[sylvanSpider]

Arabella sat in the moment of tension cringing inwardly. Had she said something to offend the dark mage? A halfling like her – with little experience in magics outside of those of simple destruction – would never stand a chance with the vetted experience of Wisp. The last thing Arabella wanted was the same patron and the need to compete with someone like that. However, with someone like Wisp watching her back, there was hope. “I will not ask about it unless you decide on divulging,” Arabella said with an optimistic smile once the silence subsided. “And if what I wanted were to be power, is that too broad?” she asked, tilting her head. “I believe all of us that have yet to give our souls away still possess one, yes, but what does that consist of?

The halfling brought her hand up to touch the small wrinkles that she was already aware were beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. Crows feet. She didn't mind them; she knew that with age, the body began to wither and she'd decided long ago that they made her look more distinguished. Eventually though, she nodded and swallowed the lump that began to grow in the back of her throat, “You'd do that for me? I suppose now is as good of a time as any with the apprentices...training,” she couldn't help but laugh a little bit at their methods, but who was she to argue against effectiveness?

“If you can consider this to be clothes, I suppose,” Percival said, gesturing to her almost garb. “I believe you and I have two very different views on what defines 'civilized',” the wizard then crossed his arms. Not for the first (or the last) time he found himself wishing for his vodka. This was going to be a long ass quest. “No. Vodka is safe. It was the mead. It's always the blasted mead.

The wizard then turned to the dark mage, fire in his eyes, “I find children to be pitiful excuses for human beings and would rather no one called me father. In or out of the bedroom or whatever else might suffice for a substitution of one. How long does it usually take for one of your hounds to grab your apprentice? I'm ready to get on the road. The sooner we get there, the sooner I can drink and forget that I'm never going to get to retire.”

> > >

Kastivi glanced back down at the corpse. As much as she hated to think about what the goblin could have been running from, she had little time to consider it – at least for the moment. “Whatever it is, we have a more immediate problem. As soon as we get back to camp though, we need to tell the others what we found. Goblins wouldn't be in this area unless provoked, right?”

Christoval took off, and Kastivi was after him. They're patient he'd said. It didn't sound hopeful for the two apprentices, but the hound was ordered to not hurt them at least. That much was at least comforting. But if this was to be a training exercise, she intended to avoid it as long as possible. And if there was a chance they could see whatever hurt the goblin, they'd have more to report on.