Delving for Data....

What will come of that?

Jarlath

Looking at the scene before me reminds me that at some other time this would probably be funny.

The way the one demifox male that I take as the leader is looking down at something under his shirt (which is buzzing) and back over at some of my group that just arrived rather hurriedly is almost comedic.

The look of utter disgust he then gives off and the muttering about a wild aquatic bird chase is almost comedic. Almost crack a smile on that one. Almost....

The way that Synizn casts up at the heavens a look of exasperation is almost comedic.

It is almost comedic how nobody but I and probably the others of my group.

What probably IS a joke is how we humans were able to approach the demifoxes unaware. Oh, the elves could manage it easily, but us humans?!

Then again, I guess one's attention tends to get distracted when a guy is angry at you and throwing lightning bolts at you.

Thank God that the forest isn't burning down! Synizn's lightning bolt spells have an automatic fire damper characteristic in them, but....sometimes.....

That aside, I wonder just why they didn't run?

Hmm, from the looks that Andrea and Synizn were giving them I believe the answer to that one is that while they feared the lightning bolts if they stayed....they feared the lightning bolts they may get in the back if they run. Oh, they were not in real danger like that, but....

Tapping his foot, Synizn seems to wait for the one I take as the leader to say something (perhaps answer a question?). The demifox is just looking at us nervously, not liking the turn of events. Shrugging in exasperation, Synizn and Andrea walk back towards me and the others.

"Well, it has been fun but we must be off," Synizn says to his would-be- ambushers, "Got people to see and spells to cast and all that."

"But...." the demifoxes protest only to drop where they stand, snoring.

I and the other mages pretty much caught that particular hint. Sleep spells for the lot of them! Sure cure for insomnia, and the occasional annoying demifox ambush team! Yes, a more permanent "cure" for our ills would be to kill them where they sleep....but that is not our way.

No, not our way at all.

Oh, there really isn't much to do here for that but I will be hung if we can't take advantage of the situation to at least gather some info on what these demifoxes know. Maybe if we're lucky we can find out about any other hunting parties and such (not just demifox ones) and avoid them. Maybe.

With the right spells, such can be safely extracted. Especially when the target is already out! See, from what little is left of the original records of the demifox race of Terra Prime, the demifox society was rather rural in nature. Rather holistic in their approach in magic. No mages to really speak of, but rather a lot of shaman and such. Whatever the case, it was pretty much agreed by later day scholars that demifox magic wasn't very.....advanced compared to other races.

Well, let's see if theory holds up to reality.

Still....

"Sometimes I wonder," I sigh as I go over to a likely demifox, "Sometimes I wonder why we get backed into corners where such measures are necessary."

"Understood, Jarlath," Synizn sighs, "But with the way things are going I doubt the gods will think less of us for gathering from their minds such things. Not as if we are reaching down into their souls for their darkest secrets!"

"I don't know about you but I want to see about this pouch!" Andrea says crossly, shaking the bag in question after picking it up, "What kind of spells led them to us, I want to know."

"From the smell of it I'd say it's hair and nail clippings from the Fred and Astra of this world," her partner says, changing to his humanoid fox form and sniffing it, "Has their scent, does it not?"

"Know unto your opponents before they know onto you," I say, fracturing that one particular parable., as I get ready with my demifox.

Thank goodness we were only here to deliver two messages and then be gone! What would we have to do if this world's version of the manimals ever had actually been more than mere rumor!

My analog brother had asked the Rule about that before they'd left after Inquirer's wedding....

Rush Shabot

Yawning, I open my eyes....but...

Feel so good and.....mellow.....

Happy!!

Almost without thought, I break out into a silly grin and giggle as I look at those around me.

Had not expected them! Been looking for the runaways....and.....

So....mellow....

Without another second of thought.....I draw breath to begin to sing!

1. "We have a few questions," that one odd demifox male asks.

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