define('WP_CACHE', true); {"id":291,"date":"2014-03-10T03:00:25","date_gmt":"2014-03-10T11:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crossed-paths.com\/logs\/?p=291"},"modified":"2014-01-29T23:22:39","modified_gmt":"2014-01-30T07:22:39","slug":"chapter-38-slipping-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crossed-paths.com\/logs\/archives\/291","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 38: Slipping Away"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 38: Slipping Away<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

In Which\u00c2\u00a0Blades Fly.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He drags himself upstairs a while later slipping quietly into the room in case she’s sleeping.<\/p>\n

Yazeth: Jozra is not exactly sleeping, curled on her bed. She’s not exactly awake either.\u00c2\u00a0 She’s spent the past hour or so since she finished packing — in which she spent several minutes trying to make a decision on the scorpion pendant before placing it safely back into her bag — drifting in and out of consciousness.<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He crawls quietly into bed without a word to the ferret, closing his eyes to sleep.<\/p>\n

Yazeth: One moment Azrun is yelling violently as he fires arrow after arrow into the town, the next the arrow shafts fade into the grain of the wall Jozra is facing. She sighs and rolls onto her back, a little more awake now, and stares at the darkened ceiling. A moment later flames creep around the edges of her vision and she tosses violently, startled to complete wakefulness as one of her tiny daggers thud into the wall she had been facing before.<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter is now snoring softly in the bed beside hers, unaware of what’s going on.<\/p>\n

Yazeth: She stares at the dagger for a bit, perturbed at the knowledge that she can throw a dagger in her sleep. After a while, she stands and wiggles the knife out of the wood wondering blankly at what to do with it.<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter turns over in his sleep, mumbling something inaudibly.<\/p>\n

Yazeth: The movement rouses the ferret from her reverie — she recalls for a second that she once stood exactly as she is now, only many miles away — and she puts the dagger away. Peeking outside through the curtains she can see the sky beginning to lighten.<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He murmurs again, curing up in the now warmed blankets.<\/p>\n

Yazeth: She glances almost sadly at the otter before making up her mind. She takes some of the gold, much of which has long since been converted into useable currency, to provide her with something to use during her travels. As quietly as possible, Jozra moves to the door and opens it, wincing as it squeaks a little.<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: The door doesn’t wake the otter up, but suddenly there’s a loud ruckus from outside that does. He sits up, rubbing at his barely rested eyes. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Wha?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: The ferret curses softly as a pair of shrews argue vehemently with the inn keeper just below their window. She mutters to the otter, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Go back to sleep.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He continues to paw at the sleep in his eyes. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What time is it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Too early. Go back to bed.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The ferret starts out the door.<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Where are you going then?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: She sighs. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153South.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He wakes up a bit more, looking towards the ferret as he sits up. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What do you mean \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcSouth\u00e2\u20ac\u2122?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: Why did those shrews have to pick that moment to argue? \u00e2\u20ac\u0153South. Home.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You were going to leave without me?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: The ferret grimaces and nods sharply, catching herself when she remembers that he can’t see the gesture. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He stands, taking a step towards her. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: Jozra sighs and looks away before muttering, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Because I don’t want you to get hurt.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns again. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why would you worry about me getting hurt? We’re both travelers, we’re bound to get hurt\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: The ferret shakes her head slightly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I’m afraid I would hurt you…\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Oh the melodrama.<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: His frown remains. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why would you hurt me?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: The ferret is silent for a long while. Finally, knowing she can’t leave without giving him some sort of explanation, she says hoarsely, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I attacked the wall last night.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He moves closer to the ferret. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153So?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was asleep when I did it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She nearly chokes for a second but continues roughly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If I had been facing the other direction I could have killed you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns at this, resisting the urge to rush forward and comfort the ferret as he catches the hitch in her voice. Instead he takes another step towards her. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But you weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t facing the other way.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: She steps away, avoiding the otter. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But I could have been. And what if it happens again?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He thinks for a moment before replying. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Put them in your pack then when you go to bed.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: The ferret blinks, surprised she didn’t think of that after having it beaten into her head to never be unarmed.<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He quirks an eyebrow. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: She looks deliberately away from the otter. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It’s not just that.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She catches herself before making any sort of comment as to the real reason she’s heading South.<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He steps forward again and tilts her chin up so she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s looking up at his face. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If it’s not that, then what is it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: The ferret shakes her head out of Soquan’s paw, retreating another step. Oh lots of things. You see I’m not what I say I am and I’m off to do the bidding of a secret group of spies for a government nobody’s heard of… It’s all she can do to keep from barking out a harsh laugh. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What if those beasts yesterday decided you were more of a threat? I got you into trouble there and you could have been hurt bad.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d It’s lame and she knows it.<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He gives her a lop-sided grin. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can look after myself well enough,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the grin fades, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153besides, I need you. Things have been going so much better for me since you came along.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He pauses a moment. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think you need me too. For your nightmares I mean. Who’ll keep them away if you go?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: Jozra looks into Soquan’s face for a while, a troubled expression on her own.\u00c2\u00a0 Too tired and disturbed to keep arguing she concedes his point. Heaving a sigh she says, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I suppose you’re right.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins and gives her a gentle hug. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Atta girl.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: She grins weakly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If it’s no trouble with you, I’d still like to leave as soon as possible. I’d rather not stay longer in this town than I have to.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Can we sleep a bit longer? I swear I only just climbed into bed five minutes ago.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: Jozra nods. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don’t think I’ll be getting much more sleep though.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She re-enters the room and sets down her pack to ease the otter’s fears of her leaving without him. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How about I go downstairs and come and get you when breakfast is ready?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He smiles. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tha’d be wonderful.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He grins again. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you get too tired don’t hesitate to come back up here okay?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Yazeth: She nods again before exiting the room, closing the door softly behind herself.<\/p>\n

Arrin Woodgreen: He moves towards the bed and flops down in the covers, falling asleep almost immediately.<\/p>\n

Yazeth: Jozra remains just outside the door for a bit, thinking over their conversation. He needs me?<\/i> She shakes herself and slowly navigates downstairs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 38: Slipping Away In Which\u00c2\u00a0Blades Fly. \u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Arrin Woodgreen: He drags himself upstairs a while later slipping quietly into the room in case she’s sleeping. Yazeth: Jozra is not exactly sleeping, curled on her bed. She’s not exactly awake either.\u00c2\u00a0 She’s spent the past hour or so since she finished packing — in which … <\/p>\n