[quote]"So you were here when there was daylight," she said, tilting her head to the side a bit. The storm outside stopped as suddenly as it'd started. "Before the dragon was trapped in the Lanterns."[/quote]

Oseely quirked an eyebrow at her, and he burst a laugh with a slap to his knee. [b]"Well, I guess a pirate told you that. Or was it the Witch herself? Eh, I shoulda known."[/b] He gestured toward the gryphon, which had calmed since the storm had ended and was now attempting to look as if it were here to protect Artemis.

[b]"Yeah, I've been around since there was daylight, not that the [i]dragon[/i] had anything to do with that. I bet she told you that the damned dragon turned the sky dark and they sealed it up before it could do more damage. And then the Kith'll tell ya that the damned pirates sealed up the dragon first, and that's what snuffed out the sun. I tellya all of it's a load of hooey. But then, I'm the patron of thieves and liars, what do I know, right?"[/b] He laughed and leaned back against the cave wall. His attention diverted to Artemis, interested and thoughtful.

[b]"Lemme guess something about you. I never meet anyone new, humor the old man for a minute."[/b] He scratched his chin, studying her. [b]"Well, I know you stole that gryphon -- she belongs to the captain of the guard at the Roost outpost, and he's doing a horrific job of training her. I know you've been to see the Witch because those are her enchantments on your armor. And --"[/b] His eyes rested on the rabbit mask, which he hadn't bothered to notice much until now. His face seemed to get a shade paler as he stared at that mask. He rubbed the back of his head and took a deep, nervous breath.

[b]"Well. None of any of this matters to you, don't it? Nah, no reason for you to give a shit about fairy tales. What're you after, then? The way home? A little more power? Maybe just someplace to call home? Tell me, I'm interested."[/b] The smile reappeared, and he watched her lazily for her answer.

[hr]

[quote]"Ah, it's nice to meet you Miss Rhea, as Cod said my name is Aslynn......and I really wouldn't mind something to eat..." [/quote]

Rhea laughed heartily and gestured for Aslynn to come join the troupe. [b]"Once the outpost hears you've brought Cod home safe, you'll have more than you can ever eat and then some. C'mon, then, it's a bit of a hike but you look like you can take care of yourself."[/b]

The other men led the way back up the twisted path, and Rhea followed them with Cod's hand firmly held in hers. The wind had died down as quickly as it had begun, and the forest was dark and silhouetted only by the stars, the pirates' lamps, and the violet glow of the Lantern.

After awhile, Rhea glanced back at Aslynn, unable to contain her curiosity. [b]"You're not the first sun-child I've met tonight,"[/b] she said, her brow furrowed uncertainly. [b]"There were four others: a girl, younger than you in a raggedy dress, a skinny boy with spectacles, then a guy built like a tank, and a guy who wore monkeybat skins and teeth for kicks, all of them with that same look on their faces as you have. How long've you been here? And are there any more of you?"[/b] She chuckled; it almost felt like the island was being invaded by people from other worlds.

[b]"Miss Aslynn has a sun where she lives!"[/b] Cod squealed, hiking expertly up the roots and rocks that riddled the path.

[b]"She does!"[/b] Rhea feigned wonder and surprise. [b]"Well, we'll have to ask her all about it while we eat supper."[/b]

[b]"Yeah I'm hungry."[/b]

The path got steep and curled around the mountain, shielded from the wind and cold by thick flowering trees. Occasionally a gap in the leaves would afford a magnificent view of the island: a lake shimmering gold, a pinprick of blue and white light on its shore; a sea of thick green trees, paled by bluish starlight; a dark patch stricken with dead white trees, where a fire had recently burned away part of the forest; and far beyond, the ocean stretched black under the night sky.

They could hear the sounds of voices and clanging metal before they rounded a corner to find the outpost in full animation; tents and stone houses made up the outpost, where men and women in leathers and armor cooked food over a bonfire, or wove fabrics, or fashioned weapons. A group of children were gathered around an old man who was in the middle of a fantastic story about the Kith. A gray grypon -- bigger than a horse -- slept soundly by the fire, its bluish feathers rustling in the breeze. Another gryphon flew overhead, its winged silhouette barely visible in the dark sky.

[hr]

While Anise slept, she dreamed.

[indent]She felt constricted and detached -- like her heart had been broken into pieces, each one squeezed into a jar and locked in a cage. The more she pushed, the more she tried to breathe, the more it hurt.

The Kith! The Kith would lend their power, help her break free as they had once before -- but wherever she searched for them, wherever she extended her reach, there was nothing. Their energy was blocked from her -- there was only emptiness, only darkness. Why was it so dark? Anise was growing weaker. The jars and the cages gripped harder, and would never let go. The ticking of the trees never stopped.

TICK. TICK. TICK. TICK.

She was cold and weak and stiff before the veil between the worlds thinned, and a source of power glimmered beyond it -- all she had to do was extend her reach, scratch through the veil, and latch her creeping vines onto the energy on the other side.

Power trickled in. Warmth very slowly filled each broken piece of heart. Slowly, she suckled on the life of another world, until the veil thinned again. This time, she was ready.

She reached out into another world, grasped the first bright source of power she felt, and yanked it through the veil. Again, and again, and again. Bring the power closer. Hope it would break the cages, smash the jars, piece her heart back together again. Where were the Kith? The Kith were out of her reach. Why was it so dark? Her children had betrayed her, had betrayed each other, and her daughter was dead.

Power flooded her veins, and her heart strained against the jars and cages, close to bursting.

[i]I WILL HAVE A WORD WITH MY CHILDREN.[/i][/indent]

When Anise awoke, the moon was rising on the horizon and she was being dragged along the rocky ground on a makeshift sledge. Peck lighted the way with the white lantern, pulling her after him, and the blue egg was tied up in Anise's dress. They were out of sight of the lake, moving slowly through the deep forest. Blood-rats and monkeybats shied away from the dual lanterns' light.

As soon as it became clear that Anise was awake, Peck spoke through the quiet of the woods: [b]"Reus took the Witch back home,"[/b] he told her solemnly. [b]"Don't worry, you're safe."[/b]