The next creature they visited was the Bristleback. He took one look at them and slammed his door shut again without a word. Rylai just shrugged. "Better than attacking us. Or insulting us or something like that. At least it was a normal encounter."

The Templar Assassin smiled. "That it was. Who's next?"

"I thought, maybe the Shadow Demon? Or the Shadow Fiend. Something with 'shadow'."

"How about the Shadow Priest?"

"He isn't really that scary. He is pink." Rylai swung onto the back of the griffon. So the Shadow Priest would be next.

After they had knocked, it took him some time to open the door. As he looked at them, he swayed a little and leaned heavily on his staff so he wouldn't fall down. He grinned at them broadly. "The Templar Assassin. And the Crystal Maiden. More dazzling than ever."

"Thank you." Rylai batted her lashes at the pink creature. He laughed and it sounded only a little crazy. "Oh, I meant myself. But you're not so bad, either."

The Assassin rolled her eyes while the Maiden laughed at that. "Trick or Treat."

The Shadow Priest straightened suddenly, which made him loose his balance. "Oh, yeah, I forgot, no sudden movements." He shook his head slowly. "I have some cookies, that be okay?"

"Of course. Cookies are fine."

Rylai smiled up at Lanaya while they waited. The Assassin smiled back before she scanned their surroundings. Habit.

"Here." The Shadow Priest was back with a box full of cookies. "Don't eat too many at once. You're not used to them and you might feel, um, not good if you have more than a few."

"Okay. Thanks. And happy Halloween!" The Phantom Assassin was confused by this warning of the Priest but Rylai seemed to be totally comfortable and not the least unsure by it. As if she always got food with the warning not to eat too many because one wasn't use to it.

When the Priest was gone, Rylai leaned closer to Lanaya and whispered: "Whatever you do, don't eat the cookies!"

Now her confusion was complete. "Why not? And if you don't plan on eating them, why did you take them?"

"Because it's polite, of course. I don't say Trick or Treat-that-I-like. So I have to take whatever I get. And the cookies taste good I just don't think you'd appreciate the effect they would have on you."

"What effect would they have?"

Now the Maiden laughed, then leaned over to kiss the Assassin on the cheek. "You are cute. You do know that this was the Shadow Priest we just visited? A shaman known for having his house full of strange ingredients to make potions and stuff? And for taking drugs in every form? And for always being high? What do you think will be in these cookies?"

"Oh." Now she understood. She pushed the box with the cookies away from her.