Sabrae nodded slowly and she frowned. "I thought this would be more satisfying." He whispered, unsure. But she felt something in her heart that puzzled her.
An uneasyness.

Jaska waited patiently for Kailyn to get off of him. He gave the other an odd look when he made a remark about him being Ramuek's grandson, and shifted impatiently when 'Kian' started talking over his head like he wasn't even there. It was annoying! What was he, some kind of pet?

He glanced uncertainly over at Ramuek when his friend got back up and began talking normally. Seeing Ra's look, he quickly looked back over, "Yep!" He said, pushing himself up, and brushing dirt off of his clothes. He looked back over to Ramuek, skepticism in his eyes.

"Mama said that my magic shouldn't be used till I'm older, or it'll control me, or something." Jaska contested. He'd gotten a little confused at what she had been trying to explain about the willfulness of magic, but he'd gotten the gist of it. It hadn't sounded nice.

Corvus glanced over at Sabrae, tilting his head a bit. "If you do not wish to go through with this, you do not. But I want for Jaska to be safe."

Kailyn looked over to Ramuek when Jaska told the high-elf what S'lar had said. At the boy's comment amusement flickered in Ramuek's eyes. "I'm ancient and it still controls me sometimes," Ra said and smirked a little. "I don't think she'd have been against me teaching you some of the most simple tricks. The ones that might keep you alive."

Barek frowned from his leaning position against the house. "I've gotten by without magic. I think he can too," he said. "And I lived down there. As long as you know how to defend yourself you get by." At Ramuek's narrowed eyes Barek glared back. "He's my son. I'll decide what he needs to know. And I think it's best to start off with physical means of defense before we push him into...your type of defense."

Kailyn stepped aside as he pulled his gloves back on, watching the two older men with an annoyed look. "Can we at least teach him something useful? Instead of teaching him how to argue?" He said with a tired voice. Ra smirked a little at the boy's comment and shrugged.

"Fine, daddy, you can teach him your barbaric methods of defense. I'll just sit by and watch." Ra said with an overly sweet tone as he sat down in the grass.

Sabrae shook her head. "No, no." She whispered. "Honestly it's better that...that we do this." She closed her eyes. "For a boy he thought was mine."

Jaska frowned petulantly at Ramuek. What did he know about what his mother would have wanted?

He then looked over to Barek when the taller elf argued with his grandfather, then over to Kailyn gratefully when he intervened again.

"Or maybe we can take a break?" He asked, his voice quiet. "... I don't want to fight."

Corvus nodded, moving towards the house again. Jaska finally caught sight of the black wolf-creature, and waved happily to his older brother. Maybe Corvus could convince them to leave him alone...

Kailyn took a deep breath and shook his head. This whole situation was going no where. They were supposed to be teaching Jaska self-defense. Before he could speak up he saw Jaska start to wave. He looked up and over to where Corvus was coming towards them...with Sabrae. Kailyn remained quiet.

Ramuek didn't even look up when Corvus came. He was staring off into the distance with a strange look in his eyes.

"Back so soon?" Barek said as he watched the two walking towards them.

Sabrae nodded and gestured for them to follow. The ones would know their place. When they got a bit away. "Tarzt is in the woods, bawling like a baby, tied up. I'm going to bring him back and collect the live randsom..."

Corvus nudged Ramuek's back with his nose to wake the zoned-out high elf up, before withdrawing beside the others. He saw Jaska perk up curiously, and start to follow, but a firm shake of his uncle's head had Jaska stepping back a little sullenly next to Kailyn

The werewolf turned his attention to the others, content they were out of Jaska's hearing range, at least.
------------------------------------

Narya awoke a few hours later, much in the same position she'd fallen asleep in. She yawned, and stretched pushing Imorvir's arm off her in the process. She poked his face, "Wake up." She told him, "Let's go deal with Z'tan before I forget." She told him.

Ramuek glanced up at Corvus when he was nudged. He frowned slightly but followed after Corvus. Barek seemed to hesitate but also followed.

"Kailyn, stay with Jaska. Algeah will stay with you two as well." Ramuek said quickly. As they left the two boys he sped up a little to walk next to Corvus.

Algeah suddenly appeared at one of the windows, watching out over Kailyn and Jaska. Kailyn frowned after the group left and sighed a little. "Well..." He said, looking to Jaska. "Anything you wanna do?" He asked his friend with a shrug. "I don't think they'd want me teaching you anything by myself...so we gotta find something else to do."

Ramuek looked over at Sabrae when she spoke. "Then why do you need us, if you're just taking him away? Seems like a big group to just transport some drow." He said impatiently.

"He's not just...one drow." She whispered. "He killed and entire house. Matron. Priestesses. He'd kill me in a heart beat." She licked her lips. "Corvus and I are going. You can join if you like."

***

Imorvir moaned and rolled over, bringing the covers over him. He was still sleepy.

Corvus sat down beside Ramuek, merely listening, not offering anything out loud to the others as to his motives. He opened his mind to Ramuek, however. The coward wanted us to kill him. And Sabrae is right- if she tried to take him back on her own, he would only get loose. I don't want anything else hunting us! Or able to hurt Jaska! He told the high elf, only showing his agitation from a slight flicker of his ears, and the rise of the fur along his neck.

Jaska looked to Kailyn, "Ummm." He said, "You said you had something you wanted to show me?"
------------

Narya gave a frustrated sigh, yanking a pillow out from underneath her lover's head. "Up! Now!" She ordered, throwing back her own covers, and exposing Imorvir's back to the somewhat cooler air. "Else I'll just leave you here." She told him archly, standing in front of the mirror and combing out her ruffled hair.

Ramuek laughed at Sabrae's comment. "Killed an entire drow house?" He asked with a tilt of his head. "All the more power to him, I say!" He seemed giddy at that moment before Corvus spoke through his mind. Ra turned his eyes to his friend an incomprehensible look in his eyes. "So I guess you want me to come along to play body guard?" He asked, raising his brows as he spoke so sweetly. He glanced over at Sabrae.

Barek was completely silent as they spoke, the only sign he was listening was his gaze focused on whoever was speaking.

Kailyn blinked at Jaska curiously. "I don't recall ever saying that..." He said in a confused voice. Then a smile came to his face and his eyes turned brown. "I do, though." He took a step closer. "It's a gift. But I can only give it to you if you accept it from me. Can't tell you what it is though. It's a surprise. But I can tell you this much, it means a lot to both Kailyn and I. Not something we'd give to just any old person."

Sabrae sighed. "I want you to do whatever you think is necessary." She whispered softly. "I'm not here to force anyone to do anything."

***

Imorvir groaned and got up. "Alright alright I'm up....what's the plan with Z'tan again?" he asked rubbing his head.

Corvus returned Ramuek's strange look evenly. "It could be amusing," He finally spoke aloud, his voice a rumbling growl. "Who's to say that after we get rid of Tarzt we don't have a bit of fun with a city or two- maybe they will stop burning our houses down if we return the favor!" He didn't have to tell the high-elf the real reason: the thirst to avenge S'lar's death in whatever form he could, it would be understood, easily seen in the dark anger in his eyes.

Jaska's face lit up, "Alright!" A pause, and then: "If its special are you sure its okay that I have it?" He asked, looking a little cautious for a moment. It wasn't a suspicious caution at all; he trusted Kian, or Kailyn indiscriminately, it was just that he didn't want to take something that wasn't supposed to be his, or that they would miss later.
------------

Putting the last few pins in her hair that would keep in mostly out of her face, Narya turned to face Imorvir. "...It was your idea you know." She told him blandly, "We're giving him the usual punishment, and then keeping him and the brat busy afterwards by having them clean out the slums. And then rebuilding them afterwards, too I suppose. We'll see how their attitudes have changed at that point," She said, examining her nails in a bored manner.

Ramuek laughed a little at Sabrae's response. "Who accused you of forcing anyone? No one can force me to do anything anyways." He said with an air of happiness. His eyes glanced at Corvus when he spoke. His happiness seemed to burst through the roof at his friend's suggestion and he threw his arms around Corvus's neck. "Ohhhhhh. Cor. You always say the right words! If only I didn't love another already." He cooed as he rubbed his face into the wolf's fur. After he decided he was done invading his friend's personal space he stepped back. "I'll go."

"I'll stay with the kids." Barek finally said, his voice somehow making Ramuek become quiet. His voice was one that demanded attention. "Since everyone else is running off to cause chaos and mayhem." He said. Ramuek laughed a little and nodded, as if what Barek was saying was completely and utterly true.

Kian smiled when Jaska agreed to the gift. Then he frowned when the boy hesitated. "Would I offer it to you if I didn't want to give it to you? It's meant to be given to someone! There's no use keeping it, won't be much use to us." He said calmly. "Now then. All I need is your hand." He said, opening up his own fingers for Jaska to put his hand in. The smile and look on his face was one of reassurance and patience.