Temate hummed happily, shifting the heavy weight on his back as he waited in the lobby with Honey.

  “And by the time you all get back, we should have easily prepared some clothing for you all using that webbing. It’s very solid and once we’ve processed it, it should be very comfortable.” Honey confirmed for Temate.

  “What about the chitin, the shells of the spiders. Could you make stuff from that? Like armor?” Temate inquired, leaning casually on the desk. One hand came up to rub at the sore wound near his shoulder.

  Honey thought for a moment. “I do indeed believe we could make some sort of armament out of it. Did you have something in mind?”

  “I do,” Temate replied, “I’m thinking of either melr, brigandine or some variation in between. Basically you carve ptes from the chitin, looking for sturdy semi-flexible portions, and pte them together like scales or weave them as ptes into fabric. You know what, could I get something to draw on?”

  Honey handed Temate a full sheet of paper, he felt the rough thick sheet and looked up inquisitively to Honey. “Wood pulp parchment?”

  “Indeed.” Was all Honey replied, adding a quick nod.

  “Fascinating.” Temate mused as he grabbed a proffered pine needle with something bck dripping out of the tip. “And a pine needle quill? What’s this dripping out of the tip?”

  “It’s an ink composed from sap and an excretion of some of the fish from the river, as well as a few other small components.” Honey grinned as he answered Temate.

  Temate raised an eyebrow. “For a group that preaches Ideal and Intention you have a lot of very Material tools and processes.” He pointed out as he began to etch a few examples of melr armors.

  “Bears adapt to the realms identity and integrate into it. As many realms, this one is teetering between being truly Ideal or Material. Thus we do as well, until such things change. Only Wardens and other visitors tend to ignore that natural drive as they are bound to other realms.”

  Temate finished his first sketches and began etching various brigandines alongside the melr. He nodded along with Honey’s expnation, continuing to nod long after Honey finished. After a moment of silence, barring some intrigued hums and haws from Honey, he finished his work. He held it up and nodded, satisfied with the honestly rather rough images.

  “There, that’s basically the different types of armor I think of when I think of chitin in any real application.” Temate handed the sheet of paper to Honey. “Also, how much ink is in this?”

  Honey looked at the quill and ughed. “Enough, I only need a couple for a whole days notation, and while these visitors' dens are empty I handle all the Warm Dry Caves.”

  “Mmm, fascinating.” Temate said, looking at the quill before handing it back to Honey. Honey held his hand up to stop Temate returning it, he brought a paw down and opened a drawer beside him.

  “I have many, here take a few. Who knows when you may need such things.” Honey reached into the drawer and pulled a pawful of the quills out pcing them into Temate’s outstretched hand. There were so many that a few fell out onto the desk!

  “Ah crap, hope that doesn’t stain.” Temate grimaced as he picked up the fallen quills.

  “Not at all, you need to cut the tip for the ink to start coming out so it’s no fur off my pelt.” Honey said as he took a new quill out for himself, cutting the tip at an angle with his cw. “And following the Idea aspect, it only actually works if you press it with intent to mark.” Honey grinned.

  “Huh.” Temate grunted as he swung his backpack off opening it to find a spot in the densely packed container. He slid the unopened quills into a small gap between some softer materials, then slid the opened one on the opposite side.

  “Okaaaaaaay, we’re all ready to march big T!” A lilting, much happier voice rang out moments before a pair of arms wrapped around his neck. He grunted and stood up lifting Toni off the ground as she held onto his neck.

  “Eep! Hey! Isn’t Ren supposed to ride you, not me?!” She ughed into his ear.

  “Mmm that’s apparently true in more ways then one huh?” Temate teased her. He felt her drop off and kick his leg lightly.

  “Hmph, not in public, come on!” She grumbled, but Temate could see she enjoyed it.

  He felt like he was getting really good at reading her tely. It wasn’t hard once you saw what drove her, she was protective. Sure she could be overly so, and too cautious because of it, but she cared. There was more to it, but that was a big factor in her motivation.

  Moments ter he felt a weight press onto his shoulders and looked up to see Surrender’s smiling fuzzy face. He smiled up at the little gremlin and reached up to pat her head.

  “Alright, well if everybody is ready?” Temate asked, turning to look for Pipuck who shouldered a fabric satchel as they trudged in behind the others. The Spiras nodded to Temate and smiled.

  “Come on then ’, let’s ge’ goin’ already!” Pipuck shouted and, before anyone could react, dashed quickly out the door. The others looked at each other, and then followed. They moved together up the ramp, Temate’s hands gently ran along the bone carvings decorating the walls. One st trip through here for awhile, he really liked these etchings.

  Eventually they walked directly up and out into the towering trees of the forest above. Pipuck sat beneath a tree waiting and waved to them. All together they smiled and wandered over, Temate took a deep breath as the four of them gathered under the tree.

  “Ahhh, it’s a beautiful day outside, birds are singing, flowers are blooming. On days like today it’s good to take a walk.” Temate smiled softly and snorted, ughing a bit at his own joke.

  “But there no flowers?” Surrender asked from above him. Temate ughed out loud at that, just once.

  “It’s a reference to something that I suppose only I get?” Temate looked at Toni who shrugged.

  “A show? A game? I dunno, I pyed some games but I mostly just watched true crime documentaries and worked my ass off.” Toni answered him.

  Temate snorted again. “Well shit true crime documentaries? I never would have guessed.”

  “Why’d you say that sarcastically? Hey! Temate, come on! Look, just cause it’s the most common thing that most women enjoy doesn’t mean it’s all- Hey come on! Wait up!” Toni shouted as she began chasing after him. Temate began walking, following Timbear’s instructions, and going west.

  Hours ter Toni groaned out loud, receiving a stern look from Temate. She gred back at him as they crouched calmly in some thick underbrush watching a clearing. Why were they watching the clearing?

  Nothing, no reason. At least as far as Toni was concerned. It was empty except for some incredibly beautiful flowers. A prismatic array of nearly every color flower she could imagine glimmering lightly in the dark of the afternoon.

  “Come on! Nothings happening!” Toni hissed to Temate.

  “I know I’m checking the flowers with [Magic Eye] now let me focus.” He groused back to her.

  “They look goo’ to me ’, an’ we shoul’ be makin’ camp soon.” Pipuck said from the other side of Temate.

  “Yes, my [Power] say safe too.” Surrender whispered from Temate’s shoulders. He sighed putting his face in his palm.

  “Alright, alright. We’ll camp here then. On the edge of the clearing.” He held up a hand as Toni started to argue. “We have a hammock tent, we need to be near trees.”

  “We can’t just set that up on the ground?” Toni asked quietly. Temate turned to her, opened his mouth, and then closed it as he thought.

  “I suppose... you could, but it wouldn’t be nearly as comfortable.” Then he pointed a finger towards the beauteous field. “It’d also crush some of the flowers, which look pretty and handy, and we did say we should avoid harming pnts right?”

  “Only once we ge’ close to the collective ’, an’ we’re not near there or you’d see at leas’ a few of them in this clearin’. They like to mee’ an’ cha’ in clearings like this.” Pipuck pointed out.

  “Hmmm, still they are pretty. I guess we can camp on the edge.” Toni relented after some thought.

  Thus decided, the group stood up and moved into the clearing. Pipuck began looking around examining each of the flowers with a botanist's interest. Surrender slipped off Temate’s shoulders to join Toni looking for just the prettiest flowers.

  At least that’s how it seemed to Temate, the two girls walked and talked, stopping to smell a flower or excim at it. Temate had to admit it was a remarkable sight. No two flowers appeared to be the exact same color, just a chaotic array of shifting colors and glowing light.

  He took great care not to step on any of the flowers, and if he couldn’t avoid it he plucked the flower instead. Carefully removing it root and all, so he could repnt it after he passed by. Eventually he reached his destination at the far side of the clearing.

  He had noted this spot when looking at the flowers with his [Magic Eye], which was unfruitful. The flowers were genuinely too complex for him to get a grasp on, simply becoming half obscured blurs, a fascinating thing to learn. Best to leave it to Pipuck, they’d probably figure it out while he set up camp.

  Which he set to doing. Taking the two trees which were perfectly spaced apart, he set up the hammock tent first. By the time he’d set up the secondary tent and gathered enough firewood to start burning, Pipuck was sitting by the campsite. The small spiras was leaned over a collection of flowers of different colors.

  In their p they held a stone carved mortar and pestle which they slowly ground a base of greens up in. They looked up as Temate approached and grinned at him.

  “Good news?” Temate asked as they set to work making a fire pit and getting out the cookware.

  “Aye, though nothin’ crazy a’ leas’ a’ firs’ blush. Effects will vary I think bu’ all in all i’ should be able to improve efficacy of anythin’ I mix i’ in. Though as a base…” Pipuck looked at the flowers with a twinkle in their eye.

  “Anything fun?” Temate nodded towards the flowers.

  “It'll require a lo' of experimentin', bu' I go' a few general idea's already from my [Powers]." Pipuck lifted one softly glowing yellow sunflower. "Jus' straigh' glowin’ paste from this coul’ be fun an’ even useful in some ways. I think you an’ the girls migh’ enjoy this one.” Pipuck held up a very small pink rose, glowing softly in the low light of te evening.

  “Dare I ask?” Temate raised an eyebrow at the Spiras.

  “Heh, well in practical application i' enhances sensation. An ichor applie’ to a bde, an’ the edge will hur’ more, as will all subsequen’ strikes or any other physical sensation.” Pipuck raised their own eyebrow back and gave Temate a small smirk.

  “Willingly ingeste’ will do the same thing. Enhancing all sensation.” Pipuck looked over to the girls, who had sat down and were watching the dimming sky as they talked. “All. Sensation.” They enunciated those words.

  Temate got the picture and coughed. “Ahem, well when we get somewhere with privacy that might be interesting.” He said.

  “Ahhh bollocks to tha’, enjoy your time ’ don’t bother me none.” Pipuck waved a hand at Temate.

  “It’s partially that, but also I feel… uncomfortable about doing that so close to someone not involved. Also...” Temate trailed off looking into the already dark as night woods around them.

  He imagined all the things which might hear a night of passion and revelry, especially if amplified as Pipuck suggested. Wolves, wild cats, hell rge snakes, more spiders or other insects, that owl. Wait…

  Temate blinked as he saw a small snow white owl staring at him. It felt like it was watching him, its big golden eyes stared right into him. It tilted it’s head and took flight straight at him! He leapt up drawing his machete causing Pipuck to shout.

  He swung the bde without hesitation but the owl, which was no bigger then a baseball, and nearly as round, seemed to be pushed above the bde! It flew straight around his head once, twice, three times and then…

  Plop.

  It nded on his head, he could feel it there twisting and turning as it looked around.

  “Oi ya little gi’! Ge’ outta here fowl!” Pipuck tossed a small stone at the owl which hooted and then flew around them! After a moment it nded on their head as well and just stared at Temate. Temate narrowed his eyes, activating [Magic Eye] to examine it.

  As he focused in, trying to see into this small little owl’s being, it hooted again and flew back at him. He tried to fend it off but once again it plopped down on his head. Then it almost seemed to ugh with little hooting noises. Temate was about to swat at it when he heard a loud shriek behind him.

  “Ahhhhh, it’s so cute! Where’d the owl come from! Oh my god I loooove it, come on little guy, come to my head! I won't try and shoo you.” Toni was ecstatic at the sight. A moment passed before the owl hooted and flew over to Toni’s head. She shouted in joy and began patting it gently.

  “Mmmm, look yummy.” Surrender said from beside her, eyeing the small bird.

  “Ren! No eating it, it’s adorable!” She excimed, stepping away from the gremlin who looked hungrily up at the bird.

  “I’ll ge’ dinner starte’, Toni ge’ me a fire goin?” Pipuck said, seemingly resigned to their strange guests attendance.

  “Oh sure thing.” Toni flicked a finger at the fire pit Temate had dug and filled. The fire sprang to life in a moment, the owl seemed to focus on it, then on Toni. Then on Temate as it narrowed its eyes and hooted again.

  Could it tell Temate was trying to examine it with [Magic Eye]? Was it smart? He was curious, the thing seemed to gre challengingly at him. So he continued, his eyes zoomed in on the small owl, growing rger in his vision. It grew closer and closer, coming more into focus until…

  “What.” Temate gasped as the owl simply disappeared! No, he focused his vision in further and realized it wasn’t that it disappeared. He couldn’t read it, it was completely blocked from his vision! It was like an extreme version of what happened with the flowers. What was this th-

  “What what?” Toni said, cutting into his focus and ending his [Magic Eye].

  “Agh, damn it Toni!” Temate sighed. “No, sorry, coming out of [Magic Eye] like that is weird.” He gred at the owl which seemed to puff its chest up in smug satisfaction. It let out a series of hoots that could only be a mocking chortle.

  “Sorry, sorry, I can’t really tell when you’re doing that, maybe we could come up with a signal or something? That way you can like, hold up a finger signal while you do it, or you could cross your eyes or… I dunno, something?” Toni suggested.

  “Hmm, good idea. For now I guess I’ll just hold up a finger. Though to answer your question.” Temate pointed at the owl. “That’s no normal owl. [Magic Eye] can’t see it, it’s blocked.”

  “Really?” The voice came from all three of the other members of his party. Though each in different tones. Toni seemed surprised, Pipuck seemed amused as they chuckled slightly. Surrender seemed almost sarcastic as she raised an eyebrow.

  “You knew that Surrender?” Temate asked the gremlin. She nodded and slipped up and onto his shoulders.

  She whispered into his ear. “Yes, smell of Power, more than should for so small hooter.”

  “What’s that mean?” He whispered back to her.

  “It mean lots, could be spirit, could be magic beast, could be someone [Power].” Surrender answered with a shrug.

  “Well I like it, whatever it is. I think it’s cute and it seems harmless and it likes us!” Toni stated crossing her arms. “I say we keep them until we have a reason not to, what if it’s a friend?”

  Temate and the owl gred at each other, then Temate sighed.

  “Fine. Pip, how long till dinner?” He questioned.

  “Mmm, long enough for the three of you to disappear, if for some reason you neede’ to.” Pipuck said completely innocently.

  “PIP!” Toni squeaked her face rapidly flushing enough to be visible even in the firelight.

  “Yeah Pip” Surrender said, “Only Master and I need go.” The gremlin grinned wide at Toni who’s eyes widened.

  “Y-yeah, I uh, I should watch over our new bird friend after all” Toni said, her voice noticeably higher pitched.

  Temate smirked at that. “Yeah, I think you should huh? Guess me and Surrender will what, go get some more firewood?” Temate reached up to stroke Surrender’s chin, she purred loudly.

  “Yesssss, sound good.” Surrender said and the two left the bright red girl behind with Pipuck, and an owl.