With temperatures rising over 143°C (289.40°F) in most areas, the only relief is during the nights when it is much cooler. All travelers are advised to keep to the local towns on the desert's outskirts and avoid traveling too far from civilization. (+3 Endurance, +2 Defense)

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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 3:56 AM

"Ahhhh," said the innkeeper. He had an expressive face, and now it was arranged in a mournful expression. "A sad parting, to be sure! But that is the way of things, running a place like this. You'll keep searching for that boy of yours, then?"

"He's no acquaintance of ours, but yes, we will continue our search. We've asked around, and it seems he was going to some town within the desert, as far as anyone knows." He'd shared some details about the case. There was no reason not to, when they were asking around for leads.
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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 3:58 AM

The innkeeper had been the one to point them in the right direction, passing them on to other people who might have heard something, or known someone who ventured often into the desert itself. It stood to reason that the innkeeper was at least a little invested in their goal now, and Sivain didn't mind talking about it. He did make sure to keep things vague enough, in case someone else came asking around with less savory goals in mind, but it hadn't hurt to share this much.

"And are you taking that cat of yours with you?" said the innkeeper, taking a bite of his curry.
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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:01 AM

The corner of Sivain's mouth quirked slightly upwards at the innkeeper's way of referring to Rhodes. It happened a great deal, since Rhodes didn't like to reveal his true nature when it wasn't necessary, but Sivain was out in company with Rhodes little enough that it was still something of a novelty, and it never failed to amuse him every time. He was so used to the cat's company, and so nonplussed by his speech and sentience, that it was a little bizarre to him that other people didn't immediately sense it, somehow. "Yes," he said, "Rhodes will be coming with me."
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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:06 AM

"More's the pity. He brought in good business, you know! Such a well-behaved cat, though he could be a little more affectionate." Sivain couldn't suppress a smile now. Rhodes was good for business, yes--- this was not a new concept. But Rhodes wasn't usually doing his favors for business by enticing patrons in with his presence.

"You don't subscribe to the belief that black cats are bad luck then?" said Sivain. He took a bite of his own curry, and closed his eyes briefly in appreciation. The flavors were rich and deep, playing over his tongue, with just enough spice to be interesting.
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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:10 AM

The first night they'd spent here, the man had invited them for dinner, and treated Sivain to a truly mouth-scalding dish. Sivain hadn't trusted his cooking after that, but perhaps feeling apologetic, the innkeeper hadn't repeated the incident. He was a good cook, who knew his craft well, and slowly Sivain had grown used to eating his fare. The innkeeper, watching him, chuckled fondly.

"No, none of that," he said, about cats. "There's an old superstition in these parts that cats are good fortune, actually. But they say you'd best not lose their favor, since they're such fickle little things."

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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:15 AM

"Fickle..." It wasn't the word Sivain would have used, and he was certain Rhodes would have protested such an adjective being leveled against his kind, but there was some truth to it. "That is one way to look at it, yes," he said at last.

The innkeeper laughed. "Afraid your little friend will fault you for admitting it?" he said. Sivain choked a little, not expecting the innkeeper to guess something so close to the truth. "Not to worry, this is just between us, eh? What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"Yes, you're right," said Sivain, taking a sip of water to soothe his throat.
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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:18 AM

And the innkeeper was right; supernatural or not, Rhodes wasn't here, and if the cat had ways of listening in from afar, surely he had no cause to use it now, of all times. And the worst that could happen was that Rhodes was cross for a few days. Sivain had weathered worse things.

The innkeeper went on. "The old folk used to court them with offerings when I was a boy," he said. "Leave some scraps out, a bowl of milk, sometimes even the best cuts of a lamb on special occasions. I always thought it was a waste about the lamb, feeding it to strays."
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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:25 AM

"But now that I've seen them work their magic for myself, maybe it's time I take that up again. Maybe even pick up a stray off the streets, if they'll have me." The innkeeper laughed again. "Cassie would like that, I think. She's quite taken with your fellow, you know!"

"Is she? I'll be sure to tell him that," said Sivain. He wondered if Rhodes was aware. He couldn't remember ever seeing Cassie pet him, though admittedly he wasn't keeping very close watch on the two of them. Rhodes hadn't complained of her, at least, which he would have done if she'd been a nuisance.
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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:28 AM

"Will you? Let me know what he says, by all means," said the innkeeper. It was a good thing he was laughing, or else Sivain might have strongly suspected that he had discovered Rhodes' secret somehow. It wouldn't be the most unlikely thing, considering they lodged here; perhaps the innkeeper had heard Sivain conversing with Rhodes in their room, as they did.

In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he wondered... but there was no way to broach the subject without either giving up the secret or sounding strange himself. He sighed, dismissing the matter, and focused on his food instead.
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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:30 AM

The rest of the meal passed in peaceful conversation. The inn was mostly empty at midday, though sometimes another patron ducked in, and the innkeeper would greet them with his booming voice. Sivain, for his part, was glad for the excuse of food to keep him from appearing too rude when he did not offer his own greeting. He wouldn't have regardless, but this way it seemed less odd. He had never been good with such things.

Eventually the meal ended, and the innkeeper bustled off with the plates. Only then did Sivain remember his map. But he was not particularly troubled; it was only mid-afternoon, by his reckoning.

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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:33 AM

He had time enough to mend it before the next day, and they didn't have a great deal to pack. It was a lot to carry, but most of it had already been put away. If they found themselves in a rush, Rhodes' magic did wonders for any organizational task, though he didn't like to be exploited for it if he thought Sivain was just being lazy.

Fickle indeed. The innkeeper wasn't wrong about that. But he was used to it, and Rhodes wouldn't be himself if he wasn't. And Sivain was grateful, of course, for all the things Rhodes had done for him these long years.
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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:36 AM

He took the map up to his room, and spread it out on the small desk that occupied a corner of it, poring over it slowly. The marks of the guide had been somewhat haphazard, and Sivain tried to refine them as best he could first, without disturbing or changing what they depicted. In places, the marks were somewhat ambiguous, and these he left alone.

From there, it was a matter of charting a path from watering hole to watering hole. It was not unlike playing a game of connect-the-dots in that sense, though he'd never played it himself, and estimating distances had never been a part of the game.
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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:38 AM

Charting the new path didn't take long at all, but the tough part came after. He had to see how long it would take, by the path he had drawn, and pace himself accordingly. There were scant few other landmarks to keep track of, so he would be relying almost entirely on navigating by the sky, and by the compass that he'd bought some time ago.

It was going to be a long flight. The journey had lengthened somewhat, so now he was looking at an estimate of two weeks rather than one and a half as he'd hoped, but he had anticipated that when he asked the guide to amend the map.
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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:41 AM

When he was done, he stretched, his neck and back having grown tense from being held in the same hunched position for so long. The table hadn't been built with the chair or Sivain's own height in mind, too low for both. As he stretched, a few of his joints popped, and he uttered a soft groan of satisfaction.

"My, what a ghastly sound," said a voice.

Sivain didn't have to look to know that it was Rhodes. He felt that he could probably have recognized the cat's voice in his sleep by now. "Did you send your letters?" he said.
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Re: A Needle in the Desert [self]

Postby crow » 10/21/2017 4:44 AM

"I did," said Rhodes. He leaped off from his perch on the windowsill, and hopped onto the bed, where he curled himself up neatly atop one of the pillows. "I had to assume a different shape to do it, but other than that, it was fine. They have quite the quaint little post office here, I must say."

He must have been in a good mood. Sivain smiled. Maybe he was glad too, that they would be off soon. The town itself was nice enough, but they'd been cooling their heels here too long for Sivain's liking. Sivain himself felt better now, knowing their departure was imminent.

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