#carnival

"I'm furking sure, what do you @@### ing think I'm an idiot?" His accent is different "I got the butwipping mirror right here. I wouldn't steer you ####ing wrong."

He looks more inhuman, nobbier.

Zane? Sane seems more primal, smelling of a musk that is oddly appealing and a little disturbing. His horns have grown and he moves with a swagger beyond his years.

Colton seems to be staring at his arm as if he doesn't remember it. He's grown in size, but then again so has she.

And Kelby also

She straightens to her full height and looks at the others. "Then...we need to find it. Continue, as we were before." She feels...older.

Sylvi stops, staring ahead at nothing, completely distracted from the Silver, from their quest....

"I..." She shakes her head, then looks at the others, somewhere between amazed and horrified.

"Wow" A gasp from one of the men as memories storm

"We need to keep moving" Kelby says "Like Sylvi said"

She turns to see who spoke, who else is overwhelmed...and at the same time, she recalls, be careful, be watchful, we're not safe here

A grateful nod to Kelby. "Yes. Forward. Keep moving."

They move on, Kelby seems to try not to look at Zane. It's hard not to gaze at him for some reason he's not more attractive. He just has a hint of promise, of something. Yes, feeling 'older' is awkward. Even the other men seem to be more like that..men.

She also finds her eyes drawn to Zane repeatedly, and just as quickly she forces herself to look away. Focus on the path. We've got a job to do.

Forward they move. They see sights that the Dreaming was not ready to show them earlier. Great carriages racing across the land, but the carriages are like giant tulip blossom and pulled by graceful white deer.

And then they turn, heading towards another arch.. but this time ,something blocks them, a sphynx

"Hello. Riddle time"

It drones

"Oh?" Her brow furrows. "Very well, then. Ask."

"oh just like that" The Spynx grumbles "Damn trolls. Couldn't you at least shiver a little? I am a flesh eating monster after all."

"It's just...you didn't sound very interested in asking. Not very inspirational. And if you eat flesh..." She fishes in her bag for another meat pie to offer the Sphynx, carefully controlling a grin.

Colton is impassive, as stoic as trolls are supposed to be. Kelby however, lets a smirk slip if only for a second. The non trolls have their own reaction . Bertrand muttering and cussing about poking bears, and Zane kind of admiring

The Sphynx eyes the meat pie, then..takes it in a gulp of rows and rows of teeth.

Sylvi may be aware of Kelby's smirk, of Zane's approval, but she gives the Sphynx an earnest blink.

She draws back her hand, and tries not to be obvious about checking that all her fingers are still there.

He chews, then swallows, "Mmm truth to tell, I'm not as into the riddle thing as I used to be. It's just..habit, you know? Like finding out you can't stop saying 'bless you' when someone sneezes? It's howy ou're raised but after a bit it's just annoying. Still, this arch way will take you the near Dreaming another part of it, and I live here, so habit you know?"

"Ah. Of course." She turns to look back over her shoulder at the land they're leaving, not entirely sure she's ready, not sure she wants to forget this part. She looks at the others...her friends are more glorious than ever here, each in his or her own way. And yet...they have a goal. "Bertrand? This is right?"

"Yup, this is the furking way... "

She nods. "Are you all ready?"

Nods

"Then...we'll hear the riddle, please."

The Sphinx nods "Got one. Let's see if you know it. I get to bite you if you get it wrong, but after that meat pie I 'm not sure I'll eat you whole."

"I'd neither a guest nor a trespasser be; in this place I belong, that
belongs also to me. Of what do I speak?"

She frowns, and she can feel her brow furrowing deeply.

She looks to the others. "Home?" Checking.

"Sounds good" "That's easy of that's furking it but sure" "Want me to say it?"

She shakes her head at the last offer, then turns to the Sphynx. She thinks Bertrand's right -- it's too easy, there's something wrong, but... "Home." she says.

"Right, off you go then" The Sphinx says "Woo, glad that is over. It was like an itch I couldn't scratch"

Bert blinks, "You gave us an easy furking one, you know that right?"

"Well, yes, but she gave me a meat pie. So I went with an easier one." A shrug "What, you want I should give you one that requires some sage and at least three languages?"

"No, we're fine, thank you!" she answers abruptly for all, and ushers them through.

(Paused for now)

(Unpaused)

As they lurch through they feel themselves dwindle, in the trolls' cases, literally as their extra height of a moment ago fades. Memories threaten to fade, and yet... Sylvi is sure some part of her is far more aware.

She takes a breath and looks back to the arch, to the memories, a brief yearning to hold on to them...then another breath, and she's back, checking on the others. "We okay?"

"Yeah I think.." Kelby says "I had....I think my past lives , or at least of one of them."// "Hope I didn't cuss ya'all ut too much" Bertrand says// "I feel...puny" A sigh from Colton.// Zane grins sheepishly "Let's just say I'm good."

"Try to remember, Kels. I will. I think I need to."