A Restless Sleep

They awoke, their sores re-inflamed as they both sat up quickly to confront their visitor. Their visitor, in fact, was a cat. A grey persian cat, impeccably groomed. Its eyes, however, were deep blue, and it was speaking. That is, they could hear it. It wasn't actually speaking vocally, they were hearing its words in their head, almost exactly like sound. It was a little un-nerving. "What the.." exclaimed Fred, but the cat cut him off.

"We don't have time for pleasantries beyond a simple introduction," said the cat. "My name is Adronius, and I am a friend."

"You are a cat," whispered Astra. "Are you some kind of mage?"

"Of course I am a wizard!" came the thought, sharply. "Do not be daft. Just listen. I will answer your questions when I can. The short of it is that well-intentioned individuals have delayed Reaibn, but he will shortly be back on your trail. You are around fifty one hours from Aqualaria. Although my people would prefer you to take a different path, I do believe that is the way to go. My job is to go to Caemlyn while Reaibn is out chasing you, but I will try to delay Reaibn from your trail. Be warned that once he is free of his current entanglement his power will be back at full and you will find no rock to hide under. You must ride!"

Fred and Astra stood up, wincing, and made ready to travel. "So tired," said Fred, and the cat nodded. It made a low meow and Fred and Astra felt refreshed but also somewhat lightheaded. "what did you..." said Fred, and the cat interrupted again.

"I gave you energy but also a slight narcotic effect to help with your sores, which unfortunately I cannot remove. If I were to remove them, or even attempt to do so, my presence here would be apparent and Reaibn would refocus his energies on finding me and I would be defeated, even with the considerable lengths my people have taken to prevent that. Now, go!"

The cat took off swiftly back the way Fred and Astra had came, and they got back on their horses. Fred sighed and shook his head. "Telepathic wizard cats... nothing surprises me anymore..."

Meanwhile, in Vjorica, another meeting is held...

The room was dark. In it sat seven people in dark hooded robes, around an oval table. One of them spoke, "He will aid them..."

"His mission is the priority," said another, with a high thin voice. "He will not fail. If he assists them, that may prolong the other's task and thus buy us more time. I trust him to do the right thing."

"Something is wrong," said a powerful voice. "The outcasts have involved themselves. This may help or harm our goals." the man growled. "For now, we wait. We can do nothing else without exposing our hand."

"Agreed," came the chorus of the others, and then they all faded away. The room was again empty.

Fred and Astra rode on, stoned and somehow alert, but at the edges of their senses the sores continued their malevolent work. Soon, the pain would return, and they had quite a ways to go.

1. At dusk, they are in agonizing pain again, and completely exhausted. They stop for ointment and a short rest.
2. In the late afternoon, black smoke is on the horizon, and they smell fire up ahead!
3. A reaibn-craziness tormented group of faeries is no longer human friendly, unfortunately Fred and Astra enter their territory unknowingly.

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