Chapter 1: Lady Luck's Curtsy

Rolen groggily sits up, his once pristine hair is now a disheveled mess, his upright posture is now slouched over. As his senses come back to him and he realizes it's Cat, he sits up straight "What...What are you doing in here, Catriona?" It is clear he still isn't completely there.

"This is the common room, Rolen." Cat says softly. "Look, I got your letter," she says, holding up the parchment, her other hand on her hip. "But you're not getting rid of me so easily. I'm really sorry you lost your wife and daughter, but you don't make friends and then toss them aside when things get tough. We are friends, aren't we?"

"And besides, friends or not, you and I have to work together. We signed a contract, remember?"

Rolen looks around as reality come back to him, seeing Cat was correct, he sits in quiet shame as she speaks to him; involuntarily wincing when she mentions his wife and daughter. After Cat has finishes he wipes his face, trying to remove the horrible feelings he is having but to little effect. "Get rid of you? What gave you that idea? Getting rid of you is nowhere near my list of things I wish to do." Rolen pauses while he tries to get his hair back in order before continuing "I've lied to you, Catriona, where that leaves us is for you to decide. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to clean up before we head out." He gets up and begins walking to his room, making it only a couple feet before stopping. He stands for a moment, lost in thought, before looking over his shoulder at Cat He then resumes his course to go to his room and get cleaned.

Catriona watches Rolen leave. She's more than a little confused. "I don't get it, Chuck-Chuck. He says he doesn't want to get rid of me. But his letter said he doesn't want to see me. Did he just mean he didn't want to see me yesterday? I didn't even get to thank him." Her brow furrowed, Cat heads outside and finds Baraq and Xavena waiting by the group's wagon. Chuck-Chuck scurries into Catrion's pack when he sees the aaracokra. "Good morning," Cat mumbles.

Baraq squawks in acknowledgement.

Krieger takes a moment to clear his throat. "Cider, if you don't mind. Thank you, Evelyn." He then returns his attention to the chalk circle he has drawn on the floor of his room, with the weapons he took from those bandits piled in the center.

Their souls weight on me because they weren't given a chance. I feel like those I travel with have no Gods. I wish to help all that I can with finding peace and those men didn't get a proper funeral.

I look to Catriona, shaking my head in disapproval. "You hunt as an animal but continue to sleep as one of them, in those prisons of fabric and feathers, crafted by stranger's hands. Why?"

Hmph. Children. I walk past her and slide into the front seat of the wagon. "Are we leaving, or do we have to wait for the others again?"

Baraq shrugs with a squawk, perched on the side of the wagon. She seems resigned to the wait and preens the feathers on her wings.

"Prisons?" Catriona echoes, smoothing her clothes with her hands. "These are to help me survive. I don't see why they can't be beautiful at the same time."

"Survive? You have more than enough for survival. A pelt will serve you better than that will. And walls like at those inns you hole up in are built to keep those like us out." All those people and their looks of disapproval. As if they're better than me.

Aera lands on the ground near to the wagon, "What's taking so long to leave?" he asks.

Baraq stretches her wings, then ruffles her feathers. She rebalances on the side of the wagon and resumes waiting.

With a tear in her eye she looks at the man Thank you. That is something I should have known but sometimes one needs to hear it from someone else. My faith may not be fully restored but I do feel a bit closer than I was a few moment ago.

Thank you Ada smiles as she heads off in search of her traveling companions.

Baraq eyes the sky, gauging possible wind based on the clouds and other environmental cues.