Chapter Three
As soon as Jander saw the town, he stopped dead in his tracks.
"I can't go in there," he said. "That's Tika, where Eckerd lives. But you go." He took her stuff and handed her Korrieana. "I'll wait out here for you. Doesn't matter how long you stay, just don't mention anythign about me." He gave her a gentle shove toward the town.
She kept moving, but glanced back at him often. He just stood there, right inside the trees, watching Pa'das until she went through the town gates. Then he turned around and went to find a campsite.
* * * * *
Pa'das walked into the Nogard Inn. She was torn between wanting to go back with Jander and keep moving onto the next town, and staying in Tika for a few days. She didn't want Jander to feel guilty, as she knew he would if she came right back out, so she decided to stay for a few days.
"I need a room for a few days," she told the bartender.
"Hey, Eckerd!" he yelled to a tall, dark, handsome man in the corner.
The man - Eckerd - unfolded his legs and walked over. Up close, he was even taller. At least 6'5".
"Need I remind you I do not work here?" he asked the bartender with an easy grin.
"You know the place as good as I. Move your lazy ass and show this lass to a room." The bartender grinned back at Eckerd.
"Please, follow me," Eckerd said to Pa'das, bowing low. He led her up a flight of stairs. "Here you are, here's a key, pay before you leave town, and I don't mean to be abrupt, but I must get back to what I was doing before." He left her in front of a door and went back downstairs.
So, Pa'das though, that was Eckerd. She found him strange, but with an undeniable charm. She opened the door and walked into the room. It was nice enough, the best thing being it had a heated bath. Baths were the only thing she missed on the road, although, cold streams were very refreshing.
* * * * *
Out in the forest, Jander finally found a clearing close to town. Soorefina came and joined him.
"Hello cat," he said. She growled at him, and he quickly amended it, "I mean, Soorefina."
Jander settled down to wait for Pa'das to come back.
* * * * *
The next day, Jander found some fallen tree limbs perfect for carving. He hadn't done any since leaving Tika, but the skill came right back to him.
That night, Jander built up a fire so he could see enough to carve more. A dancing elf was quickly taking shape, and he wanted to finish it before sleeping.
Soorefina came and sat next to him, regarding what he was carving curiously. He let her see it more clearly, and then went back to carving.
The fire burned low before Jander was finished carving the piece. Amazingly, Soorefina was still sitting next to him. He put down his knife, and dared to reach over and scratch her ears. She leaned into his hand and started purring. Jander smiled; he had even found acceptance with the aloof Soorefina.
Jander went to sleep with a smile curved across his face.
* * * * *
Pa'das stayed in the town for only three days. In those three days, Jander got multiple carvings done. When Pa'das found him, he gave her the one of the dancing elf and asked her if she would mind going back and trying to sell it for him. She didn't mind, so he gave her one more, a sleek carving of Soorefina.
"Wow," she breather. "I didn't know you could carve. These look like they'll come alive in my hands. Are you sure you want to sell this?" She held up the panther. "It's beautiful."
"Do you want? Keep it if you wish. I can make much better ones."
"Thanks," she said, totally blown away by his skill. She headed back into Tika to try and sell the elf.
Eckerd saw her carrying the elf carving, and recognized it as one of Jander's. He stopped Pa'das and asked to see it. A closer examination confirmed his suspicions - it was indeed one of Jander's carvings.
"Where'd you get this?" he asked. "Do you know a Jander Sunstar?"
Pa'das showed no reaction. "I bought it from a street vendor in another town, and no, I've never heard of him."
Eckerd didn't believe her, but didn't press the point. He bought the carving, thinking it would aid him in the scrying spell, which he was going to use to find Jander, he had been studying. He would search the forest later, to see if he could find any trace of his best friend.