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"Honestly, I didn't see a difference in behavior between drunk Locky and sober Locky," Ulster admits. "Distracted? Me?" he asks, gesturing to himself. "I don't know, I suppose I do have a lot on my mind. What with being lost in a giant forest, our group shrinking every week, and the nightmares I've been having every night for the past week...but other than that, I'm just peachy."

"Are you losing confidence in us?" Jerrard asks, "Nightmares? I can guess what that's about." Rubbing his bare chin he grimaces in remembered pain. "That was a tough one, I think Imani was right, our luck has run out."

"When you three saved me from the Shroom three months ago--whom I also still have nightmares about," he admits, "I swore an oath I'd follow and serve you. I have no intention of breaking that oath. And it's not my place to question orders, whatever they may be."

"I know." Patting the warrior on the shoulder he nods slowly. "You are an intelligent man, your comments and thoughts are always appreciated. Even more than your oath.."

"I wonder, is there something we can do? Perhaps in Palanthas a Cleric could aid you..?" He says still leaning on the doorframe. "Regardless, I will do all I can."

"And the loss of the horses and Malika was.. stupid, we should have acted differently, I lost someone I swore to protect.." he shudders thinking of the handless kender. "Jeremys death was.. tragic, a real loss."

"In Palanthas? I don't know. I suppose it might be worth looking into," Ulster says. He looks down at the ground at the mention of Jeremy. "I just hope we don't lose anyone else on the way there," he adds.

"It affects me too.. I see it every night, just trying to keep it together." He breathes in softly, "Lets hope so. Really hope so."

"So I'm going to carry on letting Imani take charge, she is... Impressive, isn't she?" He winks, "Amazing woman, so very very competent."

Ulster blushes, fidgeting slightly. "Oh, yeah. Pretty...amazing, alright. Who would have thought, huh?"

"I'm not surprised really, should have seen it before, perhaps things could have been different." Noting Ulsters blush he nods in understanding, "She's a beautiful woman. One I'm proud to have met." Moving away he adds. "Join us for dinner? I will try to keep locky under control. She walked off looking rather sheepish you know."

Imani stands from where she is sitting, and goes to her room without much notice. While the wine had relaxed her a little bit, it was bringing back some of her more darker thoughts. Those were things she would much rather keep to herself rather than share it with the rest of the group.

Babushka had gotten up, thinking of retiring, but then realised it wasn't even dinnertime. Noticing that Locky had wandered of, she thinks it prudent to look for her, to make sure she doesn't get into trouble.

Locky sits by herself, her little arms wrapped around her knees which are pulled up tightly to her chest. Seeing Babuskha approach she lifts her head.

"They don't take me seriously, just like the priests at the church. they sent me to fight the shroom alone, to get rid of me." Looking closer Babuskha can see her eyes are red and puffy, little tears run down her face. "And then I thought I lost you, I could see me acting, lying to you all, being so mean.. and then you were covered in flame...."

Babushka sits down next to her friend and embraces her tightly. "Oh, Locky" she sighs, then stays still for a moment, sorting her thoughts.
"It was terrible to see you possessed, out of control, with your eyes all white. And I relaxed to quickly, I should not have approached you so soon, when apparently the demon had left you. I am also to blame. We all should have listened to Fikod, but we attributed his warnings to the distrust among elves and dwarves. I stopped looking for the tracks of our animals and blindly trusted Dara. It was a horrible experience for us all, and it was Jeremy who had to pay the highest price.
As for myself, my death was quick, I didn't even have time to really feel the pain of the burns. Jerrard, Fikod, Ulster and Thuskar had to suffer a lot more pain.
And now Habbakuk has sent me back. There are a lot of things we have begun, but not finished, and we have done things wrong. We freed Malika instead of the handless kender. We have not found a way to free Imani's son, or bring back Wittchen." Her voice grows sad. "And I have abandoned Dekker, my companion of many years" she whispers hoarsely, then clears her throat. Loosening her embrace, she pats Locky on the shoulder. "I am sure that Habbakuk knew he was sending me back to travelling and workig with you, a follower of Paladine. And you have received extraordinary graces from Him. I am sure we are here for a reason. We just have to find out."

Realising Ulster had retreated back into his insular state.. "Join us soon. Please my friend." With that he heads to his own room to change.

"I need to help those kender, or else why bother? But first I need to leave this awful forest!" still sobbing she wipes her eyes on her sleeve, before fishing in her pouches for a handkerchief..

Instead she produces a fork and a brown shell.. "I'm sure I had a handkerchief somewhere.." she curses.

1d100=64 & 1d100=70

After a rather eventful day, the party pays for meals, rooms (for themselves and their henchmen), and stabling for Greycap and manage to busy themselves until the nightfall.

The following day, they set out, eating breakfast on the road. That afternoon, when they stop for a break, they spot a group of rabbits nibbling at some nearby plants.

"Anyone feel up to some hunting?" Thuskar asks.

=============

It is now Summer Run 05, 375 AC at Eighth Watch.

Locky pays 7 silver pieces.
Babushka pays 7 silver pieces.
Jerrard pays 11 silver pieces.
Imani pays 7 silver pieces.
Fikod pays 12 silver pieces.