Same Disclaimer as before. ^_^ Enjoy!!
Shadarii was rudely awakened the next morning. "Gaah!"
An inquisitive pair of eyes gazed into hers.
"You make noise when you sleep!" They said.
"Tas!" Tika appeared in the doorway and the kender
giggled and ran off. "Never mind the kender," she said, "How're you feeling
this morning?" The redhaired barmaid smiled.
"Pretty good, actually. This place has some good
vibes." Shadarii sat up groggily. "Makes it easy to sleep."
"Good to hear. Well, when you're ready, come on
down. Caramon and I made breakfast." Tika chuckled.
"Caramon cooks? This I gotta see."
An hour later, everyone was quite full, sitting around
a table laden with Ansalon fruit salad, eggs and soup. Shadarii licked
her lips. "Good stuff."
"It really is." Agreed Tas, slipping some fruit
into his pouch. Shadarii giggled and pretended not to notice.
Raistlin sat alone by a window. Every now and then
he'd return to the table for some more soup. He never spoke a word.
Shadarii looked up once and met his eyes, and the cold she saw in
them chilled her.
They were leaving the table when a noise putside
caused everyone but Tas and Raistlin to jump. Tas looked, as usual, curious.
Raistlin smiled grimly, and no one knew why.
BANG! A man dressed in simple travellers' clothes
sat down hard on a barstool. He sighed tiredly. "At last!" he said, "Solace."
Caramon's face broke into a huge grin.
"Carthar! Where've you been?" The big man asked
the newcomer, pouring him a mug of ale.
"Ah, Caramon. You never change. Hello, everyone.
Well, I've been everywhere, never could stay in one place long, y'know?"
Carthar was a small man, with longish red hair and a bright, quick smile.
He propped a simple wooden staff against the counter and sipped his ale.
"Of course. Oh, I don't think you know Shadarii
here." Caramon indicated the bright-eyed female kender. Carthar nodded
distractedly.
"Yes, yes. And that reminds me! Have you heard about
the events in Kendermore?" He asked.
"No, tell me!" The wanderer sat foward.
"Now, usually I don't concern myself with kender.
But this really is somethin'! There's a plague or somethin' runnin' around
killin' off those kender. Lost about fifty or so just that day when I was
passing by. Don't know what it is." Carthar took another sip of his drink.
"Personally, I think it's a gift from the gods. Eliminate the kender, give
us all a break, huh?" he finished, with not enough sympathy or concern
to soothe Tassehoff's growing anger.
"No!" Tas was standing in front of the wanderer,
glowering indignatly at him. "I happen to know Paladine and he wouldn't
do any such thing!"
"Yeah!" Shadarii stood beside her fellow kender,
feeling total concern for her form's homeland. No more kender? It was like
someone had dropped a rock into her stomach. Horrid! Oh, what would happen
to the Dragonlance tales without a kender or two to lighten it up?
"Give it a rest, kender." Carthar spoke with a cold
chill to his voice. "The less kender in this world, the better." He looked
at the assembled. "Right?" Everyone shuffled nervously. Raistlin stared
out the window and sighed again.
"Well, I won't stand for this. I've got to go help!"
Shadarii planted her small hands on her hips. She turned a sharp
180 on her heel, her long gold hair swinging behind her. She left the room,
returning shortly with a small leather bag and a grim frown upon her face.
"Where're you going?" Tika asked, watching the golden-haired
kender storm out the door. Shadarii stuck her head around the corner.
"Kendermore!" She stopped. "Tas? C'mere for a sec,
will you?" Tasslehoff, wary of her rage (but feeling the same amount) cautiously
approached her.
"Y-y-yes?" Fear was rare to the kender, but apprehension
was not.
"Your map collection would be helpful. May I borrow
one?"
"No! I mean, I'm coming with you." Tas firmly intended
to come along on whatever adventure was happening.
"You can't. The plague may kill you too. It won't
hurt me. I'm mostly human, so I'm safe. Please, just let me borrow a map!"
"Uhm...sure. Here..." Tas pulled a battered map
out of his deep trouser pocket. "And take good care of it....it's the best
one for finding Kendermore."
"Wait just one second!" Caramon stood. "You can't
just flounce out of here like a spoiled child the second you hear something
you don't like. You do not know this land.."
"Yes I do. More than you think, Caramon." Shadarii
said, trying to recall any bad things that befalled the heroes in any particular
place. There had been one city wiht no sea...and a particularly nasty forest.
But she wouldn't be going through there...would she? Let's see...Kendermore
is to the east of Solace...
"Fine. Fine, just go on this mad journey of yours,
off to get yourself killed when you were summoned here for some important
reason and it won't do if you're dead!"
"Important? Important?!?! People are dying
out there, Caramon! Hero of the Lance indeed." She jumped as Raistlin stood.
"She goes," he said softly. "Allow me to walk her
to the city exit." The frail mage brushed past Shadarii on his way down
the stairs. The kender stared after him and sighed.
"I appreciate your hospitality. Thank you very much."
Shadarii smiled at Tika and Caramon. Tasslehoff looked at her.
"Listen, when you get there...."
"Yes?"
"When you get there...You've got to stop it, Shadarii!
No one else... no one else would." Tas's voice was small.
"Why does she have to go? Why can't the kender help
themselves?" Tika asked.
"Yes! If she's a kender, and the kender are dyin',
then why is the little fool goin'?" Carthar snorted into his ale.
"Because.I..." Shadarii had no answer. She frowned.
"I just know there's soemthing I can do. There must be. Otherwise, why
would I be here?" The kender smiled, waved goodbye, and was out the door.
"Damned fool, if you ask me...." Carthar growled.
"Shut up! Just shut up!" Tas yelped in frusteration.
He looked out the window at Shadarii and Raistlin, who were on the road
far below.
"Good luck..." He whispered sincerly, somewhat jealous
at being left behind when someone was on an adventure. He turned away from
the window. Suddenly, the kender smiled.
Ah ha!