----- As Rand pulls Arliss back to look, he follows the direction Rand is pointing. He sees a large animal form with a long tail bounding away into the darkness. Sure enough, it looks to be heading toward the
eastern woods.
-----Arliss, looking through the arrow slit once again, at Rand's behest, suddenly exclaims, "Wait! Yes! There it is, Rand! I see it, by Joren! Something with a long tail, it seems to heading east, into the woods!" He turns to look at his two companions then, a puzzled look on his face. "But...what is it??"
-----Thalog walks calmly over to the window with staff in hand. He looks out the window while leaning on his staff taping his fingers against it and scans the situation unfolding outside.
-----Thalog looks out and sees the bonfire and the four people standing outside. Suddenly, he is aware Raven is looking up at him. Rinda is standing next to him and Raven says something to her and she turns and also looks up at the arrow slit. They then begin to move to come around to the front of the keep where the door is.
-----Thalog turns to Rand and Arliss with haste in his tone then says, "Raven and Rinda have seen us looking though the arrow slit and are coming around to the door as I speak."
-----Just as Thalog finishes what he is saying, the door to the keep slams open. Standing in the doorway is the woman, Rinda, with the other three men behind her. Anger is clearly displayed on her face as she stares at Arliss, Rand, and Thalog. "Is it part of your nature to spy on other people?!" she angrily asks. Rinda holds her club in her hand. The other hand is clenched.
-----Arliss strides forward to confront Rinda, his eyes blazing with indignation. "Spies?! How dare you! What would you expect us to do upon hearing the cries of some wild jungle cat from right outside the building? Settle down for restful slumber as if nothing unusual had happened?? For all we knew you
might have been torn to pieces at the jaws of some savage beast! We had no intention of spying on whatever uncivilized rites you are reveling in, by Joren!" Arliss pauses to breathe, his hand very near to his sword hilt.
-----Raven gets in between Rinda and the three men. Raven says to Rinda, "Yes, it is human nature to be curious." Raven turns to the three men, "Although, you three should have asked to view this most holy of
rituals." When Raven sees Arliss hand moving toward his sword, Raven tenses his muscles.
-----Rand quickly strides up behind Arliss. "Rinda, we were not spying on you. We had heard an animal outside and went to see what it was, we most certainly were not spying on you". Rand inconspicuously reaches down to pull Arliss's hand away from his sword hilt.
-----Thalog, walking on all three, goes to Arliss's left side and says in a calm unfeeling tone, "What exactly did we see, Priestess Rinda?"
-----Rinda closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Uncivilized?" she says with a slight laugh, "don't confuse the natural order of things with what you call uncivilized." She opens her eyes. The steel blue color of her eyes sternly looks into Arliss's and Rand's. "I have found your towns more 'uncivilized' than anything I have experienced in the wilds."
-----Rinda seems to relax, perhaps from fatigue. "No, I expect you to act on your instincts, so I will let you keep your words. You are under Broactor's protection. Jon will show you where you will sleep this night." She turns away, a weary look on her face.
-----She finally answers Thalog, "What you saw was the Great Hunter bestowing his blessing."
-----A lonely wolf bays in the distance.
-----Jon leads Arliss, Rand, and Thalog to the second level of the keep. The second floor contains an open area, although not as large as the ground floor. There are three doors in the west wall. "You'll bed down here for the night," Jon tells them as he points to straw mattresses on wooden pallets. "I now leave you to tend to my watch," he adds.
-----The next morning seems to come almost too early for Arliss, Rand and Thalog. The springtime morning air that filters in through the windows is crisp, fresh, and chilly. However, their sleep was disturbed during the night by the unsettled and savage animal noises.
-----Hearing a commotion on the grounds outside the keep, they gather their things and head down the stairs to the first level. They reach the bottom of the stairs as the front door to the keep opens. The men named Jon and Goff enter with the Priest of the Hunt draped between them. Blood drips from a deep wound in Broactor's left calf muscle. Jon and Goff lead him over to a wooden bench.