By the time that Kori departed Gnomish Delights, it had been several hours since she'd absconded from the enclave, a bit longer than she'd intended and probably long enough that Har had noted her absence. Her attempt at sneaking back in was not nearly as successful, at least in her mind, as her escape had been, knowing glances of several kobolds found her as she tried to skirt around the edge of the gate and head towards the underground den. She'd been hoping to pretend that she'd spent her time in her chamber reading or making notes, but that obviously wasn't going to happen when she saw Zln wave at her before she'd made it two steps in.

She gave the woman a nod and tried to continue along, only to see her jerk her head towards the large open doors of the warehouse. Following where she'd indicated, Kori spotted Har leaning against one of the wagons in the shade, which was already nearly full with boxes, barrels, and assorted sacks of cargo, with a scowl on his face.

When he noticed her and stood, saying nothing but keeping the scowl as he stared her down, Kori knew she was caught out. She slowly walked over, trying to convey a look of regret, until she stood before her mentor.

He gave her a good look up and down, before raising his hand and brushing away something along the side of her muzzle, giving it a sniff, and wiping his hands on a cloth he pulled from one of his pockets. "Did you at least bring me a scone?" Was all he said, shaking his head.

She, unfortunately, had not. "Sorry…"

"Hmph. Ungrateful little salamander, that's what you are." He harumphed again before finally letting the smile he'd been trying to suppress loose. "Ya know you could have just asked, right?"

His response caught her by surprise, Har had insisted that someone accompany her just about anywhere, either himself or Zln had been with her every time she'd left the enclave. "I could?" She asked, "But you always make someone go with me."

"Yeah, cause you're liable to get lost goin all the way to the herbalists, or worse, cut through the center of town where all those stuck up rich folk live, like Renava." He said the last with a sneer, before moving on. "If yer just going to see Maribel for a bite, no need to send someone with ya. Course if you had said anything I coulda at least asked you to bring me something back…"

"Oh…" She said, looking genuinely abashed this time around as she apologized. "Sorry, I should have asked before I left."

"Eh, done is done." He grumbled a bit and sighed, "No Nkt on the trip back, foods not gonna be nearly as good."

Seeing the look on his face, and knowing that he would really appreciate a good treat before they left, Kori had an idea, "Is there an empty box I can put my things in?" She asked, hefting the basket in front of her.

Har arched a brow as he looked at what she was carrying before smiling, recognizing the contents as the little gnome's stock. It was hard to mistake the blue and yellow glazed plates as anything else. He pointed out a crate that they had already left aside for the youngling, "Over there, left one out so you could pack up the stuff in your den."

"Okay!" She yelled out, rushing over as she began extracting her new belongings from the basket and gently stacking them within. There were plenty of bales of hay strewn around to pack the porcelain with to keep the breakables safe. She assumed that there was such an abundance of it since glassware and breakables accounted for a good portion of their cargo, since they were transporting enough implements to stock her new work space.

When the basket was bare, she threw Har a look and a quick wave, "I'll be back shortly!" She cried out, this time at least telling him she was leaving, if not actually explaining where she was going or asking his permission. She kept up a brisk pace, somewhere just shy of a jog, for the entire trek back.

Maribel was surprised to see Kori rush back into her café, breathing a bit hard and waving about a clearly lighter basket that she'd just filled for her.

"I'm back!" Kori exclaimed, between heavy breaths.

With a look of confusion and concern, the gnome tried to figure out what had happened. "I can see that, what's wrong? You didn't break all the dishes already, did you?"

"What? No!" Kori replied, distressed that her friend would think such of herself. Then she realized why, since the basket was nearly upside down as she held it in her grip with her hands rested on her knees. "Oh, yeah, no. I emptied the basket back at the enclave so I could come back."

Still confused, though a bit relieved that there wasn't an incident, Maribel echoed her friend's response from earlier in the morning, head tilt and all, as she said, "Why?" with a large grin on her face.

Not seeing the mocking gesture for what it was, Kori took the question at its face. "Because I needed room to carry treats for the caravan!" She answered, shoving the basket towards the gnome in one hand and another silver in the other.

It's hard to say who started laughing first, probably Maribel, as both devolved into giggles and glee at the statement. It was probably the oddly proud expression that Kori had when she'd said what she'd said.

When their mirth had finally subsided, the gnomish woman turned to one of her workers, and said something in their Vozhith language while tossing him the coin that Kori had presented. After the young man deftly snatched the coin from the air, he gathered a few things, hung his apron and ran out the door, all while Kori looked on taking her turn to be confused.

"He's going to the bakery to see what they have extra and order some more if they can." Maribel said, answering the unasked question of Kori's raised brow before taking the basket with a smile and saying, "Now, lets see how much we can fit in this for everyone!" and running back to the counter that displayed their pastries. She quickly began taking out scones, Danishes, tarts with berries and honey, even two whole loaves of bread with a clay pot of butter alongside. Eying her friend she then added a second little clay pot, this one filled with the whipped honey that she'd enjoyed so much, maybe too much.

If Kori was a little more savvy about the ways of coin, she might have realized that her sole silver had stretched considerably farther in filling the basket than it probably should have, but she wasn't and simply trusted her friend to either fill the basket until the coin ran out or tell her she needed another. It wasn't like Maribel didn't know she had more or that she never really took to the whole monetary value thing. But she didn't say anything, and Kori didn't ask, so the basket filled to the brim with pastries layered between with parchment and covered with a bit of the green cloth that the plates had been wrapped with earlier that she'd replaced with hay.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Repeating their farewells for the third time with hugs and promises to visit when she was able to come back, Kori departed yet again. She kept a bit more sedate a pace than earlier on her return trip, not wishing to disturb her precious cargo by jostling it around.

Making no effort at stealth on her arrival back to the enclave she proudly marched right back up to Har, who this time was busy directing the last of the crates and goods to be stowed and moving a few things around to even the load between the carts.

Upon her arrival she waited for Har to acknowledge her before proudly shoving the basket towards him and exclaiming loudly enough that the entire enclave, and probably some of their neighbours , heard her, "I brought treats!"

These words were apparently a form of magic that Kori was unaware of, as nearly every head turned at the youngling's statement, enough so that Har started yelling at them to get back to work.

"None of that now!" He shouted, "We've got a schedule to keep, get those crates loaded and tied down. Whatever she's brought will be even better after a long day when we stop for the evening." He paired his hollering with pointing at anyone he saw that wasn't already in motion and various goods that still waited to be stowed on the carts. "And you," pointing at Kori, "Best get anything you've left behind in your den and pack it away pronto, it's time we got on the road."

As she turned to retreat back to what had been her den for the past weeks, Har quickly added in, "I'll take those, no need to carry them back and forth." While reaching for the basket. His grin told her just what would happen if the basket was left in the man's care.

With a shake of her head, and perhaps a tongue stuck out in his general direction, Kori pre-empted the raiding of the scones, pulling the basket out of his reach and jogging over to the lounging Zln, "Can you keep an eye on these for me?" She asked, flicking her eyes back towards Har to make sure her intent was clear.

Like usual, she received naught but a nod and a single syllable from the shaman in response as she gave a simple, "Sure." in answer and took the proffered basket.

Glancing back, she saw Har's scowl as he continued directing the others back to work, something they had already been doing, with a little more vehemence than necessary.

There wasn't much left in her chamber to retrieve, just a few stashed concoctions and a few odds and ends that she'd picked up. She'd kept a few of the Inspiration suspensions, along side some cleansing solution, and three containers of stinging cloud, plus the one she already had in her satchel from before. She'd only kept a few of the uncommon variety, the rest of what they'd made had either been tested behind Imelda's home, though only the inferior one which was bad enough, or given to the gatherers she worked with to hopefully dissuade predators should they encounter them in the bush, just in case.

With her belongings not even filling her satchel, she returned to the assembling caravan and quickly stashed most of the concoctions in the crate she'd been given for her things, giving the flasks ample space packed with straw to buffer them and hopefully avoid any accidents, as well as anything else she didn't think she'd need while travelling, like coins. She'd tried to give them back to Har but he wouldn't take them, so she'd have to find a place for them when they were home.

By the time the sun reached its apex, the caravan was assembled and ready to depart. They made their way through the gates without fanfare or farewells, everything that had needed to be said had already been said, in Kori's case with Maribel, three times over even. It wasn't long before the sight of the walls was hidden by the forest and the world that she'd been living in for the better part of a month was gone, to be slowly replaced by the return of day-to-day life of the clan, where everyone had their place and stayed in it.

It wasn't until she saw Zln walking alongside one of the wagons, still toting the bright green cloth covered basket, that she realized she hadn't retrieved that most precious cargo. She was surprised to see the woman was travelling with them, she knew that a shaman would be with the group of combatants, but hadn't expected her for some reason.

She fell in beside the Animist, whose pace was slowed from her normal speed because the oxen got to set it rather than her, and thanked her. "Thanks for holding onto that," she said, pointing at the basket, "sorry I didn't remember to come get it sooner."

Zln's response was shocking to see for Kori, she'd never seen the woman anything but angry or annoyed in the days since they'd met, but now she sported what could generously be called a grin. "It's fine, smells pretty good." She replied as she handed over the basket.

Kori had to look around to make sure that she wasn't the only one hearing what she'd said, as well as verify that it was actually Zln and not some lookalike. Given the woman's rather unique appearance she highly doubted that last option though. She didn't want to risk doing anything to return the woman's attitude to the taciturn one that she'd experienced, so rather than ask her what had changed she just nodded, said thanks again, and retreated to the front of the caravan to ask Har what exactly was going on.

She set the basket beside the driver on the lead wagon before broaching the subject with Har, "Uhh, Har… is there something wrong with Animist Zln?" She asked, trying to be quiet so no one would overhear.

"Zln? Not that I know, why?" looking concerned as he glanced back to where the woman practically sauntered alongside the cart. "Looks fine to me."

"But… but… she's smiling!" Kori stuttered out.

Har blinked a few times as he tried to figure out what the issue was before chuckling, and to Kori's horror, turning to look at the woman in question and calling her up to them, "Zln, could you come here a moment?"

The return call of "Coming!" In a downright cheery voice sent Kori's thoughts tumbling off course as Zln jogged up alongside them.

"Good afternoon, Animist." Har greeted her and received a similar response, "My apprentice here has expressed some concern for your wellbeing." Waving his hand towards Kori as he spoke. "She seems to think your behaviour to be odd."

If a cheerful response derailed her thoughts, the woman's laughter downright shattered them. "It feels so good to be out of that place." She chuckled before patting Kori's shoulder. "I hate it there." Her hand tensing as she spoke of the town. "Spirits are a mess, grates on every sense I've got being in that town." She looked back to Har, "Tell her if you want." Before releasing Kori's shoulder and slowing her pace to fall back to her previous place alongside the second wagon.

"Tell me what?" She asked, as her mind slowly caught up to the trauma that it had just been inflicted.

Har just kept chuckling and shaking his head for a moment until he began to give her an explanation. "Her class is Rare, both in quality and occurrence. Ortik can explain it better than I can, not that he would, but he could. Her relationship with the spirits is apparently special, and both very powerful and very… intimate." He took a moment to find an appropriate word. "I'm sure you noticed she isn't like other members of the Circle, in many ways, but I bet you didn't know that she's been practically exiled from it." As he continued a note of pity entered his tone. "She can't go near the place without being completely overwhelmed, even worse than what you saw in town.

"She's so sensitive to the spirits that she never descends into the cavern proper from the trader's waystation and I've even caught her camping outside the entrance to the caves when she was stuck there for too long." He continued, Kori beginning to feel sad for the way the woman seemed to be isolated by the way her class had grown. "She's only really like this while we're on the road, away from anywhere that people gather."

Kori thought a long time about what he had just told her, how she felt sorry for the woman and at how a class could change your life like that. "But why take a class like that? Couldn't she have chosen not to evolve her class in that way?"

"Probably, though who knows what options she received or even if there were any others. But either she didn't know it was going to be as bad as it is, or the power it offered was too much to pass up." He paused before adding on to drive his point home, "And believe me, it's a lot of power. I hope you never have to experience her using it."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.