The men look uncertainly at Stogie, unsure of how something which is growling like a hungry lion is not actually their enemy. Still, they comply and move their weapons to the low ready.

Jake barks at the sasquatch, which takes a step back defensively. Jake wags and steps forward, barking again. The sasquatch tries to withdraw around a tree but Jake just follows, wondering if it's a game.

The sasquatch continues to circle in retreat. In doing so, it becomes visible to Stogie and the men. "What the frag?" CO asks semi-rhetorically. Stogie can smell city slicker all over him. R just cowers at another jungle beast two meters taller than he is.

The sasquatch backpedals as Jake presses forward. She jumps into a tree and climbs a few meters to avoid getting nipped in the heels, but the tree isn't close enough to any others for her to jump or climb away through the treetops.

She begins signing furiously at Jake, who wags.

"I'm not going to pretend like I know all of that," LT says, "but some of those signs are the same as what the military uses. She wants Jake to back off."

Stogie calls Jake over to him. The border collie sits next to the shepherd and wags proudly.

The sasquatch signs some more, maintaining eye contact with Stogie most of the time but glancing nervously at LT and R and CO periodically.

"I think she wants to know what you're doing," LT guesses. "She doesn't seem to be asking about me, or any of the others. Not sure if she's confused why we're dragging a troll through the forest or why you're walking with us instead of shooting us. Maybe both. Hard to say. I'm only catching every other expression, if that."

Stogie slings his shotgun back over his shoulder. To the others he says, "This is not the thing I am afraid of. She's more curious than anything. I'll see if I can get something through to her. Jake. Down." Jake lies down but still wags the end of his tail.

Stogie takes a step or two closer to the sasquatch, arms spread open in the universal gesture of non-aggression. He opens his mind to the astral and tries to get a sense of the sasquatch's feelings. Though he has no idea what language they might have, he knows that on the astral communication can happen without words. He tries to ... emote? ... some concepts to her.

No danger. We go home. Friend hurt. We carry.

Then an idea strikes him.

You strong. Can help? I help you, too. Give you something?

Fucked if he knows what a sasquatch might want.

Stogie's emoting seems to work brilliantly. As best he can tell, he has accurately conveyed his peaceful intentions, his desire to pass unharmed, and his request for assistance.

On the astral, the sasquatch's aura swirls with a complex mixture of emotions. She's sympathetic to Stogie's plight and concerned for his well-being. Her natural curiosity is counterbalancing her desire to get the hell away from the barking demon furball at Stogie's ankles. She's nervous about the other men, but Stogie's presence seems to assuage some of her concerns.

She looks at Stogie, then looks to the north down the path in the direction Stogie is heading.

Danger. Danger.

Stogie can see her desire to be of assistance. She nods apprehensively, wondering what exactly he would have her do.

Stogie tells Jake to move back to the rear of the group, away from the lifting end of the travois. (And away from what may be ahead.) "She's telling me there is danger ahead. Don't know what the nature of that danger is. Could be the wolves, but I kinda worry it is the infected troll. We gotta go that way to get back, though. LT, if you can spread your men out around the travois, I'll take point with my weapon ready and maybe we can be prepared when whatever it is comes."

Stogie moves to the front arms of the travois and mimics lifting the two poles while looking at the sasquatch and emoting "help?" as clearly as he can. If she could carry the troll on the travois while the metahumans deal with the trouble ahead, things might work out.

The sasquatch seems apprehensive but curious. She wants to help but it's clear that the large group ("large" by her standards) is off-putting for her. That and Jake, who she eyes warily.

Eventually curiosity gets the better of her. She steps forward and picks up the travois. She is strong as a troll and has no issues picking up the travois by herself.

LT nods at Stogie's suggestion and instructs his men in a diamond formation around the travois. Stogie takes point, R takes the left, CO the right, and LT brings up the rear.

Stogie leads the way, deeply relieved not to be carrying the troll any more. His shoulders ache deeply.

The procession continues for another kilometer, then two. The forest in autumn is wonderful, but Stogie is aware that it can dark and deadly with little warning.

The sasquatch is carrying BH effortlessly when she suddenly freezes. Jake picks up on whatever the same thing and barks.

Stogie! Stogie! Jake barks through the attunement link.

Stogie hold up a fist and the mercenaries freeze, then pivot to watch their respective directions. Stogie creeps forward.

There is movement in the trees. A flash of black fur, but smaller than a metahuman. Not the Infected troll... wolves.

The pack emerges from the forest undergrowth. Four, then five, then six, then seven wolves circle the group. They growl, their hackles raised, but don't pounce.

Stogie turns and sees a giant wolf blocking the path forward. He recognizes it as K'wa'iti, who shifts back to human form once he has Stogie's attention. He squats in a crouch about ten meters ahead of Stogie, naked and feral.

"I knew you would betray the women," he growls at Stogie. "What have you done with the eagle? The elf? It was a mistake for Ellie to trust you, one I do not intend to repeat."

Stogie bristles himself. Tough guy though he may be, the shapeshifter picked a tired, sore farm boy to rub the wrong way. And showing weakness to a consummate predator is the wrong way to go. No way Stogie was going to be the one the pack culls from the herd.

"I betrayed no one. I fought by their side when they were attacked, and defeated two enemies myself. I don't recall seeing you there. My friend the eagle is lost in the astral at the women's home. I don't know how to help him, and neither does Ellie. You would know that if you would have actually talked to Ellie first. And you would also know more of my other friend who disappeared from the fight when the women did. The same fight in which I stood by the women while you were off somewhere doing ... wolf things. These men were betrayed, and lied to by the one who hired them. I took pity on the survivors and am helping them to go home, away from here, back to where they belong. They are no longer a threat to the women. If they were, they would be dead.

"But their being here shows that whoever is behind this is still sending people to attack our friends. Sitting in the forest and waiting for them to keep coming is suicide. We can win a dozen fights, but change nothing. Sooner or later, we will lose, and that will be it. I intend to take the fight out of the forest into the lair of our enemies. Surely that makes sense to a pack leader like you.

"So, what's it going to be? You going to stand in the way of some useful action, or are you going to let me take the fight to the real enemy?" Stogie draws mana into his speed and accuracy. His shotgun is ready.

Jake. Get strong. Whatever happens, I love you, boy. Jake gets tougher and stronger. He moves to beside Stogie. He remembers his pack mates who died back at the farm. Stogie saved his life then. He will stay by the man now.

The shifter visibly pauses. Is there something in Stogie's manner - the power that allows him to empathize with animals so completely - that translates to the shifter? The shifter is a wolf that turns into a man, after all, not the other way around. Has he been thrown off by the astral boosting of Stogie and Jake? Or is he very clever, and waiting for the boosts to wear off so that he may pounce on a fatigued target?

The rest of the team shifts uncomfortably at the silence. Stogie can practically hear the sweat dripping off of CO and R, despite the chilly weather.

"To whom will you take the fight?" K'wa'iti asks suspiciously. "Who is the 'real enemy'? Where is their lair?" The language seems to resonate with him, even if he secretly suspects Stogie may be misrepresenting the situation.

Stogie takes a deep breath. The wolf is talking, not attacking. So far, so good.

Before he answers the wolf, he carefully places his shotgun against a tree with one hand, while signalling to the others with the other, palm down, to keep calm. Of course, placing the gun aside allows Stogie to put in play the realization that just struck him. This is a shapeshifter. They regenerate, just like the Infected troll did. The shotgun won't do anything permanent to him, and the wolf surely knows it. Stogie sits on a log. Sits! as he does so, he draws his weapon focus knife and holds it across his knees, activated. No quick attack can come from this position, with this weapon. But this knife will hurt, and the wolf will know that, too.

"First I will take the fight to the one who has hired all these groups to come here and attack the women. I know where he is. He lied about who and what the women are, and continues to do so. I wanna find out why and who is paying him. He must be stopped. But behind him is the real danger. The force that wants the women gone. That is the real enemy. This guy, Gunny, may be too difficult to convince to tell me who is behind him. I will do my best. If I have to, I will hunt in the city for the knowledge. That may be easier than it sounds. I have a suspicion why the women are being attacked. The Mountain, you know the one, is a place of power. I have felt it, and just like the women, my magic was made stronger by it. There are those who would use that power for their own profit. Only so many can do that.

"These will be people like the ones who came and took my home, and killed most of my pack." He glances at Jake. "Jake here is all that remains. The truth is, they are all alike, these corporations. Fighting one is fighting them all. So, for now, I will put my search for revenge on hold and hunt those who want this Mountain. Who knows, they may be the same people who attacked my home."

He tilts his head up a bit, almost as if looking off into the trees. "I wish I knew what's with my friends, Smohalla and Ellesar. I sure could use their help. Without them, I feel alone. But Ellie can do more for them, whatever they need, than I can right now. If they come out alright, they can find me. So I'm gonna do what I can do, which is hunt. And keep my word to these men here. I'm taking them home. Away from your home." He returns his gaze to the shapeshifter. Open, calm, ready. He takes another deep breath.

K'wa'iti listens and considers. His attention is drawn to Stogie's weapon focus. Stogie remembers that Smohalla was dual-natured and figures that this shifter is too. The sasquatch is also drawn to it, her curiosity about it's magical power somewhat offsetting her concern about its violent capabilities.

There's a long silence. K'wa'iti looks back and forth between Stogie and Jake, then Stogie and the shifter, then Stogie and the nervous men holding firearms. Stogie tries to puzzle out what the shifter might be thinking. Does the presence of the sasquatch give Stogie credibility for peaceful intentions? What about Jake? Does the implied violence against the institutions of men fit in pleasantly with K'wa'iti's vision for the world? Where is Gunny anyway? Shouldn't he have passed by this way and run into the pack of wolves?

Finally K'wa'iti stands and steps aside, clearing the path forward. Stogie hears and audible expression of relief from R and CO. LT is solid, a professional, and shows no trace of change.

The sasquatch doesn't wait for a second invitation. She hoists BH and strides forward quickly, casting nervous glances backward over her shoulder at the pack of wolves that stares at you as you retreat.

Maybe it's the adrenaline, but nobody stops or pauses for the next five kilometers. Finally R begs for a rest, citing his short legs. (Stogie suspects his rigger-esque physique might have something to do with it as well).

A canteen is passed around and some of the meager rations available.

LT takes a drink. "You're serious about tracking Gunny down? You think the corporations are behind this? They want Rainier as a power site? Who do you think is calling the shots?"

LT particularly seem to object to the notion of tracking down Gunny, but nor does his tone indicate a great deal of confidence. Maybe he thinks Stogie is tilting at windmills. Or maybe it's like Gandhi said, "What you do will not be enough, but it is very important that you do it."

Stogie takes a long swig of water and leans back against the trunk of a tree. The stop feels damn good. He nods and smiles at the sasquatch, who also seems to be enjoying the rest.

"Gunny is the best lead to find out what the real story is. He's hired a number of teams, and there's been more than one story to start off a mission. There's no way the women are any kind of toxics or whatever. The magic of the place that beefs them up does it for me and my friend Smohalla as well. If they were a lot different from my aura, it wouldn't work on them and me. And Smohalla is as good and clean as they come.

"And he sent some wet-behind-the-ears kids on this mission. What he was thinking beats me. My buddies and I sent them packing before they died a quick and dirty death. By the looks of your team, he had to offer something a lot more than he offered us. Oh yeah, the millions of nuyen reward. Of course. And he came with you, but left without you. He's got a lot of questions to answer.

"Look. The power around that mountain is something else. If you guys had found where the women are holed up, they would have been way stronger than they were when we faced you at the river. So would I, for that matter. It would have been over in seconds. You would have ended up like another team that came for the women. I saw their cindered remains. If whoever is behind this can turn that energy around to be usable by them, or if they can find a way to sell it, or rent it, then we're not talking just millions. There's enough there to put whoever controls it into the top ranks of the corporations. A newby getting into the Corporate Council, or one of the top ten taking number one spot. There's nothing those people wouldn't do to get their hands on that kind of power. And only a corporation would have the resources to put that kind of mojo to use. To change it. To abuse it.

"Now, maybe Gunny isn't working for someone bigger. Then the only thing I can think of is that he's in this for revenge, which means he would have lost something or be related to someone who got hurt or killed. Then it would be both easier and harder to end this campaign. Easier, 'cause he's not a corporation. Harder, 'cause he won't be interested in reason. I know about that." He looks long at Jake. Then he takes another swig.

The men are quiet as they process everything Stogie is telling them. LT opens his mouth a couple times but then thinks better of it and remains silent.

"Alright," LT says after Stogie concludes. "Let's get back to our vehicles. There were eight of us so we came in two. Gunny should have taken one, hopefully leaving the other for the four of us." He looks at Stogie. "I mean five." He glances at Jake and the sasquatch, but doesn't bother updating the count further. It's clear he's not expecting the sasquatch to drive back with them, and Jake won't take up too much room.

It's a long afternoon. Stogie can feel himself dragging, and even Jake is wearing down. The hike is long and grueling as it is, and hauling BH out for the first few kilometers was exhausting. Stogie tries to stay alert in case the wolves change their mind, or the Infected troll decides to try his luck. The woods press in from every side, the cold November air sapping what little heat and energy the men generate. The forest is full of mysterious magic; even the ground underfoot could explode with astral energy if the right person told it too. Daniel Howling Coyote liberated his people, but in doing so he made the natural world a veritable bomb. Stogie casts backward glances over his shoulder; the shattered remains of Mt. Rainier, now Talol, stand testament to what desperate men (and women) can do.

If the visual evidence weren't enough, Stogie's metamagic confirms it with every step. He doesn't even have to be looking at the mountain to sense it. The astral power of the Earth is overwhelming and inescapable, like gravity. The mountain is where all that power bubbles up and reaches the surface, to be loosed on the world above. No wonder Hestaby has claimed Mt. Shasta as her lair in Cal Free State. The only thing strange is why hasn't another dragon claimed Talol, or Klickitat (Mt. Adams), or La-wa-la-clough (Mt. St. Helens), or Wy'east (Mt. Hood)? For now, the Sisters have the run of the place. Stogie seems convinced that they aren't Toxic, which isn't to say they aren't dangerous. Howling Coyote wasn't toxic, was he? No, but his magic was blood magic, fueled by the life force of the Great Ghost Dancers. It was blood freely given, willingly volunteered by Howling Coyote's followers, but still blood magic.

Lost in thought, Stogie loses track of how far they've walked. Night has fallen. He hears a gasp, then turns to see R practically weeping with relief. Turning his head forward, Stogie can barely make out the outline of a GMC Bulldog - pure cityslicker - parked at the trailhead. The small dwarf breaks out into a run, then wraps his short arms around the hood of the van. He shudders a few times, then sinks to his knees like a rescued man.

CO looks visibly relieved too. The exertion was clearly taxing him and his shoulder wound. Even LT has a bit more spring in his step all of a sudden. Finally, the forest draws back and everyone is under open sky in a gravel parking lot. The crunch of cold gravel underfoot is starkly different than the soft woodland path of the last thirty kilometers. Stogie's feet ache badly.

R doesn't waste any time opening up the Bulldog. He's in the driver's seat in a flash and it seems like nothing in the world would get him out of the vehicle willingly. The sasquatch lifts BH into the back of the van; LT moves to secure the huge troll so that he doesn't bounce around on the mountain roads, nor slide into a wall and break his head open. That would be a damn shame after all the effort to keep him alive.

"Where are you going?" LT asks. "We'll give you a lift. Owe you that much. We met Gunny in Enumclaw. He had visas and credentials to get us across the border. We're headed back that way eventually, since we're all from Seattle. I got the impression that Gunny was Salish-Shidhe local. I think he was just in Enumclaw to meet us; I'm pretty sure he lives on this side of the border... somewhere."

The sasquatch lingers. Stogie had promised her payment. Now he needs to figure out what would satisfy her and what would be fair. BH probably wouldn't have gotten out alive without her.

"Give me a minute to see if my vehicle is still around here. We hid it 'cause we didn't know how long it would be before we came back for it. And, our friend here," Stogie points to the sasquatch, "should be given something to thank her for what she did for us."

Stogie carefully takes out the sheathed extra knife he has, along with the strap that held it on. With some plants nearby, he demonstrates the usefulness of a sharp edge... cutting, splitting, shaping. he re- sheathes the knife, and, holding it out to her spread across his upturned palms, he offers it to her.

"Good for food. Good for protect." He hopes astral equivalents of these thoughts make it through to her.

The sasquatch tentatively reaches out for the knife but Stogie can clearly tell that she's disappointed. Her eyes dart repeatedly to the sheath where he keeps his enchanted Cougar Fineblade.

LT can also tell that the sasquatch is less than impressed with the mundane knife.

"Here," he says stepping forward. "I understand that sasquatches are masterful mimics and love sounds. Take my commlink. I just bought a 'Romance Languages Starter Pack' of linguasofts. French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese. Just press this button." He passes the commlink to her and clicks the screen. The commlink responds in British-accented Portguese:

<<Meu Deus, isso é um grande peixe! O sabor delicioso!>>

The sasquatch smiles at the commlink, then mimics it perfectly: "Meu Deus, isso é um grande peixe! O sabor delicioso!"

She presses the screen again to repeat the process.

<<Tenho uma terrível com dor no estômago. Ele deve ter sido o camarão!>>

The sasquatch smiles again, nods to LT, glares at Jake, then rumbles off back into the forest. They can hear the call-and-response of the Portuguese linguasoft as it fades into the distance.

"I have no idea how long the battery will last but oh well," LT says after she is gone. He looks around the parking lot but doesn't see any vehicles other than the GMC Bulldog. "Looks like you could use a lift. Where to? Somewhere with a hot shower and some grub, I bet."

"Take me to North Bend," Stogie says.

LT nods. "Sure. Hop in."

Jake doesn't need a second invitation and jumps straight in. He's tired of walking and is only too happy to curl up in the back of the Bulldog.

Stogie looks around at the parking lot, taking in the mountain air. He climbs into the cab of the van, thinking that it's the first time he's been indoors in several days.

There's mostly silence as the team drives. Luckily the Bulldog's pilot program can handle the highway on its own. Almost everyone falls asleep as the adrenaline wears off and the exhaustion finally kicks in.

Stogie startles awake. The van has stopped.

"Just outside Enumclaw," LT announces. "This is where we met Gunny so this is where we part ways. We'll trigger the Doc Wagon contracts for BH and CO. I'll cross the border here to head back home to Seattle. R will program the van to run you and Jake up to North Bend, then it will come back for him. Where you staying tonight, R?"

"Moneymaker Hotel," the dwarf answers. "Mud Mountain Road & 252n Avenue SE if you're looking for a spot to crash. Not for the family though. For the most part it's a by-the-hour cathouse where the local girls bring their johns. But they're light on the SIN checks and everyone keeps to themselves."

LT nods, then extends a hand to Stogie. "Here's my commcode if you find yourself in the city." They shake. CO, still wounded, turns his back on Stogie and triggers his Doc Wagon. LT snaps BH's bracelet.

"Guaranteed response time in 10 minutes," LT says. "But no rural service. I'm just sorry about the ones we had to leave behind." He's probably referring to the magician Stogie shot, and the unknown fate of Ellesar. Stogie nods.

R steps forward. "The van is set. I'll be keeping an eye on it remotely in case you run into trouble. It will drop you off where you want to go then come back for me." He also shakes Stogie's hand, then scratches Jake's ears.

The farewells complete, Stogie gets back in the van. It's easy to lose focus again, this time alone with his thoughts and with Jake's.

They get into North Bend 45 minutes later, tired and hungry. There's a stop at the Mar-T Café, where a few days ago Stogie sat with Ellesar and the strange dwarf, Jeff, the one that didn't like animals, especially dogs. He took off as soon as there was talk of wolves in Greenwater. Now, that day feels like years ago.

Stogie sits on a stool at the counter, his accumulated dirt mixing in well with the local miners and lumberjacks. Given the local parafauna, nobody bats an eye at his shotgun. Outside, the large T of the cafe's sign glows neon red on the pavement. Stogie gets soup, then a burger (mycoprotein, natch), then cherry pie and soykaf. The portions are generous and a sign near the entrance promises, "No one goes away hungry!" The waitress fills Stogie's mug regularly but otherwise leaves him alone with his thoughts.

He stares at the counter and thinks of what he means to do. This outing cost him Ellesar and Smohalla and might end up costing him even more. Gunny must be made to answer. At least he still had Jake.

It's closing time. Stogie stands, tips heavily, and walks out. He makes sure Jake gets his dinner, then they set off on foot to find a place to sleep. Along Highway 202 they find a Rent & Rest, which is about as no-frills as you can get. The rooms are bigger than at a coffin motel, at least, and Jake's nose reports that it was recently cleaned. There's a quick shower under water that doesn't stay hot long, then off to bed. Stogie finds Jake already in the middle of the mattress, sleeping deeply. He moves Jake over enough to get under the covers and then falls into a deep, dog-tired sleep.

Stogie wakes up. It's the next morning but still before dawn.

He gets up, showers again, makes himself presentable. If he's going to die, he wants the coroner to know he had good hygiene.

It's back to the Mar-T for an early breakfast of soykaf and apple pie with a slice of cheddar. The cows are local and the cheese is good. Stogie gets a burger for Jake. He wonders if the waitress will say something about the early-morning burger, but evidently the woman gets enough truckers and blue-collar types that she doesn't even bat an eye.

Jake wolfs down the burger and then the two walk off. The sun is just starting to rise over the Cascade Mountains to the east. Stogie traces his way back to the field where he met Gunny a few days ago. Finding the field, he looks around and finds the treeline about a hundred yards off to the side. Stogie goes there, finds a place to sit, and waits.

Sure enough, Gunny shows up to meet a new crop of bounty hunters. With magically enhanced hearing, Stogie doesn't have much trouble following the conversation, even at a distance: "I want to pay you for saving the day. I know good deeds aren't always your paydirt but don't let that put you off!" Stogie recognizes the dripping sarcasm.

Gunny watches imperiously with his hands on his hips as the bountyhunters depart. Stogie stands and begins to approach Gunny from behind. Once he's about twenty meters away, Stogie raises his shotgun and cocks it. Gunny turns.

"Well, well, look what the dog dragged in," Gunny says with a sneer. "Mr. 'I know someone who might have a line on who these people are', in person." Stogie remembers saying that; evidently Gunny does too.

Gunny spits and gestures to the shotgun. "Well, sweetheart? I haven't got all day!"

Stogie says, "They aren't toxic."

"Well whoopdee-fragging-doo!" Gunny retorts. "Like I told you, I'm not interested in loopholes or technicalities. Now whether or not the women are according-to-Hoyle toxics, the fact remains that they killed a man and his family and a young college student doing research! They're murderers plain and simple, just like you."

"Who do you work for?" Stogie asks.

Gunny guffaws, as if he can't believe the question. "Who do you think? The SALISH-SHIDHE GOVERNMENT! You can't BURN DOWN AN ENTIRE TOWN without FACING THE CONSEQUENCES! They will find you! So go ahead, sweetheart, pull the trigger. It doesn't get rid of the bounty and it doesn't solve any of your problems. If you drop me, the next man will be along shortly. All you'll do is bring a world of trouble down on your head. Oh, maybe you don't care about yourself, but what about your pup? What's he going to do when you're doing 20 years-to-life? And that's if the Rangers don't shoot you on sight. So hurry up, sweethart. I'm hungry and my chow is waiting."

"What a crock of shit. Witches. Government agents. The whole lot of you. High and mighty government saving the good people? Government, police, and flunkies for them like you pretend to be law and order, and care for lives? You sent a bunch of snot-nosed kids to fight those 'killers' as you call them. Me and my friends spanked the punks and sent them home, otherwise they woulda been throwaways like so many others you've sent. The women are no saints, but they're a damn sight cleaner than you fakes.

Face it. You're never gonna dig them outta their hole till you send an army, and even that might fail. But that doesn't matter to the guy getting a percentage, does it? Just keep sending out the cannon fodder and keep sending in the invoices. Fuck you."

Stogie drops the point of his gun and turns his back. At this point he doesn't care if a bullet finds it. "Come on, Jake. Let's go see if we can find our buddies, and then let's get the hell outta this brawl."

Of course, finding his buddies means going back to the Sisters. Damn. How is he going to get past that troll?

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Gunny scoffs. "You're so full of drek you can't even smell what you're shoveling."

Stogie turns and walks. Gunny's voice raises as Stogie heads back to town.

"No, I don't care about the lives of witches," Gunny yells. "Or the bounty hunters I send after witches! They knew the risks, just like you did!

"I care for the students, and the mine foremen, and the mine foremen's family, and all the others that the Sisters are hell-bent on murdering! Government, law, order - incomprehensible to you - save lives!

"If you're so far gone that you can't distinguish between a man who would send a Seattle punk to his death from women who would murder a honest man's family in their sleep, then I guess I'll be sending someone after you next!

"I'll be seeing you, Stogie! I'll be seeing you real soon!"

Stogie ventures off into the forest, to find his way back to Greenwater - the burned town - before heading back up the trail again. He hopes to find what happened to Ellesar. He hopes that Smohalla managed to free himself from his astral prison. He hopes that K'wa'iti will let him by. The thought of the 25 kilometers back to the Sisters' lake makes his bones ache and his feet hurt. He sets off, the sun rising over the Cascades on a crystal blue November day.

GAME COMPLETE