Meanwhile, over in Riverbridge...

  Aliyah's reception was a bit different than her brother's reception in Azeria. The split in hierarchy meant that she gave her report to Captain Pasu, and she did not get throrivate feast. She did, however, receive words of advice from the tengu before beio explore the city.

  The older woman eyed her as she said, "While not to my taste, I uand your form and figure to be attractive to most bipeds, and your clothing does little to obscure it. I don't know what your experiences are, but you 't have had full sapience for long and you will receive a lot of attention from those seekiaiertais. So a little advice for you; you will likely find Moriko's family aodating, given your e to her. I think you will want to go meet them first. Should you ter want to sider beiertained', select a tavern and talk to the barkeep; you want to request only light drinks before letting people buy you food and drinks. I think you will find o spend any to be well-fed during your stay if you don't want to."

  "I see," Aliyah replied thoughtfully, "that is an iing idea. I think I would like to meet Mistress Moriko's parents. And I will certainly keep that other idea in mind." Her memories of her life as a normal rabbit were vague at best, but she'd had at least oing season. So she was ner to mating, but the way that sapient people went about such things seemed much different. The familial bonds ran much deeper for ohing. Aliyah felt n attat to the memories of her children and wasn't eveain how many of them were alive. The memories of time rag with her brother stood out strongly in parison, though as far as she could tell they were unusual ihat much. But even those were still weaker than the memories and bonds that had been formed since Mistress Kazue had awoken their minds.

  Aliyah memorized the dires that Pasu gave her and thehe guards' quarters. She took her time making her way to the alchemist's shop and examihe city around her. From her experiences in the dungeon, it resembled the towns that had been built in the lowest levels. The warrens and mushroom forests had buildings, but the style and arra were specific to those areas. She now saw the meneral pattern that followed from here to those deep towns. Given what she knew of stories, Aliyah could only imagihat most cities and towns followed simir patterns.

  What she did not have to imagine was how much attention she was getting. When she'd been talking with the guards, she had assumed the looks she'd gotten had been mostly curiosity as few if any would have seen an usagisune befiven how retly her tribe had e ience. And that was certainly true to aent, Pasu's words made her more aware of just where gazes were wandering. While most of them started with her ears, few eyes stayed focused on them.

  The question is, did she mind? The knowledge and awarehat had been imbued along with her sapience suggested that some would mind at least. But what she knew of Mistress Moriko suggested this was far from universal. A smile slowly crept onto her lips as she decided she didn't mind. At least, not the looks that admired without lingering too long.

  Her knowledge of what had transpired between Mistress Moriko and a fn noble suggested that not all people were so well-behaved. In a way it made her think of how some groups of visitors needed a harsh lesson or two about being respectful to even the bodies of the dungeon's inhabitants. Respect was the key cept all around.

  She couldn't say she fully uood the flict that had created the Puritasi, but between them and what she knew of Fuyuko's background, it seemed to her that respe any form was found far less often in Triohan it was in Kuic. That seemed like an iing philosophical discussion to have with Horaeday. Not that she always uood his 'ooks', but if nothing else he'd probably have a book for her to read.

  Wheered the alchemist shop, Aliyah kept out of the way and browsed until there was a break in ers at the ter. There were four people at the ter, and she couldn't help but notice that while the young man seemed uo keep from looking at her frequently, the older man looked more like he was almost ign her existence. A vague instinct made her approach the older of the two half-elven women. "Mistress Kaoru? My name is Aliyah, and I am from the Azeria Dungeon. Captain Pasu suggested that I might want to find lodging with you if possible."

  The woman smiled cheerfully. "Oh! We haven't had a visitor from the dungeon before!" Then her expression froze. "Wait. You're from the dungeon and you saw the guard captain as your first stop. Is something wrong?"

  Oops, Aliyah hadn't thought about this aspect of the versation. And there were travelers here. She deliberately widened her eyes briefly and pced a finger on her lips before saying out loud, "Nothing of importance, Master Mordecai and Mistress Kazue simply wae some training a me as a messenger. My tribe is retly evolved, and the run here was a e to really push myself."

  Kaave a slight nod as she forced her expression to rex. "That's good to hear. Hainako, why don't you show your sister's friend to our house a her settled in? And Gan, you stay right here."

  Good, the woman had taken her hint. Aliyah wasn't certain if she had been unnoticed by the ers behind her, but she was fairly certain she didn't want rumors spreading through such a major hub of transportation. Or at least not send them flying too fast and far. "Thank you. I look forward to getting to know Mistress Moriko's family."

  Kaoru nodded as Hainako came around the ter. "I look forward to talking with you as well. But please, drop the 'mistress' with us, just call me Kaoru."

  That was going to be hard for Aliyah as they were all reted to Mistress Moriko, but she would try. "I will do my best. It's a hard habit to break."

  She spent the few hours talking with Hainako and learning about both Moriko's history and her family. The stories about a younger Moriko's escapades were very eaining, and she made a mental o ask Mistress Moriko about those stories wheuro the dungeon with Mistress Kazue's avatar.

  Jhaeros was the o return from the store as he o get diarted. Kaoru and Gaurogether a little before dinner was ready. Sitting down to eat dinner with Moriko's family was wonderful and she was happy to answer all the questions about the duhat they had. However, after dinner, it was time for a more serious discussion.

  "So what is actually happening at the dungeon?" Jhaeros asked.

  "Well, I'd like to begin by saying that Master Mordecai and Mistress Kazue are fident that they have everything under trol. They are asking for some additional assistan case they are wrong, but they do not believe that there is a threat beyond what they hahe family did not seem to find this very f, but they also did not interrupt.

  "It seems that this group called the Puritasi has unched a sed atta us. I was sent out before we had verified the numbers, but the kobold tribe had sent a message saying it was a little over two huroops. The cores io py along with pears to be an attempt to infiltrate before they unch their attad use that as a ce to divide their forces. They are asking for a patrol from Riverbridge and one from Azeria to e in behind the invaders and plete a pitack if needed. But that is a st resort, as they do not have the protes that inhabitants do."

  Kaoru asked, "What do you know of Moriko? Is she okay?"

  "As of when I left, Mistress Moriko and Mistress Kazue's avatar were doing well on their jourhey are currently journeying along the coast, and have been requested to not rush home and to tiheir travels," Aliyah replied.

  The family had rexed again, and now Aliyah went into more detail about what they knew and the dungeon's pns. With, of course, the expectation that the family keep this under s for a few days, to make sure that no word could leak out. She didn't have any idea how it could, but that had been specified to her with regards to Riverbridge. The Azeria had far fewer visitors than Riverbridge did.

  She spent the night there, and the day Aliyah went expl the town some more, including stopping by the temple and paying her respects to Master Traxalim. He too dated on the events of the dungeon in private.

  Eventually, she did follow Pasu's suggestion aed a tavern to see what the city might have to offer. The sele of people ied in possibly eaining her was rather nice, but none of them hit aional hat felt like she wao share this sort-of-first with them.

  Until a mug of mead and a shot gss were pced down by an orc who said, "One of Moriko's favorite binations."

  Aliyah eyed the drinks that were definitely not what she had requested to be served, then looked to the orc without toug them. "I take it you know Mistress Moriko, mister ... ?" She left the question hanging as he hadn't given his name.

  He nodded briefly. "Yes. I haven't spoke with her since spring and, well, I was w how she's doing. Just, is she happy?" She just looked at him with a raised brow for a moment, and the orc suddenly blushed. "Er, I fot to introduce myself. My name is Yambul."

  "Hmm." She didn't reize the name, but she wasly privy to all of Moriko's life before she and Mordecai had joined Kazue. "Well Yambul, why don't you have a seat? I'm Aliyah." He didn't look like that was new information to him, which wasn't much of a surprise since he seemed to know who she was. Once he was seated she said, "I say she's definitely happy. She's been enjoying a trip with Mistress Kazue's avatar, she's met Kuic's royalty a few times now and ehe experience, and from what I have heard it seems she's been looking forward to sparring with Master Mordecai after they get back, as she has some ricks she wants to show him. Though I suspect that part will wait for a couple of days, I think they'll be a bit occupied with other activities at first."

  Yambul's small smile was difficult for her to interpret. A bit of happy, a bit of sad, perhaps wistful? The man sighed and rubbed at his forehead. "It figures that it'd take the bination of an immortal warrie and a kitsuo satisfy that woman." He sounded amused at least.

  "I take it you are one of her former lovers?" Aliyah asked while she toyed with the cups in front of her.

  "Kind of obvious I guess," Yambul replied, "but yeah. I saw her and Kazue when they were here a few months ago, but I didn't want to approach them. It just felt awkward, you know? She looked happy, but I just wao talk to someone who knew more about her life now. It's not like I was even her only lover in Riverbridge, but I sider her a friend too. I just, well, after the sudden marriage thing, I don't really know where we stand."

  "Mm," she said thoughtfully, "I doubt she'd be unhappy to have you visit the dungeon while she's there. Master Mordecai and Mistress Kazue wouldn't be bothered either. Though it would help if you had another reason to be there. I don't suppose you are a warrior or something?"

  "Er, no, I'm afraid not. I'm a cobbler by trade, though I get by in a few reted crafts." Yambul looked a bit embarrassed at that.

  "Well, you might prefer Mistress Kazue's path in that case." Aliyah bit her low lip briefly. The orc was sweet, but she doubted Moriko would spend much time with someone who didn't also know how to be more passiohough maybe we should give you another reason to visit as well." She suddenly dowhe shot and followed it with the mead as a chaser and then gave the fused-looking man a slow smile. "Did you know that this form is based on kitsune bodies? And I am curious Yambul, just what would you do with an i young kitsune, who was just ever so eager to find out what all the fuss was about?" As she asked Aliyah crossed her arms oable and leaned forward toward him.

  The ge in how he looked at her was gratifying, and his smile was quite different than the one she'd seen on his face before. "That seems like the sort of thier demonstrated than talked about. Perhaps we should find somepce more private?"

  His demonstration was quite thh and it left Aliyah quite satisfied with her newfound uanding of what all the 'fuss' was about. However, she also found herself a touch sore in the m. When he rose to get ready for work, she watched him with quiet te for a while. He didn't seem to know quite what to say or ask now, but she fortunately had no hangups about being blunt on the subject if needed. "Yambul," she said, "I would like to meet you again tonight. And perhaps every night until it is time for me to leave, depending on how things go. But I will leave, and I am not likely to leave the duerritory very often. So if you want to see me again, you will o e to me."

  He gave her a small nod, "That makes sense I guess. And I would like to see you again tonight. You even just stay here if you want, I don't mind."

  "I'll sider it, but I want to che with Moriko's parents first at least. But there is oher matter you should be aware of." How to put this, hmm. "As I am very certain you noticed, I don't have the same protective tattoo you do, and I have no iion of getting one. I am rather ined to let ce decide that for me. I have no particur drive to have children, but there is a certain satisfa in the idea ing more life into the dungeon. Which brings up another sideration if you choose to visit me. Any child of mine will be born as another inhabitant, bound and loyal much as I am. If that bothers you, then you should keep the tattoo."

  The philosophical versation that this fueled had to wait until that evening, as Yambul had work to do. A decision one way or another had not been made by the time she left for home several days ter, and no promises had been made either. Closer to the opposite, as she had no iion of not expl at least a bit in the meantime.

  Still, she en to the idea of f a stronger boually, but she required a bit more out of him first. He had to show he was willing to put in the effort to delve rather than expeg her to meet him at the surface, vince her that he uood what her life was like, and he had to be able to i with Mistress Moriko without weirdness.

  That wouldn't guarantee anything of course. She still had much to learn and think about, but that was the minimum she expected out of him before she'd sider any sort of loerm itment. And he did seem to be sidering the idea at least.

  Zagaroth