As Pinti sat drinking her Keibeck, Daero and Thereanbold were in some heated discussion about Sorcerer magick and something called aesthetic ethics. None of it she understood with all the big flowery words they were using as if trying to stump each other.

About a half hour later, they stopped when Thereanbold gave a big yawn. "Well, I had a good aesthetic debate, but now I'll show you some rooms for you to stay in. Rest up before you leave if you decide to leave. Or wait until twelve noon to figure out some other way with me and Lalina."

Although Daero didn't argue, Pinti almost did. Now she wasn't just racing against Edglings who had the upperpaw because they lived in the Sixth Ring, but also Orvineau. He might want the scepter just for higher status, but he was still a threat. Even if he didn't wish for anything, he still could control who wished for what. And if he already knew about the scepter, shouldn't they hurry up and think of something?

Rest first. She had to tell herself. It would do no good if I can't fight Orvineau or my Saboteur. Rest for energy. Then think. With a resigned sigh, she followed Daero as Thereanbold led the way.

He took them up some spiraling wooden staircases with iron railings to the second floor of the main tower. Wide arched windows lined the halls upstairs as they did downstairs. Mahogany flooring tinted a white-blue color as moonlight seeped in when clouds parted. One of moons had a few stars shining around it while the other moon was only a bright orange glow somewhere over the rooftops.

"The bigger moon is Ikyliell," Thereanbold explained although Pinti already knew that, "The smaller is Nyliell. Nyliell is said to be the husband of Ikyliell. Moon couple. Also, Aurvandil and Skaavandil are said to have been in love." Thereanbold smirked at them. "What about you two?"

"Excuse me?" She bristled. "Out of all the things, what made you think that?"

"Yeah!" Daero said. "Are you drunk or something?" He growled.

"Okay! Sorry," Thereanbold held up his hands in surrender, "I just thought—well, never mind."

"Heizak!" Pinti swore. Did he even think she had time to think about those things? Almost the entire world was her enemy. She didn't have time for it, and she wasn't interested either. She noticed Daero licking his shoulder and snarled. What did he have to be embarrassed about? She frowned at him.

"Honestly, Thereanbold. Pinti and I are just two Kathula stuck together on this damned journey to find the bastard scepter," Daero said as they rounded a corner.

What did Humans call forcing two in a relationship? Shipping? Pinti furrowed her brows. She never understood the vocabulary of Humans completely. They used words of other things to describe completely different things. Clothes were sometimes called 'skins', a face was sometimes called 'a recognition', and cups were sometimes called 'spillers' which was the exact opposite of what they were supposed to do.

Humans are weird. Pinti grimaced.

At last, they came to a guest room with two beds, a desk with two chairs, a closet, and a tall arched window with long velvet curtains. The light overhead was a simple chandelier with four small round bulbs. But it was bright enough to illuminate the room and its dark wooden walls.

"Would you like to rest separately?" Thereanbold tugged his mustache as he waited for their reply. Daero said he didn't mind either way and Pinti shrugged. She was used to sleeping with other Kathula in the same room. She had been for the last two years anyway.

"If you need anything, holler," Thereanbold said and left. Daero took the bed near the window and Pinti, the one next to him. Trees were leaning outside. The wind was picking up and a few drops of rain pelted against the glass.

"You think Orvineau just wants the scepter for himself?" Daero said. "Just that and no other explanation, is just..." He lifted his legs and sat cross-legged on the bed. He crossed his arms and his tail quivered. "Just odd."

Pinti set her lips in a tight line. 'Odd' wasn't enough information and it didn't do them any good to speculate the 'why'. It didn't matter if he wanted the scepter for himself or for someone else. They only had to get it before he did, if they could.

"So, what do you want to do?"

"Kill him."

Pinti shivered at the coldness in his voice. It reminded her of how nonchalantly Kalis would say the word 'kill' as if it carried no weight.

"Well," she said, "that maybe, but I mean—"

"Sorry," Daero stiffened, "I'm just so angry at him."

The rain plummeted down and beating the window like drumsticks did. Wind howled somewhere, echoing outside the door in the hallways. Despite the light of the chandelier, the room seemed to turn darker.

"The ultimate goal is to get the scepter, what else?" Daero continued. "What choice do we have? It's that or all of this until this moment would have been nothing. I don't think there's any other way out of this."

"But going to Rauvuren Truth—"

"—Trude." He corrected her with a smirk.

Pinti scowled at the hard-to-remember Universal word that wasn't even a real word as far as she knew. "Yeah, Trude. It's dangerous. The risks, Daero. Thereanbold said—"

"I haven't told you because it wasn't necessary," Daero uncrossed his arms, "but I've been masking my powers. I'm a little stronger than I let on. We'll be fine, I think."

"How sure are you?"

"Eighty percent, unless I'm underestimating the stupid Halfhuman birds."

"But..." she trailed off. What if Daero died? What then? The death of Kathula? "That's twenty percent you would die. If it doesn't work," She sighed, already feeling defeated, "I would have failed and—"

"Don't be so pessimistic." Daero narrowed his eyes. "Maybe not everything has looked up for you, but you don't have to bring it into every conversation. Won't you be a little more hopeful? Look at the positive. I'm saying eighty—"

"No! We can't risk it!" She let out a short hiss. He looked hurt and turned his head. She fell silent. She wanted to be hopeful, but it seemed like every time she did, whatever it was would betray her hope. Twenty percent chance he would die. She would have killed him in a sense.

I'm scared, I guess. Pinti sighed. White light flashed into the room. Rain cascaded down the glass like a waterfall. It would be like my mistake killing Vaiter. Or my cowardice killing Makiista. More death on my shoulders. The carrier of unfortunates.

Bitter-tasting words fell from her mouth in a sigh. "It'll be my fault if you die," she said and hugged her legs to her chin. She didn't want to give up, but if she chose to go to Rauvuren Trude, Daero's death would be on her shoulders.

Another flash illuminated the room. Sheets of water hit the window. Silhouettes of trees leaned so much it looked as if they might snap. Thunder rumbled louder than last. It was hunting them and waiting for a moment when they were most vulnerable.

"You think I'm not here by choice?"

Pinti shifted her gaze from the chaos outside to Daero's calm face. He offered her a smile and came to sit down beside her. She flinched at the closeness.

"You're not forcing me to come with you or even putting me in danger. It's my choice to make. I'm saying eighty percent it would work and I'm willing to take that chance if you would have me. I'm offering a helping paw." He held out his paw to her.

"But why?" She studied him. Why would anyone want to choose a path where death lurked in the shadows, ready to take one of them at every step of the way? She had reason. It was her duty as the last true Kathula left looking for the scepter. She had the responsibility to get revenge on Edglings and end this terror once and for all. But Daero? What reason did a Kathula Sorcerer have? Deel was even fading and soon there will be no Kathula left in that body.

He lowered his paw and bit his lip. "You know, when all this searching for the scepter first came up, for me, I felt like I'd finally found a way to repay Kathula. Without them, I don't exist. And, even though I don't have childhood memories, I still care as much about Kathula as you and Deel. If I die, he's coming with me, you know. We're willing to take this step and put as much effort in this cause. Aren't you? Or will you just give up here?" His strong gaze and truthful words touched the darkness in her heart with its rays.

Still, she hesitated, knowing that if she took that paw, there was no turning back. They would be in this together until the end—whatever that was.

Daero cleared his throat. "Look, I know you and I don't really know each other, but I trust you, Pinti. As," He briefly looked away, "as I have seen so far. You keep going. You don't stop. You get up over and over. You persevere!" His eyes brightened and he nodded with a smile.

"Yes, that's the word. Persevere. I trust you will continue on just as strong. I want you to give me a chance," he said, and a light blue glow framed him. "I'm one who is only another and nothing more, but I offer you again," He held out his paw, "a helping paw. Won't you take up my offer?"

No one had ever offered her a genuine helping paw. And here was one waiting for her and it was his own choice of path. She wasn't forcing anything. Something fell into place. A warm light blossomed inside of her, sending the shadows from her heart. A guarding chain fell away.

Maybe, just a little, I could count on him? Pinti lifted her gaze. Daero's gray-tinted, light blue eyes were half hidden behind his long bangs. One side of his mouth lifted in a smirk as she reached for his paw.

"If it's your choice?"

"It is," he said. "Will you?"

She nodded feeling more sure about it now. "I—"

Lightning flashed, thunder cracked, the lights snapped off.

"Pfft!" Pinti squeaked, grabbing the nearest thing for comfort without thinking. Her heart thumped and she gripped harder when the thunder cracked so loud the walls and the floor trembled. "Pfft!" she hissed again.

"Claws!" came a quiet hiss.

Pinti glanced down at the thing she grabbed. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness. It was Daero's arm.

"Sorry!" she yowled in Kathulan in her haste and let go. She was too startled to be embarrassed. She sheathed her claws slowly, feeling her heart beating fast against her chest. "Sorry," she said again, this time in Universal and let her fur lay flat.

"I'launna," Daero said and a soft glow of golden light formed in his paw. He flung it up, so it hung over them. Pinti licked her shoulder. She wasn't afraid of thunder or lightning. It just startled her.

"I—um," Pinti pursed her lips, "The pawshake. Can we do that over again? Please?"

"That was not the kind of pawshake I was hoping for." His voice shook when he spoke, and he glared into her eyes. Pinti bit her lip in worry. Here it was, the moment their acquaintanceship would go south over the smallest thing.

A strange sound escaped from his lips. It was like a breathy cough. He lowered his gaze and his ears flattened against his head. When he lifted his head, there were tears in his eyes and his lips quivered.

He was laughing.

"A-Actually," He coughed and straightened his back, "it was the best pawsh-shake." Then he doubled over, clutching his stomach. No sound came from him except for an occasional cough or a sudden inhale.

"Ow, my stomach hurts!" He hollered and wheezed, bending over backwards. For a moment, all she could was watch him. She had not seen a Kathula laugh this hard in a long time. Neither had she laughed in a long time and she didn't find anything funny since she left her clan.

"It's not funny!" she said. "This is serious. Can we do it again?"

Daero sat back up and flashed her a grin. "I offer a pawshake, and you spring onto my arm for dear life!" he said and chuckled. "Pinti, a pawshake." Daero grinned and offered his paw. "Then," he said and yowled, hurling himself onto the bed. "Claws!" He rolled around on the bed, messing up the sheets. So out of control he was that he fell off the bed with a loud THUMP taking the sheets with him.

Pinti felt her lips quiver. Something ticklish was coming up from her stomach, gleefully trampling through her chest, and making its way up her throat.

"Oh my, starlights!" Daero said as he was struggling to untangle himself from the sheets. But he just got even more tangled. He looked like a cat had gotten itself wrapped in toilet paper.

The laugh was coming, she could feel it. It was bubbling up her chest. She couldn't keep it tamed. She let her lips loose. A tiny little squeak of a giggle fell out of her mouth.

"Aw, Pinti! Help me," Daero whined, defeated from his war with the sheets, "I don't know how to get out of this!"

"If only I had a Human's AutoPic, I'd treasure this moment forever," she said with a trill and a playful twitch of her tail.

"You're such a teaser! I feel pathetic."

Pinti wanted to say more. She wanted to tell him he looked like cat in a roll of toilet paper even though calling Kathula a cat was offensive. He would forgive her. She also wanted to wrap him up tighter and see his reaction. But then Kalis' teachings came to her mind.

Survivors have no time for play. Kalis had taught her. If you have time for this, you have time to do the things you need to do.

With a sigh, she bent down to help him out. It took a while, but she finally got him untangled and he slipped out of the sheets and climbed back on the bed.

He swung his legs over the side. "I thought you might leave me in a burrito for a second there. Do you know what a burrito is?"

"It was tempting," she said, although she didn't know what a burrito was. The giggle had left her now, but it had lifted some kind of weight from her shoulders. She felt lighter. The rain had calmed now, but the wind was still strong. Thunder purred in the distance. Pinti realized she hadn't purred about anything in a long time.

When was the last time I was that happy? She couldn't even remember.

"So," Daero broke the silence, "you'll take my offer? If you do, we should rest first and leave in the morrow. Maybe near noon. I'm exhausted."

"You think you can get us into Rauvuren Trude?"

Daero gave a firm nod. "I do."

He seemed so sure of himself. Pinti cocked her head. "How do you know?"

"I'm confident in my magick. For if you falter or doubt, magick is fickle. It won't react how you thought it might. If you treat it as an attacking enemy, it might attack. If you treat it as a lock, it might open. I think it's like that. The right mindset and the right kind of key or magick would work to open it. And if it doesn't work, I guarantee, we can get out of there alive. Eighty percent. Seems pretty good to me."

Pinti considered this. It did make sense. It was a bit like how Kathula potions had to have a purpose to be created. She couldn't just make chamomile tea in hopes that it would work it's magick. She had to purposefully make it for the intended cause and then channel her powers into the tea, thus making it a potion.

Daero held out his paw. "Foh Kattola? And don't claw me this time." He smirked.

Pinti nodded with a faint smile on her lips. "Alright, I'll take you up on it. Foh Kattola." She shook his paw. As if on cue, the lights came back on. The storm had died out. Only the soft sound of a gentle rain remained.

"Thank you," he said with a smile.

"For what? I should be thanking you." Pinti frowned.

"For trusting me, even just a little. It means a lot," he said and returned to his side of the bed. He yanked off the sheet and traded it with hers. "Take the one I didn't smother my scent into. Oh my, starlights! I still feel pathetic."

In his bed, Daero stretched out all the way letting out a grunt. Then his stomach rose and fell as he took a deep breath and sighed. In seconds he was snoring softly.

But Pinti didn't share the calm, thinking about the next task at paw. Rauvuren Trude sounded like a formidable force, but what if the prince was there? He hadn't done anything, and she wanted to know why. Why let Kathula die at the paws of Edglings when he had to power to stop it?

He could have even stopped it all from the start. I would have. But then she remembered her old life where oppression was the norm. Saboteurs were just a fright. Only once or twice she questioned their existence, but she never thought about changing that or how to change it.

I knew no other life. She sighed. What happened was done. Right now, she just needed to get some rest. Tomorrow, she and Daero would head off to Rauvuren Trude. Who knew what was waiting for them there? 

She reached for the Aurvandil stone. Rubbing it with her thumb, made the runic symbol glow. Somehow, it was soothing, and she rubbed it again when it faded. Over and over, almost mesmerized that she didn't smell the sour stench until it was right on top of her.

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Note: "Foh Kattola" = "For Kathula" in ancient Kathulan tongue.