[Sasan]

Only once that evening had Sasan checked on Sebastian. From the ever chipper boy's chattering, he'd caught enough to know that the egg's release was going according to plan. That, of course, only left his own.

Sasan's legs were weary, fresh dirt and gravel littering the floor between the counter and rear of the store. He hoped for a miracle as he paced. Really, he had only wanted to make a few changes, but if he'd known he'd be cutting it so close...

The thud of a door closing made his tail flick, and seconds later, he was outside. Sasan had been expecting the usual truck, there to save the day, and his reputation, with its load. Instead, he was met by a young woman, bundled in more clothes than even this weather called for.



"Oh, c'mon now, everyone can't be sick. How many of you does it take t'get a few hides anyway? Don't you realize how important this is?"

"Look, I'm real sorry about all this, but it's not like we can head out back and set a trap or two. There isn't anything we can do. You're just going to have to wait."

Sasan didn't have the chance to reply before the woman returned to her vehicle. He huffed and ran a hand back through his hair. "What a mess," the Ascent muttered. "Next time, I'll just have t'do black market deals for my supplies..."