Cheezey and Felina sat opposite each other, staring intently into eachother's eyes. Both were tense with effort though neither of them seemed to be accomplishing anything. The rest of the group, now packed and ready to head out, waited a while longer, entertained by the implied duel.

"Come on, Felina," said the Lunatak in low tones, "just pick up the rock."

"Go ahead and make me," replied Felina with a determined smile.

With slow, jerky movements, Felina's arm reached out to grasp the smooth round stone between them and lifted it up to shoulder height. Then, as though against their will, the fingers spread to let it fall back to the earth.

"Shit...that's hard!" gasped Cheesey, rubbing her temples.

"Maybe, but I'm a mentalist too, remember," Felina consoled her, looking nearly as worn out, "and I was actively resisting you this time."

"Still, I never thought thinking would make me sweat!" laughed Cheezey.

"Well, thinking and Lunataks never did go very well together," grinned Kith, tying off a bedroll.

"Kith," said Cheezey in velvet tones, eyes narrowed, "why don't you jump inthe river? It's *soooo* cool and refreshing."

Unprepared for the mental attack, the elf straightened and headed toward the bank before Demonprist's sudden laughter broke him out of the trance."Hey!" he complained. "Is that any way to treat someone who was kind enough to help pack up your stuff?"

"Just be glad I wasn't trying harder," replied Cheezey, sticking her tongue out at the magus.

"Don't flatter him, Cheezey," smirked Demonprist. Kith shot her a black look.

"You know, I really need a psyche club. Damn me and my need to takeing criminating photographs," sighed the Psi Lunatak, standing and getting a quick shot of Kith being flonked on the back of the head with an empty water skin. A second click recorded for posterity the image of Demonprist being attacked by rogue plant life.

Kith's Earth powers were coming in nicely.

"I'm sure you'll find one in Darkside," reassured Felina. "Alluro *must*know how to make them considering how often he broke his own in battle."

"Ah, but *will* he make her one, *that's* the question," grinned Suzene, lazily tracing images in the air with her machete. "One would think that Lunataks would be too suspicious to let another get his or her hands on a source of power."

"Well, it's not really a source," corrected Cheezey.

"Source or not, I don't forsee you having many problems in that department," smiled Felina. "I cast my mind into time as well as space while you monitored me and got the distinct impression that things would go well for you in Darkside. This was, of course, one of the times where you confirmed the presence of psychic activity."

"You seem to be the perfect practise tools for each other," remarked Laura,lashing down the last of her gear. "Too bad you'll be on opposites sides."

"Well, we may have time to practise a little more," said Felina, calling up the map. "According to this, those who wish to reach Darkside will have to cross the river...but it's far too wide to cross here. The best and closest crossing is the Bridge of Light, but to reach it you have to head furtherNorth before doubling back. It just so happens that I have to head that way myself."

"Great! Maybe I can finish this flute then," grinned Sonarion, steadily boring a hole through a piece of wood whittled into a smooth, round dowel."I have to give you *something* to remember me by since you're going to go see those stupid cats...and you *know* they can't make instruments worth shit."

"Watch it, twerp," smirked Suzene, making a playful stab in Sonarion'sdirection with her blade. "The number of people planning to hang out withthe 'Cats outweighs the number of people planning to hang out with the'Taks by fifty percent." Sonarion snorted at her, but made no other comment, lost as he was in his work.

"I feel left out now!" protested Mummraa. "It would be fun to watch you two practise! But I really want to go to the Tower of Omens first because I want to see J-man at least once and I *know* he's going there to meet Suzie. Besides, I'd feel bad letting her travel alone even if she *can*take care of herself!"

"You're not evil enough if you feel bad about abandonning a cat-lover,"laughed Demonprist, filling the water bags. Kith, ankle deep in riverwater, cursed a blue streak at her, demanding that she make the water 'let him go'. "I thought you'd head out to Cat's Lair too," she remarked to the elf, ignoring his rants.

"Well I was *going* to go to the Pyramid with you," grunted Kith, trying to yank his boots out of the water, "but I'm having second thoughts. Too bad though...everyone knows Mumm-ra is the best ally for people looking to do a bit of evil."

His feet were suddenly released in mid yank and Kith pinwheeled to keep his balance. "Flattery will get you everywhere," replied Demonprist with a reptilian smile.

"Anyway, even though I wanted to talk with Felina some more, I can probably see her later. After I get to see J-man I can always double back to theLair...and it's probably good to have someone already on the inside to vouch for me."

"Are you sure meeting Darrell and playing chaperone are the only reasons you're going to the Tower?" asked Suzene suspiciously. "That tame talk doesn't sound like you at all."

"Well, I *do* want a shot at spoiling Bengali before he gets used to all the personalized attention he's going to get from you," grinned Mummraa.

"Don't touch my tiger."

"I doubt any vouching will do you much good," interrupted Felina before afight could break out.

"T'ank you," grinned Mummraa sunnily. "I can always count on you to cheer me up!"

"Well, fun is fun, but if we're ever going to get this game started, we should probably be heading out," said Cheezey, picking up her back. "Thanks for packing up Felina's and my stuff guys. Especially Demon and Kith...where *is* Kith."

"Went invisible," sulked Demonprist.

"What?" said Cheezey sarcastically. "Did he get tired of the abuse?"

"Probably planning a sneak attack," replied the Avatar suspiciously,shouldering her own pack. "Well, this is it then. Farewell, but not goodbye. We're more or less on the same side...at least temporarily."

"Well, it *is* only a game," laughed Cheezey, giving Demonprist a hug."We'll all be on the same side when we get out of here and back on the chat lines."

"Too true...and I can gloat over how Mumm-ra and I stomped all of you suckers flat!" boasted Demonprist cheerfully before an overripe piece of fruit smacked her in the back of the head, exploding in a spray of pulp and juice.

"Yeah, glad to meet you Cheezey!" cried Kith quickly, reappearing and bolting for the woods. "The rest of you too! Sorry I don't have time for a longer goodbye!"

"KIIIIIIIIIIIIIITH!" shrieked Demonprist, pulling her sword from the air.She ran after the elfin mage with her blade upraised and disappeared in the general direction of Mumm-ra's pyramid.

"Well, looks like they're on their way," said Laura matter-of-factly.

"They'll make great sources of evil," grinned Suzene. "They already have the maturity level down pat."

"Well, if everyone else is ready to go, I guess we should be on our way, "said Felina a bit sadly.

"Well *I'm* ready," said Sonarion, shoving his tools and the flute into his pack and standing. "Darkside, here I come!"

"Here *we* come...I can't wait to lay my eyes on a real, live Alluro," said Cheezey eagerly.

"There are a few things she can't wait to lay on Alluro," commented Suzene suggestively.

"Why on? Lay is enough," tossed off Laura as nonchalantly as possible.

"Guys!"

"They is girls," said Mummraa innocently.

Felina hugged Mummraa and even Suzene accepted the brief embrace. "Too bad we didn't have more time to talk, but we're both in Thundercat fortresses...I'm sure we'll see each other again."

"Dat's for sure," grinned Mummraa.

Suzene raised her hand in a wave before grabbing the female mummy's arm and pulling her in the direction of the Tower of Omens. "Come on!" she said."Tigers are waiting!" Mummraa shrugged and turned to follow.

"Wait a second!" cried Cheezey and both turned around. The Lunatak raised her camera and was treated to final wave which she caught on film...or digital file as it were.

"Now," she said, turning to her travelling companions, "which way was the Bridge of Light?"

*********************

"KITH, YOU *BASTARD*! COME BACK HERE AND FIGHT!"

"Are you fucked?" called the elf over his shoulder. "I've see you with that thing!"

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

"Don't call my mother names!"

"YOU...you...you notice anything different?" asked Demonprist, finally catching up to her quarry, but only grabbing his pack to slow him down rather than slamming his face into her fist.

"I'd...notice...more...if...pack...not...choking..."

"Sorry," said Demonprist, easing her grip. The straps relaxed and allowed Kith a few gasping breaths.

"Well you seem to have stopped yelling...does that count?" asked Kith.

"Besides that," replied the Avatar darkly, giving him a quick slap up sidethe head.

"Hey! When do I get to smack you?" complained Kith. "And why do I sound so whiny? My voice isn't right."

"Neither is mine...you sound like you're talking through a blanket full of helium."

"Thanks," muttered the elf semi-insulted. He breathed deeply for a time."The air is wrong too. It doesn't smell right. There's some kind of gas in the air...you know, they have Beano for problems like that."

Demonprist gave the magus a dark look.

"Well is wasn't *me*!" snorted Kith, secretly glad that he'd managed to irk the Avatar.

Demonprist called up the map. "We seem to be near the Forest of Silence which would account for the muffled sound of everything. I didn't think we'd travelled all that far from the campsite though, unless the forest's influence sort of trickles out a little depending on the weather."

"What about the smell?"

"There's some kind of marsh on the map...but I thought it would me more like wetlands, not a full-scale swamp. But swamp gas *might* explain the smell." Demonprist frowned a moment as she contemplated her surroundings."If it *is* swamp gas it must be coming in on the wind, we're not close enough to smell it where we are now."

"Can we go around it?" asked Kith. "I'll go through if I have to, but I don't have enough air control to fan fumes away from me yet..."

"Well, we *could*, but that would take us a long way out of our way and we'd have to cut right through the Forest of Silence...not good at all."

"The Forest of Silence doesn't bother me," snorted Kith. "I can manoeuvre in any forest...but the long way out of our way part doesn't thrill me. I want to get this game started already, not ramble around the countryside!"

"Guess we're pushing on then," sighed Demonprist, closing the map. "Now,where were we?"

"You...you...you..." supplied Kith with a smirk.

"Oh yeah...you're right," mused Demonprist, brandishing her sword oncemore. "You...you...YOU ASSHOLE WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU..."

"Crap!" yelped Kith escaping in the direction of the swamp.

*********************