define('WP_CACHE', true); {"id":368,"date":"2014-06-02T03:00:58","date_gmt":"2014-06-02T11:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crossed-paths.com\/logs\/?p=368"},"modified":"2014-02-01T22:43:09","modified_gmt":"2014-02-02T06:43:09","slug":"chapter-74-the-way-to-afrin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crossed-paths.com\/logs\/archives\/368","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 74: The Way To Afrin"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 74: The Way To Afrin<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

In Which\u00c2\u00a0The Trio Get To Know Each Other A Little Better.<\/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

Chris: The fox lets his satchel down as he hunkers to sit in a bed of comfy loam.<\/p>\n

Catamount: The ferret shifted her shoulders under her pack straps, pausing as the fox stops. She glances at him and quirks an eyebrow. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Everything alright?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris: He nods. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Just pretty tired is all. I’ve had a few rough nights this week.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin: Soquan stretches a bit and begins to shrug off his pack. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Good idea, we should rest up a bit. Neither of us should be pushing ourselves too hard.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount: Jozra frowns at this a little. She was actually feeling pretty good. Finally they seemed to be getting somewhere and the warm air helped her lungs. But she seemed to be outnumbered. She sighs and then sets her own pack down.<\/p>\n

Chris: Holst can’t escape that odd feeling in the back of his mind. Who were these two? \u00e2\u20ac\u0153So, I assume there’s more than names to you guys?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin: Soquan stretches out on the ground and begins to unpack something to munch on, tossing Jozra a share. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What do you want to know?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris: Holst cocks an eyebrow. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Just the interesting stuff, if there’s enough of that to be told.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin: He chews his food thoughtfully for a moment before swallowing. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Not much to tell really. Joz here saved my ass further up North not too far from Donfin. We wandered towards there and after a few adventures I guess we decided to stick together.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris: Holst’s cocked eyebrow accentuates a bit as he turns to Joz. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153So you risked your own life to save a stranger?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount: The ferret shrugs and nibbles a little on a piece of bread. The fox’s prying questions make her feel a little uneasy, but she doesn’t let that show. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It was just a handful of thugs beating up on a blind otter. The sort that run away as soon as somebody else shows up.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin: Soquan shoots Jozra a wry grin, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Run away? Was I imagining that dead body and blood smell then?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris: Holst allows his fangs to show in his grin. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153So you are a killer…\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount: Jozra stiffens a little, first at Soquan’s comment, then at Holst’s. On the spot, suddenly, the ferret has a hard time keeping the fur on the nape of her neck from bristling. She glances at Soquan, surprised. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I… didn’t realize you noticed that.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin: He reaches over and squeezes her shoulder gently. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hey, they would have killed me if you hadn’t showed up. It’s okay.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris: Holst is content to smirk.<\/p>\n

Catamount: Keeping an appropriate expression on her face is tough, particularly with the fox and his knowing looks. Of course she’s a killer, she’s a Scorpion. But that’s not who she’s supposed to be right now. Jozra scratches behind her ear; what’s an appropriate response?<\/p>\n

Arrin: Soquan responds, trying to break the thick tension. He smiles. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Nah. Joz wouldn’t kill a fly unless, of course, that fly happened to be deadly.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris: Holst nods. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And you two are from what regions?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount: Jozra nearly choked when Soquan said what he did. She cleared her throat a little and focused on the fox. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think I already mentioned I was from the South… What about you?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris: He nods. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153South, city dweller mostly. I’m only up here on special detail, but it’s been months since I’ve heard anything.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount: The ferret smiles a little, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I went wandering up North seasons ago, so it’s been quite a while since I’ve heard anything too.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris: Holst nods at Soquan. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And you, otter?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin: Soquan begins to pack up the remains of their light lunch. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153First off, I’d appreciate it if you called me by my name, not my species. And secondly, I’m a Northie. I grew up in Donfin.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris: Holst shrugs. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don’t meet many Northies down here. I assume you wouldn’t have much to leave behind if you were willing to travel so far?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin: Soquan continues to busy himself with packing up. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you don’t mind, that’s a rather personal matter I’d rather not speak about.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris: Holst sighs a bit. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well this has been more entertaining than I expected.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin: Soquan stands and offers Jozra his paw to assist her to her feet. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let’s just get moving again.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount: The ferret nods, almost relieved to be moving again. She almost doesn’t take Soquan’s paw, but no, that would be rude and the otter didn’t deserve that. She lets him help her up and then she hefts her pack back up onto her shoulders.<\/p>\n

Chris: The fox stands and stretches a bit as he picks up his satchel. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How long \u00e2\u20ac\u02dctil the next town?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin: Soquan’s brow furrows in thought. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Whaddya think Joz? A few days? A week? somewhere in there?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount: Jozra shrugs and then catches herself. She’s supposed to have come this way before. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It depends on how fast we travel. I wouldn’t say more than a week, though.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 74: The Way To Afrin In Which\u00c2\u00a0The Trio Get To Know Each Other A Little Better. \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 Chris: The fox lets his satchel down as he hunkers to sit in a bed of comfy loam. Catamount: The ferret shifted her shoulders under her pack straps, pausing as the fox stops. She glances at him … <\/p>\n