Kyo looked up to the aeromacer as she approached. "What exactly happened, do you know? Where'd the bandits come from?"

"I don't know where they came from," Hoshiko replied. "All I saw them doing was dragging Xan off and whacking him over the head when he said 'hey.' They must have tied him up before I got there. I must confess I am rather curious as to what they were going to do with him."

Carwyn took back his flask. "Glad you're looking better, Hosh," he said. "You should probably wrap the bruise or wear some extra padding around the area for the next few days." He wagged a finger at her. "And no more tussling with nasty bandits, either."

Aya's brow furrowed. "You think they'll come back, Carwyn?" She looked out into the darkness on the edge of the camp. "Tonight?"

"I certainly hope not, Aya," Carwyn replied, glancing up at the sky. "I made a few rounds of the camp and didn't see any more of them. Hopefully when Xan comes to, he can tell us a bit more about them."

Carwyn took his bow off his shoulder and placed it next to his rucksack. "I dunno about the rest of you, but I've had enough excitement for one night," he said wearily, lying back onto his coat.

"They shouldn't be bothering us again." Kyo said, "The Black Moon bandits would use a far longer time to plan before attacking us. Whoever these guys were, they weren't the real deal."

Aya's eyes grew wide as she saw Carwyn lay down his bow. "Bow strings!" She rose quickly. "And arrows," she said, looking at Jonas. "Sorry. With all that's happened tonight, I almost forgot!"

She grabbed the unburned end of one of the sticks from the fire to use as a torch, and hurried in Bob's direction. "I'll be right back!" she called over her shoulder.

"You're not going alone." Kyo returned, standing up and following her. "It's dark over there and I don't care how many times you check the surrounding area - anything could be out there."

Even raised his eyebrows. "Not cooked?" He stopped eating the stew. "I didn't notice. Guess it comes from all the uncooked rats I've eaten at sea. I know some darn good recipes for them. Is it alright if I keep eating, or should I wait for everyone else?"

Aya took pause at Kyo's insistence, but she didn't argue with hm. She had a flaming stick. He had a sword. It was no contest who would be better suited to deal with any stray bandits.

Bob whickered at her arrival.

"It's just me, pal," she greeted him. "And don't step on his foot like you did Carwyn's, ok?"

She waved the makeshift torch over the packs as she searched for the right one. "Now where did I put those strings..." she muttered to herself. "I've got too much merchandise," she said to Kyo as she searched. "I'll be glad to get rid of most of it when we reach Ryuu-Tokai. And so will Bob."

Toa relaxed for a moment and looked at everyone, then smelled stew, but decided to save he stomach for the s'mores. While everyone else was talking, he got things ready for the volcanic s'mores now that he had all the materials.

He took the torch from her before she accidentally burned the horse or set her items on fire. "What do you carry in ways of goods?"

Aya again took pause as Kyo took the torch out her hand, then held it up for her to see better. "Thanks," she said to him, then continued her search. "Well, all sorts of things really." She began naming things as she searched through the packs. "Fabrics, pots and pans, ribbons, artefacts, trinkets, a few weapons... ah! Bow strings! And the arrows! Knew I had put them in the same pouch," she said as she carefully removed a long, leather pouch from one of the larger packs.

"Artifacts and trinkets?" he asked, his interest piqued, "What sort?"

Aya shrugged. "Well, just old things...like carved idols, small pots, beads... coins." She fiddled for the cord around her neck and fished out her good luck charm to show him. "Stuff like this,but in better condition. Last season, my father even got a hold of a couple of scrolls. Didn't sell them though," she added. "He gave them to the monks in Ackra. We were passing through," she clarified.

"Hm...I see." he said, studying the strange coin for a moment before his eyes returned to hers, "Your father was a generous man. What sort of scrolls were they?"

"Well, they were really, really old," Aya said. "Really very delicate. Father only unrolled a little bit for me to see. They told about legends of the Old Ones. " She thought a moment as she recalled what she had read. "'And the demon god Hulbioto cast upon the sea a terrible storm...." She paused, suddenly thinking about the upcoming sea voyage. Maybe it wasn't good to tempt fate by repeating such ancient words. "Anyway, it wasn't right to sell them. They were more valuable to the monks than sitting collecting dust of some Southern nobleman's mantle."

She gave Kyo a curious sort of look. "You know, you don't really look the type to be interested in things like scrolls."

Kyo shrugged. "I suppose you could call me a bit of a...historian." he finished, pausing as he searched for the right word. "The Ancient Tales have fascinated me since I was a child."

Aya grinned. "Yeah, they're good stories," she agreed. "Perfect for telling around campfires."

She looked over at their fire. "Speaking of which... shall we go back now?" She held up the pouch in her hand. "I've got what I came for. And besides, the stew should be about ready now. And I'm starving."

Kyo stood aside, motioning back to the camp as if to say 'ladies first'. She proceeded ahead of him, and the two of them returned back to the camp, Kyo depositing the make-shift torch back into the campfire.

"Hey Kyo," Akira shouted out, getting up and holding his sword as he walked to Kyo, "Say, you talked about the Black Moon Bandits in a while," He said on a low tone, "Care to explain what exactly are they?"

Xan was coming out of his unconcious state, he grumbled as his mind returned to the world around it. He kept his eyes closed and tryed to get up, only to feel a stinging pain in his head.

"Ow," he muttered as he reached up and found his arms more menouverable because his pauldrons were removed. He reached his hand to where the pain was, only to realize his helmet was not on his head to impede his hand's progress.

Xan's eyes snapped open, someone had removed his helmet. He was not someone to allow people to see his features, he was one to hide his identity. Not even Hoshiko had seen him without his armor on, and even though she was his rival, she knew more about him than most.

Xan calmed as he lifted himself up a bit, and found he was back in camp. He figured that someone had aided him, then attempted to heal him, by the feel of the poltice. He assumed they didn't do it out of care for him, he looked around to find nobody around him watching over him, no, everyone had left him lieing in the dirt, not even near a fire. When he thought about it, he probably got more criticism than anything else for his efforts. No, they had no care for him, they probably just treated him because it'd be inhuman to leave him wounded.

His eyes grew sad, 'oh well, I guess it's better than being in bandit hands...maybe not,' he thought to himself. Xan asumed no one had checked his eyes, the one thing he wanted to hide more than anything.

Xan shifted around until he got a good look at everyone near a fire a ways off. Everything was fuzzy, and difficult to distinguish, but this was not due to being hit over the head, though that didn't help.

Xan rested on the ground a little more before getting up with all the stealth he had. He picked up his scattered armor, and weapons, and quickly slipped away towards the edge of camp, where he would be more hidden by the night.

He slipped into the wagon he kept his gear in, and started replacing his armor, but when it came to his helmet, he found it too painful to put on his head. So he wrapped his head with a piece of long cloth, and if anyone saw him and asked, he'd say that it was for keeping the cold night air off his head and face.

He may not have done well with the patroling, but he still had a job, and he was going to do it. He slipped out of the wagon, and stepped outside the wagon circle into the cold black night. He started walking around the circle of wagons, continuing his job.

He had gone some distance from his wagon, when he started wobbling while he walked, he stopped, then tottered, and fell over on his side with a thud. "So, hungry!" He whimpered, as he layed there, his stomach growling loudly. Due to his paucity when it came to money, he hadn't eaten in days, four at most, and Irithoi was the kind of guy to pay when they got to their destination. Injury and fatigue did not help the situation either.

Xan got up, his legs wobbled under him as he stood there. But when they stopped he continued what he was doing. He caught the scent of food on the air, and breathed it in, he was very tempted to go over there, but it was not his place, nor his food. He weaved about in the darkness outside the camp like a drunk. It was difficult to see in the dark when your sight is blurry, but he kept his eye on the firelight, and thus was able to keep on patrol around the wagons.

"Say," Even commented between moutfuls of stew (that tasted even better now that it was cooked) where's Can Man? Shouldn't he be having dinner with us? Or is he still on the lookout for people trying to harm us?." Even wondered exactly why he was asking, since normally it wouldn't matter to him either way.

Aya filled a bowl with stew, picked up a spoon and was about to sit down, when she heard Even ask about Xan. "Isn't he still...." She looked over to the place where he and the oddly-dressed monk who had healed him had been. Xan and the monk were gone.

"I'll be right back," she said to Even, and instead of sitting down she walked over in that direction. "Xan?" she called out for him as she began to wander about.

She asked one of other merchants at another campfire if they had seen the guard, and they pointed her in the right direction.

She found Xan at the edge of camp, head bandaged and still on watch. She cleared her throat, not wanting to startle him. Not because she was worried about scaring him, but she just didn't think it wise to sneak up on someone wearing armour and wielding weapons that were nearly larger than she was.

"I brought you some stew," she said tentatively. "If you want it, that is. It's not much, but it's hot."

Xan halted at the sound of a throut clearing. "I brought you some stew," said the merchant woman, "If you want it, that is. It's not much, but it's hot."

Xan turned and stared down at her, he let out a growl, and walked up to her, stumbling a bit. "Mmmhm?" He grumbled, as he stared down at the stew.

Xan reached out but halted, he was unsure if he should take it or not. He looked up at the woman, his hidden eyes searching over her. She was honestly offering him food, something he didn't expect from the lady who threw a marshmallow at him.

In the end his hunger won out, and he took the bowl, he gave a slight bow, "thank you," he said weakly, and quietly. He took off the cloth from his head, too hungry to care if she saw him.

He looked around, his eyes were dim, like a grey mist was covering his deep blue eyes. If, with closer inspection, you could see he had cataracts. He had a lean face, and peppered, or grey and white hair, his gaze was semi-focused, because he couldn't focus too well on any one thing, but he could focus his sight in general.

He had scars on various places of his face, cheeks, forehead, eyebrow, chin, he even had the dissapating remnants of a black eye. Xan started eating the stew as if life depended on it, but stopped as he noticed the lady still there. He slowed down, but finished quickly.

"Thank you again....erm, I'm not one to talk...but, I'm Xan, as you may know...erm, what's your name?" He asked shyly.

Bora Cho walked away from the crowded fire place , the cold didn't bother him that much , most of the time he slept outside on the floor without a fire .
And though the smell of this stew was good , he didn't interrupt the group .

He choosed a nice spot with the thick grass , laying down he looked at the fire , shadowy figures ran forth and back , the silent muttering sounds of their voices in the night ...

Bora CHo felt his eyes closing , he fell a sleep .

After quietly ordering Katsuro to stay put, Takara silently followed Aya. As the merchant woman gave stew to the guard, Takara watched him slowly unwrap the cloth from his head. As he did so, she gasped.

"Oh, my!" she exclaimed, hurrying forward. "You, sir, should not even be trying to stand."

She reached up and lightly brushed an ugly bruise on his forehead with her fingers. "A blow like this would send any other into unconsciousness for hours on end. Here, sit."

Gently, she took his arm and 'guided' him down slowly to the ground. "That's right. You sit here. Eat."

Looking up at Aya, she said, "Tell Katsuro that I won't be back to the tent tonight. If he wants to come looking for me, there's a word for him." She repeated the same word she'd barked to Katsuro earlier. Then, she slowed her voice down, repeating the word again with every emphasis exaggerated so Aya could get how to say it.

"He'll stay with you if you say that," she finished. To Xan, she said. "Don't try to play Mr. Tough Guard to get me to leave. You're in no condition to keep watch alone."

"Thank you again....erm, I'm not one to talk...but, I'm Xan, as you may know...erm, what's your name?" He asked shyly."I'm called Aya," she replied to him, squatting down on the ground beside him as he ate. Her eyes flicked over him in the dim light from the other campfires nearby, taking in his greying hair and facial scars. She sighed as she began to feel that she had misjudged him. "Sorry about the marshmallow," she apologised.

Just then, Takara appeared. Oh, my!" she exclaimed, hurrying forward. "You, sir, should not even be trying to stand."

As Takara told Aya to inform the young Katsuro that she would not be returning to the tent, but staying behind to keep watch with Xan, Aya's brow creased with concern. She wasn't sure it was a good idea, but she agreed that she would look after the boy until morning.

She headed back to her tent and the warmth and comfort of the large fire. She dished out two more bowls of stew, handing one each to Jonas and one to Carwyn, then retrieved two more for Katsuro and the Aeromancer Hoshiko, and again for Kyo and Toa, and lastly one for herself.

She was hungry, and still looking forward to the Volcanic S'mores that Toa was in the process of making. And by the eager and curious look in his eyes, so was Katsuro. She grinned as she watched the boy eat while trying to watch Toa at the same time, and she decided to tell him later that his mother had decided to stay with Xan.

She was tired, and it felt good to just relax for a moment and eat, but she remembered that she had one more thing yet to do tonight. She set down her half-finished bowl. Picking up the leather pouch she had retrieved from her pack, she pulled out a smaller pouch from within. "Bow strings," she said, setting a selection beside Carwyn. She laid the larger pouch at Jonas' feet. "And arrows."

"Have a look," she told them both. She picked up her bowl again. "And if there's something you like, you can pay me for it when we get to Ryuu-Tokai. It's not wise to exchange money on the road," she explained, stifling a yawn. "Especially with bandits in the area."

Toa finally finished preparations, which ended up in all of the eight the stones he had requested being put together to make a cone of sorts in the fire. Then he pulled a few red plants out of his packs, grinded them into a pulpy mixture, and poured it all over the stone cone and fire, which caused the fire to flare up brighter and hotter, then change a few colors. He used his pyromacery to heat up the rock until it melted was a miniature volcano, except it was made entirely out of molten lava. He then dropped then entire bottle of alcohol into the mouth of the volcano, which did nothing for a moment, then the volcano began to spew out a darker colored lava that flowed into the little moat around it. He then turned around and said "Ladies and gentlemen! And child. May I have your attention please? Also the marshmallows, chocolate, and crackers please Aya."

After getting an armfull of marshmallows, chocolate, and crakers from Aya, he turned to the volcano and dropped all of them in. As the volcano began to make a sound like as it was going to erupt, and tens of fire soldiers began to spawn and take random positions everywhere, he turned around to say "Please keep your hands, arms, feet, or anything else you do not want burned to a crisp away from the products of this eruption taking part behind me."

As soon as he finished saying that, the volcano top seem to explode as firery versions of all the matierials exploded out and the fire soldiers raced to catch them all. Once caught, the soldiers seemed to absorb the massive amount of heat from the matierials and the fire dissapeared to reveal that the matierials had not changed much on the outside themselves, only the color turning to shades of red. The chocolate was maroon, the marshmallows were red, and the crackers were orange. One particular marshmallow, however, decided to try and reach the sky without Toa noticing it. So while he started to have the soldiers pass the matierials to the people, that one marshmallow decided to come down on Toa's face as he looked up for no apperant reason, splattering a red sticky substance all over his face.

"And that people, is why you don't look up for no reason." he said as he licked the warm, googy substance from his lips and smiled. Quickly a warm, cozy feeling began to fill every part of his body causing him to smile widder.

Xan just nodded as Aya told him her name. Out of nowhere another lady came up to him, this one for a different reason, it was the mother from before.

"You, sir, should not even be trying to stand." Said the woman as the woman reached out and touched a bruise on his forehead. "A blow like this would send any other into unconsciousness for hours on end. Here, sit." She stated.

The woman took his arm and guided him to the ground, "that's right. You sit here. Eat." He stared at his empty bowl...he had already eaten, so from that he assumed there was some other intention to this woman's acts.

He got back up and stared at this woman, "ma'am, I'm fine, I have a job, and...well...I have to do it," he said plainly.

"Don't try to play Mr. Tough Guard to get me to leave. You're in no condition to keep watch alone." She said, he frowned at this comment. Aya left, and he was alone with the mother.

He stared at her, his eyes focusing on her as best he could make them. "So, you just happen to come out here to help me? Unlikely, what do you want?" He asked sternly, but as kindly as he could.

"Why are you with the caravan?" Takara asked in response. Rather than letting him answer, she answered herself and began pacing a little. "You are here because it's your job. You'll get paid at journey's end. So if you get hurt on the job, why should someone in the caravan care to help you with your job?"

As if arguing both sides, she again refused to let him speak. "Others should care because their personal safety is at stake if the guard gets hurt." Turning again to face him she said, "And I have more than my own personal safety at risk." Kneeling to look straight into his eyes, she went on, "And the safety of my son is something I do not take lightly. If you cannot adequately do the full of your job, it becomes my job to help you."

Adjusting her weapons a little, she crouched next to him and looked out into the darkness. "Get some sleep if you need it," she said abruptly. "I know certain techniques that give me all the benefits of sleep... without actually sleeping. The caravan will not be unwatched."

Xan frowned as the lady started blathering on, when the one sided conversation ended Xan had a look of anger on his face.

"I can understand you wanting your son safe, but I did not take this job to have some ungrateful person do it for me," he said, his tone raising. "Now if you'll excuse me, I will patrol the outside of the wagon circle, you can stare into the darkness until bandits come and kidnap you," he said angrily, rebinding his face and head with the cloth, and setting the bowl next to the mother he started walking off, his walk more steady now that he had eaten.

He halted, then turned slightely, "I'm doing my best, I just guess you guys can't appreciate that...by the way, you should keep an eye on your whelp a little more, I found him outside the wagon circle, and then soon after I found him, I found bandits, which I successfully fought off...consider your concerns sated..." he wished to continue, but he found it no use.

Xan started walking away, but this time, he had his great sword drawn and ready for any surprises.

Carwyn ate the stew hungrily; he'd not had anything to eat since the morning in the cantina. The stew was good and hearty and helped him warm up, which was good, since the night was getting chillier. Placing his bowl on the ground, he picked up a few of the strings Aya had laid out for him, pulling at them, twanging them and checking for defects. Selecting a sturdy string made of linen, he put it to the side.

"I think I like this one," he told the merchant. "Not too thick, not too thin, I should get some good mileage out of it. But hopefully I won't have to make use of it too soon." He winked at Aya as he picked up his bowl of stew again.

Kyo finished up his soup, setting down his bowl as he watched with interest as Toa finished up his preperations for the volcano s'mores. He smiled faintly as the peculiar fire soldiers returned, and the pyromacer set to work.

After the very flashy show, Kyo clapped a few times. "Nice." he said appreciativly.

"You misunderstand me," Takara growled, standing and following. "I am not ungrateful for what you have been hired to do. Nor do I hold any doubts as to what foolishness my son can get himself into. However, if you intend to blatantly ignore what's happened to you in defending this caravan, that is one thing I will not accept. Your walk is steadier; that I can tell. I admire your strength and stamina, but if you think for a second you are in your present state capable of doing your work to the full of your requirements, you will find yourself unconscious within the circle of wagons... and it will be no great challenge for me to make you so."

Sighing, she stopped, allowing him to go on alone. "You may feel alone," she called after him. "You may feel as if people care nothing for you or how well you do your job. But perhaps that might change if you stopped being so arrogant and started seeing people for what they're worth."

And with that, she turned and began walking the outer ring of the wagons in the opposite direction of the caravan's assigned guard, Xan.

--------------------------

Katsuro also applauded when the process of making volcanic s'mores was completed. Then, he looked over at Aya.

"Where'd she go?" he asked bluntly, referring to his mother.

"I think I like this one," Carywy told the merchant as he chose a string. "Not too thick, not too thin, I should get some good mileage out of it. But hopefully I won't have to make use of it too soon." He winked at Aya as he picked up his bowl of stew again.

"I'll keep my fingers crossed," she said, with a warm smile. "But you know who to come to if you need another one, right?"

Some fire soldiers approached, offering Volcano S'mores to everyone. She let out a little snort of amusement, then said, "Mmm, looks good!"

She tensed warily as she gingerly reached out to take one, (thinking that it would be extremely hot,) but then relaxed as she found it was only pleasantly warm.

"Katsuro, try one," she said to the boy. "They're not as hot as they appear."

She popped one into her mouth and the chocolatey sweetness engulfed her taste buds. Then a strange sort of heat trickled down her throat as she swallowed, warming her from the inside out. "Wow," was all she could utter as she was at loss of words to describe the feeling. She nodded appreciatively at Toa. "Wow!" she said again. "Very, very good, Toa. It was well worth the wait."

After a moment, she yawned. "I think I'm calling it quits for the night," she said to everyone. She looked at Katsuro. "Come on," she said, nodding to the tent. "These guys can keep watch outside the tent, but I could use a 'guard' on the inside of the tent. Think you could handle that?" She hoped he wouldn't insist on searching out his mother, instead of coming with her. For some reason, she just couldn't remember Takara's 'special' word at the present moment.

She rose, going inside her tent, but she soon returned with a few blankets. She handed one to Carwyn, one to Kyo, and one to Jonas. "Here," she said. "Extra blankets. Even though the fire's still going great, it still might get cold later on. And if you don't need it, just pass it along to someone who does." She grinned. "Like that crazy vagabond monk, if he's still around. Good night!"

Katsuro took one, but before sticking it in his mouth, he repeated, "Where'd she go?"

"She went to speak with Irithoi." Kyo covered, "She'll be finished soon. Now, go lend your slingshot to Miss Aya - a lady must be protected at all times."

The wanderer took the blanket offered to him, nodding a silent thanks and setting it, folded for now, across his knees.

"She'll be back soon," Aya added, not wanting to spark the boy into wanting to follow her. She motioned with her head to the tent, winking at Kyo in the process as a thanks for his assistance in the matter. "So, are you taking the job to guard me for the night or not? I always pay my employees. Though mostly in carrots," she added, looking over at Bob. "But for you, I'll make an exception."

Katsuro eyed Kyo suspiciously for a moment. Then, he looked away. Standing slowly, he entered the tent with Aya.

"If she doesn't come back soon, I'm going after her," he said quietly, intending for only Aya to hear him.

Kyo spoke something under his breath - a word hardly audible, except to the ears used to hearing it. Katsuro suddenly sat down inside the tent.

Aya cocked an eyebrow at Kyo, surprised that he knew the word that Takara had spoken and that she had forgotten. "Thanks," she said quietly. "Again," she added with a small grin.

"Good night," she said again to everyone, and then she followed Katsuro into the tent, intending on getting a peaceful and well-earned rest. It had been a long day.

After sitting abruptly, Katsuro stared curiously out from the tent at Kyo. Then, he shook his head and crawled to the entrance of the tent, taking a blanket with him. There, he sat, looking out at the fire, which slowly began to die out. And there, he began to use a technique his mother had started to teach him.

It was a complex process, really, and one that the boy had not yet fully figured out. It involved slowing down nearly every bodily function, save for what was included in the head, the mind most important. Thus, while the body rested, the mind was wide awake and keenly aware of everything that went on in the surrounding areas. Takara had fully mastered it; her son had not. But still, he would be able to sit like this for another three hours. It would give him a portion of the rest he needed. Then, he would sleep for the rest of the night.

The night wore on; the fire died. As the chill began to creep in on him, Kyo tossed the blanket Aya had lended to him around his shoulders, staring into the small, flickering light that was the fire. By the time he had reached forward to stoke it a bit, he had noted that nearly everyone had gone to bed, a few restless souls like himself sitting outside of tents or near a wagon. He heard Xan - the thick-headed man he was - clinking nearby as he continued his dutiful watch.

He sat motionlessly, wordlessly, as he pondered once again the arrival at Ryuu-Tokai. He knew how slim the chances were that this woman would know anything at all about the legendary Obake Blade - but he couldn't stop himself from allowing a glimmer of hope and excitement to shine through.

Perhaps she did. Perhaps she would be able to descipher the runes written on the only scrap of his grandfather's scroll he was able to save. Perhaps the translation would mean something to him. Perhaps the translation would lead him somewhere.

But then again, perhaps it would not. There was always a chance that the verse on the scroll meant nothing at all. Just more useless information about the legend. Perhaps this lead was naught but another dead end.

"Woo, blanket!" Carwyn cheered. "Thanks, Aya." Rolling up his coat into a rough pillowy shape, he put it up against a log. Wrapping himself in the blanket, he lay down, placing his head on his coat. Within minutes, he was sound asleep.

Even was planning on truning in soon as well. As soon as every last marchmallow in the vaicinaty had been cookid and eated. This was better than cooked beef! Often he would stay up late, but they had that guard... or "Can Man" as Even had decided to call him. And no bandits would dare try come into camp after Toa's little show.

Xan frowned as he walked away, the woman's words staying in his mind. He walked slow, and when he saw the woman coming towards him as they were going opposite directions, he held his hand up to stop her.

He approached her, and unwrapped the cloth on his head. He lifted his blade a bit, but lowered it, and asked, "you threatened me, should I take offense?" He asked quietly, almost reverently. Before she could respond he answered, "I've been through worse and kept doing what I had to do. Do you not trust I can?" He asked.

He got closer, and bent down until he was eye level with her. "Or is there another reason? Perhaps my other...fault?" He asked, his partially focused eyes staring into hers, the swirling mist known as cataracts nearly covering his dark eyes.

His face grew sad as he wished he could see her more clearly, "do you not trust me?" He asked softly and saddly, his words barely audible.

Takara considered his words thoughtfully. "I think perhaps we have underestimated one another," she said finally. "You are stronger than you seem."

She took a step to the side, putting herself between two wagons, but still within Xan's sight. Softly, she told him, "I trust you." Then, she knelt where she was and closed her eyes. "If you need help," she said, her eyes still closed, "I'll be right here. Whistle and I'll come."

And there she stayed for the rest of the night. As light began to grow, she opened her eyes. Each time Xan passed her in his circular route around the wagons, she smiled up at him from where she knelt. She hoped her apparent trust in him would encourage him somehow. She also hoped that knowing she would be always within a few seconds to help him was also encouraging. But she did not know.

Toa was glad that everyone enjoyed his S'mores, and put out the volcano once they were finished. It was now just a hardened cone of rock. He made his own little fire in the circle of wagons, although he stayed away from everyone else so he wouldn't keep them awake. He stared into his own fire, and began to sing his own little song that he had learned as a child. It was light, as not to wake anyone up, and the fires in the wagon circle seemed to dance with it as he sang it.

Well, everyone else may be able to stay up all night patrolling wagons or singing or doing something or other, but Even needed his sleep. He was about to find himself a cozy spot on the deck... er, wait, well, the floorboard of the wagon here, guess they didn't get beds here either... oh, heave it. He went by Toa's fire, and sang dusktime sailorsongs the rest of the night.