#rescuemiriam

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The spider tilts, not enough to flip it but enough to throw it off for a moment, and allow the freed Eshu to cut one leg off, and August to cut it deeply. It scrambles and tries to run, bleeding a trail of ichor.

(Emphasis on try)

Coradel yells and strikes at the spider again.

Seeing Coradel attack, August doesn't hesitate, but strikes at it quickly. VERY quickly.

It screams as the next blow cleaves one section of eyes from the other, and the other pierces its carapace and skewers something vital.

It feels good...VERY good...to express some of her anger through the blade. She doesn't let up.

August uses a very ... unique... style, but strikes perhaps three times faster than one would imagine he could.

Well, it's dead, does that wriggle writhe curl remaining legs thing, and stills. "You two work well together," Capsian says with a smile

August stops with the death, and cleans his blade.

He glances at Caspian, but says nothing.

She is breathing hard, and she looks sharply at Caspian. Clearly, the spider died faster than she would have liked. After a moment, she also begins to clean her blade, without comment.

"You said you might be able to point us in the right direction? We are questing, yes, but if you would like to travel with us for a time.... it seems to be Da'an."

She presses her lips together, but nods agreement with the invitation.

The Eshu takes out a knife, "First things first, who wants the silk for the cord, and who wants the venom if anyone does? What are you questing for?"

"The silk... I think... I think I might take that." He says thoughtfully.

He starts to gather it together, tucking it into his pack.

She thinks. "The venom. I don't like using such things, but it could be valuable. Do you have a container I might use?"

"I do," He says gathering into a small vial, "I know we Eshu are supposed to be reckless but preparation sometimes means ease and who needs things harder?" He grins

"That's ok, Caspian, this time around I'm the one acting recklessly. I mean, for me, recklessly."

"Oh? " He hands the vial to Coradel

She accepts the vial from him, and looks at it. "Deadly? Or something else?"

"Paralytic."

"Caspian, do you want some of this?" He offers the silk.

"No no, think of it but partial repayment of my debt" He waves off August's offer, "Now you haven't told me what you were questing for, which makes me think it's a private matter between the two of you?"

She nods, and slips it into a pouch on her belt.

"It is. And, there's no debt." He sighs. "Clem healed me. Again."

A slight grin and a nod at the mention of Clem.

"She does that, she's a bit of a bully when it comes to tending. Her bed side manner is a cross between Florence Nightengale, a Glow wrestler, and a valkyrie that has decreed you not ripe yet"

"It is a private matter, yes. But I do not mind sharing the details if it might help."

She gives August a challenging look.

"If you wish." Quietly.

"I admit to being curious."

Her gaze lingers on August for a moment more, then she turns to Caspian. "August and I had an oath in Arcadia. We don't recall the specifics, and we hope to learn and remember it."

He nods.

"Oh, that's going to be tricky..." He snaps his fingers, "I am not sure I should go all the way with you, doesn't feel right some how, but I can go with you part of the way and help you find the River Ethel."

"The River Ethel?"

"Oh yes, some wag nicknamed it that... you know, of course, the tale of the River Lethe? "

A slight smile. "I have heard of it. Forgetfulness. So the River Ethel's water helps one remember?"

August nods familiarity with Lethe, and listens.

"Exactly, it has a fancier name, but it was long, pretentious, and, ironically , easy to forget. So folks just started calling it the River Ethel, a switching of the letters of Lethe." the Eshu smiles, "Some purists of Dreaming lore cringe at the term. But it's handy. A draught of that might help you hold onto memories, the ones you want most to hold onto. It's not going to restore past lives in full or the like, but what you hope most to remember it helps you hold onto even when you get back to the mist."

She looks to August, questioningly.

"I'd like to learn more about the river. You don't remember the other name, do you? I bet the House has some literature on it...."

Then he catches Coradel's look. "Well. It does sound like what we're looking for. A good start, at least."

"When we get deeper in I'll probably recall." He says regarding the name

She nods. 'A good start, yes. Where can we find this river, Caspian?"

"This way, it's further into the Dreaming, though it's tributaries aren't in the deepest and that maybe enough. Let's head on... " He motions them to follow, assuming they do, the silver trod takes them (Ironically perhaps) towards a more arid section of the Dreaming. While not a desert, it does seem more yellow than green in the grasses and the trees thin changing more into joshua trees.

August gestures for Coradel to follow the eshu, and he follows her.

She gives August a lingering look, then turns to follow the eshu.

The Eshu moves along the silver and they travel until the sun chariot gets hit by a silver arrow through the spokes and falls out of the heavens. A silver lady figure yells "YUS!" and tackles the confused sun figure and ...hey, it's dusk!