[crow]

Now he wondered if this was a known fact to the demon. Had she been watching them, all this time? Had she set herself up in Foundry City? He had nothing they could have wanted; he was just a defunct cast-away, such a poor excuse for a god that it didn't bear mentioning. If they took an interest in him, it was on false hope or false information. Once they saw that, surely...

But he needn't have worried. As he rounded the bend, he could see Rhodes himself, basking on a rock. He could see, now, why Rhodes wouldn't have wanted to leave. He had found himself quite a nice situation.

[crow]

The rock had a dip in the middle roughly his size, and the sun fell perfectly onto it. It was a clear afternoon, and the rock was likely warm from sitting in the light for so long. Rhodes didn't stir at Sivain's approach, but again he could see one ear turn. It was almost expectant, as if someone had raised a brow in silent question as to why he was here.

“The camp is ready,” he said. “Have you found anything?”

With his eyes still closed, Rhodes said, “As I suspected, it's difficult to trace. I did detect the faint smell of... of coffee.” He sounded as if he hardly believed it himself, and was moreover annoyed at the bizarreness of the detail. “I don't suppose that means anything to you?”

[crow]

“No,” said Sivain. The cat opened one eye to read his face, but Sivain had no fear of what he might find there. He was as much at a loss as Rhodes was, if not moreso. Coffee and dimensional magic--- it was a strange combination, to be sure.

The cat sighed. "I am not familiar with this working, whatever it is. It isn't something I've seen before. It can... perhaps be traced, but it would take more power and resources than I have here. Perhaps more than I have at all." That took Sivain slightly by surprise. He had seen the extent of Rhodes' collection of ingredients, scrolls, and artifacts. It had been nothing to scoff at.

[crow]

Still, besides registering this as cause for surprise, Sivain wasn't much bothered by it. He had always known that there were certain things beyond even Rhodes' capabilities. As far as such things went, he felt that this one was inconsequential enough that he ought to be thankful. Better that it be something trivial like this than anything of real and dire consequence.

"We can move on, then, if you like," he said. He was in no hurry, but Rhodes had warned him of the dangers of lingering here. Contrary to what Rhodes may have believed, he didn't in fact have a death wish, and therefore also no wish to remain next to something so noxious.

[crow]

But Rhodes was flicking his tail in dismissal of that idea. "Of course we can't," he said irritably. Sivain knew him well enough to know that the irritation was for the situation at hand, not for him. "We must clean it up, at least, or else who knows what poor schmuck might stumble upon it and--- no, we must clean it up."

"Not that I wish to discourage your newfound altruism," said Sivain, "but may I ask why? You didn't seem like the custodial type."

Rhodes shot him a withering look. "I assure you, I most certainly am not. This has nothing to do with how custodial I feel."

[crow]

"For that matter, I would hardly call it altruism either. I have explained the effects to you, of course, and to us, that is all it is. I am an experienced magic-user, while you..." Here Rhodes paused, uncertain for a moment as to how to continue. "Well, nevermind; the point of the matter is that your properties are not the kind that would react badly with something like this. But a foolish apprentice or someone with the wrong kind of latent magic could come into contact with it and cause something disastrous, and then there will be a great deal more cleaning up involved. I expect us to be in the area for some time, so it is in my best interest not to invite that possibility. Unless we were departing soon?"

Sivain shook his head, and Rhodes sagged slightly, disappointed. "Then matters lay as I have described them," he said.