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Realms: Taps Logs

My Poverty Revealed

Rattler strokes 'Chana's hair gently and says to Sna'tha, "T'ink whatever we doin' tonight needs ta move up quick, me. If Doris notices some puppet strings got snipped, she'll come down on us like a ton o' bricks."

Suraksha sighs from where she's half cuddled between two of the people she loves most in the world, and her voice is tired, "I agree. Admittedly, we have the White Dagger here... but might we want to be more subtle than that? Something that doesn't look like murder, I'm thinking, so Sheriff Pawling doesn't feel compelled to come hunting us?"

Sna'tha smiles; it is in no way a comforting expression, "As you said, child, you have the White Dagger. If I can't rid the world of someone like her and make it look accidental, I will retire for good."

Suraksha laughs ruefully, hugging the sidhe woman tightly for a moment... then she says quietly, "All right -- a bit of planning, then. Let's see... if we keep the girl with us, we most likely either have to have her publicly decide to do so, or have her accused of the murder... or have us accused of kidnapping. I'm wondering if I should visit the sheriff again tonight -- sort of warn him about her?" She considers, then shakes her head, "He's a real good man, though. I'm not sure telling him about the incipient assassination would be wise?"

Rattler says, "I say we do it an' pull oudda town wid de people comin' wid us. Give Pawlin' de ability t'say din' know Jack 'bout it, him. Someone might ask -- someone dat'll be able t' get at de trut'."

Suraksha nods slowly at that, "Good point -- he shouldn't have to lie for us." She sighs softly again, though this time it's considering, "All right, let's review. Buddy is fetching the axle, and everyone is working so we can all leave tomorrow. Alan said he'd drop off the bags of dried goods for the sheriff. Godsmamma takes care of Doris. The refugees arrive. Dawn comes -- we all leave." She nods once, then continues, "That day Doris is discovered dead or missing, and Elise is missing too. There's a furor; they send folks after us. They find the bridge we'll have cracked." She's silent for a moment, then glances at her two companions, "So, do you think Pawling will maybe be more worried at the death, and be more assiduous about tracking us? Should I wait back a ways to see if he turns up, and try talking to him then? Or should we just wait and see if they catch up?"

Sna'tha says, "I suspect that Pawling may do his best to delay any pursuit. You're helping him here. He just couldn't kill her. I think he was likely afraid to get within touching distance, as he should have been."

Suraksha nods to the sidhe, "No, he wouldn't kill her... I don't think he has it in him to kill without provocation or proof." She's silent for a moment, considering... then nods decisively again, "All right. We'll hope he doesn't assume he needs to bring us in for questioning on either kidnapping or murder charges, and just keep on moving. So." She smiles tiredly at her companions, "Going to be a long night of repairs and repacking. Let's get to it."

The caravan does what they do best: they work together to get themselves ready to pull out before first light. What little sleep will be had tonight will be done in shifts -- the bare minimum to function safely tomorrow. A couple of hours later one of the guards from the edge of the caravan escorts two girls into the firelight outside 'Chana's wagon. They are twins: identical and stunningly lovely. Suraksha is somewhat surprised: only two? Alan had said there were at least six refugees hiding out at the sheriff's place. But she's smiling and welcoming as she goes to meet the girls, introducing herself and asking if they know where they wish to travel to -- or if they simply wish to hide with the caravan until they reach another part of the country.

The girls have the coppery-brown skin of the races that were once called "Native American," along with the long, blue-black hair and almond-shaped brown eyes. They speak in a unison that could easily come off as rather creepy, "Just out. Pawling says we aren't safe here. Miss Doris wants us to join her." Their voices aren't identical; instead they are just enough different to create a sort of chord of their voices, making it sound almost like singing rather than speaking.

Suraksha nods relaxedly, "That's fine. In fact, I think I may know someone you'd be quite safe with." She smiles, remembering Bringer of Night and Passion -- then adds, "Are there more folks making their way here tonight as well?"

The girls shake their heads no, then speak. "Pawling says it is better if only we two go this time. He will find places for the others. Besides, they are still recovering."

Suraksha looks suddenly worried as she waves Sabrina over, "Recovering from what, please?"

Sabrina, who had not much trouble at all getting the exhausted Elise to sleep, has left the Amazons guarding the girl. She comes at the beckoning and listens to the girls with 'Chana. The twins say, "Pawling calls it 'brain camp.' It's where the people go that Doris wants to keep."

Suraksha's eyes flash for a moment, but then she simply says, "Where is that, please?"

The girls shrugs, "We don't know. We never went. Pawling hid us before Doris could find us." They smile sweetly, "He is a good man. We have been with him for a long time now." The girls look to be maybe twelve -- thirteen at the very outside.

Suraksha nods slowly, "All right. Did you have family in town? How did you arrive here? Oh... are you Taps?" She smiles, and this time even though it is a tired smile it is still sincere, "If you are, have no worries -- we hide several Taps within the caravan."

The twins look at each other and giggle, then back at Chana, "We are. But it's..." here they actually break from unison. The one on the left says, "...limited." The one on the right says, "...exclusive."

Suraksha nods curiously, her voice encouraging, "So... can you tell me what it is? And how you got here?"

The girls tell their story in their little two-woman chorus: they are from the town. Their parents died when the girls were very young from a fever. The girls were very sick with it as well, but they survived and were taken in by one of the churches in town. They have been raised like any other town children and their peculiarity was accepted as just being due to their being twins. Their peculiarity, their Tapping ability seems to be a limited form of telepathy. They can only do it with one another.

Suraksha nods, smiling, "That's fine, then." She places a hand on Sabrina's shoulder as she introduces the taller woman, "This is Sabrina -- she'll take care of you both. Why don't you go with her, and she'll get you two set up comfortably with bunks, all right?" The girls turn to Sabrina and smile. They're apparently very trusting, which may be why it is that Pawling wants them in particular out of town. By the time she takes them off to find somewhere to sleep, Sabrina has learned that their names are Autumn and Spring.

Once they've left, however, Sura frowns and thinks for a long moment... then glances around, "Alg, sweetie? You available?" Alg comes loping out of the shadows where he was lurking quietly, just in case the newcomers were dangerous to his lady. Suraksha crouches and explains that there's some sort of camp somewhere near the town where people are taken when Doris wants them. Has the goblin scented any regularly used track leading off from the town as he's wandered around during their stay?

Alg shakes his head, then clarifies, "Lots of tracks. Lots of people. Busybusy town!" He bounces a little on his haunches, "Lady wants camp?"

Suraksha starts to nod -- but then slowly shakes her head, "Actually... no. Erik would have mentioned, I hope, if anyone was still there -- or gotten them out himself. So... let's focus on just getting safely out of here tomorrow morning." She smiles, giving the goblin a quick hug, "Thanks, sweetie -- you're doing a fantastic job guarding tonight!" She adds, "As always, feel free to come get me if you find anyone else skulking around out there, dear, all right?"

Alg flashes his goblin smile and skitters off into the dark, chuckling almost happily to himself. The thought of possibly getting to fight something makes the little black-furred guard quite happy. Rattler appears next, looking grave but not worried, "Buddy's back. They're swapping axles now. Fantine is fussing about getting your caravan double-hitched. She seems fussier than normal."

Suraksha grins as she watches Alg vanish into the night, and she slides an arm about Rattler and sighs, leaning into him when he appears. "Yes, she would be. My wagon is her 'tree,' so to speak -- she cannot change shape without it and me. I'll go reassure her that we won't be leaving it behind." She smiles with heavy-eyed sweetness up at her lover as she adds, "But first... a kiss, please?" Rattler's eyes are tired, but they brighten at the request and he shifts his body so that he can get his arms around Suraksha securely enough that she can relax and let him support her, as he bends his head to the kiss. One of his points of pride has always been that when he's kissing someone, they are aware they are undeniably the center of his attention.

Suraksha sighs contentedly and for just a bit abandons herself to simply sharing a deliciously sweet moment with her dearly beloved Chosen. Soft lips, strong arms, gentle hands... finally she sighs again, her smile a bit regretful, "I must stop, sweet man... or I'll want to drag you off to my wagon for the night-" she laughs softly, "-and my wagon needs dragging itself!" She smiles a bit dreamily up at Rattler as she gently cups his cheek in one hand for a heartbeat... then heads off on her next errand.

Fantine is at 'Chana's little vardo, hovering rather fussily over the folks that are rigging the little rolling home to be dragged along piggy-back with one of the heavier wagons. Her hands are fluttering and her eyes are tight with worry. Suraksha watches for a bit, wondering if she's missed anything... but if nothing seems apparently wrong, the Hetaera will step up and lightly touch the loogaroo's arm, "Fantine, sweetie? Do you have a moment to talk with me, please?"

Fantine startles, but says, "O-oui, mam'zelle." She lets herself be led off a little way, but she keeps looking over her shoulder every couple of seconds. She'd stumble and fall if 'Chana weren't there to guide her.

Suraksha smiles and slides a hand under Fantine's elbow to help her... then says gently, "Sweetheart, what's wrong? We're taking special care with the wagon -- I promise it won't be left behind no matter what. Is there something else worrying you?"

Fantine looks somewhat abashed, "They have been talking that it will make us slow."

Suraksha smiles relaxedly as she gently strokes Fantine's arm the way she knows the little loogaroo enjoys from her lady. "It will... but so what? We need it. We can't leave it." She considers, then says thoughtfully, "Sweetie, would you feel better if we fed you tonight as well?"

Fantine casts her eyes down and whispers, "I am not that hungry. I... I do not want to make you slow. I do not want to make you slaved like the girl."

Suraksha looks puzzled, "Slaved?" She grins tiredly as she glances around the busy, firelit encampment and adds, "I think I'm already slow, though, hon."

Fantine presses her lips together and lowers her eyes again, "Your mind. A slave. Like the girl Sabrina has been nursing. She t'ink... she t'ink she ten years old."

Suraksha laughs easily at that, tossing her head back! She hugs Fantine, then smiles reassuringly at the small woman, "Oh, hon, that's not how it works -- you know this! I'm the bokor, or whatever they're called -- I gift you the energy, sweetie. You can't take from me, remember? That's why it's safe for you." She smiles as she adds, "But if you're worried, we'll just have the next person on the list who can volunteer for you, all right? I want you to feel comfortable and unworried here, after all -- so we can all do our jobs marvelously!"

Fantine looks somewhat ashamed of herself, but she says, "I do not worry about food, mam'zelle -- I worry for you. This woman, she wants you very badly. You should go now. Ahead of us."

Suraksha awws, hugging the nervous loogaroo again... then she glances around and whispers, "Can you keep a secret for me, little sister?" Fantine nods and leans in close. Keeping secrets is one of her provinces as a loogaroo, after all. Suraksha whispers in the girl's ear, "Godsmamma is going to take care of Doris -- so she won't be able to enslave anyone ever again." She straightens and smiles warmly up at Fantine, "So don't worry, hon... please. We're not leaving anyone behind."

Fantine sags slightly and says, "Oh! Oh, mam'zelle! This is a goodness! It is a very good goodness! No one should lose themselves like this!"

Suraksha nods firmly, "Definitely not!" She smiles again, gently squeezing the relieved little loogaroo, "So, are we good now, sweetie?"

Fantine is visibly more relaxed as she says, "I will go help... and I will not nag." She smiles shyly, squeezing 'Chana's hands in both of hers, "We are almost done." In fact, work has gone on at a pace that would be frantic if it weren't so organized and un-panicked.

Suraksha chuckles, returning the warm gesture, "You're fine, sweetie -- I wouldn't trust anyone else with my Hetaera gear, in fact!" She waves as the other woman heads back to the wagon, smiling quietly... then turns to see what new things she can help with. It's going to be a long night, after all.

By the time all the preparations are done, the sky has become marginally less dark in the direction of the rising sun and everyone is in their place. Except Sna'tha. Suraksha sighs a bit worriedly, murmuring to Rattler, "So... should I try tracking her with Alg before I'm visible as a tiger?" Wryly she adds, "At least we've heard no commotion from town."

Rattler has just taken his shift sleeping for two hours and is still a bit rumpled and stretching as he looks off in the direction of the big house, "T'ink you should stay wid de caravan, ma cher. Your godsmaman would not want you riskin' yourself dis way, her. But I t'ink someone mebbe should try t' track her." Rattler still, even after many years, sometimes slips back into trying to shield his lover.

Suraksha smiles slowly up at her sweetheart, "You know I won't send someone out without backup, lover." She glances around, "Alg, sweetie? Are you near?"

Rattler smiles wryly, "Yeah, I know."

Alg isn't nearby, but Alan melts out of the shadows, his face serious, "He's gone, Lady. Said he found a trail you might want. I'll go with you if you need backup."

Suraksha tilts her head thoughtfully at the bodyguard, "I'll be in my quadrupedal form, Alan. Are you completely comfortable with that?"

Alan smirks, "Be a sad state of affairs if I was put off my stride by a tiger. I work for a man that can control rivers." It's the closest Alan gets to humor.

Suraksha laughs at that, reaching out to gently and companionably squeeze the man's arm. "Thanks, Alan. All right, I'll be ready in just a moment, please." Then she smiles up at Rattler, "Sweet man, could you let folks know Alan and I are off to try and figure out what's keeping our people? If the dawn comes, I'm trusting you to get everyone started moving, please -- we must not wait, and I can catch up with riders if necessary." She thinks a moment, then nods decisively, "Also, both Buddy and Ohkwa know the route and which bridge we'll be cracking -- remind them of that if you would, please, and tell them if necessary, again, I'll, um..." She frowns thoughtfully, then smiles and shrugs, "Well, we'll all run around the long way if we must. Sound good?"

Rattler is scowling; he doesn't want Sura to do this, but he knows it has to be done. Finally he says, "OK. But bes' you come 'long quick, cher. Else be comin' back after you, me -- river or no damn river."

Suraksha grins ruefully up at her beloved, "Sweetheart, please don't. I'll need you to make sure the caravan starts well and gets across the bridge safely. If I'm not back by then, then yes, please feel free to wait for me while the caravan moves on to the next town -- we're going to have to spend several days there to repair everything, after all, and you're the only one that might be able to get us across the river. But if you come back after us?" She sighs softly, glancing out into the darkness, "Well... then again, I know you'll do it either way. At least make sure you have good backup, and get Sheriff Pawling's help, all right?" She looks worriedly back up at him, adding softly, "Please? For our little girls' sake as much as for mine?"

Rattler's expression darkens. If there's anyone in the world he's more protective of than 'Chana, it's his daughters, adopted and genetic: the two with the caravan and the one he's currently got hidden away in St. Louis. He knows he was being impulsive again, so he nods a bit grumpily, "You right, cher. De girls will need me if you missin', but dey need you too. Bes' come home quick, you."

Suraksha sighs in relief, giving Rattler a quick, tight hug, "You got it, sweetheart!" She darts off towards Sna'tha's wagon, calling over her shoulder, "Ten minutes, Alan! Get whatever you think you need before we go, please -- and include rope and a first aid kit!"

Alan mutters under his breath, "Like I don't know what I'm doing." He rolls his eyes, making Rattler laugh and clap him on the shoulder. "She a mother, bo'. She do dat to ever'one. Goan. Watch her back, you." He straightens his shoulders and strides off. He knows how to lead people -- he can do that while she's gone.

Suraksha comes trotting swiftly back a short while later. She's in tiger form, and has a small satchel looped about her broad, furred neck. She settles into a sphynx-like pose as she waits for Alan to add what he's got to her load, and grins quietly, "Ssoh-rree, Alahn. Hworr'eed." She knows most folks, after all, don't realize how good her hearing is.

Alan tucks the first-aid kid into the satchel. He smells rather a lot like metal as well, giving 'Chana an idea of just how many weapons the slender man is carrying. He smirks and says, "'Course you're worried. It was smart to give Rattler something else to worry about, too." He pats her on the shoulder, "Let's go."

Suraksha chuckles rumblingly as she rises smoothly to her feet again, "Hoh-gh'ay." She finds out from Alan where he saw Alg last, then noses around until she catches the goblin's trail. As she pads along she explains her limitations: while tracking someone as bouncy as Alg, her focus is severely limited -- she needs Alan to cover her back. On the other hand, her nightsight and scenting is probably stronger than his, so once they've found Alg and she can pay better attention to their surroundings, she hopes to be useful in that way. She talks as clearly as she can, checking often to make sure she's understood -- and she also continues slowly and determinedly tracking the goblin. She'll fall silent as soon as she's sure they're both good.

Alan nods, not speaking more than necessary. He does says, "I understand tracking someone that's hard to follow." The trail is, unsurprisingly, a little muddled. Alg isn't renowned for moving in a straight line and he's been back and forth around near the caravan sort of a lot. However, the tiger finds a trail before long that contains the scents of both Alg and Pawling.

Suraksha rumbles quietly, "Gho'dh 'im. Ssheri'vh too..." as she carefully tracks. It's easier going now, for the simple reason that Pawling -- unlike Alg -- rarely leaps from branch to branch when possible.

Alan snorts, muttering, "It's a damn parade." He's keeping as much to the shadows as possible, moving like Sna'tha taught him. The trail is not exactly straight and narrow, either -- it moves around, following the natural contours of the ground. It's been made to be hard to find and hard to follow, but 'Chana's sharp nose can tell that there have been a lot of people through here, with some scents stronger than others -- indicating those people travel it more often.

Suraksha frowns a bit worriedly, and next time she's near Alan she growls quietly, "Yah -- lo'dhz of bh'eobh'le. Don' lig'h zhis." She keeps tracking, though, trying to sort out precisely how many have most recently been down this trail. The most recent scents are definitely from tonight. She can scent Alg, Pawling, two or three people she doesn't know... and Rufus, who had been sent to take the food to Pawling. Suraksha pauses in concern, checking carefully: which form is Rufus in? That could be critical.

Hmm... human. Good. That means hopefully he's just been grabbed on the basis of his blonde good looks and pretty athleticism. She quietly updates Alan on how many they're tracking, then continues slinking silently along the trail. Since she knows Pawling a little, she's careful to keep his trail under her nose -- he'll pause before she needs to, and if his scent suddenly gets fresher she'll know to pause. Also, that means the poor man won't be hiding in ambush -- and spot a tiger drifting by!

They find Alg before they find Pawling, the goblin having climbed up into a tree to see if he can see a little further than the underbrush and trees will let him. He chitters and drops down almost on top of 'Chana. Suraksha drops into a reflexive crouch, already rolling to present her formidable claws to whatever is coming at her from above -- but at sight of Alg she chuckles quietly, catching him with her huge, velvety paws and rubbing her chin affectionately along him. Alg cackles and lets himself be manhandled a bit before wriggling away and hooting, "Got Rufus! All sleepy-head."

Suraksha nods thoughtfully, "Ho-gh'ay. Goo'dh -- wuff form will fi'gz." She doesn't take long after that -- she gives the goblin a friendly tongue swipe as she rolls back to her feet, then murmurs, "Alan wid'h us, Alg'h. Ho-gh'ay, sni'vhin'..." She suits action to her words, head down and sniffing carefully along the track again. She knows Alg and Alan will coordinate however they need to.

Alan steps out of the shadows with a snort, "He probably smelled me long way off." Alg grins at Alan and climbs back, going branch-to-branch again.

There are less scents now, but Pawling and Rufus are still amongst them. Not much further on Pawling's scent leaves the main trail, but Rufus' scent and those of the strangers keeps along with the colder scents. Suraksha pauses, sitting and waiting for the others to come within whispering range. Once they do she rumbles, "Ssheri'vh leave here. Alg, you wi'dh Ru'vhus? 'N me 'n Alan wi'dh ssheri'vh?"

Alg hoots and nods, swinging back up into the trees and going silent. He's one of the quietest creatures 'Chana has ever encountered when he wants to be. Alan watches him go and asks quietly, "Shouldn't we be going after Rufus, too? He's our people, after all."

Suraksha rumbles quietly, "I dizdh'ingh'dh... sdh'andh ou'dh. Ssheri'vh know Alg. No'dh dh'iger. So we follow him, fin'dh more, may'gh plan. Yah?"

Alan frowns at her a second before he makes out what she just said -- then he snorts, "Yeah, you do stand out. Go on, then." He keeps a watch on their backtrail. This seems, even to him, to be diverting from the main path. Suraksha grins at that, then nods once and continues carefully tracking the sheriff.

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Last modified: 2010-Aug-28 20:29:49

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