of goblin, you know that?"

Ato stayed in camp for a time, resting, though he wasn't particularly fatigued. He had nothing to offer Vesra to aid her recovery, and she had her sister with her now. When they began to talk quietly, and the sounds of crying started, he got up and left, giving them their privacy.

He walked over to where Kayn and Resivah were working together on the puzzle of the hedron. Kayn continued to puzzle over his notes, working with the vampire as they worked out the idea of the colors of mana. "Can I help somehow?" he finally asks, when Resivah mentions needing everyone.  "I'm quite strong with blue mana, and some affinity with black as well." As he approaches the goblin, making this offer, he stops suddenly, in a moment of inspiration. "Kayn," he asks slowly, after a moment of consideration. "Are you familiar with the gods of my people? Most hold faith in Ula or Emeria, the gods of sea and sky, but there is another, Cosi the Trickster. His followers see great power in the chaos which so often cracks the world." He emphasizes this last statement, giving the goblin a pointed look. 

Ato's appearance startles Kayn while he's researching. "I am familiar with the basics of mortal religions, but I throw no value into them. How would the knowledge of Corsi help in determining the rules of this hedron?"  He's genuinely curious. His experience with goblins making up gods to explain every...single... thing has made him weary of any gods that even more knowledgeable species worship. 

"I have an... artifact. It hadn't occurred to me until now, but it might help you. I don't really know, but I think, now, you should see it. Let me fetch it from my pack. Please, keep this between us for now. The twins, and Veythe, may ask unpleasant questions."

Ato returns to the campsite to find all three women gone. Good. Fewer questions. He digs into his pack, removing an item, carefully wrapped in layers of cloth to protect it. Cradling the heavy object in his arms, he returns to the hedron, only to find both goblin and vampire also gone. He sits near Kayn's books and notes, waiting for them to return, as he knows they will, drawn by the mystery of the hedron.

"I asked if you knew anything of Cosi earlier because it relates to this." Ato produces a heavy stone tablet and slides it across to the goblin. About the size of a sheet of paper, though much thicker, the surface of the tablet is engraved with the runes of the ancients, as the hedron have been.  Kayn's eyes go wide at the sight of the relic. "How did you come across this?" He asks.  "Do you have a cipher of any sort? Something that will translate what is written upon it?"

 "It was in a hidden temple, dedicated to Cosi," respondes Ato. "The walls and an altar this rested on were covered in murals telling the story of how Cosi fooled the Eldrazi and attained his godhood. I have no idea what this says or means, no. I'm hoping you can make sense of it."
 
Rezivah sees Ato with a strange block of stone. Once closer, she sees that it's filled with the same strange etchings of hedrons. Rezivah eyed the merfolk with an ounce of peculiarity. The merfolk was the only one hidden among the group when I first met them. He's also the one I've spoken to the least. Now he has this?

"I may be able to, with research Ato. Is there anything on this tablet you can recognize?" The goblins hopes that he were taught at least one of the runes on the tablet. It would help immensely. "I'm sorry, Kayn, no. It's all meaningless symbols to me, just like those." He waves at the vault hedron. Seeing those reminded me I had this. I'd forgotten, in all the excitement." Seeing Resivah approach, Ato looks up at her too. "Any ideas? Have you seen anything like this among your... kind?"  He wasn't sure he trusted her yet, but she'd been helping Kayn, so trust had to start somewhere. "No, I'm sorry," answers Resivah.  "My life hasn't been led so near hedrons until now. I've seen some depictions throught my life among the things I've studied. Today has been my first real exposure."

 Kayn actually recognized a few of the runes from his research, but none that would immediately pop out to him as important for his research. Instead he offers, "I might be able to add this to the notes I currently have, Ato. It will help... and I'll relay any translations I am able to pull."  He grabs a blank piece of parchment from his scrollcase and begins to copy an etching of the tablet with a line of chalk.  Ato nods at the wizard's words. "That's all I really expected, Kayn. I just hope it may help us with this." Turning to Resivah he adds, "I wondered if maybe the vampires used the old runes in their art or architecture maybe. You might have seen them in another context."

 "Yes. I've seen some etchings and read some things but.. I need to... rest." Hopefully, those snares will catch something... "I'll just take my leave for now. Thank you for taking the time with the snares, Kayn. Tomorrow." Rezivah waves passively as she walks into the brush leading to camp. She was holding her stomach now. Her eyes stung and her throat ached.

 "Her hunger is rising," Kayn says.  Soon she'll turn on us, I fear. He keeps that thought to himself for now...  "I... hadn't thought of that, out here. In town, they seem to have plenty of slaves to feed from." Back in task, Kayn cant pull hus eyes from the rune-covered stone. "At the very least this tablet will help when weeding out the author's theorized runes. At the most, it'll reveal the rune for blue mana. It's a huge help!!!"
 "Yes, blue and black, actually, if it has anything to do with Cosi and mana. We... He has that affinity." Ato tries to cover the slip. "We'll need a focus of blue mana," Kayn says. "It seems to take a lot, and we might have to do it all at the same time or in a sequence. I do not know yet."  Ato nods. "I can help with that. As much as you need, I expect."  Kayn nods his thanks and sits down next to his notes. The etching will help a lot, he feels. If even one of these runes are similar to what he has observed on the hedron he might have another breakthrough tomorrow!

-------------------------
 His conversation with Kayn finished, Ato leaves the little wizard to his studies. Looking up at the night sky, the mer's mind wanders and he thinks on this strange group of companions he's found himself with. The vampire, Resivah. She has a name he reminds himself, an interesting new addition. He wasn't sure how much he trusted her yet, but their paths were intertwined for now, and she was obviously suffering from lack of feeding. She needed to be strong to be of use, if nothing else. Mind made up, crazy as the idea may seem, Ato embraced the random nature of the idea and went to find Resivah.

 Rezivah had made her bedding a little aways from the rest of the group, nearer to the cliff. This day, she felt the hunger affecting her body. She felt weaker, more fragile, and tired. She wasn't sure of it, but her body was shaking despite the fact that vampires don't feel the cold. The snares.. they should catch something.. They should have something for me tomorrow...  Just as Rezivah was about to pull her knees into her chest and hold herself, she heard steps approaching her. She willed herself halfway upright, anchoring her upper body with her palms to the earth. It was the merfolk, Ato.

Ato approaches, the pale form of the vampire visible in the darkness. "How hungry are you, Resivah? Are you dangerous to us? Will you be? I don't know anything about your... needs."
 "Even if I described it, I'm unsure you'd relate. I'm not dangerous to you, I don't think. Not yet." If those traps yielded no results, I.. Rezivah was actually unsure. "Kayn has laid snares for me. I know where they are. I will wake at dawn and partake of their trappings. You needn't worry yourself."

 Frowning, Ato moved closer, trying to get a better look at her face. She didn't sound as confident as her words would imply. "You need to be strong to be useful here. We don't know what we'll face when we get that hedron open and if any of us are weak, it puts us all at risk. Bad enough that Vesra nearly killed herself, and Vasha is so distracted by that she's all but useless to us, but YOU I can do something about. I can give you the blood you need, if you can control yourself and not kill me in the process. Can you?"

 Rezivah's eyes furrowed but her eyes showed a gleeful greed as her mouth parted, an ecstatic desire that knew it could be satiated. "Yes. I just can't make direct contact with you. Think of it as an.. illness passed through directly." She paused for just a moment. "You'd have to be cut. Somewhere," the first word to come to her mind was 'nice', "with a steady flow, and I'd have to be restrained. I don't think I must tell you why."

 Ato shies back at the feral gleam that lights up Resivah's face, but steels himself to the decision he's already made. "So be it. Do we keep this from the others? For now, at least? I care not." He hesitates, then forges on.  "I have a, hmm, professional understanding of anatomy. I can cut myself to bleed enough, but not bleed out by accident. I may be able to control you as well, if you don't resist the magic."

 "I think in secret would be better, for now. I'm unsure how the majority of your group would feel about you.. doing this. Even if you do cast something, I still insist on being restrained physically."

 "You are probably right. I don't know what they'll say either. I'll be back." Ato quietly returns to camp, gathers a length if rope from his pack and returns to Resivah. "Come, let's just get this over with." They find a solid tree and Ato ties the vampire to it, checking and double checking the knots. That done, he rolls up a sleeve, exposing the tender flesh inside and above his elbow. He pulls a knife from his belt, giving Resivah a last chance to change her mind, not expecting to turn back now. He nods, grits his teeth and with A sure, practiced motion, makes a cut and the blood begins to flow freely down his arm. "Drink then." He lets it run off his fingers and into the vampire' s waiting maw...

Rezivah made no motion to stop. She wanted this. She needed this. She watched him pull his blade, her pupils trembling. Watched him sever the soft veil of skin covering his flesh, gulping incessantly. Watched the red essence flow forth, panting, her chest heaving against her bonds. Down his forearm, his hand, his fingertips.. She exhaled with a soft sound the moment before the first drop touched her tongue. And just like that, a switch was flipped in Rezivah's mind. A door was opened. No, a dam was flooded. Rezivah gulped and lapped at the small stream of crimson, feral sounds escaping her throat as she snapped and bucked within her restrains. Her nails were digging in the ground, her legs kicking the dirt. Her eyes gleamed with a hunger that just couldn't be humanoid. This was an animal, not a civilized being. Rezivah, or this mad creature that was Rezivah, made no indication of stopping. No motions or sounds that placated satisfaction. Her yearning was ceaseless. (Strength save against rope 6, Wisdom save to try to stop 4)

 Ato was stunned by the vicious, animalistic change, it happened so quickly. He kept his courage, letting her feed, the minutes passing until he could feel himself starting to grow faint from the blood loss.  Finally he pulls away and uses a strip of cloth to the off the wound and covered it with his sleeve. The others shouldn't notice, he thought. He sat back and waited, curious how long it would take Resivah to come back from wherever she'd lost herself to this animal before him.

 It was gone. It was taken away! I need more! Rezivah's eyes seered bright scarlet against the dark of the night, like an evil, malevolent beast. She growled and hissed gritting her teeth, blood-smeared and gleaming  in the light of the moon. She continued to claw and kick the earth. The rope Ato had used to restrain the animal to the tree creaked and groaned under a sudden burst of strength as her growls and snarls became almost a roar, but they held. After some time, who knows how many minutes, Rezivah's growling stopped. Her struggling ceased. Her breathing calmed and she was silent. She was utterly still except for the slow, rythmic indication of her breathing.

 When she finally fell still, Ato moved closer to check on the vampire, only to find her sound asleep. He signed softly in relief. Sensing the risk over, he gently untied the rope which had served so well and left her to rest and recover. Rising to his feet, drained (literally) and exhausted, Ato made his way back to camp and collapsed into his bedroom, slipping into a deep, dead sleep himself.

Vesra, and the gnarlid, made their way back to the camp. She already missed a certain degree of freedom, but the druid also knew that she could barely walk without something to lean on. On the way back, Vesra finally worked up the courage to stop at the creek and look at her reflection. She knew that she must have looked pretty monstrous, but Vesra hadn’t actually seen the damage yet. 

“I know it’s strange, but I think the weirdest thing about my new face is that I don’t have any eyebrows,” she said to the gnarlid. “If I didn’t count myself as lucky to even be alive, perhaps I’d be upset about it. But if this is the price I have to pay to be allowed to come back, then so be it.”

The druid sighed before rising to her feet and walking the rest of the way back to camp. “Kayn, you know you don’t have to send gnarlid with me all the time,” she greeted the goblin, who appeared to be the only one in the camp at that exact minute. “I appreciate the company, but honestly I’m doing much better.”

"I...," kayn kicks a small rock, "I think it was because of me you got hurt a little," he says. "I asked for people to look around. If I didn't say that, you might have been ok." He looks over at the gnalid and it comes back to him. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I only thought maybe you wanted the help. I know it's dumb to blame myself, but I want you to be sure that I didn't mean to cause the harm you suffered."

Veythe next to the water and Vasha, a little frown across her face. She let Vasha do what she willed for a moment, curious about why she wanted Veythe here. What did Vasha wish to talk about? After a moment, Veythe sighed, tugged out her dulcimer--she'd been spending so much time with the lyre she felt a change was needed--and carefully began to pluck at its strings.

"Hearts beating as one, thoughts churning, gut burning, we're purging the wounds. Blood stopping, feet stomping, a brokenness resides. It's drawing us, clawing us, crawling inside--but our hearts still beat as one--still churn and twist, thoughts in closed fits, what's asunder will be missed...hearts beating as one."

Vasha blinked, suddenly remembering Veythe was there, when she began to sing. She listened, staring into the water before her, almost lost in the song, the voice of the bard. "You should sing more," she said softly. "You have a lovely voice. I'd like to hear it more often."

Veythe stopped singing, but she continued to pluck at the strings of the Dulcimer.

"I often don't know what to sing," Veythe said. "Sound is easier than making words." She looked over at Vasha. "What is going on, Vasha?"

Vasha’s brain was flooded with information, but she didn't know where to start. So many things fought to get out, to be said. For a few moments, she was at a loss for words. Finally, she turned toward Veythe and held out a hand. "Could I see your dagger please?"

Cautiously Veythe pulled out Angel, the oldest of her daggers. She flipped it around until the blade was in her hand and held it out toward Vasha. "What do you intend to do with it?" she questioned.

Vasha looked at the blade, shining in the last few hints of the suns' light. Deep in thought, she looked like she were still making decisions. Finally, she brought it up to her neck. With her other hand, she released the leather strap that pulled her long hair into a ponytail, releasing a cascade of silver white hair over her bare shoulders. She took a deep breath, then began to saw away at strands of hair.

Veythe blinked, and then bit her lip. "Vasha, come here. Let me help with that." Veythe didn't know why Vasha wanted to cut her hair, but doing so like this was only going to damage it. Plus there was the chance of Vasha knicking herself with the knife although Veythe doubted that.

Vasha paused, then handed the dagger back to Veythe. "Take it all off," she said quietly. "Every bit of it. I want it all gone." She positioned herself in front of Veythe, and closed her eyes, waiting.

"Alright," Veythe said softly. Carefully she gathered up Vasha's hair and began to cut away at the ends. She swiped her dagger through a few strands at a time so as to keep it mostly even as she could, making the cut as short as she could make it safely. "Is this a punishment, Vasha?" Veythe asked as she worked. "For what happened to Vesra?"

"No," Vasha replied. "Maybe. I..." she sighed. "Vesra said something to me earlier about us not being identical anymore. I don't want her to feel that way. I don't want her to feel bad when she looks at me." Tears slid down her cheeks as she felt Veythe removing strands of hair.

"Did she sound upset?" Veythe asked. She'd never had a sibling before, identicle or not, so she couldn't quite fathom the sudden loss the way Vasha and Vesra seemed to be going through. "Perhaps...the change might be good for Vesra?" Veythe opinioned softly. "Change hurts, and sometimes it feels like it's not for the better, but othertimes we just don't see the good in a change until well after it has happened."

"Did you ever notice why Vesra always wore a crown of flowers across her brow? The tattoo she bears on her forehead, that is the crest of our tribe. The crest of our family. The family we are no longer a part of. It was given to her as punishment. Not pride. Punishment. She always hated it for multiple reasons. What it stood for, the fact that it was done against her will." Vasha took a deep breath. Why was she telling Veythe this? The twins had never told anyone their secrets before. "Mainly she hated it because it made us unidentical. We'll never be identical again. There's just no way. So if I can remove my hair, and make myself a little more like her..." She trailed off, hoping Veythe would understand.

"Ah," Veythe nodded. "Then...I'll help however I can, but until we're back in a city I won't be able to cut this too short without risking cutting your skin." That Veythe could wrap her head around. She pursed her lips and focused on her task. Veythe found herself humming softly as she did so, trying to find a way to ask about the dirt--the hedron--anything really because there were a lot of questions. Of those included was why Vesra wandered off alone.

"Just get it short," Vasha said. "I'll do the rest. I'm... I'm sorry about what I said to you the last time we talked. About not wanting to like you." She sawllowed hard. "I nearly lost Vesra without telling her how much I love her. She would have died thinking I hated her. I'd never be able to live with myself, if that had happened. I... guess... what I'm saying is, I do like you. I trust you."

"Don't hurt yourself doing the rest," Veythe mumbled. She'd hate to see Vasha hurting herself just to look like her sister a bit more. When Vasha brought up their earlier conversation, Veythe paused, and then she sucked in a breath. "I'm...glad. I trust you, too." For a moment Veythe held the strands of hair she'd cut away in her hand, and then carefully she went back to work. "I don't have many people I can trust. Fewer those that would ever want me around for long."

Vasha frowned, unable to imagine anyone not wanting the girl around. "Anyone who wouldn't want you is a fool and an idiot."

For a moment Veythe didn't say anything, but then she began to sing. "Wine haired child, oh ill omen'd beast, when you wander into town, does the darkness feast. Upon your heelsteps death follows, begging, please; devours whole the path behind and the trails that go cold." Veythe licked her lips, and then sighed and continued with the next verse as she cut away a few more strands. "Bare a child, spare the babe, rip the sire from navel to nave, let the demons at your heels devour flesh and bone and steel--wine haired child, oh ill omen'd beast, when you wander into town, does the darkness feast."

Vasha listened in silence, wondering about the songs Veythe sang. "Tell me, what do these songs mean? I don't usually pay attention to people, so I don't hear the songs they sing. Do they mean anything?"

Did the songs have meaning? They weren't local ballads. Veythe could sing a local ballad if she wanted, but she preferred to pull out something from the feeling of the air--the people, or herself--songs for the souls. After a moment Veythe said softly, "It's...they don't have a..." Veythe sighed. "I create them. Out of feeling. Emotion. Setting, the world--people."

Vasha nodded gently, careful not to yank her hair from Veythe's grip. "I like it. I think I'd like to hear what kind of song I'd inspire in you. Would it be sad? Would there be a song at all? What about the others? You're interesting to me. I'm not often interested in other people."

Veythe laughed and pulled away the last bit of Vasha's hair that she needed to cut. She bundled the strands up together and hand them over to the kor. "Everyone has a song, Vasha," she said brightly. "Some songs are more words, others more sounds." She gave the kor an appraising look. "Something...with a strong beat. A mournfulness weaved through it, but rushing forward like a river. The words...if you want I could try here?"

Vasha took the dagger back and gave the girl a smile. "Sure, why not?" She looked at the bundle of hair, wrapping the leather strap around it. What would she do with it, she wondered. She placed it gently on the ground next to her, leaning over the river. She scooped some water with her hands and got what was left of her hair wet, then began to slowly scrape her scalp free of hair.

Veythe hummed and pulled her dulcimer back into her lap. She thrummed at it carefully, a steady plucked beat. Alongside the careful movement with one hand she began to pull at the other. Soft, somewhat mournful, slow--but slowly gaining strength and rushing forward, strong and fierce.

"Wind and water, bite and steel, chains won’t hold me nor will I kneel," Veythe sung. "Hope and freedom, love and pain. Bound together and together again. Dashing forward, protect the sun, still in the river as the waters run. Dam the flow, danger is near, let the waters rush--drown the fear. Heal the ailments, standing fierce. A protectors born--a protectors born. Dashing forward, protect the sun, still in the river as the waters run."

As the words came forth, Vasha paused, after having taken a couple strokes of hair off her scalp. The song was supposed to be about her? These words described her? She stared at her reflection in the blade of the dagger, watching tears begin to roll down her cheeks again. Once Veythe stopped singing, Vasha shook her head. "I can't protect anyone."

"I think it's just the opposite," Veythe said. "You protected Vesra when you were young, right?" She reached out and touched Vasha on the shoulder. "You try to protect her now. To protect yourself." Veythe gave her a smile. "You might stumble, and you might fall, but in the end you are still that protector of the sun--dashing forward, and stilling the waters in the rivers that run."

"Our father always said I was a failure. That Vesra would fall and get herself killed. He was right. I couldn't protect her. I couldn't protect Ellangil. I can't protect anyone." Vasha held up the dagger again, to scrape more hair away, but her hand trembled. She pulled the dagger away again, with a sigh.

Veythe clucked her tongue. "You can’t protect people from themselves," Veythe pointed out. "You can protect people from others--and that is what you do. From themselves? They need to learn to do that. That is not on you."

Vasha thought about what Veythe had said. Maybe she just needed to... let go. "Maybe you're right," she mumbled. She continued to scrape her scalp, knicking herself at least once, until she was free of hair. She rinsed off in the river and turned to Veythe, sadness written all over her face. Trying to put a smile on her lips, she asked, "Well? How do I look?"

Veythe chuckles. "Like a monk," she teased lightly. Baldness almost suited the other girl. "It's good. Here, let me see that cut."

Vasha smiled and brought her head close for Veythe. "Thank you for... well, everything," she said in a near whisper.

Veythe sneaked a kiss to Vasha's nose, and with a smile, "You're welcome."

Vasha jumped, surprised by the kiss. As her heart raced in her chest, she searched Veythe's face. "What..." She blushed madly, flustered, unable to move or speak.

"Your nose looked like it needed a nice kiss," Veythe said cheerfully. She nudged Vasha with her shoulder. "Now come on...we should all get some sleep, and I bet Vesra would be happy to have you near."

Vasha stared. Had she been blinded by other things? Had she missed the signs? Was she imagining things now? "Veythe..." she said, taking the girls hand. She was at a total loss for words.

Veythe blinked. "Yes?"

"I didn't realize..."

Veythe sighed. "Vasha...it's okay. Let's go back. You sister probably misses you, and it's been on trying day. Come on."

Vasha pulled her into a hug. As she held Veythe, her heart raced and she trembled. How could she never have noticed before? After those things she'd said to the girl before? "I'm not ready," she whispered into Veythe's ear. "Give me time."

Veythe patted Vasha on the back. "I understand," she said softly.

Vasha held her for a long time before pulling away. She was a flood of emotions and confusion, but she smiled. She brushed a thumb across Veythe's cheek. "Thank you. You've helped me more than you'll ever know."

Veythe chuckled and poked Vasha on the forehead, playfully. "I'm glad, Vasha. You are...interesting."

Vasha grinned, still blushing. She grabbed the bundle of hair and stood. Taking a deep breath, she released it, feeling like a different person. "Shall we go see what everyone else thinks?"

Together the two headed back to the camp.

“Oh Kayn,” Vesra smiled sadly as she absentmindedly stroked the gnarlid’s fur. “I’m afraid you’ll have to fight Vasha if you want to try and take on sole responsibility of my wellbeing.” The druid laughed at her joke, which was probably a mistake but it felt good to be alive. She refused to let this make her laugh any less. 

“Kayn, I kept climbing for a long time after I knew it wasn’t safe,” she said, a touch more serious. “Exploring was my choice, as was climbing into the nest of a hellion. Whether or not you had suggested it, I probably would have done something exceedingly stupid. These scars are my reminder, not yours.”

"Well," Kayn said as he saw Veythe and a newly bald Vasha coming up. "You never need to do things alone. We should all at least go in pairs when we do something that can be dangerous. Like them!" He says with a smile. Vasha was completely bald. It seems as though the goblin's hairdo was in fashion now. Before resting for the night, Kayn summons Sear. He flutters around the campsite nibbling on any insects that stray near. With any luck, Kayn will finally crack open that hedron tomorrow. 

The moon slowly rises across the sky as the night as the group's evening and nightly activities come to an end. Taking their turns on watch, another night passes by uneventfully. Gaining a long rest, the group rises in the morning to begin a new day under the blazing suns.

Roused for his turn on watch during the night, Ato had dragged himself from his blankets and forced himself to remain alert until he could return to them. As the twin suns rose and roused everyone, he awoke, feeling much himself again, restored after a decent night's sleep.  He looked around the campsite to see if Resivah had returned yet, but saw no sign of the vampire yet. If she wasn't back soon, he'd have to go check on her since no one else knew where she was. Kayn would be back at his studies soon, working to crack the runic puzzle of the hedron. Hopefully something on the tablet could aid in that task.