Well, here we are--near the spot from which Kuzka had broken into a panting run.

'He' was right: this forest-dweller is dead, the throat slit and blood still pooling. Maira, in the form of female guard, looked fit to explode: cheeks flushed, teeth and fists clenched, veins in her hands bulging out.

"Woe to whoever did this...!"

"Easy there, Maira."

"But, Lady Marishka..! For you to broach it so calmly--"

"Do you think you're the only angry one around here? Oh, were you to meet Siona in person, your outburst just now might appear like it's coming from a child."

"And who is this Siona that I haven't had the honor to meet?"

"My sole lion-based familiar," and Auntie proceeded to walk around like it's nothing.

"Princess Erissa."

Maira now came up to me.

"With respect, my lady, I do not mean to question your judgment... but is it wise to continue having her with us? I mean... she's like something else. I sensed an aura much colder than that which my mistress, Mestra, emitted."

And yet Kouya mentioned you as the pair with the coldest aura he'd ever met.

"Still have lots to learn, Maira." I shrugged.

"...Princess?"

"If you called that 'colder', wait 'til you sense my mother's. Then you might as well say she's got no aura at all."

***

"Rissa!"

"Yes, Auntie?"

"Been here, didn't you, child? Place as large as this must have some guardian, custodian, whatever. Where are they?"

"Now that you said it... We haven't saw them."

"Geez, don't be a parrot now and re-state the obvious. What I wanted to know is where exactly that we could find them."

"Well..."

"Don't tell me you don't know!"

"But Auntie... in all honesty, we don't--"

"Don't know where to look for them?! Where'd your tracking ability gone, huh?"

Crap, she's right. Why bother...

"Tsk... really, should've learned better from Sora mea!"

"...You're right, Auntie. Please forgive us--"

"Now what's with that 'Auntie' bit...!"

The sudden rustle of leaves somewhere behind us put her short but painful tirade to a close.

"Who goes?!" Auntie defied.

We waited. Two figures emerged from the shadows; one male, the other female.

"Greetings, travelers," the male one spoke. "Apologies for the delay. We've been held up--"

"Oh, look--another one!" the female one gasped, covering her mouth. "Looks like one and the same doer..."

The male stooped over the carcass, saw the pools of blood for some time and sniffed the air.

"You think it's them?"

"Could be--"

"Hi," Auntie greeted normally; not even a shred of anger, "sorry to interrupt. You're guardians of this place?"

"Yes. He is Kazan, and I am Nastria. And you are..."

"Marishka Vladista, at your service."

"I see. You are leader to this party?"

"Yes," she said easily. Might as well be.

"If you plan to seek familiars today, we must ask you to leave for the moment."

"Yes, well, will that make a difference when I say we meant to search for those who substracted one future familiar after another from this place, and instead were confronted with this dead thing?"

"Where were you when this started?" Kazan inquired.

"Nowhere near here."

"How did you get here then?"

"Alerted by one of our scouts. We camped just outside this forest. But you better believe me when I say we did not come near to soil our hands."

"Granted. But you've witnessed the carcass and did nothing."

"Oh, what do you expect us to do then, bury it?"

"What Kazan meant is that such experience qualified you all as witnesses," Nastria added. "Please follow us. We believe we could show you the actual culprits behind these killings, or perhaps one of them; and as one of Vladista, might be expected to uphold order."

"Lead on."