The hours passed as the rescuers and the rescued joined together to collect what they could and put some distance between the scene of carnage and a place where they could get some sleep for the night. The former slaves fell into some familiar routines as they broke into seperate groups to assist their saviors in the mundane tasks. Each former slave shifted into comfort zones as they women gathered and nurtured the children while the men helped prepare the wagons to ferry them all.

It was Aislinn that signaled the need for finding a place to make camp soon. It was Coren, Tob, and Yahim that scouted the vicinity to determine the area's relative security. It was everyone that helped to make the camp and prepare for the night. After the meal, the former slaves were secure in one area as the band of new friends sat at a seperate to discuss their next move. Giacomo stepped out of the shadows and into their firelight.

"I have been selected it would seem to see what plans you all might have for we whom you have so recently liberated. May I join you?"

In deference to the strangers in their camp, Yasminna retained Yahim's persona after camp was set rather than relaxing into her own personality, secure among friends. Puffing his pipe softly, he smiled at Giacomo and gestured to a empty space by the fire. "Pull up a rock or a log and be welcome. I meant to ask earlier, before our preparations got in the way -- you are a bard, are you not? I felt the power of your song when we were... taking care of things after the battle. No mere minstrel could have reached into our hearts and eased them so."

Giacomo nodded his head, “It is as you say. I am Giacomo: King of Jesters and Jester of Kings.” He said, throwing his cape back and bowing with mock flair. “I have played before Lords and Laborers; in lands heart and hinter. And, I am at your service – all of you.” He said sharing a short, rakish smile with Li-eira. The bard nodded and returned the priestess’ smile. “It was the least I could do.” He said with humility. “We all owe you a great debt; no doubt you saved us all from a horrible fate.”

Li-eira had enjoyed his enthusiastic greeting and returned his smile with a warm one of her own.

Coren rolled his eyes at this but didn't say anything about the telling smiles between Li-eira and Giacomo. Instead, to Giacomo he said, "Well met, bard. I am Coren dan Balor. From Freehold".

"Tob," said Tob, and he gestured casually with an arrow in his left hand to a spot on the logs around the fire for Giacomo to sit. He held a whetstone in his right hand, and having made his effusive greeting, he returned to the task of maintaining his arrows. His dark, stringy hair was still wet from the stream. As he worked carefully on the arrow head, he smiled in quiet satisfaction.

Aislinn looked up from where she was mending Li-eira's pants from the arrow that tagged her. She'd already mended Tob's and Coren's shirts, after insisting they take them off and have a quick wash in the nearby stream. Her smile was just as welcoming as the firelight. "Indeed, Giacomo. Sit and be welcome. We all really did appreciate what you've done today."

Her sincerity was evident in the fact that she still wore her wildflower laurel at a jaunty angle. It seemed as if she'd forgotten it was even there.

Janus regarded the man in the orange light of the fire, he took a deep pull on his long stemmed pipe, and spoke as he exhaled the pale blue smoke. "I am Janus, and its nice to meet you. I regret not being able to introduce myself earlier, but things were... hectic."

Janus, the name sounded familiar. Wasn't the apprentice of Goentryx' named Janus, could this be the same? "Are you the Druid Janus?"

Janus chuckled a bit in spite of himself, at Giacomo's reaction to his introduction The first time I actually heed Yahim's advice and try to be sparse with information, and the blighter already knows me. He Nodded, more than a bit of curiosity in his eyes. "Aye, thats me, How do you know that, though?"

"I wasted more than a few nights in Derugar and I listen as well as I speak. Tales of Goentryx' fame are many and great; I know your name by its connection to his. That is all." Giacomo sat down on a log and dropped the bag holding most of his possessions beside him. His pants and boots were well-made and well-worn. “Before your trip was interrupted, where were you headed? If that’s not asking too much.”

A reply was on Li-eira's lips, but just before she spoke it, she remembered Yahim's extreme caution on the matter. With effort she held her tongue and decided to let Coren blunder into that one.

Coren removed his wineskin from his mouth and eyed the bard with a cocked and bushy eyebrow. With his thumb he gestured over his shoulder to the south.

"We were on the main trail back that way, heading out...", he began, then glanced over to Yahim who was puffing on his pipe, and continued with the merest of pauses, "... to seek our fortune".

With his love of money, Coren hoped the bard would infer the obvious from that rather than the other meaning. He took another swig of his wineskin and let someone else elaborate further.

Li-eira couldn't help but grin at her big friend, surprised that he kept any discretion in the matter at all. She didn't understand the need for such secrecy, but then again the last person you would want to tell a secret to was a bard.

"If there is a fortune to be had," Yahim agreed smoothly, surprised and pleased that Coren remembered. "That was the most action we've seen since we left Per. But where were you going, Giacomo, and how is it you found yourself captured with yonder townsfolk?" He knocked the ash around in his pipe a bit, then retrieved another ember from the fire to relight it. "And I am Yahim Atafahdi at your service, gentle master."

"I take great pleasure in meeting you; all of you. I am sure that I would not have long been the man I am in the custody of those creatures." The bard ducked his head slightly and appeared to blush just a bit. “Ah – yes; how indeed.” He began, reclining a bit as he did. “Two town north, I … well … I was accused of making unwanted advances toward the mayors daughter: a pretty girl of 17 or so, fiery, long hair; a young and supple figure; her fingers strong but delicate, and a face that – until today – I would have described as beautiful.

Li-eira had been listening intently to the bard and suddenly found herself rather uncomfortable with his scandalous details. She let her eyes stray to the ground at her feet but continued to listen keenly to his story.

"Advances: I made and do not deny or regret (how could I, considering how they found us); but, unwanted - please and no." Giacomo scratched the normally well-groomed beard around his chin. “Her father commanded the local sheriff take me prisoner which he accomplished without incident. I was held in a cell and told that I was to receive 40 lashes from a single strap in the morning (most unpleasant) and then run out of town. However, I was able to convince the guard to allow me to leave and with the hours head-start I had, I managed to run directly into those creatures you dispatched earlier.” He sat up a little and pulled his cloak around his body against the cold. “I am certain that one of the sheriff’s men saw that I had been captured and returned to tell his betters that their job was being done for them.

“So – I am also headed south and, if it would not be a burden upon your caravan, I would ask to travel with you – at least until the time comes for us to part company.” The bard paused, “I can pull my weight: among other skills, I am a skilled cook; and earn a share of coin from any tavern that has people to part with it. However, if I would be a burden, east I’ll head for a day or two before continuing south. And in that; I’ll not be following you, but still considering you all my most fortunate passing acquaintance.”

Yahim chuckled softly, eyes glancing meaningfully at Janus. "A bard who knows Janus of Beldrem is in Northreach. Mayhap would be best if he traveled with us, but given his, ah, proclivities, perhaps we should leave it to the ladies to decide." The young Sundar was grinning irrepressibly at this notion. "It is they, after all, who'll have to decide if, and how best to defend their virtue from his advances."

The glint of secret mirth in those dark eyes was unmistakable.

The playful remark from Yahim was a bit more than Li-eira's delicate nature could handle. She was thankful that she was looking at the ground when the heat of her embarrassment set fire to her neck and cheeks. She wasn't offended, she knew it was nothing more than Yasminna's playful banter, but she wasn't able to engage in it lightly. She tried to make her tone light when she spoke, "No need to worry about my virtue, Coren does enough of that."

Aislinn sharply bit off the thread, close to the knot. Her blue eyes danced and twinkled in her face as she listened to the banter around the campfire. "Yahim," she said, giving the young Sundar a nudge with her foot. "You're decidedly incorrigible. Fortunately to keep you out of too much trouble, there's one of us able to give back as good as you give it," she grinned. "So, best watch yourself," she advised. Interestingly enough, she didn't seem concerned at all for her own 'virtue.'

Her mirthful face turned toward the bard and she nodded her head. "We had intended on helping the others get to the next settlement, which is a week to the east, Giacomo. We'd head back to Per, but we'd lose so much traveling time that way. I, for one, would welcome a hand here and there with cooking duties," she laughed lightly and handed the mended pants back to Li-eira. "Especially with our numbers swelled as they are."

"Thank you." Li-eira gave Aislinn a genuine smile, so appreciative for the lovely mother and how she cared for them all. She helped keep them in both pants and dignity.

"You should come with us," Tob said to the young minstrel.

"He should come with us," Tob reiterated to the rest of his traveling companions. "He tells detailed stories to everyone he meets, for a living. He knows who Janus is."

He returned his gaze to the unfortunate bard, continuing quickly. "You'll get a whip cracking story out of it, but I'm afraid you have to come with us."

Janus nodded, and chewed on his pipe stem as he thought about Tob's words. He turned to Giacomo, and raised an eyebrow "It would appear, that you have quite successfully done to yourself, what you tried to do to that girl in the last village. Tob is right, there should be a few fine stories, and perhaps an epic tale in it before the end, but you'll be traveling with us."

With an incredulous look, Yahim slapped his forehead with his hand, then laughed in chagrin. "Do your Derugarian people not have maxims regarding what you catch with honey, versus vinegar?" His next look, at Tob, was openly horrified. "Never mind! Forget I said that! I do not want to know!"

Tob cast a sidelong glance at Janus, and asked quietly, but loudly enough for Yahim to hear, "Ya think he means like the one about how shit grows flowers?"

Janus fought hard to not laugh, gritting his teeth on the pipestem as he replied, "I believe he was referring to the one about flowers drawing women."

"Agh! I said I did not want to know! Master Giacomo," the Sundar went on in a slightly more reasonable tone of voice, still shaking his head in wry humor. "Please do come with us. But as a fellow traveler, not a prisoner as your countrymen suggest. It is not an easy road we travel, but it will certainly be easier to bear with a bard's songs and stories."

For a moment, Aislinn looked confused and surprised that such a thing should be suggested. Then, her brain caught up with the logic of it, even as she fought hard not to giggle at the bantering going on. "I'll add my plea to Yahim's, here," she smiled. "You've helped us a great deal today, lightening our hearts and minds when otherwise we would have descended into the darkness of our own fearful uncertainties. I would welcome someone who knows how to bring forth a smile and laughter, even in those bleakest hours." Her sincerity showed in her smile, though her eyes held a hint of the seriousness of the road before them.

The light mood was refreshing, it was something that they rarely enjoyed. She looked across at Tob and Janus and was happy to see them bantering, easily forgiving them for suggesting that they make the bard join them. She took a moment to regard the bard and added her two coppers to the pile. "Giacomo, by no means am I suggesting that you have to travel with us." She smiled at him lightly, "However, it only makes sense to travel together until our paths go opposite ways. Traveling alone is a dangerous endeavor in dark times like these."

"Aye" noted Coren, his eyes darkening at Tob and Janus' implied threats. "We'll not be taking anyone prisoner nor holding 'em against their will here. And I'm still not convinced of the need for secrecy; the gods surely know where we are headed so we can't keep our destination from him".

"Join us, if you wish", Coren said to Giacomo with a nod. "But try to ration your gaudy ballads and roving eye".

Giacomo listened as the travelers bantered back and forth, they seemed like new friends and not long-traveled companions. They were hiding something from him – more than one thing, to be certain – but they were hiding something they felt was important. Important enough to nearly demand that he travel with them; despite their quickly softening position.

His furrowed brow wondered, quietly and to himself, just where they might be going that would cause such a reaction. However, any secret would be laid bare with time and travel; two things he reveled in. New traveling companions; the promise of some great secret; new roads to walk … all meant new tales to tell and new songs to sing. It was not that he didn’t desire the protection of traveling in numbers; but the promise of protection was nothing compared to the chance of a great adventure and wondrous places.

“I would enjoy sharing the road with you, for as long as the road and The Lady allow.” Giacomo said happily.

"Excellent," Yahim murmured, tapping the ash out of the bowl of his pipe. "Nothing makes a journey pass faster than stories and song, both of which have been sadly lacking on our journey. Well, except for when Coren is deep in his cups," he added, the teasing tone back in his voice. "But I would not call that `singing,' either."

Coren scowled at the swarthy companion but, for once, did not rise to the bait.

Janus nodded at the bard's sensibilities, in this matter. He noticed his pipe was exhausted, and tapped the ash out against the heal of his boot, as he spoke to the gathered companions. "There are a few matters of business to attend to, my friends." He began, as he started to reload his pipe. "We have a goodly number of folks in tow now, who may or may not want to travel with us towards the pass. They are penniless, and without food. We didn't bring enough food to support them all. I think that means unless they want to try to make Per on their own, their road lies with ours for the time being. Yes? Secondly the matter of coinage recovered from the Dolfanc. 105 gold pieces, in various denominations, that needs to be parted out. And a magic Ring to boot."

Janus drew a tinder from the fire, and held it over his bowl as he inhaled the fire, and lit his weed. Exhaling he continued. "I thought I heard Coren mention that the weapons and things the Dolfanc had would be valuable, and I think this is an excellent idea, but we should also think about giving them each a coin or three just to keep them fed and sheltered till such time as they can sell the weapons. The remaining coinage shared out equally, and the Magic Ring to someone we all think needs to be able to keep his or her feet stepping, no matter what an enemy may use to slow or stop us. My own two coppers worth of input would be Aislinn, or Yahim, for the ring."

It was refreshing to hear Janus' thoughts regarding the money. Li-eira was worried after speaking with Coren that she was a daft fool when it came to coin. "Personally, I'm quite happy to share the spoils with our new friends. It would do my heart good to know that they had enough to get them back on their feet when they reach their home."

Coren sighed. He'd had this argument with Li-eira and now it looked like he'd be having it with the rest of them as well.

"Why are you all so eager to be rid of the money that we earned?", Coren asked. "We risked our lives to set those fellows, and Giacomo here, free. That is true. But any spoils from the battle should belong to us - or at least a hearty portion of it".

"Of course, those people should have the wagons and horses. I don't think they'd manage the path we're going to be taking anyway", Coren continued to explain. "The weapons will bring a good price in a city like Per, which is where I was thinking of sending 'em. If these people stay with us for most of our journey it'll become obvious where we're going. And then you'll have dozens of folk to keep quiet".

"Anyway, the gold" Coren said, continuing on the subject that interested him the most. "I don't mind these people have some money to buy food and provide shelter..." Coren added, tugging on his beard and clearly not agreeing with his own words, "...but we should keep the majority. We deserve it".

Li-eira fiddled a bit with her skirt and pulled the ring out of her pocket, placing it on the palm of her hand. "I can say for certain that this ring is imbued with relatively powerful abjuration magic. However I have no clue what it can do for the one that wears it. If Janus is correct then I would like to see it in the hands of one of the three that were able to engage our foes with their weapons."

"Giving those poor souls some of the findings is really the only right thing to do," Aislinn added. "As to the ring," she shrugged. "I'm not sure where it would do the most good, if we don't know for certain what it does. You have no spells that can help with that, Li-eira?"

"No...unfortunately I don't." Her tone was regretful as she shook her head. "The quickest way to determine if Janus's suspicion is right would be to do a few experiments with it. My only fear is that if the object is cursed, then there would be ill effects to the owner. It is a mild fear at most...but not all arcane objects are good ones."

"I know little of magic rings other than children's tales -- is it possible the item could be held in reserve, and assigned as needed?" Yahim asked, stretching his legs in front of the fire. "My lady Li-eira, you may be the only one who can tell us."

"There would be no reason that you couldn't take off the ring and allow someone else to wear it. ...is that what you mean? Although it would be a lot less likely to get lost if someone had it on their person at all times." She smiled at that, clearly not wanting to be the one responsible for losing such a precious item.

"I might be able to be of some use where it comes to the ring." Giacomo threw in. "If you'd allow me to look it over ... once the lovely Li-eira checks it for curses and such."

"Of course." Li-eira looked at the bard and smiled. "There is nothing else I can do with it." She handed the ring to Coren so that he could pass it onto Giacomo.

Startled a little as Li-eira handed him the ring, Coren looked at it with a mix of wonder and disgust as he passed it on to Giacomo. He knew nothing of magic so he couldn't add to the conversation. But once the bard had it, Coren kept a close eye on him and the ring, making sure Giacomo didn't appropriate it.

While Giacomo studied the ring in the firelight, Yahim repacked his pipe. "Janus, I like your ideas for the disposition of those other goods we recovered today. I would see the former captives have enough coin to keep them out of harm's way while they find a way to sell those weapons -- assuming the law of these lands entitles them to do so, a point on which I am not clear. Surely the dolfanc had enough to pay for whatever expenses this part of the journey costs us. Coin is weight best kept to a minimum when one travels, I have found."

"How much coin will we need, where we're going?" Tob asked. "It's like any other provision, too much is a burden." He continued sliding the arrow head along the sharpening stone, smiling at the easy feeling of accomplishment that maintenance of his gear gave him.

Giacomo examined the ring thoroughly. He could see that there was a minor magical inscription but he was unable to recognize any of the lore associated with the ring. He handed it back to Li-eira in defeat.

"Li-eira, perhaps it is the best part of wisdom to give the ring to our lovely Mother Aislinn for safekeeping," Yahim said. "She should hold it in trust for us, using her level-headed practicality to decide who is best to wield it in any given situation. Does that solution meet with everyone's approval?"

Janus nodded, supposing to himself that all who were going to weigh in on the matter, had. "So Its settled then. Well give a gold coin to each of them, and let them have the materials to sell, and split the rest out six ways. Speak against it now, or let it be done." Janus paused, it was apparent he had more to say, and had to force it from his lungs.

Coren tugged on his beard (he seemed to be doing alot of that lately), shrugged and - eventually - nodded. "Aye. I guess that sounds fair". He sighed. Obviously Li-eira's way with money was rubbing off on him - it was making him soft.

"I think theres one more matter we should address, before we find ourself in the situation again, and that is on the taking of captives. Its my opinion, that we aren't in a position to take captives. Having said that though, I would be more open to taking of 'human' captives than Dolfanc. Perhaps it is distasteful, for some of us, to dispatch those goblins in the manner we did, but they were not defeated, we had a temporary tactical advantage on them. To me, its no different than attacking with surprise, as we also did. I think it needs to be addressed, so we are all on the same page, so to speak."

Giacomo listened to the druid but heard his father's words. 'No mercy, no quarter!' The steel-clad duke shouted at the practicing young men. 'The thrice-damned dolfanc would never offer you any! This is our family way; it is the only way; it is Justice!' Giacomo remembered tasting the mix of earth and sweat and his own blood as he was knocked to the ground again and again during these practice sessions. He remembered the scar on his father's face and the sound in his father's voice when telling of his own father's death at the hands of the dolfanc. Mostly he remembered the night he left home and -- for the first time -- wondered if he would ever place his feet against those smooth and familiar stones again.

"I am no killer," Giacomo began, thoughtlessly touching the scabbard that held his rapier. "But, I have killed before. I have little stomach for it; but I *can find* stomach enough for Justice. An ancient king once said: 'It is injustice to leave a wolf in the company of sheep -- even if that wolf is tied and bound.' Sooner or later, it will be loosed and it will eat the sheep. What was done, as much as I find it distasteful, was to be done. My taste bows to Justice."

"Killing's not anything to be enjoyed", agreed Coren."But the dolfanc are murderous creatures without an ounce of good in 'em. They are murderers and worse - they deserve a swift death".

Coren then thought for a moment on the subject of his fellow race and other creatures. "As for others, it depends on the circumstances", he continued. "We can't easily take folk prisoner and, anyway, that option is sometimes worse than death itself. It is generally enough to defeat the enemy rather than slaughter them, that's what I say. But if we ever encounter any of the Dragonlords...". A look of rage and hatred entered Coren's blue eyes before he continued. "Well, show them no mercy".

With some compassion, Yahim reached out to clasp Aislinn's fair hand with his own. This discussion mayhap would not be an easy one for her, and the young Sundar wanted to offer his support, even though they both knew their opinions on this matter differed. "In deference for Mathern's priestess here, I think it wise for us to take her order's position into account before we go much farther. Aislinn is committed to all life, wolves as well as sheep, and holds it all precious. It gives her very little room to compromise without terrible cost. What we did today in my view needed to be done, but such decisions in future may cost us more than we are prepared to pay as regards Aislinn and her standing with her goddess. Or perhaps even Aislinn herself."

He tapped the bowl of his pipe gently, then puffed it back into life. "That said, I have no rock-solid answers. Justice is an abstract and has no real meaning beyond the end of a sword-point. My desire is to do what is best for the most, and for the longest term I can imagine. It is within those guidelines which I try to act, and those guidelines which governed every decision I spoke for, today."

Aislinn uncharacteristically allowed Yahim to speak for her. She squeezed his hand a she took hers, acknowledging his concern. Retrieving her hand when he was done speaking, she pulled her baladrana tighter. "What happened today did need to be done. I know that. I couldn't stand there to watch it without trying to stop it, so I allowed myself to be distracted from it. What Blessed Mathern thinks of that action, I don't know as yet, except to say that she continued to bless me with Her healing.

"I'll accept the ring into safekeeping, either until we find out exactly what it does, or until it might be needed again," she nodded. "I don't have any solid answers for the other, myself. After all, I was almost as ready as Yahim to pass the whole situation by and continue our trek. There is greater good to be done and we'll just have to assess everything as quickly and carefully as we can when it comes up next."

Li-eira wordlessly handed the ring over to Aislinn, at least a little relieved to have it off her person.

"It was a slaughter, and it was wretched," Tob said. "I would not use Beldrem's grace in such a manner again if only my life would depend on it." His face scanned the others faces around the fire for understanding, and then his eyes focused on the embers. "I can only call it just in that the dolfanc would surely have done the same and worse to us and to those folks from the inn. The best I could offer them was a quick end, without suffering." He thought for a moment, and then spat quietly at his own feet, rubbing it into the dirt with his boot.

Coren had been listening to Aislinn with unexpected interest, seemingly eager to hear what the woman had to say. When she had finished he nodded, whether in acknowledgement, understanding or something else it was unclear. He then turned to listen to Tob but was soon disgusted with what he heard.

Turning to his fellow warrior-in-arms, Coren also spat on the ground. "Call yerself a fighter?" Coren turned to Tob and pointed an accusing finger. "I'd hope with you at my side I could trust you to do the right thing. To defend when required and kill when needed. A soldier needs to know that those beside him will fight, no matter what the price. Killing those held goblins was no worse - nor better - than killing those others who sat by their campfires ready to turn in for the day. Letting them go could've cost the lives of those prisoners or our friends, Tob. Our friends!". He threw his arms out indicating the others, especially Li-eira. "These are dolfanc. They were created by the Bright One himself and there's not an innocent bone in their bodies. A fighter needs to be able to kill and I hope, as a fellow warrior, you see sense in that in the future!"

With that Coren suddenly got up and walked away, heading to the horses to check on them (even though Janus had done so already).

Aislinn listented to Coren with her mouth slightly agape. Her nerves were still scraped thin and her mind awhirl with the implications this battle would leave with her -- with all of them. As suddenly as Coren got up, Aislinn moved. Up like a shot from a well-strung bow and aimed just as unerringly for Coren. She reached him, grabbed his arm with surprising strength and spun him back around.

"Hold on!" she nearly growled. "Just because Tob doesn't feel good about ...massacring bound enemies doesn't make him weak, or any less of a warrior than you!" Her face reflected the outraged anger she felt. The grief over the loss of life, the sheer weight of worry she carried for herself and her new friends. "He'll do what needs to be done just as you will. Just as I will. Just as any of us. You are not the only one horrific things have happened to, Coren dan Balor," she reminded him heatedly. "I would suggest that you keep that in mind when next you accuse someone of being weak or less than they are, or less than you want them to be."

Coren spun and was surprised by who confronted him. That was obvious on his plain and open face. He had not expected Aislinn to follow him. Tob probably, Li-eira perhaps, even Yahim might have tried to stick in his knife where it wasn't wanted. So he was surprised but still somewhat angry at being accused by the priestess of Mathern of calling Tob weak.

"You are not listening, Aislinn", Coren replied, his anger held in check, his voice strong but not biting. If this had been anyone else except Li-eira he probably would have shouted in their face. "This is not about my past and neither did I call Tob weak nor less of a warrior than myself. I called him untrustworthy on the field of battle. A little strong, perhaps, but still. In the heat of a fight, I need to know that the soldier next to me will do what is required and not have a crisis of conscience. That he'll not decide to stop and ponder whether fightin' is right, or fair, or honourable. That he'll not question what he's doing. Because people die that way, believe me".

"I'm a fighter" continued Coren. "I kill things for a living whilst protecting people from those things I'm killin'. That's my job. I'll not tell you how to pray to Mathern or about healing the sick or injured, Mother Aislinn. I appreciate that Mathern preaches caring and healing for all creatures and that is a noble thing to practice. But dolfanc are not people. Hell, they're not even animals. They're evil itself in man-form. And sometimes killing a few can save many, many more lives than not. Though it sounds strange, I kill them to save lives".

Tob opened his mouth to speak, but Aislinn was far enough ahead of him that he cocked his head and watched the whole exchange much the way Ellynn did.

Tears ran from Aislinn's eyes as she spun away from him, heading for her own tent. The priestess held a hand over her mouth to help choke back the sobs that threatened to overtake her.

Li-eira had been trying to decide whether to apologize for Coren's behavior, or pursue him when Aislinn stood to confronted him. She felt the words that the priestess spoke, feeling the pain of them and the truth of them. The assault of emotion from her friends was too much for her delicate spirit and she silently hung her head in defeat.

Janus took a long draw on his pipe, reaching down to scratch Ellyn behind the ears. He shook his head at the outbursts, and the storming off.. he thought he should say something, but what? I'm not the right man for this. These people are all fine and noble, and so few little points are causing such discord. Master, you taught me so much, why didnt you teach me of the hearts of men and women?

"Master Coren, Mistress Aislinnn please wait. Nothing can be resolved from the seclusion of your tents, nor the solitude of a menial task, already done. There is not a doubled hairs worth of difference, in the sentiments you have all spoke, if you would but remove the emotion and look at them." He didn't know if his words or thoughts carried any weight, but he had to try. "You are all saying the same thing, at the heart of it. It was distasteful, but necessary. It should be avoided, if it can be. Please do not let hasty words, and misunderstandings lead to hurt feelings. If you feel others opinions are as valuable as yours, then I say stay and listen to them. If not, then, turn your back on your brothers and sisters in arms, and walk off to be alone with someone who sees the world exactly as you do."

"I would propose you each of you, all of us, he corrected himself. That when it comes to a fight for our very lives, that things will need done, that will turn our stomachs. The difference between you and the Dolfanc is that we do not like it, and will seek to avoid it. They will delight in it, revel in it, and seek it out again and again and again. It is merely in how you are each dealing with it, where the problem lies, and that seems something that reasonable folk can come to an agreement over."

Janus fell silent, his words had seemed feeble, and weak to him, but he had said them all the same, and he drew on his pipe again, scratching Ellyn's back, to let the chips fall where they may.

Yahim's hand slowly loosed itself from the hilt of his short sword but remained in proximity for so long as Aislinn was within arm's reach of Coren. He watched the tableau carefully as Janus spoke, frayed nerves wound tighter than lute strings.

"I stand with Janus here," he offered quietly. "Though I would suggest that perhaps a brief cooling-off period is in order before we resume discussions. Tempers are worn thin tonight from the battle earlier, making it much easier for us to speak in haste, without thought," he added, glancing up at Coren (OOC or at Coren's retreating back if he insists on storming off). "Words flung in anger have a nasty way of coming back to you when you least expect them. Let us all be adults, take what measures we need to calm ourselves, then resume our fellowship here at the fireside before we go our separate ways for the night."

Aislinn paused in her flight. She stood perfectly still, barely breathing for a moment before she pulled in a large lungful of air and let it out slowly. "You're right. You're both right," she said, then turning back to the fire. She stood on the edges, however. "I'm sorry, Coren. And everyone, for my outburst."

Coren had not moved from where Aislinn had confronted him, somewhere just beyond the group of companions. He nodded, stepped closer to the group and released a lung full of air that he didn't realise he was holding. "Aye, the druid has the right of it" he admitted. "And you have no need to say sorry, Aislinn. You only said the things that you felt needed to be said".

"I know Tob is a worthy warrior" Coren continued. "I saw him take down those ogres with my own eyes. What I can't understand is why he stopped when they were unable to fight back. That's what worries me".

"Well, I've had my honor defended by a woman," Tob said with a sigh, "and my little brother is keeping the peace well enough, so if I must beg, I beg for pardon, and less talk of today and more of tomorrow, while everyone still has their nose in the middle of their face."

Aislinn opened her mouth to snap out another retort, but just as quickly closed it. She noticed a slight movement from Yahim, and caught the young Sundar rolling his eyes -- he knew what had just re-inflamed the priestess' overspent nerves. Another deep breath focused her thoughts once more. "And hope fervently that we don't have a similar situation crop up in our future," she added quietly.

Janus waited, as the others spoke their hearts and minds, and when a lull between the words presented itself, he spoke once more, quietly, to no one in particular, his eyes on the fire. "There is a nasty little spider, that lives near the Western edges of Derugar, that is known as the Red Stalker. It major source of food, is the Derugarian wasp. If it were to try to jump on a wasp, and bite it, the wasp would simply sting it, and kill it. So the spider spins a web, it lays its trap over muddy banks, and marshy ground, where it knows the wasps will be seeking material for their nests."

"The wasps get caught in the web, and the spiders will let them grow tired, before moving in, to bite, and paralyze them. This is not evil. This is the spider using its natural tools and its environment to survive. I would submit to each of you, that our little group here has the same problem. If we do not use what we can do wisely, if we try to impose a "fair-play" framework on our little endeavor, we will only make ourselves miserable. Each of us is different, in our histories, and our outlooks. Each of us brings something to the table that is desperately needed."

Janus paused, and took a moment to look over each of them in turn. "We are no army in the field, we are no band of pacifist pilgrims hoping that no one wants our coin purses. We are seven small people in the wide world, creeping towards a doom we cannot identify. If we cannot find a way to accept what we do, and do it well, that doom has already prevailed."

Li-eira found comfort in the druids words, and she lifted her head, as she listened to them intently. The day had not been an easy one for any of them, and she'd done everything in her power to deal with it internally. Her mind was in turmoil even though she didn't speak of it as freely as the others. Somehow the words that Janus spoke made her feel easier about the decisions that were made. They just made sense to her...plain simple true sense.

The songs of the crickets filled the silence for several moments after that, as Yahim and the others mulled over Janus' words. He liked to play the "country bumpkin," Yahim noted, but there were depths to that young man that revealed themselves slowly, like layers in a rock face exposed to desert sands. A much younger Yasminna had spent hours in the classrooms of her tutors, being schooled with similar analogies -- Janus' words were sound, sensible. And yet...

"Janus... I agree with your overall point, but part of me is compelled to point out that we are not insects. Unlike the spider, we have an awareness of good and evil, of the consequences of our actions, and of the power of choice." He picked up the pipe from where he'd let it fall in favor of his sword hilt, and tapped it gently again. "How do we reconcile this with our very real need to find a way to do what we do well, and accept it, as you stated?"

"Everything I've lived through I've managed to live with, so far," Tob offered. "We do our best, but we won't save anybody if we all die. I'd use that spider's web to save more lives than my own, but probably not my own, unless the prey was bigger than a wasp." Tob paused briefly, listening to his own words. "By the stars, Janus, tell them what I mean."

Janus smiled and chuckled a bit at his lifelong friend, obviously grateful for his input even if it was slightly different from his own. But it was Yahim who he wanted to address first. "My good Master Yahim, I didn't mean that we were no different from the spider, only that our problems were similar. He cannot just attack his prey, and kill it. Nor will we always have that opportunity. The spider has taken what Beldrem has given, and uses it to survive. We must take what we have been given, By Beldrem, Mathern, The Luckbringer, whoever may have given it to us, and use it, because we must not fail. Just as the spider, must not fail."

"It doesn't make us evil, to use what is given. I might think differently if those Dolfanc had surrendered, and we shackled them then murdered them. They did not. We had a momentary advantage, which we had to take advantage of. If you lure your opponent into a bog, and his movement slows to a crawl, can you shoot him? Or must you wait for him to emerge, and catch his breath, to give him an honest and fair chance to kill you?"

Janus shrugged. "There are no easy answers, I only ask you all to consider the lesson of the spider."

"So you are not saying we must act without thought, but rather use all the gifts and talents the Gods have given us to best advantage," Yahim nodded thoughtfully, relighting his pipe. "I like the way you think, friend Janus," he went on, emphasizing the difference in honorific with a twinkle in his eye. "I would stand you to a round of good brown ale for that, if only there were a tavern locally to spend my coin."

Janus winked across the fire at Yahim, and and smiled again. "Do not think I will forget the offer, Dunedweller. As for translating my brothers native tongue, he means, that he will do what needs doing, but he doesnt have to like it. (which only illustrates my point, that he is a good and fine man)"

Coren walked towards the group and came to stand behind Tob. He placed his hand on the ranger's shoulder and nodded.

"None of us likes killing", agreed Coren. "But some of us have to. I'd much rather be sat in a fine house with a pint of strong ale in my hand and plenty of food in my belly. Oh, and surrounded by plenty of friends". With a little extra thought he added, "And beautiful women".

He flicked a glance towards Li-eira who was sat looking at Janus. He followed her gaze. Coren didn't like the look on Li-eira's face but he had to agree that Janus' words were wise and welcome. The man made sense.

"Janus has it right", he agreed. "We might not like it but we have to do our best and do what's needed. And, as there's only a few of us, we have to use whatever we have to get us through this. And I", he said, lifting his large battle-axe, "have a large axe and know how to use it".

Coren patted Tob on the shoulder once and sat next to the man. "Here, have some wine", he said, handing Tob his wineskin, which was the closest that the big man got to an apology.

Tob smiled his fractured half smile up at Coren, took the wineskin and had a long pull from it.

"Thanks," he said. "I will have a new bow string for you in the morning." Among the woodsmen of Derugar, no peace was ever made without trade in kind. It had a way of bringing self interest into apology and forgiveness, and a way of eliminating the need to apologize, if not forgive. For some larger transactions, it was traditional to create a fight beforehand, to make the apology, and thus the trade, legitimate.

Janus exhaled a long stream of blue smoke and looked across the fire with mischief in his eye. "See there Tob... you smiled for a good three seconds, I told you your face wouldn't crack open like a walnut."

Someone from Yahim's general direction snickered quietly at that. "Well my friends," he finally added, clearing his throat a little, "if there is no further business to discuss, we should seek our bedrolls. It has been an eventful day, and I for one should like to sleep for the few hours I am permitted it."

"That's a very good idea," Aislinn said softly. "I need to see to my meditations and devotions, and now is as good a time as any. I apologize again for losing my temper. I hope you all find some good rest when you get to it."

Yahim leapt to his feet smoothly and offered Aislinn a hand up, taking the opportunity presented by her nearness to brush her temple with his lips. "Remember, lovely Mother. If Mathern's need of you is greater, do not stir yourself. I will take your watch and feel fortunate to be of such service."

Li-eira was touched by the tender words that the Sundar spoke to Aislinn. As sorry as she was that harsh words were said around the fire, it was worth it to watch as the bad feelings were mended and let go. To be a part of a group of people such as this made the sweet pathmage feel humbled, wondering if she would ever find this kind of acceptance among this group, or any group.

While most of them left one by one, Li-eira stayed next to the fire. She knew that Coren would gather her blanket for her like he did every night and that together they would sit first watch. She looked at her big friend, grateful at least that she had him with her, even if he didn't know what she was.

OK I have eliminated all color tags and am closing this post in anticipation of opening the next move shortly.