Smohalla smiles at Ellie's response.

You have been most hospitable to those who invite themselves over to your house.

We thank you.

Smohalla's smile turns slightly sad.

We have heard of deeds done by you, you who claim the title of The Sisters.

Stories are told of attacks on towns, observation towers, and other areas.

The words of others can be fickle, bringing truth and deception in equal measure.

These tales include innocent deaths, perhaps unnecessary destruction.

Have you also heard these tales?

That was much more straight forward than I expected from her Ellesar thinks to himself. We will need to proceed with caution here. Wouldn't be good to have them turn on us at this point. He shifts in his seat, paying attention to the conversation at hand and waiting for the old woman's reply.

"Tales?" Ellie asks, her eyes widening in surprise. She glances back to Selene and Hester before turning to Smohalla. "No, we haven't heard any tales. But, of course, we were there ourselves, so we didn't find it necessary to seek out the stories of others."

She stands and begins to pace back and forth, just a few steps each time, staying on her side of the campfire. She folds her hands behind her back as she walks, alternating her looks between the ground and your group. "There has been no unnecessary destruction, nor any innocent deaths." She raises her head to Selene and Hester, who each shake their heads slightly. "I'm proud of the sharpness of our actions," she continues. "We cut as the surgeon cuts, with efficiency, for maximal effect with minimal damage." Her aura glows with conviction.

She stops pacing in front of her previous seat, bringing her hands in front of her again. "That there are victims is unfortunate, and I apologize to them. But the cut will heal with time and the patient will be better for the pain."

Yes, that there are victims in this war is unfortunate, but sometimes necessary.

It is hard to keep an eye on the end goal with such suffering around us.

Harder still to walk the boundaries of proper action in this quest.

How one accomplishes their goals is itself of utmost importance.

Smohalla pauses in his speech to look around him.

Mother Earth smiles on those who honor her name.

As surely she must with you, who work to bring relief to her agony.

Ellie smiles happily at Smohalla's response. She retakes her seat, folding her hands over her knees in front of her. "Your words honor us greatly. I was so certain that you would understand, Sky Father. Yes, we work so hard to honor the Goddess and all of Her creation."

Her smile fades for a moment as she considers a new thought. "I hope that you do not think less of us for not always being as thorough as you have been," she says delicately, looking at Smohalla. "I know well the stories people told about your awakening, when you came across the open-pit mine and in your wrath destroyed all the machines, the men, and then collapsed the mine itself. It was so bold! I envy your zeal, but we are often confined by our feminine sensibilities." She smiles apologetically.

She turns to Stogie and holds out a hand with the palm up, lifting it to indicate a sense of regard. "Stogie, your techniques are masterful. Please don't think that we don't love what you did with the petrol and the ball bearings at Apex Mine. Everyone says the work was painstaking. The girls and I certainly don't have a monopoly on pyrotechnics! I like to think that our approach complements yours very well. The world is so much brighter for having more than one artist."

She turns to elf next. "Ellesar, I'm sorry to say that I have not heard any your stories. We would love to hear more about what you've done, and what you would like to do, over dinner."

Ellie opens her arms wide in invitation. "You can stay the night, can you not? Of course you must, there is nowhere else to be for twenty kilometers! We can talk all night like mischievous schoolchildren. I am certain that we could learn so much from you." She looks at Smohalla, slightly concerned that he might just fly away.

Smohalla looks to each of his companions, meeting their eyes, giving a small nod.

We would be most grateful to stay the night here.

And we too would love to hear your stories, as you yourselves would have them told.

Tales are best this way, from the mouths of those the stories are about.

But we are being poor guests, bringing no gifts of visiting. What may we do to help with dinner?

Ellie throws her hand forward in an oh please gesture, turning her head to laugh at the absurdity of the suggestion. "Oh, Sky-Father. The pleasure of your company makes you the perfect guest. Please, make yourselves comfortable. Dinner will take care of itself."

And so it does. Three spirits appear next to the women, one summoned by each. The ork and the troll summon a fire and a water spirit, respectively. Next to Ellie a different type of spirit appears, one that you may have never seen before. On the astral plane, it looks for all the world like a fat little pastry chef. It doesn't materialize; instead, it zips over to the bag from which Ellie summoned the cups and cookies. The spirit hovers for a moment before it jumps into the sack, emerging a moment later as a set of possessed kitchen knives!

The water spirit looks like a miniature man made of sloshing water. It grabs a large, heavy pot - you might go so far as to call it a cauldron - and staggers to the lake to fill it with water. It passes the pot to the fire spirit, a blazing little imp that seizes the pot tightly and burns fiercely with a high-pitched hiss. The pot quickly glows red as a trail of steam appears above it. The water spirit turns to vigorously washing vegetables from the bag, which the flying knives peel and slice with eye-opening speed. There seems to be a hierarchy among them, with the chef - more potent than the others - directing the action. The vegetables complete, it turns its attention to filleting several lovely yellow perch. The fishermen of the group will recognize these as a local delicacy, prized for their particularly fine flavor.

What to make of the spirits? You know that the nature of a spirit can often provide a window into the psyche of the summoner. They're not toxic spirits, that's for sure. (A relief too, since a toxic fire spirit would leave dinner hopelessly radioactive.) But nor are they strictly normal either. The fire spirit is a fierce little fiend, cackling and crackling rapturously as it works. The water spirit has a squat-eyed, thuggish look to it. In addition to the washing, it does most of the lifting and carrying, as well as dousing the sparks that the fire spirit throws off regularly onto the dry forest floor. Ellie's spirit isn't overly threatening, although it does display a certain level of aggression slicing and dicing your meal. It is, however, rather bossy for a spirit, presiding over the food preparation with an unabashed imperiousness.

All of this frees Ellie and the ladies to entertain you directly. Ellie chats happily all the while, peppering you constantly with questions about what you've worked on recently and what you'd like to do next. "Stogie, are you going to follow up your strike on Apex or are you pursuing new interests? Ellesar, have you any leads about the corporation that took your family from you? You share what you know and I'm certain that we can help. Sky-Father, how are the Shahptian Wanapum? Have you seen them recently? I trust your travels have not taken you too far from your friends there. Please! We so rarely receive visitors; we would love to hear more."

Ellesar shifts in his seat. At the mention of his family his face shows signs of discomfort, despite his attempts at pleasantness. "I do not know much in the way of details in regards to the management of the corporation. I worked more with the security side of their organization, which is equally, if not more so, to blame for the tragedy." He looks away as he speaks, trying his best to keep his composure over the mix of emotions running through him. "I wish to find the head of the security detail that was stationed in Chicago at the time of the bombing. Ares, Knights Errant, they're just a group of corrupt politicians and thugs! They knew well ahead of time that they were going to bomb the city! They knew!" The elf is standing and practically yelling at this point. He goes silent, realizing how absurd he must seem, and returns to his seat. His voice is much quieter than before. "I am sorry for the outburst."

The Shahptian Wanapum are growing strong and full as wheat in the field.

They honor the Great Spirit with their wisdom and love.

I could not be more proud of my family.

Smohalla notes the small incongruities in the summoned spirits.

Things are not as bad as they could be, seemingly.

Ellesar, I am truly sorry for your loss.

Carrying your burden must be very difficult, all this time.

Perhaps we may all work together in this, to find the one you seek.

Sisters, are you free to aid in this quest?

Ellie's mood grows more somber as she listens to Ellesar's tale. Her aura trembles with a sense of righteousness. She thinks for a moment before nodding slowly in response to Smohalla's question. "Sky-Father, if you are involved in this brave young man's journey then we would be honored to join you and provide whatever assistance of which we are able."

She pauses for a second to cast a sideways glance at Hester and Selene. "We do, however, have a project currently underway, one that we would like to see through to completion before pursuing new ventures. We wonder if you might be interested in joining us. A work-exchange program, if you will."

She leans forward conspiratorially and, despite the fact that you're in the middle of the woods, lowers her voice to take you into her confidence. Her speech slows down for dramatic effect. "Tell me now, and be truthful... how do you gentlemen feel about the City and State of Seattle?" Her eyebrow raises to punctuate the query. Hester and Selene watch you closely, as does the shifter.

Stogie considers the current situation... out int the woods where the Sisters are in control. Well, so be it. He is worried about their reaction to any negative response, but he has been pushed around too often to allow fear to override honesty. Jake, go in the woods. Now.

"I don't have any love or hate for cities or states. Run the right way, they can serve people and deal with the needs of a dense population. There are a lot of people in the world. That's just the way it is.

"I'd be happy to strike against any corporation, as long as people or other living things don't suffer. That's why I am here. Your hospitality is kind and generous. It makes me rethink our purpose. The stories I heard about the Sisters said they had gone over that line, and were destroying indiscriminately, property and people. That, I can't abide. If you have decided that people, even innocent ones, must die to make your point, then we are not friends and I cannot work with you. If the things we have heard are not true, and you are not embarked on indiscriminate terrorism, then let's talk."

That should stir up something, Stogie thinks to himself.

Ellesar sits quietly for a while, still recovering from his last outburst. Stogie is right, we need to stand strong in our pursuits. We can't allow them to lull us into a false sense of security with their pleasantries. "Yes, my comrade speaks the truth. I have no qualms with the setting straight of corrupt corporations that use others to get what they desire no matter the cost. However I will not stand by and watch as people take justice and twist it to their own self righteous cause." He face returns to a serious state and his manner remains unwavering. He feels a mix of determination to see his goals met and the inescapable nervousness of the situation.

To this message, Smohalla adds

My friends speak for me as well.

There were some troubling pieces to the tales told to us about your exploits.

Your goals at first seem to align with ours.

Yet your methods have been called into doubt.

I would like to know more of your minds, before making common cause with you.

Smohalla's aura shows pride for his friends, determination, and a slight twinge of curiosity.

Ellie gives a startled laugh at the sudden shift in conversation. She looks more befuddled than offended. She glances around the group with an uncertain look to make certain everyone is being serious.

"Innocents?" she asks. "We have already told you that there were no innocents. Indiscriminate? We only act with the the most focused intentions. Who has told you otherwise? Is it received wisdom, or something you have verified for yourselves? Hmm?"

Her look circles the group again. "Who do you expect to understand what it is that we, all of us, do? Smohalla, does the media understand when you destroy machines that raze the forests? Stogie, do the politicians understand when you set off your bombs? No, they do not, and nor do they understand what it is that we have done, but I would certainly hope that you would."

She looks intently at Smohalla. "Who calls our methods into doubt? Do you? Our methods are your methods, Sky-Father, ones you've used so often on behalf of Mother Earth. I fail to see a difference and don't quite understand how you could see one either. Stogie, do you really pretend that your explosives are more precise than our magic? That your shotgun is as surgical as a spell? Of whose justice do you speak, Ellesar, that we so twist? Our ends are not our own. There is no authority other than the great God and Goddess. We work toward Their justice, not our own. Can you say the same?"

She settles back, still looking bewildered. She opens her hands in a renewed invitation. "Sky-Father, with your eagle-vision I am certain you that ascertain many things which we do not. So, please... enlighten us."

Smohalla gives a friendly smile.

I have offended you. Please forgive me.

We come to you hoping to receive the wisdom we need.

Our attempts at knowledge are not accusations, only questions.

We visited a town that had been wrecked by a fire spirit.

This Greenwater was burned to the ground, but noone was injured.

Also we heard of a landing strip destroyed, along with a helipad.

Lester was the name of the place where this happened.

Were these of your doing?

Ellie's eyes narrow a bit. Behind her furrowed brow, Hester and Selene cross their arms and regard you a little more carefully. Despite Smohalla's assurances that you were not accusing them of anything, it seems pretty clear from their reactions that you have accused them of something.

In the end, the women either cannot or will not conceal their pride. Ellie's aura takes on a distinct sense of satisfaction, bordering on smugness. Hester and Selene stand a little taller, their chins and chests jutting out.

"Greenwater was not wrecked, it was saved," Ellie corrects you. "Soon, the water there may be truly green again. And, yes, we were at Lester too, among other places. You say you seek wisdom. What is it that you wish to find, or know, or to do?"

We seek to know how much of what we have heard, is truly of your doing.

Defending our Earth Mother is right, and something to be proud of.

But there are even more stories of you that are being told.

Were you also the cause of the student dying in the firewatch tower?

Were you at Cle Elum, where a man and his wife and four children were killed?

Ellie pauses briefly. She steals a quick glance at Hester and Selene, who seem unmoved.

"Yes, we burned the tower with the little twerp who was in it. He was conducting the most offensive research! He wished to rob blessed Talol of her energy," she says, casting a caring look at the mountain looming large above you. "It simply would not do. The irony of burning a firewatch tower was irresistible, of course," she adds with a generous laugh.

"As for the house in Cle Elum, we were after the Longshanks fellow. Very regrettable about his family," she says, breezing past the issue. You're not certain but it seems like the information about his family seems to be news to her. "Despite the collateral damage, that was a wonderful example of how you don't have to destroy the whole mine to stop the enterprise. Why, productivity is down over 12% since we struck! If the mine remains unprofitable, it will have to close. You see, you don't need to knock down the whole operation; you only need to find the cornerstone on which it rests. Remove that, and the rest of the facade will come crumbling down of its own accord. It's all quite elegant, really!" Again she looks satisfied, proud of the cleverness of the plan.

Stogie stands up. He brushes a couple of leaves off his pants. He looks around the present company... his friends and partners, the women of the forest.

"I know something about love for land and the desire to protect it. About being the one who is responsible for those that cannot protect themselves.

"I also know something about losing loved ones, about the anger, about how easy it is to justify doing wrong in the name of right. But taking the life of even one innocent is never a fair price, no matter how deep the wrong. That way lies a descent into the evil that is the very thing many here would like to send running from these hills. An evil that justifies its actions in whatever convenient terms allow it to sleep at night.

"We are better than that. You are better than that." He looks directly at the women, one by one. "We, together must find a way to continue the struggle in ways that do not take life. You cannot know the full story of a man just by looking at the one thing he is doing now, his study of energy, his building of a homestead, whatever. You cannot know the family that spreads out from him like threads of love and life. You cannot know the ways he has changed the world for the better. The ways others depend on him.

"If you continue down this path, Sisters, then you will become no better than the corporations that seek to consume our beautiful Home. Let us find another path. One that saves our Beloved Earth without tainting ourselves with blind murder. On that fine path, I am your ally. On the path of murder, of descent into evil... I am your enemy."

Stogie feels calm, centered. It's as if his feet are planted in the earth, and cool strength flows from it into his frame. He hasn't felt like this in a long time. It is good. He is ready.

Jake rises into a crouch, head low, ears perked. He has felt Stogie like this before, and action is likely to come. The link to Stogie's power is still there. Jake draws on that power, making himself ready, too. Ready to run or to fight. He looks for a way to circle behind the females, the ones Stogie is focusing on.

Smohalla listens to this speech with pride.

His faith in his friends glows through in his aura.

He holds his tongue for now, awaiting the response from the Sisters.

"What's this!" Ellie exclaims with a high-pitched shriek, throwing her hands up. "Murder?! Can the doctor murder the tumor that would consume the patient?! Does the body murder the virus that would destroy it? Does the soldier murder the army that would overwhelm him? Murder! I've never heard anything so preposterous!"

She shakes her finger at Stogie with the posture of a stern schoolmistress. "Will you, Stogie, stand here and tell me that no one has been killed by your actions? Has no explosion of yours claimed a victim? And why are you carrying an automatic shotgun? Oh, yes, I may be old-fashioned but I recognize an Enfield when I see one. Don't tell me it's for quail!"

Ellie turns her displeasure to Smohalla. "Sky-Father, can these words of your friend really please you? I've heard the stories of how you have reacted to clear cutting and mines. None escaped your wrath, so the songs go. The spirits have told us as much; you cannot deny it. Blind murder! There's been nothing blind about what we've done! Greenwater should prove that we have no desire for wanton death. How many were harmed at Lester? You judge us by the exceptions, condemning the painting for the quality of its borders!"

She huffs once, exhaling forcefully through her nostrils while putting her hands on her hips. She seems to calm herself before turning to Ellesar. "Ellesar, what would you do if you found the men who killed your family? Would you look at their whole lives, the good they may have done and may yet do, and the families that may depend on them? Or would you demand the justice you deserve?" She grips her fists tightly with expression. "Even if you found it in your heart to forgive them, would you act to prevent them from doing the same to another man and his family? Would you save their lives and their pain?" She looks at Ellesar, her eyes watery and pleading. "Would you do a little evil to do a greater good?" she asks beseechingly.

She turns to the group, her arms open, her heart laid bare.

The elf stands firm as he faces the woman. His face remains stern, his voice unwavering. "In my few years of this life I have learned that every situation requires a different action. I admit that violence has its place, but never towards innocents. I do not know these people that died and I have no knowledge to their actions so I have little room to judge them or yourselves for what has taken place."

Ellesar's manner darkens as he pauses to turn to his companions. "However I don't truly know much about any of you. I am all for keeping this dear planet safe from the ignorant but that doesn't call for death and destruction at every turn. I do not share in your spirituality or your stories of events past. I have only just met you sisters and I have traveled with these men for but a few days longer so do not expect me to choose sides due to your differing views." He returns to his seat, his gaze falling on the two silent sisters. "I do not know what I will do when I meet the men responsible for the death of my family. I can not say with any certainty that it will be civil. All I know is that I must find them. And I believe that these men can help me do just that. I have seen their spirit, their tenacity." He waits for a moment as he stares hard at the eldest sister. "I believe it would be foolish for anyone to stand in their way."

The war we fight, it will have unfortunate consequences. This, we agree on.

Your attack on Lester was masterful, Greenwater even more so.

I wish that my own actions had been as careful, as planned as yours were that day.

I am not as proud of the closure of the mine as the songs might say.

We cannot allow ourselves to ever accept evil, to turn our hearts to stone.

The death of anything, however necessary we feel it to be, is always to be honored.

We must all keep vigilant watch in our hearts to ensure we don't stray from our path.

The disrespect for the dead, the casual disregard for the death of a family, this is not right.

Smohalla turns to the wolf shifter.

What does K'wa'iti think of all this talk?

Do the words of metahumanity bore Brother Wolf?

The shifter, still in wolf form, growls. He reluctantly shifts into his human form to respond. He stays in a crouch, his long hair hanging around his face as he rumbles.

"The words do not; the people themselves do. Would that they would leave the territory to those that came before them!" he snarls. His aura looks uncertain, although you're unsure what he's unconfident about. Perhaps he is less convinced now of your true intentions here, and wondering if he did the right thing to lead you to the Sisters. Or perhaps his grasp of English isn't strong enough to understand everything that has transpired.

He growls again and continues. "Mother Earth demands the death of us all. It must come. As such, I do not see harm in the death of people. None are innocent, for there is no innocence among men. It grieves me to take their shape. I will support the Sisters as they continue to cleanse the Earth. Once their task is complete, I will grant them the death that they must have. They understand this and accept it."

He looks around your group, staring at you on the astral before focusing on Smohalla. "Eagle, why have you come? Your purpose is unclear to me."

We come because we have heard rumors of those that have strayed.

Those that claim to cleanse, yet in reality have started down the path of defilement.

It is always a dangerous path to tread, to those who think as we do.

K'wa'iti scoffs. "Eagle, you fail to see that the defilement of which you speak is the cleansing that you seek. You must take wing and fly, both to reconnect to your better nature, and to better see what Man has wrought below."

Smohalla smiles.

Very poetic. I think you are better with words than you admit to.

You have given me much to think about.

But I think you have an incomplete view of that which is mankind.

My friends here, they give proof that not all of mankind is evil.

My people, they are proof that metahumans can live in peace with Mother Earth.

What do you suggest I seek, flying high above? What will I see?

The shifter laughs disbelievingly. "Eagle, you jest. Surely you know of the forests stripped bare, of the mountains with sheared tops, hillsides gutted and abandoned. Even mighty Talol here was undone at the behest of man. They are a ravenous species, insatiable and out of balance --"

Ellie steps forward, waving her arms, eager to head off the disagreement before it escalates. "Hold, friends. Peace," she implores, interrupting the wolf mid-sentence. "Our conflict lies elsewhere," she says quickly to maintain her momentum, "not with the good souls here tonight. Let us calm ourselves and break bread together. It is our appetite which makes us irritable when we should be openhearted." She holds her hands out to each side, like a policewoman directing traffic.

She turns to see everything prepared. "Dinner is served, if you would have it."

"You're right, Ellie. Jake often reminds me that the world looks better on a full stomach. And hospitality is something to be respected. Time enough later to come to the truth of things." Stogie relaxes, and Jake settles back down, still alert.

Yes, dinner sounds like a good idea.

Smohalla notes Ellie's effort to cut off the wolf's speech.

The words the wolf was about to utter...

Well, it seemed the rumors were not far from the truth.

Smohalla shakes his head a little and prepares for dinner.

The shifter changes back into wolf form and stalks out into the forest with a huff. You sit around the fire, the heat warding off the creeping chill of the coming night. It's past dusk now; the stars emerge slowly from the blackness above. The moon is just past the third quarter; you can see it between the clouds and the dark silhouettes of the treetops. It will be a new moon within the week.

Dinner is fish stew. It would be excellent if it weren't for the awkward silence surrounding you. Ellie has lost the wind in her sails; Hester and Selene are no more talkative than they have been. Ellie occasionally breaks the silence by asking if everything is to your liking or whether you would care for seconds. There's plenty for Jake, should he care for any. She stares into her own bowl sadly, the weight of the preceding conversation heavy on her. She looks into the woods occasionally, hoping to catch a glimpse of K'wa'iti, but he doesn't return to the group. Ellie absentmindedly scratches Jake's ears in the shifter's absence.

Ellie, you know my story of the mines.

You know Stogie's story of revenge, Ellesar's story of betrayal.

Please, would you honor us by telling us yours?

"Oh, what's to tell really," Ellie says somewhat dejectedly, staring down into her bowl. The bowls and utensils are carved out of wood and stand in stark contrast to the ceramic tea service you had in your hands not long ago. Still, the carving is well-done and the wood itself is handsome.

Ellie stirs her bowl absentmindedly for a quiet minute, steam rising from the broth. "I had a pretty normal life," she says. "Got good grades, went to college even, got married, settled down in a quiet part of town." She scrunches up her face, looking off into the trees without making eye contact with anybody. "Had kids, played the homemaker. Kids grew up and went off. I might even be a grandmother now, but I don't know for sure. It's been a few years..." She trails off as she looks around the campsite, contemplating her new existence.

"The Gift arrived late in life. It was a shock, I assure you! But what can you do when the great God and Goddess call? You answer; there is no other option. They guided me to my new family." She looks back to Hester and Selene. "They guide me still."

She sighs. Not a sad sigh, just contemplative and reminiscent. "It was hard at first, but it helped so much to have people to look up to. The stories I heard about you, Sky-Father, helped me to persevere. It eased my mind that wise men such as yourself were leading the way down the path I had been instructed to follow. I've been a fan of yours for years; your actions have inspired us in our efforts to cleanse the land. You have been our silent partner all along." She smiles at Smohalla shyly.

Her voice returns from its far-away memories. "But we're stronger now. We're organized and have a plan. I think we can achieve something truly great within our lifetimes. The struggle will outlive us, almost certainly, but that is the nature of a revolution: you win or you die. But, as K'wa'iti says, death comes for us all, so we might as well try to win before it does."

You honor me.

We will do what we can, to help you and your family.

But let us not talk of death so much, but of life!

We are alive, and should be thankful to the Great Spirit for his gift.

Smohalla's voice takes on a light tone.

Do you have dessert prepared?

Because I know Stogie to be a masterful chef...

Stogie takes Smohalla's cue. "I have a little cinnamon and some sugar in my pack. Maybe I could help whip something up?" He looks at Hester and Selene, with a twinkle in his eye. Jake catches the drift of Stogie's teasing playfulness, and starts wagging his tail.

Ellesar looks to Stogie as he speaks of sweets. "I heard no mention of this Gift while we journeyed together," he jests. "I look forward to tasting your skill."

He turns to Ellie. "Your talk of family is warming to my heart. You should take care to enjoy the time you have with both of your families. I noticed you did not say much regarding your partner. Where is he? Tending to your home while you are away?"

Ellie's face twists a bit at Ellesar's question, her lips puckered and pulled to the side of her mouth. "The Gift requires sacrifices of us all," she says with a downcast expression. "I have not seen him in some time. The change divided us, I am sorry to say. I wish him well, wherever his path has lead him."

She puts on a brave smile and stands. "I am not the first person this has happened too, and I am better able to handle it than most. On that note, the ladies and I must excuse ourselves for a short while. We have evening rituals to conduct. Please, stay here and keep yourselves warm. If you feel so moved to make dessert, you'll find some apples in that gunny sack over there. They were grown not far from here. They would be excellent cooked with some cinnamon and sugar."

Ellie excuses herself. Hester and Selene stand wordlessly and accompany her into the darkness. They don't take any light with them; evidently their metahuman eyes provide enough guidance in the forested blackness. Their spirits retire to the astral plane, their services complete. The camp is yours for the time being.

After the Sisters have withdrawn, Smohalla speaks.

I feel we can trust them to not disturb us as we talk.

We are their guests - they will honor this bond.

He pauses for a moment, thoughtfully.

In truth, I worry more about the Wolf than the Sisters.

Stogie sets about creating an apple compôte, using the fire expertly to boil water and cook skinned apples. He even finds a couple of sticks of cloves. "That's the secret, boys. The cloves.

"I don't know what to think. Ellie makes a passionate argument, but that kind of passion can blind a person to his own flaws. Maybe we need to find out more about their plans, to determine whether they pose the threat our employer says they do. Gunny said he wants the Sisters stopped before they kill again. If they don't kill anymore, we've done what we signed on for, no?"

Ellesar turns to face Smohalla as he speaks. "They all seem quite set in their ways. The wolfman is more rough around the edges but I trust the two who keep quite least."

I worry about the influence the Wolf seems to have.

He is obsessed with death, influencing the Sisters with his obsession.

If the stories are to be believed, the Sisters were once well-received.

People saw them as benevolent, even helpful.

Now, though, they seem to view some deaths as unimportant, to be sneered at.

The words of my friend the ork shaman still ring in my head.

He said these Sisters used tainted Magic.

"It does sound weird that the Sisters expect to be killed by the wolf when their 'work is done'. How do you think the wolf would be able to influence the Sisters?"

I am not sure.

Is his influence magical in nature, or merely the influence of a true believer?

I would be interested to know how long the Wolf has known the Sisters.

Whether their companionship coincides with the change in the Sisters direction.

Smohalla looks at Ellesar.

Your point about the other two Sisters could have deeper meaning.

If the Wolf was having some kind of influence, it's effects would be most pronounced on the lesser personalities.

"If the influence were magical, we should be able to see it on the astral. I didn't notice anything before, but I wasn't looking for it. And the astral background here is weird. Hard to figure out what it is. Maybe it's the place itself that is doing it to them."

Stogie checks the apples. "Ready soon."

"Yes, this place has an eerie feeling about it. Perhaps it is cursed. I think that getting to know more about the relationship between the wolfman and the sisters would be wise, but best done discreetly. If he is smooth enough to convince them that their actions require assisted suicide then we should not underestimate him."

Yes, I agree - we must learn more about the Wolf.

Which of us would be best suited to this?

And we must decide our next course of action.

Should we continue to press with our questions?

Ask for their plans for Seattle?

Or just take our information and be satisfied.

It would be dangerous to force anything from them at the moment.

Ellesar looks off into the darkness of the night.

"I would imagine that a fellow changer would be the most fitting to speak with the wolfman. However if he is somehow controlling the sisters then you would be a potential problem to his goals, considering how the sisters regard you in such good terms. On the topic of our next move there isn't much we can do. We need to decide whether or not to continue with our mission."

"If he were an ordinary wolf, I'd have a good chance to figure him out, but as a sentient, he's out of my understanding. Sort of human, but not. Beats me in that regard. But if I had a good look at his aura, I might be able to figure something out. Next time he shows up, I'll take a stab at it. Hope he doesn't notice. Once I get a good look at him astrally, I might be able to find a trace of his nature on the Sisters. That would be a serious clue. Once again, though, if they notice me checking them out ...." Stogie's voice trails off.

Perhaps we can create a distraction.

I could tell a story of my people.

Ellesar, can you think of anything else?