The air was hot and thick with humidity, making it difficult to breath even while standing still. It was unthinkable on days such as this to wear light armor, let alone heavy armor, yet some are less than prudent of their health. Insects of every shape and size flew into any available cavity attempting to get out of the heat. Esmarelda swatted at an annoying mosquito that landed on her exposed arm. Any sane person would be swimming right about now, she thought. Esmarelda pulled at the neck of her tunic, sliding her finger around the edge to move the cloth away from her perspiring skin. She knew she should've waited a day before venturing into Trachadia, but she'd allowed Eihwaz to convince her to come anyway. It would end up being the hottest day of the year knowing her luck.

    Mind on your mission, thief, she thought, but finding an elusive powder in an overstocked apothecary's shop seemed pointless to her. It didn't help she couldn't remember the name of the powder either. Esmarelda scanned the warped wooden shelves for the fourth time in 20 minutes. She dispised apothecary shops and this one was as disorganized as the last. Next time Eihwaz does his own shopping.

    "He was looking for a blue powder, wasn't he?" Esmarelda mumbled, frustrated.

    "Without a name, I cannot help you," the proprietor droned. His voice was as monotonous as his gaunt appearance. His features were sickly thin and his clothing would have hung better on a hanger than they did on his skeletal bones. Somehow he looked cool, almost refreshed, in his severe black garb, as if the weather didn't affect him in the slightest. "Perhaps if you had more information than, ahem, just the color," his voice grated condescendingly.

    Esmarelda was beginning to hate his voice more than the heat. She contemplated forcing a politeness that she wasn't feeling, but impatience won out. "I was not talking to you, so keep your opinions to yourself," she responded annoyed.

    Esmarelda turned from the apothecary toward the only window in the shop. She brushed at a nasty swarm of insect and leaned out the window. She felt the hot air hit the bronzed skin of her face with a vengeance. Esmarelda craned her neck upwards and addressed her traveling companion standing outside the shop.

    "Can you remember what Eihwaz needed that powder for, Okly? Any idea at all?" she asked the cloud giant hopefully.

    Okly lowered himself onto a heavy wooden barrel and ran a pale blue hand through his stark white hair. He frowned and his ever-changing hazel eyes filled with concentration. His eyes alone, which were unusual for the cloud giant race, would be enough to draw attention to him, but he also had a penchant for surrounding himself with humans and cloud giants frowned on the constant contact. His tall form was encased in various pieces of hard leather armor and a plain cloak of dark gray muslin draped from his shoulders. On his feet were a pair of well-worn travelling boots of the softest dark blue leather adorned with silver medallions. Hanging around his neck was a pair of silver and gold chains twisted together to form a necklace with a unique amulet lying at its center which was also formed of the same twisted metals. Seated at the center of the amulet was the deepest black opal imaginable which seemed to absorb all the surrounding light, yet it never seemed to reflect it. It was like looking into nothing. A thick leather belt about his waist supported a large steel mace and various bulging pouches. Even in this massive heat with his thick armor, he looked cool and comfortable, causing a twinge of envy in Esmarelda.

    Okly looked at her sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Es, I wasn't paying that much attention. Eihwaz' experiments always leave me mystified to their purpose."

    Esmarelda grinned at Okly. Eihwaz was always trying one magic experiment after another with his various potions and elixirs. Anything he would come across in the cities or villages through which they traveled, be it a new magic or a miraculous cure, he would have to attempt to duplicate the formula. Sadly, he never accomplished much with them. His curious streak sometimes got everyone into trouble, but he enjoyed his experiments, therefore, tolerating his strange quirks was a pleasure to them, even if sometimes a dubious one.

    Esmarelda stared across the street, but her eyes were unfocused in thought. Eihwaz had been rubbing his silver cow... the cow he had acquired from the priest at the temple in the middle of the forest. It had something to do with the cow. The cow, we had been told, had magical powers that would bestow unlimited gold on its owner, but the hermit had said that something was missing. Eihwaz had pulled a scroll from his bulging leather pack that the hermit had given him. The scroll said that it needed....

    "Es!" Okly whispered loudly.

    Esmarelda snapped from her thoughts and focused on Okly's tensed form. His body was radiating excitement and deathly still, even down to his breathing which seemed to have stopped altogether. Only two people could affect him like that, especially with the warnings they had received prior to their arrival.

    Esmarelda sighed inwardly and pulled the hood of her brown wool cloak over her long braid of blonde hair. Mentally she checked the various weapons about her leather clad body and bent to adjust a tiny dagger in her boot of dyed green leather. Eihwaz' powder would simply have to wait.

    Esmarelda's emerald green eyes watched as Okly moved around the back of the building. The apothecary's shop would have to do for a hiding place. Okly always made an obvious target with his huge size, but somehow he was still able to hide and not be detected. It always surprised Esmarelda how he was able to do that so effectively, especially since she was the actual thief of the group.

    As soon as she knew Okly was well out of sight, she slipped from the shop and scanned the busy street carefully. It's not like those two would be hard to spot in this town. Trachadia was a very busy port town, yet it was primarily human. Most of the buildings were two stories tall or more, therefore, she did not detect her prey right away until a quick movement around the street corner drew her attention. She pulled her dark brown cloak tighter about her body and ducked further into the shadows as she watched the pair make their way down the street.

    Esmarelda became aware of a faint gray aura floating around her. Okly was mindful of the risks they took and she was grateful for the spell he was casting on her. Not only did the spell make her appear more like a shadow than human, but he was able to see through her eyes at the same time. Esmarelda grinned knowing that at this exact moment she could walk directly in front of her prey and still would not be seen, but overconfidence was what had gotten their party into trouble with this pair in the first place.

    Esmarelda watched them work their way down the street talking between themselves. That pair drew attention no matter where they went, but in strictly human habitations they were painfully noticeable. The villagers had looked at Okly strangely when they had first arrived, but he never bothered anyone. Those two stood out like sore thumbs and were more apt to start trouble than avoid it. The leader (his obviously self-appointed title) was a cloud giant similar in stature to Okly, but there the similarity stopped. He was dubiously graced with the races typical ice blue eyes and stark white hair. His lackey (though that title was generally met with heated opposition) was an unusual creature not of this plane. He was an off-worlder and rarely was his 'race' greeted with anything better than suspicion, if not downright hatred.

    The pair did not appear aware of their surroundings, but, from Esmarelda's long acquaintance with them, she knew that conclusion was false. Suddenly the leader glanced in her direction. Esmarelda stopped breathing as she wondered if he could actually see her. A few painful breaths later, they continued to weave down the street and around another corner. The only thing down that street, as Esmarelda well knew, was a seedy tavern where she'd aquired some of her recent tidbits of information. She breathed a sigh of relief, exhaling her pent up breath. At least they did not have to worry about that troublesome pair for the day. Once those two started drinking, they would be oblivious to anything around them for hours.

    Esmarelda sensed the aura dissipate. Her body tingled as if it were waking from a deep sleep. Okly came around the side of the building. His body, tense with concentration, relaxed muscle by muscle before her eyes.

    "I really do not understand those two, Es," Okly stared after them with a thoughtful expression on his face.

    Esmarelda laughed in mild relief, releasing her cloak and tension at the same time. She took a few practice breaths and could feel her heart slow to a normal rate. As she looked up at Okly's 23-foot height, her hood dropped to her shoulders.

    "They like to cause trouble. Unfortunately, we seem to be one of their targets when they are bored," she said, her green eyes twinkling at Okly.

    "Do you know of anyone who is not a target when they are bored," he mused. Okly looked down at the small human at his side and smiled at her. "But to be on the safe side, let's go visit the priest and return to camp."

    "I could not agree more," she said, pulling a small pack from behind a large barrel where she had hidden it before entering the apothecary's shop.

    "Did you find his powder?" Okly asked as an afterthought.

    Esmarelda looked at him with a grimace of distaste. "No, let Eihwaz find it himself."

    Okly grinned and adjusted his gear putting the deep blue crystal he used for the aura spell into a pouch at his waist. He sauntered down the street going in the opposite direction from the troublesome twosome. The town's inhabitants moved quickly out of Okly's way, gathering their belongings close to them. For some villagers this was their first contact with a giant of his magnitude. They weren't sure how to react to him. Most treated him with a distant respect, while some showed a flagrantly obvious fear or disdain.

    Esmarelda scanned the area after checking her equipment and ran to catch up with Okly's large stride. The sooner they were out of this town the better. They were drawing too much attention to their activities. A purely human town was always a dangerous risk and they couldn't afford the consequences.


    "Well, did you get my powder?" Eihwaz asked Okly eagerly. Eihwaz hopped from one small foot to the other as Okly entered the camp.

Their camp was in a natural clearing with a small stream running along the western side. Soft green grass covered the ground making it an ideal area for weary travelers. The monstrous trees towered above their heads and surrounded their camp in an almost perfect circle. The long branches of the trees appeared like arms covered in thick leaves reaching out to protect any that would seek shelter from the harsh weather.

Okly grimaced severely as he removed a heavy bag from his shoulder and tossed it next to his sleeping area. Bending his head he slipped the silver and gold amulet from around his neck and dropped it into a pocket on his pack. Gripping the handle of his black steel mace firmly, he pulled it from his belt and laid it beside his pack for safekeeping and easy access. Quickly he loosened his leather tunic and dipped a large metal cauldron into the cool waters of the gentle stream.

"Remind me not to go on another of your wild goose chases, Eihwaz," Okly requested as he poured the cool water over his head and neck. A heavy sigh escaped from Okly with obvious relief as he returned the cauldron to the fire and collapsed onto his blanket spread on the ground. He placed an arm under his head and closed his eyes in joyous pleasure.

Eihwaz frowned anxiously at Okly's prone form. "Does that mean you didn't get it?" he asked concerned. "And where's Es anyway?" he finished as an afterthought.

Okly threw an arm over his eyes in an attempt to block out the sunlight peeking through the trees shading their camp. He slowly drew the cool air blowing off the stream into his lungs before answering. "She stopped to check her snares and should be along soon."

Okly heard Eihwaz' breath filling his small lungs in preparation for speech, but cut him off before he had the chance to utter a word. "And no, we didn't find your powder."

Eihwaz exhaled quickly deprived of his verbal outlet and stamped his little foot in disappointment. Eihwaz remained quiet for a few moments thinking about his options.

"Okly?"

Okly considered not answering his friend of many years. His body was tired, his mind was tired and he wanted to go to sleep, but he knew from his long acquaintance with Eihwaz that he was a relentless magic-wielding brownie with an attitude. (which, incidentally, was a questionable combination at the best of times) Even Okly, being ten times his size, could not resist him and knew it was pointless to try.

"What?" Okly resigned himself to respond.

"What happened?" Eihwaz asked.

Okly heard Eihwaz mumble words beneath his breath. He wasn't surprised when a moment later when he felt Eihwaz land lightly on his chest. "Zan and Sprought happened," Okly said in explanation.

Apparently that was enough for Eihwaz, because he did not ask another question for some time. Okly felt Eihwaz' little body shiver distastefully. Contemplation of the disturbing fact that the giant and the off-worlder might be nearby was an understandable reason.

Just as Okly hoped he has escaped with a minor interrogation, Eihwaz high pitched voice intruded on his languid posture. "Did they cause trouble?" he asked cautiously.

Okly opened one eye, glancing at the two-foot brownie sitting cross-legged on his chest. Eihwaz was dressed in his normal attire, a long sleeved forest green shirt, soft leather trousers and light leather sandals that cover his tiny feet comfortably. Around his neck was a necklace that Okly knew well, though necklace was a loose term at best. It consisted of three strands of pale brown twine tightly braided together with tiny stones laced periodically along it. Each of the stones held a significance for Eihwaz and Okly had yet to ask him about them all. Eihwaz eyes and hair are a pale brown color similar to the cocoa for which his hometown was made famous.

"No. I'm thankful that I was wearing my amulet. I wasn't sure why I felt I should, but I knew something like this was going to happen. I was behind the apothecary's building before they were even on the same street as we were. They did not even know we were there. They were too busy making their way to the local tavern to pay much attention to us even if they had known we were available for their amusement," he finished with a smirk.

Eihwaz sighed in obvious relief. "Good then, let them get drunk and they will leave us alone. At least for now."

Okly shifted a little trying to remove a rock from under his blanket. He had tried to ignore the mild pain it was inflicting on his back, but knew it had to go or he'd wake up sore. He moved to the left and, using his hand, rooted under his blanket.

"Hey there, watch what you are doing!" Eihwaz exclaimed in surprise. "You almost knocked me off with that last move."

"Sorry," Okly said sincerely.

"I can see where I am not wanted," Eihwaz indignantly said. He jumped nimbly to the ground and walked across the camp.

Okly looked at him carefully, but Eihwaz was grinning and shaking his head. If nothing else, Eihwaz could usually be counted on to be happy.

Eihwaz grabbed a stick and poked at the ever-burning fire. He appeared absorbed with watching the sparks and flames he was producing. Suddenly without warning, a pack and a satchel dropped to the right of his feet causing him to jump in surprise. Looking to his right, Eihwaz knew whom he would find.

"Es, I really wish you wouldn't do that. You scare me out of a decade's growth every time," he said as he shook his head at her.

Esmarelda grinned at Eihwaz. "That just means by the time I am done, you shouldn't out live me by much," she replied winking at him. Eihwaz laughed at her joke and helped her with the game she had in her grip. They positioned the dead animals on top of a small wooden cutting board.

"Three grouse and a pair of rabbits. Not bad for today." Esmarelda smiled happily as she pulled out her knife to clean them.

Eihwaz shoved Esmarelda's pack to make room next to the board so he could help with the evening meal. He slowly pulled a knife from the belt around his waist and frowned thoughtfully.

"Es? About what happened today..."

Esmarelda held up her hand forestalling his words. "Before you say anything at all, I'm sorry. I was not able to get your powder. I... well.... I... forgot the name of the blasted thing and you know how terrible my memory can be." She pulled open her pack and continued, "but I did find something interesting that I thought you might like."

Delving carefully into the bag, she removed a long leather tube and handed it to Eihwaz with a smile.

Eihwaz examined at the tube curiously and peered up at her. "Where did you get this?"

Esmarelda busied herself with stowing away her gear and working on the nightly meal. "I found it in Trachadia before we left," she responded not looking him in the eye.

"You found it?" he prodded with emphasis.

Esmarelda looked at him in surprise. "Of course I found it! Anything new is found," she grinned. "Besides, I don't think that bard had any clue what it was he had within his own grasp. Since he so kindly left it next to a tent pole where anyone could find it, I decided I would be the one to do so. I doubt he shall even miss it. By my guess, he will be hightailing it out of town followed by rotten fruits and vegetables," she laughed.

"How did you know what was in it?" Eihwaz' curiosity forced him to ask.

"Look at the runes and burned markings on the lid. I would think that would have been apparent to you, Eihwaz," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "I only recognized two of them, but I thought the others might give a better clue."

Eihwaz studied the tube more carefully and couldn't seem to believe his eyes. "Cyndar Aglankia! How in the world did this show up here of all places? Or even show up at all?"

"I have no idea, but it seemed too important for a mere third rank amateur bard to be lugging around with him," she grinned.

He nodded vigorously and tore at the tube trying to open it. The dirty wax under the edge of the lid made it appear as if the tube had been sealed for years. When he finally pried open the lid, a smell unlike any other sighed quickly from inside the container.

"Ugh!" Esmarelda grimaced as she tried to remove the food from the general vicinity of the tube. "What is in that thing? It smells like someone died!" Esmarelda pinched her nose as her eyes watered uncontrollably. "Maybe it's Cyndar himself."

Okly sat bolt upright. "What in the world is that awful stench?"

Eihwaz ignored the horrible odor. He was too intent on finding out what was inside the container. Carefully he turned the tube upside-down and allowed the contents to spill onto the ground. His eyes seemed to pop out of their sockets as he lowered the tube to the ground.

Esmarelda wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. She appeared to get over the smell (or at least, her curiosity blocked it out) and she eagerly looked at the ground before Eihwaz' feet. She noticed a few rolls of waxy parchment, some crumbled pieces of paper that could not withstand the tests of time, a small oval vial and a dirty circular object.

Eihwaz reverently picked up the rolls of waxy parchment, studiously ignoring the other contents, and walked over to his blanket. Sitting down cross-legged he lowered the rolls to his lap carefully and stared at them for a moment.

"Do you know what this could mean?" he asked with awe in his voice and wonder sparkling in his eyes.

Esmarelda had by this time picked up the vial and the circular object inspecting them both. Okly walked over to the fire and glanced at the other objects from the tube. He sat down cross-legged and watched the wonder playing across her face.

"Look at this vial, Okly," she whispered while watching fascinated as the vial stood on its end and spun of its own accord.

The vial was about five inches in length with a sharp tip on the bottom and a cap made of finely etched silver shaped like a dragon's head. The dragon's head held a deep purple gemstone in its teeth. Inside the octagonal glass vial there was a pale purple liquid that appeared to be infused with a silver substance swirling through it.

"Amazing," Okly said under his breath watching her more than the object. He enjoyed her fascination with the simplest things.

"These could be the missing pages from 'the' book!" Eihwaz exclaimed with awe, not realizing that no one was paying attention to him.

Okly tore his gaze away from the vial and asked, "What book are you talking about, Eihwaz?"

Eihwaz stared at Okly in astonishment. "The Book of the Ancients!"

Okly looked at him without a clue dawning behind his hazel eyes.

"You've never heard of the Book of the Ancients? It's only 'the' book for the magi!" Eihwaz exclaimed gripping one roll in his hand.

Okly frowned at him blankly and Eihwaz sighed. Shaking his small head, he started to undo the tie on one roll and opened it as gently as possible. As the roll uncurled a smaller piece of parchment fell to the ground unnoticed.

Esmarelda glanced up at Okly and they both shruged their shoulders. Okly carefully took the spinning vial from Esmarelda's hand and studied it, while Esmarelda climbed onto his knee with the other object cradled in her hands.

"What do you think this is?" she asked Okly, wrinkling her noes at the filthy condition of the last object. Its shape made it anything from a small container, a slightly flattened pear or perhaps a strange flask. It appeared to be about an inch thick, about five inches tall with a narrow top (if that is the top), and had a bottom almost as wide as it is tall.

"Clean it up and find out," he grined at her.

She stuck her tongue out at him and pulled a rag from a pouch about her waist. "I was going to do just that."

Okly chuckled as her head bent over her cleaning task. He tilted his head slightly to one side and watched as a dark green color shows through some of the grim as she knocked it off in chunks.

"Guys?" Eihwaz small voice queried. Okly glanced up at Eihwaz who was surrounded by unrolled pieces of waxy parchment strewn all over the ground. The parchments did not appear to be as old as the outside would have proclaimed them.

"What have you found?" Okly asked.

"These aren't from the Book of the Ancients," he said slowly with disappointment and puzzlement. "They are part of a book, but I have no idea what book. I do not speak elven. At least, I think it's elven." Eihwaz jumped to his feet and ran over to Okly and Esmarelda holding one piece of parchment in his hand. "What do you think?"

Okly carefully took the parchment from him and squinted at the small print. A frown appeared on his forehead as he studied the letters.

"It looks like it to me, but I do not speak elven either."

"Before you ask," Esmarelda said without looking up from her work, "neither do I."

"How disappointing," Eihwaz exclaimed unhappily.

Okly handed the parchment back to him.

"Are all of them in elven?" Okly inquired.

"No," he replied walking to his mess, "but most of them are. In fact, there is only one that is written in common, but it's not like the others. It's more recent and written with a cheap ink. Some of the letters smudged when I touched them."

Eihwaz was very particular about his ink and parchment. If it was not just so, everyone heard about it. How else was a scroll or book to remain in good condition for future generations to marvel if you used bad implements?

Eihwaz plopped down on the ground in the midst of the pages and pulled a cleaner, less waxy page from the bunch. He frowned in concentration as he looked over what was written on it.

"This looks like notes on something. A quest perhaps," he mused.

"A quest?" Esmarelda looked up eagerly putting her project in her lap and forgetting about her cleaning. "What kind of quest?" After weeks of traveling to Trachadia to find Eihwaz powder, a change of pace sounded wonderful to her ears.

"It might not be a quest," he cautioned knowing Esmarelda's proclivity for adventures, "but if it isn't, I don't know what else it could be."

"Well?" she prompted. "What does it say?"

"It's hard to read this scrawl and some of it smudged when I opened it," he grumbled. "Okay, there is something on here about an enchanted canyon full of mystical.... treats?" he frowned.

Esmarelda brushed some hair behind her left ear and glanced up at Okly puzzled. Okly leaned down toward her. "Sounds more like a glutton's quest," he whispered to her. Esmarelda giggled silently and tried to disguise her mirth by ducking her head.

"Oh, no! Treasure!" Eihwaz continued oblivious to their conversation. "I smudged that part a little."

"Treasure?" Esmarelda perked up greatly. "Does it say what kind? Or where this canyon is?" Es handed her dirty project into Okly's keeping and slipped from his knee. Eagerly she ran over to Eihwaz and glanced over his shoulder at the page.

Okly shook his head at her antics and put both of the tube objects into a pouch at his waist. Bending closer to the fire he picked up the cutting board and glanced over the nightly fare with a critical eye.

There easily should be enough for all, but it was not going to get done with Eihwaz and Esmarelda engrossed in those pages. They could sit there for hours pouring over them, if previous mysteries were any indication.

Okly gingerly pulled a knife from the board and removed the heads of the grouse. As he listened absently to their conversation he started plucking the bird feathers and tossing them in a pile by his side. This was one of the most difficult jobs for him even with this grouse being overlarge, but it had to get done or he would never eat tonight.

"Okay, so there is a treasure," Esmarelda said musing. "That we can make out. There appears to be a forest dragon..."

"He probably has the treasure," Eihwaz smirked.

"...and an obelisk of some kind. Oh, maybe that is another of the travel points?" she wondered eagerly. "I bet it is! It sounds like one."

"It's too hard to tell from this handwriting. From the description of the obelisk, vague as it is, it's possible," Eihwaz said doubtfully, "but we have been on those goose chases before, Es, and I don't know if I want to try this one on one of your hunches."

"And why not?" she asked affronted.

"For one, we have no idea where this obelisk is," he told her calmly, pointing at the page for emphasis.

Esmarelda's attitude seemed to deflate quickly.

"Second, you do not even have the amulet to find out if it would work anymore anyway," he finished with a nod of his head that seemed to decide the matter.

"I don't know where it went," she pouted. "It just disappeared. It's not my fault that the last time we used it we were attacked. One of those marauders probably has it. If I miss my guess, they have no clue how to use it, but if they do, they could be about anywhere by now."

"That's only if they have it," Okly inserted. "When we know they are out of Ghryan Forest we will go back and look for it. We couldn't stay with you injured that badly. My clerical abilities weren't helping enough at the time."

Esmarelda grumbled under her breath, "I've already been back and I know it's not there."

Okly's movements stilled.

Eihwaz ducked his head knowing trouble was about to start. Quickly he started rolling up the scrolls scattered on the ground and stuffing them carefully into the tube.

"Did I hear you right?" Okly asked quietly.

Esmarelda watched Eihwaz movements as she studiously tried to ignore the anger laced through Okly's soft voice. She heard the concern as well as the anger in his voice and controlled her response.

"They were already gone by the time I went back to the lake," she defended herself.

Eihwaz piped up quickly, "They were out of the area already, Okly, she was not in any danger. I checked for her."

Okly flicked his gaze to Eihwaz long enough to make Eihwaz regret getting involved, but he could not let Okly think she was being negligent.

"You went along with this too then?" he asked with a touch of hurt in his voice. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you wouldn't have let me go back," Esmarelda answered for Eihwaz trying to deflect Okly's anger where it belonged, on her. "You had already said I couldn't go by myself and I didn't."

"I did not want to see you get hurt again," Okly said quietly looking down at the game on the board.

Esmarelda knew she'd made a mistake and rushed over to Okly, touching his knee in apology.

"I'm sorry, Okly, I had to check. You know how hard it was to get that amulet in the first place and I was afraid... oh, nevermind of what I was afraid, I was wrong and I apologize. Forgive me?" she pleaded with him. "I was not in any danger, I made double sure of it. We were caught off guard with the marauders, that is all."

Okly nodded his head in acceptance and released his grip on the grouse he had been cleaning. The grouse was not fit to be eaten now, but since he had lost his appetite on hearing about Esmarelda's latest exploit, it would not matter too much.

Esmarelda took the cutting board from his lap and places it next to the fire. She returned to Okly to take the sharp implement from his hand and he gave it up willingly. Taking the knife back to the board she finished cleaning the meal efficiently. She was able to salvage some of the meat from the mutilated grouse and positioned the raw meat on a cast-iron grill over the fire.

"Tell me next time," was all Okly said before washing his hands in the stream.

She didn't dare look at him while she responded quietly, "I will."

"So, how soon before the meal is done?" Eihwaz high voice drifted over the silent clearing. "That page was difficult to decipher and I am starved!"

"For such a little guy, you are always hungry," Okly grumbled. The grin on his face softened the harshness of his speech.

"Me? I think you are confusing me with your own appetite, you big lummox," Eihwaz retorted.

"Lummox? You are calling me a lummox, you half-pint human?" Okly responded in mock offense.

Eihwaz sputtered at Okly in stunned astonishment.

Esmarelda laughed at them both. A general sense of relief and contentment settled around the fire, while the delicious smell of roasting meat filled the air.