e&tg 44

[rone]

Yeniri woke me up as the first rays of sunlight were crawling around the base of the nearby hill.  "I've refilled your waterskins.  Here."  She handed me a small bag.  "Some nuts for the journey."

"Thanks."  I got up, buckled on my armor, and rolled up my blankets.  She handed me the soil samples and a scrap of paper with an address written on it.  I put them in my pack, pulled it on and turned to her.  "Thank you for your hospitality, Priestess."  I bowed at the shoulders.  "I'll return in two weeks."

She accepted the formality with a gentle smile and a nod, then said, "You are forgetting something."  She went to the table and picked up a pouch.  "Your payment."

I shook my head.  "Embarrassing."  I took the pouch and tucked it and the nuts into one of my pack's side pockets, then headed outside.

---

I yelled for the tenth time, "Kohasadi!"  Great, i've lost my gryphon.  "Well, sir, where did you last leave him?"  "Right here!"  "Well, perhaps he just got up and walked away."  "Shut up!"  My internal dialogue was interrupted when i tripped over half a sheep and landed on my face next to a snoring Kohasadi.  The impact stirred him from his sleep.  "Waark?" he croaked.

"Don't tell me you're hung over on mutton, pal," i wheezed as i got on my hands and knees.  Kohasadi responded to my quip with a strong sneeze, which resulted in my being covered in bits of damp sheep meat.  "Thanks.  Thanks a lot," i told him as i glared at him.  Kohasadi ignored me as he stretched and preened.  I started wiping myself with a rag and said, "Are you done?  Can we go now?"  He rolled his eyes and knelt.  I mounted and we took off.

---

I gave Kohasadi a summary of what had happened as we landed in the North End of Kromalir.  "And what's really going to make it sticky," i concluded, "is that i can tell that she's not gonna let go of the sex thing.  She's gonna wait until she feels we know each other well enough, and she's gonna jump my bones and not take 'no' for an answer.  But, well," i shrugged, "ahh, i don't know what i'm complaining about.  I could use a good and vigorous exchange of ideas, if you know what i mean."  He gave no indication that he did.  "So, uh, how does the mating ritual thing work with gryphons?  If you don't mind my asking."  He shrugged.  I shook my head.  "Man, i gotta get those translators from Néfilo.  C'mon, let's get to where we're going."

We set off down Fire Apple Road, and after about twenty minutes turned right on Captain Suk Street.  "Twenty-nine...  twenty-three... eighteen.  Here."  Kohasadi lay down by the wall and i walked down a short flight of steps.  I pulled on a rope and waited.  A few seconds later, the bottom half of the door opened; a loaded crossbow was aimed at my groin and someone rasped, "I've had enough of you!"