Lupin's bright eyes watched Ramuek carefully. The demon lowered its head wearily at Barek's question.

"You should stay... I was hurt badly. I may have to return to the Pits to heal, Jaska needs a protector who will defend him with his head." His head angled towards Ramuek, his voice taking on a tone of understanding "Not his heart. Narya will come regardless of whether or not you are here."

He took in a wheezing breath, shaking his head as though to clear it. He looked back up, his wings and tell held just a bit lower. He was weakening rapidly. "Ra, you need to tell Corvus. When you're ready. But he needs to know." He dug in his claws and fought another wave of dizziness, "Barek... tell Jaska."

Tarzt paused, sensing something. He looked behind him but could barely make out the blurs of other figures. He snorted and gripped Jaska's shoulder. "Be my eyes boy."

Barek rubbed at his face some more when Lupin told him to stay. Here he was thinking he could have just gotten Jaska to Corvus and Ra and left. Now it was turning into a commitment. A commitment that he knew would lead him back to her, and she thought he was dead.

"Alright." Barek said calmly and shook his head.

Ramuek looked up when Lupin spoke to him and his eyes were muddled. It was hard to define what emotions were there, besides that there were a lot. "I will..." He said faintly in response. He would have told Corvus anyways, of anyone who had the right to know about S'lar, Corvus was the first in line. A minute passed before Ra went up to Lupin and put a hand to his skull head. "Be safe...I don't want to lose the other half of her..." He then turned and went to catch up to the others.

Barek nodded at Lupin and followed after Ramuek, milling about in his mind how he was supposed to explain to Jaska that the closest thing he had to a loving mother...was gone.

Kailyn looked at Tarzt when the man didn't respond to his question and he looked disappointed. However he heard Ramuek coming up from behind. His smile returned to his face. "We're almost there!" He exclaimed to everyone and skipped a little. He had seen Ra's expression, but knew it was best to ignore it until they were home.

Tarzt growled and unshealthed his sword. He gripped Jaska's shoulder and pulled him behind him.
He beared his teeth and said. "I don't trust you. Not any of you." He hissed, leveling his sword. "Tred lightly, be weary! I do not care of your previous associations I want to know who you are and why you are here."
He was getting nervous. In his semi-blindness he heard voices behind him, beside him. He couldn't pinpoint who was who, where he was and where they were going.

Lupin nudged Ramuek's hand when it was laid on him, like he might have done in the feline form. "I will not abandon you." It stated simply, before withdrawing back from where he had come, out of sight.

Jaska had looked only mildly startled when Tarzt grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. He was starting to get used to these almost desperate outbursts, like Tarzt thought someone was out to kill them constantly. But they were on the surface now! It was safe here, as far as the child knew. He did not seem to believe that what evils had stalked them in the Under-dark could follow them into the sunlight, despite how easily they had simply walked out of the maze of caverns themselves. Before he could say anything though, Corvus had turned, eying the other drow flatly.

He understood the confusion, partly. After the Change, it had been impossible for him to see within the shadows of the Under-dark. He'd been fored to completely rely on his mother, or whoever he was with at the time. It was possibly one of the worst things that could happen to a drow, particularly fighters, who were ingrained at a young age be on constant alert, to always be nervous and jumpy- it could save your life. His dark eyes looked to Jaska for a second, gauging the boy's unsurprised reaction, and decided that he simply didn't need to just take the weapon from the other drow. He'd rather not fight anyways.

He returned his attention to Tarzt, and spoke. "I am Corvus. The one who is behind you, with the soft voice- that is Ra. Kailen is Jaska's friend." His voice was even. "There's a powerful Matron in the under-dark, looking for Jaska. You wouldn't be able to protect him from her or her children for long. She take him back to the under-dark, just to spite us. Just because she can." He was blunt, but his words were not harshly spoken. "Now Jaska's family to us, so that is the last thing I want to have happen to him. Now, you can put that down, and help us, or..." He simply let his voice trailed off, letting the scarred male to believe whatever he wanted.

His eyes flickered to Ramuek, the corners of his lips pulling down when he was the confused, almost dazed and highly emotional look in his friends eyes. Something clenched painfully at his chest, foreboding, perhaps, and he looked quickly away towards Tarzt, not wanting to read too far into what was going on with his friend. Sometimes, he knew he didn't want to know what was wrong.

"His Matron is dead! I killed her and everyone. He's not in any danger." He gripped Jaska's shoulder. Of course he was still under the illusion that Jaska was his son, and his mother was the matron he spoke of. Tarzt growled and didn't lower his weapon. "So there is no need to take my son anywhere. No need."

Corvus shook his head vehemently. He was piecing together what this was about, Tarzt's odd behavior and comments, Barek's tenseness around the younger drow. "No." He said simply, "You have killed one Matron, one House." He began to do what he was best at- weaving lies into truths until there was no discernible difference. "Out of how many? Tens? Hundreds? Thousands? What is the price on a male's head, who has done such a thing? What favor would Lolth grant, I wonder, for the death of such a heretical creature?" He stepped just so much closer.

"Say, one Matron hears of this? What if she knows a child who is dear to many of her enemies, as well as to this traitor? How easy would it be for her to pick you off on your own, and snatch the child back? You are blind. You do not even know who is around you. How can you be so sure of his safety, if you cannot even see?" His words took on a mocking edge now, before swiftly turning dangerous, a hint of a growl rumbling in his throat. "So I would think carefully, about whether or not you really want to pick a fight with us, or if you would like a little help keeping each other safe."

Tarzt's nose curled and he pointed. "I may be blind, but I killed everyone while blind. I could kill everyone here." He gripped Jaska's shoulder tighter. "I do not need your protection! You are not dead because my boy claims to know you...I heed his words and his only. I trust he would never betray me like I did him---but forgive me for being a little weary! As I have a rightful place to do so." He shealthed his sword and lifted Jaska into his arms. He just wanted to be alone with him again. the only thing he loved and cherished. The only thing in this world that made any sense. "It is not I who is blind, he-elf. You are all blind to the danger that this sorrowed man can bring."

Ramuek seemed to make no move against Tarzt, instead he passed by everyone and continued on his way towards their home. "We're almost there." He said quietly, without turning around. Algeah glanced behind her over at the group sorrowfully before pushing her beak against Ra's cheek and closing her eyes.

Barek watched Tarzt with annoyance and looked over at Corvus. "This isn't the first time this guy has been irrational. Just let him be. It's no use trying to rationalize with him." He muttered and looked at Jaska strangely before frowning and looking at Corvus. "Jaska's his son." He said oddly. "A father protects his son no matter how irrational it's only reasonable to doubt us." He didn't want to look at Jaska until he figured out how he was going to explain everything.

((By the way, I am going to be busy the rest of the night, so please don't go too far...))

Corvus looked away from Tarzt to watch Ramuek with obvious worry. His chest clenched again. His initial fear passed, he was consumed with the desire to wring answers out of him here and now, but he exercised some form of self-control, and stayed put for the moment.

He understood Tarzt. He did. It didn't mean that he trusted the man farther than he could throw him, or felt comfortable leaving Jaska alone in his care, he simply knew the feeling of that reflexive fear of losing everything that mattered to you. He looked over at Barek, the final pieces of the puzzle falling into place. He decided to spare the tattooed elf a pitying stare. It wasn't needed, and would likely only make the tall fighter even angrier.

Seeing Jaska looking fairly content cuddled up next to Tarzt, Corvus turned, and followed after Ramuek itching to be back at the house so they could settle things down a bit more- what had happened to Jaska, where was S'lar, where had Lupin gone, how long were the two going to be missing, what happened to Tarzt... why was Ra so upset?

Tarzt settled down in the corner of the house holding Jaska close like he often did in a cave. Only then could he nod off, his eyes half closed.
He had been exhausted, surely. The trip a long one. And without enemies to worry about...more or less, he finally got some sleep.

Ramuek's house was small, but pleasantly so. There were four separate rooms all connected by a large living area. It was centered in the middle of no where, fields and trees outstretched through the circumference, and the mountains settled behind. It was definitely the high elf's house though, there were random artifacts scattered throughout, flowers planted everywhere possible, and birds flew in and out of windows freely, picking at scraps lefts on the window sill for them.

When they got inside Ra looked over at Corvus and motioned for the man to follow him into the room. Kailyn disappeared into his room, noises of metal clanging together and rummaging around came from his room. Meanwhile Barek stayed nearby Tarzt and Jaska. He sat down near them and glanced at Jaska as Tarzt fell asleep.

I need to talk to you. He said into Jaska's mind, so that in the case of Tarzt waking up, he wouldn't even think they were talking together or hear what he was saying. Barek's eyes glowed at the use of his ability, using the power of the others around him. All I want you to do is to listen to me and try to understand this from my point of view. I wasn't planning on saying it all now...but I feel it's the only way to explain other things that have and are happening. If you want to say something, do it in your head. This isn't for your friend to hear.

Corvus followed after Ra, looking increasingly agitated and worried. "What is it?" He asked, sort of not wanting to know the answer. He hoped it was solvable though. Doubtlessly, it was about Jaska, or the events surrounding him. He didn't understand what the worry was, unless it was the issue of Narya moving personally against them. Corvus had no qualms about setting his teeth into Narya, but he could understand if Ra was reluctant...

Jaska curled up contentedly against Tarzt's chest, not really tired, but happy to be safe and warm. He looked up at Barek when the man stuck around, watching him with curious red eyes. He didn't really understand the distant, and oftentimes irritable drow, but the few moments when Barek was at least a little civil, Jaska found he sort of liked him.

He blinked, not startled in the least at Barek's method of communication. He was used to being around Lupin, and sometimes Corvus. Okay... He thought back, looking a little confused more at the words the drow was speaking than anything.

When Ramuek closed the door behind him he felt his whole body give up. He went to the bed and suddenly went down on his knees, hands grabbing onto the sheets. Shoving his face into the bed he let out a scream that was muffled by the all the fabric. He probably wasn't going to have to explain himself for Corvus to put the pieces together. Ra never got extremely emotional, or at least not to the point of screaming and sobbing.

Barek looked at Jaska, his face especially handsome against the sun, showing the slight brown hue of his dark skin, and making the tattoos less intense. Okay... He said, echoing the boy. S'lar, she's your grandma. He started, figuring he'd start with the less upsetting details. Ramuek is your grandfather. Both are your blood mother's parents and Arien's parents, your uncle, who is a twin with your mother...blood mother. I knew both Arien and...her...for a long time. We were...or are...close I guess. He breathed through his nose, watching Jaska for any sort of reaction to form a way to explain the tougher blows.

Tarzt stirred and pulled Jaska closer to his chest. The little boy, as long as he was close, kept the man from slipping into his past. His dreams were harsh though, memories of himself...his matron. The torment until he ended it all...