The Unfortunate Encounter

"Miss… Are you ok? What is a Light Elf doing so far from home?" She heard a voice and then a hand on her cloak.

"Stop." She cried out going deeper into the Water Panthers fur. The Water Panther growled.

She slowly peaked out to see four Dark elves standing around her.

"Jien, look at that. He growled at us!"

"Regumi! Not the time. Hey are you ok? You fell asleep in a cloaked area with a human. We don't want to hurt you." She coos at Fanella who could now see them better. She tilts her head to see Iona who is still sound asleep.

"Lets start with something a bit less intrusive." Another steps in.

"Like what?" The one called Regumi takes from thin air a piece of fruit about to take a bite.

The one called Jien takes the fruit away and holds it out to Fanella.

"I am Jien, this is my brother Regumi. This is Savath and Houken. We are from the Dark Elf kingdom. Something must have happened if the Light Elves have cast you out. We would like to listen to your story." Jien sat down with pity in her eyes, Fanella was all too used to that look.

Now that she finally looked like a Light Elf she was upset by this look downward on her, but she stayed still and quiet.

"Why's the Water Panthers behavior so odd? I mean a human and a Fire Otter, talk about odd combinations!" Savath spoke louder waking up Iona.

"Damon?" She whispered looking up at Regumi who was standing closest to her.

"No." Fanella said being careful with her wording. She wanted to inform Iona they may be in danger without making them suspect.

Getting a better look around Iona could pick up Fanella's sense and very much wanted to be closer to her.

"Oh no, Regumi you are scaring her!" Jien stands up and smacks Regumi.

"Ouch!" Regumi rubs his arm.

Fanella began to look around. How do you converse your way out of a difficult situation, what kind of terrible game were they playing? They did something terrible to Damon. How could Iona trust them.

Iona looked at Fanella trying to ask her with her eyes how to get out of here. Fanella took a deep breath. Heightening emotion is what they do, they want to see what she will do.

"We are on our way to Housen Sea Village, she can assist with a problem they are having." Fanella didn't wish to put iona into more danger, but knew that they could sense lies with their magic.

"You know I have heard some scary things about you guys!" Regumi grabs another piece of fruit from thin air. Space magic? How he seems to go for the same exact spot, maybe illusion magic.

"So you are helping her get there? Is the Light Elf Kingdom near there?" Savath looks at them more deeply almost confused.

"Answer a question for me and I'll answer one for you." Fanella gambled at their generosity.

"Fair, but consider that you were the one that decided to rest here."Jien smiles.

"And you could have left before we woke." Fanella glances at Iona who looks like she will let Fanella take this.

"Ok, you win, what do you want to know?"

"Are you Dark Elves by the grace of Inami?" Fanella wished to know if she stumbled on rouge Elves, it would decide how she would get out of here.

"Yes, and are you a Light Elf by the grace of Inami?" Regumi tilted his head.

"Fully. Why are you so close to settlements of human and Ogre?" Fanella kept her cloak closed in the front.

"Regumi!" Jien shook her head.

"Are you to break your word with an elf of Inami?" Savath silences Jien.

"Observation." Regumi sits down in front of Iona and keeps eye contact with her at all times. He was trying to use the idea that she was fond of another of their kind.

"Why do these creatures seem so loyal to you?"

"Because I don't manipulate them with beautiful lies. If I was trying to get a Light elf to give me information the last thing I'd do is use emotional magic over them." Fanella took a deep breath.

"What? Oh my word it didn't work! I am so sorry! We screwed up the spell used to put up the cloak. I mean bring you in!"Jien looks towards Houken and Savath in a chaotic manner.

"Don't look at me! I told you we shouldn't let the newbee use the magic." Regumi shrugs.

"I'll fix it!" Jien puts her hands out.

Keeping a hand on the Water Panther Iona moves towards Fanella. Jien begins mumbling words in elven.

"Can't you see through it?" Iona whispers.

"I was able to before, but I am all out of magic. It sort of makes me feel bad." Fanella tried to explain.

"What do you have to do to get it back?" Iona whispered back taking Fanella's hand and snuggling back into the Water Panther.

"I naturally absorb…" Fanella stopped as the uneasy feeling in her stomach had come to a halt. She had an idea, one the Light Elves wouldn't agree with, but at least she'd have magic again.