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Date Posted: 16:18:13 11/08/01 Thu
Author: Sarra & Kandarin
Subject: catching up
In reply to: Rowan and Tristan 's message, "What's going on?" on 13:40:39 11/08/01 Thu

Sarra was very, very tired…her left arm ached, as she rarely used it, after being worked so thoroughly in the battle against the zombies. Her head ached, too, from contemplation as to why exactly they’d been attacked by the creatures that seemed to act as servants in the palace. The others she’d seen milling about since were nonviolent.

Overall very frustrated with herself, she headed upstairs, dodging the confusion of handling the injured, as she felt awkward barely knowing their names. On the stairs to the wing of guest rooms she nearly collided with Kandarin, who narrowed amber eyes and pegged her with a staunch glare.

“What happened?”

Honestly, what was it with the hostility amongst these people? Irritated Sarra replied sourly, “Some of the zombies were apparently bad eggs and attacked. I think it’s all settled now.”

Satisfied by this reply, the Nerombian nodded and moved aside to allow the Raider passage, and Sarra noticed absently that, faithful as always, that little inhuman was at her heels. Sarra arched a brow at the slight figure, but those evasive dark eyes darted away as she hurried after her bold companion. Sarra watched them go, then proceeded up the stairs with a sigh, dropping her sword-belt on the bed in her room and taking an energy restoration tablet from her pack, swallowing it with a swig of ale from her small emergency flask. She’d had the pills made up some time ago by a tribal healer and rarely used them, but for some reason she felt she should retain her edge. After all, she was in new company, and several of them had already proven their lack of trust.

Not that that particularly worried her, as few things did. She leaned back against the pillows, propping her boots on the footboard, and slid a cleaning rag along the blade of her short sword, narrowing her eyes suddenly at the pale gleam of crimson encasing it. Why would there be fresh blood in a zombie? Disturbed, she sat up, but heard voices in the hall she found the prospect of confronting discouraging, and wilted back against the softness of the cushions behind her. Things seemed quiet enough, but she’d her concerns nonetheless.

Sarra’s right shoulder ached beneath the tight bindings, the injury from the dust monsters underground still plaguing her more than the nicks and small bruises she’d acquired in the most recent battle. She was, after all, proficient in the craft of self-defense, as her career required, but that didn’t save her from being completely drained after the day’s excursions.

The pill, however, was beginning to do its work, and she could feel strength and tolerance of the building pain gathering deep. Standing once more, she re-buckled her sword-belt over her hips, settling the ample weight securely, bound her hair with a leather thong and slipped back downstairs.

In the completely wrecked dining room, the zombies were still diligently performing the required tasks. Sarra granted them no more than a cautious glare and was about to pass through the entryway when the Queen appeared, soon confirming Sarra’s suspicions that the zombies had been disguised as such, and were actually living creatures. Frowning deeply at this discovery, Sarra nevertheless relaxed in the presence of the rest of the Queen’s staff, and fell into a chair across from the conversing Ravin and Laurel as Rowan and the Queen left the room, drawing a handknife from its sheath at her ankle and positioning it strategically in her lap, just in case, glancing up as Kandarin and Neramii filed in and sat together a few chairs down from her.

***


Kandarin felt badly for not being about when she had apparently been needed. From what the Queen’s parting words had suggested, some of her companions required treatment after the zombie accosting.

“In the hall before we entered,” Neramii mentioned offhandedly, in that near-whisper she rarely let her tone rise above, “I heard Kazabet say that the zombies were not zombies, but human creatures concealed by an illusion spell.”

“Well!” Kandarin exclaimed, draping her arms over either side of her seat. “I didn’t hear her say anything.”

“I was a wolf yesterday, remember? Sometimes some of the animal senses stay with me even after I’ve changed back.”

Kandarin eyed her – friend? – with newly acquired respect. She did indeed remember the other woman’s fascinating transition the day before, which she’d performed to help Kandarin understand her capabilities. The two really were close now; in fact, Kandarin found it hard to imagine not having the solemn presence at her side, even after only a few days with Neramii there.

“Wolves hear well?” She absently inquired, turning a dagger in her fist and watching the glint of the blade in the light.

“Very,” Neramii confirmed, tucking her feet beneath her. She was child-small without seeming sickly…her bones must be tiny beneath her flesh, Kandarin mused.

“Food!” Kandarin suddenly yelped, taking two sandwiches from the platter and effectively devouring them. She’d not eaten earlier, as it was also Neramii’s canine senses that allowed her to smell something odd about the food, but in the bout of confusion following she’d allowed Neramii to lead her back upstairs, where they were studying in one of the Queen’s several libraries, and neither of them had sensed the struggle going on…or had Neramii? Kandarin glanced at her companion, wondering if the shifter would have mentioned it if she had thought something was out of place. She could see that violence was generally looked down upon in Neramii’s culture, from what she’d told Kandarin, and she only engaged in it when there was no alternative, and even then, always in an animal form.

With a mental shrug Kandarin dismissed the idea. No reason to worry about it now.

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