[IC] Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

[Muttonhawk]

Ariel gave a sympathetic look while listening. There didn't seem to be any obvious solution to Meesei's plight. Ariel could still tell that it bothered her, though, so she extended a hand and gave her a comforting squeeze on her upper arm. "Oh, Meesei, that's not fair." Even though Ariel was hardly an expert, it didn't seem right in her mind that Meesei's prospects were completely empty. After thinking of some way to put it, she moved her hand up to Meesei's shoulder. "You shouldn't just give up completely, surely there is a way around this authority business? Um...take kings and queens, for example! All monarchies basically require marriage to continue royal families, surely there is room for sincere love in such relationships?" Ariel glanced away for a moment, perhaps that was a bad example, "Okay, look, if you think of yourself in a relationship, what do you think is the worst that could happen?"

[EliteCommander]

Meesei appreciated Ariel's sympathy. She doubted that she would have a way to solve her issues, but it was still nice to be able to voice them. "The worst? Well, the worst situation I can think of is likely that whoever I select as my mate might start to be seen critically in the eyes of other lycans, and my actions towards him might impact their views of me. Some pack leaders may look down upon me if my mate is someone of lower...status, you might say. It is not logical, and I do not like that mindset, but it is what I have to deal with. As well, if my mate was a pack alpha, some others may lose respect for me if I show him preferential treatment. The problem is, even if I am careful to avoid showing that kind of preference, some people may interpret any kind of preference, even if well-deserved, as being a result of the relationship. Which would, of course, impact their respect for me. As Champion, their respect is something I will need, and it will be hard enough keeping it as an Argonian."

Meesei let out a sigh. She knew she was likely exaggerating some of the potential problems in her mind, but she did not think she was far from the truth. "I know it is not likely that all of those things will happen, but my responsibilities are of great importance, and I fear what might happen if I cannot handle them."

[Muttonhawk]

Behind Ariel's comforting look, she mulled over what Meesei mentioned. It was unfortunate that such people would have to cause such problems, but it was probably the case for all leadership based purely on respect and strength.

What caught Ariel's ear also was Meesei's last comment. "Tsk, Meesei, you don't have any reason to doubt yourself. I understand that commanding respect is difficult, but I think if you place your boundaries correctly, you might just navigate your way through it. I think your strength and wisdom will help you more than you believe." With one last smile, Ariel lowered her arm and began to stand up, "Anyway, I'm just an alchemist, I haven't been a champion before. Speaking of which, I had best get started on the medicine." Ariel held her hands together and bowed to look at Meesei and Rhazii, "I will see you tonight, and...have a think whether you are apprehensive because you don't think you are capable, or whether you are only worried. I had to think about that when deciding to move down here to Thorn." Ariel gave a grin to Rhazii and shook his little hand, "Bye bye, Rhazii." She stood up straight, "See you, Meesei!" Ariel waved and turned to leave.

[EliteCommander]

After Ariel's departure, Meesei did what she could to keep herself occupied. She could not meditate too deeply and still keep an eye on Rhazii, but between that and taking him and Leaps down to the water, it was enough to last until the others returned. Their hunt was not unsuccessful, but they did not find anything too impressive. As close as they were to the city, however, it was not too surprising that they could not find anything particularly large or dangerous. For the most part, Kaleeth was not fast enough to actually help kill what they found before the others finished it off, but in an effort to get her to help in some way, Lorag had the idea of creating an ambush. For one creature, instead of chasing it down directly, they chased it into the water where Kaleeth was waiting. It was perhaps not necessary, but it was a tactic to keep in mind when they found themselves fighting something a bit stronger.

The others returned around noon, so Meesei had plenty of time to deal with a few last issues before they departed the next day. Namely, she returned to the city in order to actually reserve their place aboard the ship, just to make sure there were no issues the next day. Since they had saved some coin by selecting the cheapest vessel, she was able to also purchase city clothes for those in the pack who did not already have them. They were, admittedly, very basic and inexpensive, and would likely not fit perfectly, but it would be better than having to wear armor day in and day out on the voyage.

Several hours after Meesei returned, the sun finally started to get low enough in the sky that she felt it was time to head into the city. To protect their belongings, they were bringing all of it along, but for how many times they had set up and taken down a camp, it did not take them long at to pack it all away. Ahnasha was sat by her bags feeding Rhazii as the others were getting ready. Like most of the others, she was looking forward to their last dinner before setting out on their voyage, but she also had a slight look of worry in her expression. Ariel had seemed confident that she could create some kind of medicine to help herself and Fendros, but she would not really know if she was going to be able to get any relief until she could use it herself.

[EliteCommander]

After Ariel's departure, Meesei did what she could to keep herself occupied. She could not meditate too deeply and still keep an eye on Rhazii, but between that and taking him and Leaps down to the water, it was enough to last until the others returned. Their hunt was not unsuccessful, but they did not find anything too impressive. As close as they were to the city, however, it was not too surprising that they could not find anything particularly large or dangerous. For the most part, Kaleeth was not fast enough to actually help kill what they found before the others finished it off, but in an effort to get her to help in some way, Lorag had the idea of creating an ambush. For one creature, instead of chasing it down directly, they chased it into the water where Kaleeth was waiting. It was perhaps not necessary, but it was a tactic to keep in mind when they found themselves fighting something a bit stronger.

The others returned around noon, so Meesei had plenty of time to deal with a few last issues before they departed the next day. Namely, she returned to the city in order to actually reserve their place aboard the ship, just to make sure there were no issues the next day. Since they had saved some coin by selecting the cheapest vessel, she was able to also purchase city clothes for those in the pack who did not already have them. They were, admittedly, very basic and inexpensive, and would likely not fit perfectly, but it would be better than having to wear armor day in and day out on the voyage.

Several hours after Meesei returned, the sun finally started to get low enough in the sky that she felt it was time to head into the city. To protect their belongings, they were bringing all of it along, but for how many times they had set up and taken down a camp, it did not take them long at to pack it all away. Ahnasha was sat by her bags feeding Rhazii as the others were getting ready. Like most of the others, she was looking forward to their last dinner before setting out on their voyage, but she also had a slight look of worry in her expression. Ariel had seemed confident that she could create some kind of medicine to help herself and Fendros, but she would not really know if she was going to be able to get any relief until she could use it herself.

[Muttonhawk]

The afternoon following the hunt resumed with a quick break on the part of everyone involved. This included Janius and Kaleeth who, despite their energy in the morning and continued motivation, had to sit for a moment before training again. Janius was actually grateful for his, as it gave him the proper head space to think of what to focus on in Kaleeth's training. Planning ahead with his beast spirit in the forefront of his mind was not easy. He settled on picking a tree and having Kaleeth undergo striking drills to train her consistency. Sparring over and again was one thing, but training her muscle memory was just as important, even if it was repetitive. By the end of it, Kaleeth was at least somewhat improved with her mace swings. The drills were reinforced by some one-sided sparring where Janius only held his shield in both hands, stopping as frequently as he needed to in order to correct Kaleeth's technique.

Sabine had initially wanted to go and be with Ariel again to see what a day at the shop would be like. However, by the time she had gathered up the initiative to go, Meesei stopped her and reminded her that she was working on something 'very important' for Ahnasha and Fendros. Sabine gave a glance to Fendros and Ahnasha from across the camp and nodded in understanding. She instead took the time before packing to try and practice her basic magic as Meesei had taught her.

In the time since the hunt, Fendros had occupied himself by organising some belongings ahead of time and then using the spare time to try and make sense of more of Orskan's tome. Keeping himself busy seemed to make him feel more in control than when he had nightmares. Ahnasha, on the other hand, had plenty of space to think and worry by the looks. Being nearby, but still engrossed in the tome, Fendros' attention wasn't brought to Ahnasha before Sabine's was. She approached Ahnasha and Rhazii, sat down next to them and put an arm around Ahnasha, looking at her curiously. "Are you okay, sister?"

[EliteCommander]

Ahnasha had been absorbed in thought, so she did not notice at first when Sabine approached. It was only because she was holding Rhazii that she did not jump when Sabine put her arm around her. As per usual, her immediate reaction was to be defensive and dismissive of the issue, but there were a few seconds of genuine worry on her face before she slipped into her facade.

"Oh, no, it's, nothing. I was just...thinking about this voyage we are going to be heading on. I have never been on a ship before, but I know enough about them from living in Leyawiin. This vessel we are going to be taking, it is large, but even the largest ships can seem cramped after a while. We are going to be trapped in a relatively small space for almost a month with people we don't know, and who don't know us. Even worse, most of them are going to be sailors. From my experiences with them, they tend to act differently from most who live in cities. I suppose it is just something about being away at sea for so long, so often, that influences them. I have met some decent sailors, but some of them are simply scoundrels. We will need to be ready to deal with them." She said, hoping it would be an adequate explanation.

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine took her eyes off Ahnasha's face with a bit of confusion. It wasn't so much the surprise that it wasn't her memories affecting her, but more that Sabine had no idea what sailors were like. They sounded like madmen. Though, it was strange, the ferry to and from Vvardenfell didn't seem to have anyone particularly bad in it. Perhaps that was because they made landfall often, as opposed to what Ahnasha described.

"What exactly might they do? Being on a ship for too long won't make us act like them, will it?" This time it was Sabine's turn to look worried. If Ahnasha's previous expression was about this, then it was cause for concern.

[EliteCommander]

Ahnasha gave a smile and a slight laugh, shaking her head lightly. "No, it's not like that. The worst we might experience from the voyage itself is some potential seasickness, it's just...sailors aren't always the nicest of people. I mean, they aren't necessarily bad, but, well, their lives are far from normal. Well, what most city dwellers would consider normal. You see, to work as a sailor, a person has to be away from land for potentially months at a time, staying confined to their ship for the entire duration. The only people they ever see are the other crew members, and they don't exactly live well. They have to ration their food and water carefully, and the ships are rarely clean for long, so they aren't always able to stay sanitary, which is a much greater concern for non-lycans. If they have a family, they won't see them for most of the year, which is why many do not."

Pausing for a moment, Ahnasha tried to think of an explanation that could calm Sabine's nerves. She did not intent to make Sabine afraid with her excuse, so she needed to make it seem concerning, but not too concerning. "I guess...I guess it isn't so much that sailing changes them as it is that sailing attracts a certain type of people. I mean, it is bound to have some influence on them, but they tend to have no family ties, and not a lot to lose. They are willing to take on high risk for gold, and tend not to care about social norms. Those types of people tend to be...we should just be careful. They are not dangerous; it isn't as if they are going to suddenly attack you unprovoked, it is just that they are not always kind."

[Muttonhawk]

"Okay," Sabine answered quietly. Ahnasha's words did help deflate some of the fear that had spread through her mind, but now it didn't seem like their voyage was going to be quite as easy as she had envisioned. She could only hope that their company on the ship would not be too smelly, greedy, or otherwise unpleasant. That was beyond her control at this point, though.

In looking down and trying to console herself, Sabine's eyes found Rhazii where he lay in Ahnasha's arms. Another question came to the forefront of her mind that evidenced her lack of experience in everyday society. "Ahnasha, does that hurt? Feeding Rhazii?"

At this point, Fendros was mildly aware that it was soon time to head into the city. He decided to finish his page before he started to shoulder his share of the luggage. He wondered what Sabine and Ahnasha were talking about, but was too focussed to eavesdrop properly.

Heading up from the beach were a much more fatigued looking Janius and Kaleeth. Fresh scratch marks on Janius' shield spoke of their training being suitably intensive this afternoon. Either that or simply evidence of Kaleeth's superhuman strength being applied.

[EliteCommander]

"Um, well, sometimes at first, but...not really. If it were painful...well, I was going to say less mothers would be willing to do it, but considering what even having a child in the first place entails, I think a mother would go through anything for her child. Regardless, I doubt it will be an issue until his teeth start to come in, but I am hoping not to need to do this by then. Khajiit teeth are quite sharp, and cubs just love to stick things in their mouths and biting them, so...just be careful in a few months if you're trying to play with him. That, or be ready to take a few bites." Ahnasha said with a smile. It was not long before Rhazii had his fill, so she cradled him in her arms and gently patted his back.

"You know, if there is one thing I wish I had for Rhazii, it would be friends for him to grow up with. There is a large gap in age between him and anyone else in the pack. By the time he is five, you will be, what, twenty? Perhaps we can find him some friends if we encounter other packs? In any case, you are going to be the closest thing he has to a big sister, I think. Do you think you will be ready for that?"

Once Kaleeth and Janius returned to camp, she immediately changed from her armor to the city clothing Meesei had purchased for her, albeit with mild annoyance. It was a simple dress, and compared to some more extravagant dresses, it was practical, but she still hated trying to move around in it. If there was one thing she disliked about cities, it was the inconvenient styles of clothing she was forced to wear. She would much prefer something similar to what Janius wore, but according to him, that would be unusual. Once she was dressed and packed, she approached Janius with her annoyance evident in her expression. "Am I really going to have to wear this the whole time we are on the boat?" She questioned.

[Muttonhawk]

At Ahnasha's question, Sabine was bewildered enough in imagining herself at twenty years of age, even if for everyone else it didn't seem like much time. Being a big sister, a proper big sister, was something else entirely. For the time that Fendros was learning, she helped to mentor him and in a way was an older sibling, but once his proficiency met the pack's standards, his own life experiences quickly reversed their sibling roles. Now Fendros was occasionally teaching her things, mostly reading and writing. For Rhazii, however, Sabine would always be more experienced than him. He would probably always see her as more wise until much later in life. With the age difference, Sabine's role might be more akin to an aunt, but for now, the idea that she would be a big sister was something that gave her a strange sense of joy. Sabine smiled widely at Ahnasha and responded, "I think so."

The activity around the camp prompted both Sabine and Fendros into action in changing into their city clothes and carrying their share of the luggage in preparation for bringing it into the city. Sabine left Ahnasha's side just as Fendros walked up to her with a smile. He extended a hand to help her up if she wanted. "Time to head out?" He asked, mostly rhetorically.

Janius let out a chuckle at Kaleeth's annoyance. "I don't think so. You should still wear your armour while we train, even if we won't have much space to. Being nude in front of the sailors would probably not be the best of ideas in any case." Janius shrugged, "Then again, wearing men's clothes on the boat probably wouldn't raise eyebrows as it would in the city. We would probably just have to find some for you...somehow." Janius stifled another laugh; a dress did not suit Kaleeth in the slightest. "I'm sure you'll get used to it, anyway."

[EliteCommander]

Once everyone was ready, the group headed out towards the city, which was not terribly far away .It was close to nightfall, but they would arrive at the Wamasu's Nest before dark. As they entered the city, they blended in moderately better than the day before, given that they had appropriate attire, but the amount of baggage they were carrying still caused them to stand out.

Heading inside the inn itself, they saw that it was not precisely crowded, but there were a decent number of patrons still remaining. Luckily, there was a mostly unoccupied corner of the main room in which the pack was able to set down their bags and take their seats. Rukeewei was still on his shift, and Ariel was likely still at her shop, so it was probably going to be a few hours yet before they could begin. Most of the patrons seemed to be wrapped up in their own conversations, apart from a drunk-looking Argonian man who kept glancing in their direction.

Although he was still working, the inn's business was just sparse enough at the moment that Rukeewei could afford a moment to approach them. "Ah, it is good to see you all again. My brother should be taking over for me within the hour, and Ariel should get here soon.." He said, pausing a moment and looking around at the other patrons. He leaned in closer to the pack and whispered so that, hopefully, no one else would overhear. "I know you don't have much gold at the moment, but I think I can contribute a few free drinks, once we start."

[Muttonhawk]

The Wamasu's nest was much the same as it was when they left it. Fendros and Janius both came forward to greet Rukeewei in turn, Janius shifting to hold Leaps steady in one hand as he extended the other to shake Rukeewei's. "It's good to see you too Rukeewei," Janius said, looking to Kaleeth, Rhazii, and Leaps quickly, "As you can see, we've picked up a few new friends on our travels. Kaleeth-Rei, this is Rukeewei." Janius motioned for Kaleeth to say hello, then resumed holding Leaps in two hands, "We also have Leaps-On-Elves here. Don't worry, he's well trained and behaved...most of the time." Once the hatchling was steady, he looked to Ahnasha and the child, "And of course there's little Rhazii."

About ten minutes later, Ariel arrived in a fresh dress with a bag over her shoulder. Once she walked in the door, she scanned the room with an open mouth until she came across the pack's table, and then her expression turned into a grin. After a quick wave, she proceeded towards them, appearing to be out of breath. She had obviously walked up here in a rush. "Hello everyone! My deepest apologies for being a bit late, there were a few details with this remedy that I didn't foresee and had to compensate for." She didn't even look for a seat, much less catch her breath, before turning her attention to Rukeewei. She put her arms around his neck and smiled widely at him. "Hello again, my dear," She said, before placing a kiss on his cheek. She looked down and noticed that he was still in his apron, "You'll be joining us soon, yes?"

[EliteCommander]

Normally, Rukeewei probably would not have allowed the strange lizard into his inn, but given that they were friends, he could make an exception for Leaps. He, of course, saw the burns on Rhazii's face, but decided it would not be best to ask about them. Instead, he simply looked down a the cub with a warm smile. Once Ariel arrived and greeted him, Rukeewei returned Ariel's smile and kept his arms around her for a few moments. "Yes, I just have a little while longer on my shift...but you can go ahead and put the meat on the fire, if you like. It should be done by the time I am." He suggested just in time for another of his patrons to call out to him for another drink. As it was one of his regulars, a simple nod was all that was needed to confirm his order. "I shouldn't be long." He added before returning to serve the other customers.

Although the others already knew about the medicine, Ahnasha still did not want to call too much attention to it, or make it seem too important. She did not want to seem like she was in too much of a rush to get a hold of it, so she decided not to talk about it at first. Instead, she simply decided to greet her as the others were getting ready to start their meal. "Good to see you again, Ariel. How has your business been today?"

[Muttonhawk]

Ariel nodded to Rukeewei as they separated. It took Ahnasha's prompt question to divert her attention, and she answered while seating herself. She started with a relieved exhale, as if today had been particularly busy, "Well, between filling the orders today and taking the orders of tomorrow, there just seemed to be a never ending amount of distractions. I already told you about the gaggle of finely dressed women who buy my cosmetics, yes? Well, once one had seen my sister, they all wanted to meet her and her...well they described you all as a most queer foster family, but I don't blame them. I think they were all interested because they don't really know much about me and gossip is their business." Ariel shook her head with a little frustration, "I just told them that you were all out for the day, sightseeing." Ariel swallowed, having calmed her breathing to a more relaxed rate.

"Anyway, trying to make this medicine kept throwing odd effects at me when trying to work out how it was reacting to the blood samples I had. Each time I thought I had a breakthrough, another customer walked in and threw me off my thread of thought! I thought I knew lycan blood backwards from back when...you know. But, dream affecting properties seem to just work differently. I did get it, though." She brought a finger up to rub her temple, "I'm confident it will work, but still, test it tonight, you two." Ariel turned to Fendros and Ahnasha, then took off her bag and handed it across the table to them. As the bag made contact with the table, a low glass clink sounded indicating that the bag contained two bottles knocking against one another. "Dosage instructions are on the label."

Fendros reached out and took the bag, as Ahnasha had Rhazii in her arms. He opened the bag and saw two stoppered glass flasks filled with a roiling dark green liquid. Each had a label that he couldn't read from this angle, but he secured the bag and nodded in thanks. Unfortunately, Ariel had been a little conspicuous about the handover, so Fendros looked perhaps a little less grateful than he should have. There would be plenty of time for a proper thanks later.

In the awkward quiet moment, Ariel seemed to understand the apprehension in the air and decided to detract from it. She clapped her hands together and rubbed them, drawing everyone's attention again. "So, how was your hunt today? Were your catches satisfactory?" Ariel realised that perhaps talking about hunting might have been a little revealing, but out of context, she surmised that hunting wasn't so unusual, right?

[EliteCommander]

"I was able to help this time." Kaleeth answered immediately, and with a bit of enthusiasm. "Normally, I am too slow to keep up with everyone else, but this time, I waited in the water and they led it to me. I...killed it quickly. I don't know what it was, really. I don't know the kinds of animals that live in this part of Black Marsh. It wasn't too big or strong, just a plant-eater or scavenger, but it was at least something."

Meesei picked up once Kaleeth stopped. "We have had some issues...training Kaleeth since she joined us, but she has improved greatly. I do not suspect we will face any issues once we reach Bruma. Speaking of which, we should be sure to find appropriate clothing before we arrive there. I have heard it is of a less-than-ideal temperature. Do you have any experience dealing with the cold, Ariel? I am not certain what the climate in Vos was like for the winter months."

[Muttonhawk]

What Kaleeth mentioned made sense when Ariel heard it, but she didn't consider it before. Her form must have been more suited to ambushing in the water rather than hunting as part of an agile pack. It was just like a crocodile. Ariel smiled, but hoped that Kaleeth's words wouldn't raise suspicion any further.

"The weather in Vos tended to get quite cold, to the point where you needed thick fur clothing to go outside," Ariel explained to Meesei, "But the mountain did strange things to the weather. Snow was not as common as other places, and when it was, it was just like ash storms, but with dirty flecks of ice. Not very pleasant." Ariel then looked over to Lorag, "Lorag, you mentioned that you resided in Skyrim for a time, right? You would probably have more experience with a climate like Bruma's I would think."

Without much to add to the conversation, Fendros discreetly took out one of the flasks of medicine that Ariel had prepared and began to read the label. While he did, he noticed that there was a sheet of parchment rolled up with the flasks that Fendros quickly found was a recipe and put back. Reading one of the bottles in one hand, Fendros had initially wondered how they were going to make such a paltry amount last until he saw the dosage. Apparently, only a teaspoon was to be taken before sleeping and strictly no more. Fendros was eager to see if it would help.

[EliteCommander]

Lorag gave a nod. "Yeah, it's been a while, but with how much training the Legion insisted on putting us through before we headed up there, I doubt I'll ever forget how to handle it. Skyrim has the kind of cold that can kill ya in minutes if you're not prepared, at least in some spots. I think Bruma's the same way; maybe not quite as bad, but still. We'll need fur, definitely. Nothin' we can find in this swamp will cut it. We'll need to either buy something when we get to the Imperial City, or kill something along the way. No way I'm headin' all the way up there without proper furs. Also, we'll need to carry around some good firewood with us all the time, instead of just lookin' for it when we need it. It takes up weight and space, but when you're cold, you might need a fire right then and there."

To both Meesei and Kaleeth, Lorag's description of the cold was less than encouraging. For a race designed for the warm, humid swamps, a snowstorm was a nightmare. Meesei had experienced a few cold nights in Cyrodiil, and even some light snow, but she doubted that Kaleeth had even felt cold before, much less seen snow. Not that it was going to be much more pleasant for any of the others. "You see, this is why I much prefer the heat. While it is possible to die of overheating, it is much easier to freeze to death. Still, we have time to prepare, and given Lorag's training, we should have no issue. Since this is going to be our last real time together with Ariel before leaving the marsh, I would rather not spend it going over our worries. I would rather relax and talk about...whatever seems interesting. Do you have any ideas for what kind of potions to create for next year's festival, Ariel? I am sure that will be a great opportunity for you." Meesei asked, at which point she noticed Hides-In-Trees enter the inn. He did not take over for Rukeewei just yet, but it likely would not be long.

[Muttonhawk]

Ariel quickly nodded, "Mmm, yes. The festivals bring in much business. I will be setting up a stall in the next one with a few of my regular wares. As for anything new, I had a few ideas, but I've not invested much time to see if I can get them to work. One idea I had was a toy, really, but it might see some use if I can make it cheap enough; a bottled magical light. No need for being taught how to use spell in a scroll, no need for learning magic, just shake the vial and remove the cork, and you have a magelight hovering over you for a few hours, or until you dispose of the contents of the vial. It would be more compact than a torch, and give a brighter light. Unfortunately, alchemically trapping such a spell is not necessarily simple." Ariel seemed to be completely comfortable about talking about her passion, to the point where she seemed to talk regardless of whether the others were following along. "The other idea I had was a little more practical, though, mostly to non-Argonians. I was hoping to make an edible potion that could be dropped on old food to see if it was still safe to eat. You have to be quite careful with such things in the marsh, due to everything rotting faster. If I could make something colourless gain a colour when it comes into contact with diseased food, then I think I would have something quite useful!"

By this point, Fendros had put away the potions he was handed and was listening in. He wondered how Ariel came up with these strange ideas, much less how to make them. It wasn't as if they didn't sound useful, but how they could be done with alchemy was completely beyond him. "You've certainly a prolific mind to come up with such inventions, Ariel. Are you sure you will be able to make them work?"

"Well, I have a rough idea in my mind. It will likely take a lot of trial and error, many experiments and much refinement." Ariel grinned, "But finding out new things is probably my favourite aspect of alchemy. If I didn't have to support myself and my loan, that's probably all I would be doing all day long." Ariel brushed a strand of hair away from her face as her smile lowered, "In that way, it's a lot like magic in general, I suppose." Ariel's eyes went to Kaleeth again, wanting to get to know her better, "Did you get taught any magic in your village, or by anyone in the group, Kaleeth? Or...I guess it was probably the treeminder who did such things."