Chapter 1: Lady Luck's Curtsy

Standing at the cave mouth, Catriona holds out her hand cupped to gather rain, and drinks. She offers some to her pet squirrel, too.

Aera stares forlornly out of the entrance of the cave, craving the open sky so he can stretch his wings and fly.

Baraq takes two sticks of firewood and heads towards the back of the cave. She plants each stick upright into the ground, spaced one foot apart.

Returning to the group, Baraq grabs her javelins and stands a good distance from the sticks. "Slide the spear through," she says aloud, dropping all but one of her javelins. She carefully judges the angle, hefts her weapon, and gives a heave. She does not try to throw the javelin through the two sticks, but rather have the javelin hit the ground flat and slide along to pass between.

Looking to Aera, she points to another javelin to indicate his turn.

I pick up a javelin and unceremoniously chuck it towards the sticks.

"Good throw," Baraq says, heading down to retrieve the javelins and fix one of the uprights.

While the game seems a bit archaic and simple, there isn't much else to do in this cave waiting for the storm to pass. 'Perhaps it will be a good bonding experience between man and beast.' Rolen thinks as he stands at the throwing line awaiting Baraq's return. Being handed a javelin, he tests his luck at this "game".

Baraq chirps appreciatively at the demonstration of skill.

"Who goes there?!" Catriona calls out as she rises to her feet and casts a spell.

Baraq hisses, flaring her wings as she assesses the newcomers, visually inspecting their musculature and body-fat indices.

"I said, who goes there?" Catriona repeats, barring entrance to the cave.

Hearing Cat call out, Rolen approaches to stand by her side, making the silhouette of his crossbow extremely visible "I would suggest answering the Lady and making your intentions known or prepare to share the fates of those before that tried to pull a fast one over us."

Aera squawks loudly as he grabs his bow and nocks an arrow.

Baraq says to the others in the cave, "We eat the little one?"