He chuckles to himself with glee as he trots silently back to his pack. Digging quietly, he finds his chalk and returns to the statue. Grinning to himself, he starts coloring. Finally, when he's done, he steps back to admire his handiwork.
Her face and hands are colored red, which is about the color she'll be once she's un-stoned. He's turned the drow in a work of graffiti that would befit the lowest of brothels. Every female attribute is emphasized to the full extent of the six colors that Deekin has available, including glowing "headlights" on her chest and an "entry" sign on her behind.
Scattered amongst the pointing arrows and concentric circles, he's added a few words of draconic, here and there, including one across her forehead. Deekin darts in a few more times to add little finishing touches here and there, including a "puddle" of yellow chalk that runs down one leg and ends between her feet.
When he's done, Deekin goes and sketches the whole scene into his notes for his next book. Once that's complete, he wanders over and looks at Valen and Nessa. Deekin shakes his head, "Gah! Boss and goat man be spooning."
Deekin toes Valen, who wakes instantly. Moving carefully so as not to wake Nessa, he disentangles himself, and rolls to face Deekin. Deekin grins at him, "It be your watch, goat man." Valen nods but his eyes travel to the Nathrrya statue on the other side of the fire.
Deekin watches with amusement as Valen bites down on his lip nearly hard enough to draw blood. Even still a half-stifled snort makes its way out of the tiefling. Deekin just gives him a toothy grin and hands him the chalk, "You can adds what you likes…"
Valen sets the chalk aside and looks at the kobold carefully, seeing him, seeing almost everything in a new light. "Deekin, I'd like us to be friends," he begins hesitantly, "since I think we might be seeing a lot of each other. If nothing else, we should at least be friendly with each other for her sake." Deekin cocks his head and flashes another toothy grin at the tiefling. "Yous not worry about me," as he gestures toward Nathrrya, "Yous gots bigger problems."
With that cryptic statement, the kobold heads to his own bedroll and turns in. Valen, still staring at Deekin's artwork dresses quickly, chortling to himself. He moves quietly, so as not to wake anyone and puts the chalk down by Deekin's pack. He strolls around the decorated statue, marveling at the kobold's…"No," he corrects himself, Deekin's inventiveness. "If his career as a bard ever peters out," Valen muses, "there's certainly a career waiting for him in brothel advertising."
His watch passes uneventfully so he decides to gather some wood to build up their fire before he wakes Nessa. He brings back several dry branches and begins feeding them into the banked embers from the night before. As the new braches begin to catch, Valen muses into the flickering tongues of flame. He glances at the sleeping elf out of the corner of his eye and smiles in satisfaction.
Once he's certain that she'll have a fire when she wakes, he stretches back out on his bedroll to wake her properly. Moving slowly so as not to wake her, he pulls her to him, turning her to face. He smiles down at her as she sighs happily and murmurs in her sleep. He purrs as she nestles against him, pleased that she responds to him so easily.
He leans in and nuzzles her ear softly, "Nessa… Nessa… It's morning…" "Mmmmph…," the elf murmurs sleepily as she tries to turn away. He chuckles softly as he pulls her closer and kisses her tenderly. Her eyes fly open as he nibbles gently on her lower lip and at first, she's not sure what's happening. As soon as she realizes, she melts into his embrace. He feels her stiffen as she wakes and sighs as he feels her quickly relax.
After a few moments, he releases her and pulls back a bit. He watches, smiling, as her eyes flutter open and an answering smile spreads across her face. She blushes and giggles quietly, "So, do you plan on waking me like that all the time?" Suddenly becoming very serious, he leans in, nose to nose with her. "Every morning that you will let me," he says huskily.
Nessa sighs happily at this and snuggles closer, into his warmth. He chuckles softly, "Are you cold? I've built the fire back up." "A little, but I don't really want to move just yet." Valen grins at her as he rolls, putting her between himself and the fire. He's rewarded with a contented sigh from Nessa, as she soaks up the extra warmth gratefully.
Knowing that his hands are cold, he sneakily slides them inside her bed roll. He feels for her, grinning as he gooses her with cold hands. She squeals a bit and wriggles frantically, shifting away from his hands.
He laughs softly, continuing to poke her until she relents. She rolls her eyes, as she swats at his hands. "Very well…I'll get up." She reaches over him and grabs her clothing, as he swats at her affectionately.
She snatches her things and rolls back, as she starts to turn around to get dressed, as she does, she gets a good look at Nathrrya. Her mouth hangs open as Valen chuckles. He reaches up with a gentle finger and pushes her lower jaw back into position.
"Did you do this," she growls at him angrily. Valen only chuckles and shakes his head before pointing to Deekin. "I did not. Your little friend managed quite nicely, all on his own. Now I see why you keep him around. He's quite…amusing, don't you think," he says with a sardonic gleam in his eye.
Nessa shakes her head and sits with her face in her hands for a long moment. When she looks up, her face is filled with fear and despair. "Nessa, dear, what's wrong?" he inquires quietly. She looks ready to cry and when she speaks her voice is thick, "We can't even work together. How are we going to stop this Valsharess person?"
Valen laughs and wraps his arms around her, "Steady… This is a new group. We've not spent much time in each other's company. These things have a way of sorting themselves out. Why…when I was in the Abyss…."
He launches into a story about sorting out his own chain of command issues. Nessa sits, in the protective circle of his arms, only half listening. The calm, slightly amused aura that he radiates does more to soothe her than his words.
"So, you see," he chuckles, "this really isn't all that bad. Now go see what you can do about that cloak rack we call Nathrrya." Nessa giggles a bit at his description but stands, preparing to cast the spell. As she readies the spell, Valen moves into position to restrain her.
Nessa finishes her spell and Nathrrya reverts almost instantly. More through rote reflex than anything, Nathrrya also finishes her spell. A fireball sizzles right over Deekin's sleeping head and slams into the wall behind him.
Waking with a squeak, Deekin is convinced that he's under attack by the drow and activates his ring. Burg pops into existence next to the startled kobold and looks around. Deekin scrambles into a position behind Burg, "You gots to help Deekin. Creepy drow lady tries to roast Deekin."
Nessa is helping Nathrrya toward her own recently vacated bedroll. Valen, on the other side of the cave, is busy stomping out a few small fires where the lichen is burning thanks to Nathrrya's fireball. Burg turns and looks at the kobold, "I say, little one, I don't really see any danger here. She doesn't look like she's in any shape to do too much roasting."
Burg, who hasn't gotten a good look at Valen yet, points, "You there, old chap…can you tell me what's going on here? My little friend seems to be quite upset." Valen, unsure of this new arrival, stalks forward, with his hand straying toward the hilt of his flail.
As he steps into the devil's range of vision, Burg's breathing becomes ragged and he gasps, "Damn….tanar'ri….blood…war." Burg extends his claws reflexively and and summons his glaive. Valen is also feeling the effects of being in such close proximity to a bateezu and backs up quickly.
Once Valen backs away, Burg dismisses his glaive and sits down next to Deekin. He gives him a wry look, "You keep some odd company, little friend. I know that you said that you said you had a tanar'ri with you, but I had hoped NOT to meet him." Burg calls to Valen, where he hovers in the darkness, eyes glowing. "I do apologize, old chap, but the blood war and all makes it bloody hard to be civilized. I'd offer you some Styx tea, but that's probably not the best idea."
Nessa crosses the cave quickly to Valen and looks up at him with concern. "Are you all right?" Without thinking, he shoves her behind him, "Stay back, Nessa. I'll deal with this." Nessa tugs at his arm again, "Really, Valen…it's alright." Valen, shifting his attention to her for a moment, shouts at her, "There is a DEVIL in our camp. It/s NOT alright."
Nessa tugs at him again,"Valen, listen to me carefully. It's alright. He's a friend of Deekin's. He's actually pretty nice. He's much nicer than Nathrrya." After a few seconds, what she's said clicks and Valen turns to her, "What do you mean?" Nessa shrugs, "I've talked to him. He's…not bad for a devil, if you can get past that brimstone breath of his."
Valen, exasperated, shouts, "WHERE IN THE NAME OF THE NINE HELLS DID HE COME FROM?" Burg chuckles, wafting brimstone into the cave, "Maladomini, if you must know. Still, I think that's not what you were asking. Nathrrya summoned me and muffed the binding. You know she's one of…those…"
Valen, in spite of himself, gives a knowing snicker. At Nessa's puzzled look, he quickly stops. Burg looks about for a moment and elbows Deekin, "You know, I quite approve of what you've.done. Nice decorative piece. She'll certainly be less trouble, like that."