linus_storyu

	The soft green leaves of the great clearing swayed in the morning breeze as the newly-reunited flock enjoyed the weather.  A few of the fauns were taking their minutes of rest, but most were lounging around the open space or off hunting.

	Flock Mother sat in the shade of the great tree and listened to Countess Capricorn speak.  This was where Capricorn’s true strength showed, Flock Mother thought.  While she was stuck in the camp with the invalids, she was barely in control, but now, she could actually shine.

	“Hormil, go and gather brown wood,” she ordered, and a faun walked off to the treeline.  “Lum, please ask the new Dryads kindly for their aid in preparing defenses,” she asked, and a young satyr walked away looking disgruntled.  There were better things to do with dryads.  “Lender, kindly go retrieve the first hunting party.”  An elderly faun jogged off into the woods.

	Flock Mother spoke up from behind her Countess.  “It’s good to see you feeling better, Countess,” she said.

	“I do feel better, you know?” Capricorn said.  She stretched her arms over her head and settled back into her throne, dressed in the blue leather and textile dress and robe she had worn on her arrival in the Prime.  “Knight Castinuve shall return soon, and then perhaps we shall be at our full strength for the first time since our arrival.  Then, we can finally negotiate with the Primes in something like parity,” she chuckled ruefully.

	Flock Mother stood and walked up beside the Countess.  “And perhaps then we can discuss leaving.”

	Castinuve looked up to Flock Mother in surprise.  “Oh?  Leaving?”

	“If we can go home, good,” Flock Mother said, “but if not, then we shouldn’t stay here.”

	“Why in the world not?” Capricorn asked in astonishment.  “We have food, shelter, water… all the essentials.  What else do we need?”

	Flock Mother shook her shaggy head.  “No, Countess, that’s not what I mean.  I mean… yes, we see in this place that there are ample resources around, to be sure, but this forest is not safe.  There’s disease, there are monsters, and there are powerful neighbors who cannot tell if they fear us or not.  This place may be rich, but it is unsafe.”

	Capricorn considered that.  “I do see what you mean, Flock Mother, but I do not agree,” she finally concluded.  “Yes, this place is dangerous, but is that so different from the Feywild?  There were dreadful beasts, and mighty warlords.  Is it so much to think this place to be better?”

	Flock Mother shrugged.  “It is, for me,” she said.  “Of course, it is your decision.”

	Capricorn sighed.  “We shall see.”

	A clamor arose from the edge of the clearing as several fauns and a satyr darted out of the treeline.  Capricorn looked over and rose, and saw Castinuve emerge from the trees with a pair of fauns in tow.

	Several fauns bowed to the Wilderknight as he crossed the clearing, and he stopped to greet several he knew personally.  He marched around the great, fallen tree, and straight up to his Countess.  He knelt at her feet without delay.  “My Countess, we return,” he said.

	Capricorn regally inclined her head over her knight.  “Rise, Knight Castinuve, and report,” she said.  “How fared your quest with the Paladin, Vorth?”

	Castinuve stood.  “My Countess, the Paladin and I succeeded in finding the source of the Feywild Rupture,” he said.  “It is a great magic orb, in a fissure in the land, north of the river.”

	“Oh?  Is it controlled?” she asked.

	“Not that we could see,” Castinuve said.  “However, Paladin Vorth passed through it and returned.  He reported that the far side is the island of the Oldest Glade, and there is a battalion of troops there under a Knight Commander of the Wildercourt.”

	Capricorn sagged in her chair.  She felt her arms and jaw unclench with relief.  “There are?  We can go home?”

	“Not safely,” Castinuve admitted, making Capricorn deflate.  “The other side of the Rupture is suspended over the River of Fancies.  It’s not yet clear whether it can be predicted beyond that.”  Gillint wandered up and listened as Castinuve spoke.

	“And the path you’ve seen, is within this very forest green?” GIllint demanded.

	“Yes.”

	The Countess sighed.  “It is a step in the right direction,” she said.  “Where is Vorth?  And where are Xuriis and Viridian, for that matter?”

	“They flew to the aid of the village of Conyberry,” Castinuve explained.  “A pixie reported that the village was under some great threat, and they flew off to fight it.”

	Gillint nodded proudly.  “Ah, my lad is starting to feel his oath-satyr’s burden’s weight.  His time here has brought him to understand his pacted fate.”

	“It may be,” Castinuve said.  “I do not know.  As for Viridian, she simply does not want Linus to be hurt.”

	Gillint chuckled.  Capricorn nodded.  “Then our promise is upheld, and our bargain stands true,” she said decisively.  “Our debt is relieved.  Now, do you know of a safe way to send messages to the troops on the other side of the rift?”

	“No, sadly, though Vorth indicated that he had a means of summoning a wizard to examine it,” Castinuve said.  “He said he would return with others to examine it.  He named the Knight Commander on the other side as Tumnal.”

	“Ah, I know the name.”  Capricorn looked to the east.  “I wonder… this group to which Paladin Vorth belongs,” she said.  “Are they willing to help us get home?”

	Gillint scowled, but Castinuve nodded.  “I believe so.  Greenwater tells us that at least one half-elf has volunteered to serve as an ambassador.”

	The Dance Lord rolled his eyes.  “I find that hard to trust, if you’ll pardon me.  The Primes seemed content to leave us alone.  There’s no benefit to diplomacy that I can see.  We may be better off on our own.”

	“As we were in the plague?” Capricorn asked pointedly.  “True, Vorth was but one man, but his masters may be just as generous.  They may even seek trade.”

	“Trade?  Trade in what?” Gillint demanded.  “We travel through the forests by ourselves!  Let us leave the commerce to the elves.”

	Capricorn chuckled.  “True.  Tell me, what did this great threat that faced the village seem to be?”

	Castinuve thought back.  “We were told that there was a great evil and a great good that were going to clash there.”

	“Then perhaps we should find an ally now, in case these forces could spread.  Besides, if we improve our diplomatic stance now, we may be able to benefit the Court upon our return,” Capricorn observed.

	Gillint sensed himself losing the argument and nodded his acquiescence.  Capricorn stood.  “But for now, we shall await the… oh,” she said.  She looked up to see Noble appear over the treetops and descend towards the center of the clearing.  “Well, that was fast,” she said.

	Noble settled down on the floor of the clearing, and Xuriis lowered himself down.  Viri sprang down and into the arms of her friends, who happily danced around her and nuzzled her welcome.

	Linus met eyes with Castinuve and Capricorn and nodded to each in turn, then Noble beat its great wings, and they rose off to the sky once more.


	“She said ‘Evil blinked?’” Castinuve asked.  “Those were her words?”

	“Yes, sir,” Xuriis said.  “It seems the humans have a mighty monk in their number who has some insight into… something.  I don’t know.”

	“Hmm.”  Castinuve sipped his wooden cup of water as Xuriis and Viri told them their story.  The five of them had sat in the shade of the tree with Flock Mother, and were discussing their options.  “Then perhaps we can be safe here after all.”

	Xuriis hesitated.  Viri spoke up.  “We did see a great dead cow, smeared against the wall of one building,” she said, “and of course, the pixie spoke of more.”

	“True.  Well… we are whole now,” Capricorn said, ignoring the pointed look from Flock Mother.  “We can surely withstand a threat.”

	“The adventurers mentioned a demon named Yeenoghu,” Viri remembered.

	Castinuve sighed heavily.  “I know that name,” he said.  “We should increase our patrols.”

	Gillint nodded.  Capricorn looked north with a poorly-hidden look of concern.  “I do hope we can leave this place soon,” she sighed.

	“Its hospitality is spent, I will admit, and now comes a chance to leave it,” Gillint remarked.  He idly patted his thigh and looked thoughtfully north.

	“Either way, we should send a party that way to seek out this entrance, and try to communicate with the other side,” Flock Mother said.  She sighed and kicked the turf.  “I can’t imagine what my poor boy is going through,” she mumbled.  Capricorn nodded in sympathy.

	“Then it is decided,” Capricorn said.  Flock Mother raised her eyebrows, but didn’t question her change in fortunes.  “Knight Castinuve, you shall collect a few satyrs and move north to establish a watch on this Rupture.  Dance Lord, Flock Mother, you stay with me,” she added.

	Castinuve nodded.  “And you, my Countess?  What will you do?”

	“I shall remain here, and prepare to move the folk home.  With any luck, we will be back in the Feywild in no time.”