Abbadon and Morgaine make their way back down the side of the volcano toward the Vale and the castle. Morgaine is happily humming and babbling about all the interesting people she got to meet (one name she drops is Nilarem). Abbadon, who has been leading Morgaine’s horse, yanks it to a stop, and flat-out asks her if she is still serious about anything anymore – in particular the party’s mission to warn the Zinyini about the drow menace. Morgaine insists that she is, though she admits that if they were to find some way to both do that and make progress in finding Prince Florin, she would want to do both.

Red, meanwhile, has recovered enough from her panic attack to realize that she is missing a shoe, and somewhat sheepishly runs back to the cloud city to retrieve it. Seraph, who has made his way toward Djeti, Gorlon and the meru-spawn, spots her and waves her to them. He mentions they will be leaving soon, and the five of them begin the trek down. Gorlon asks after Azis, Red mentions that he fled the party even faster than she did, and Seraph says only that “he’ll be around”.

The meru-spawn has been pensively quiet (as opposed to his normal balefully-glaring sort of quiet), and finally declares that Ni’Krowd has clearly blessed Gorlon with his gift of the tiny bird. Asking for a knife and Gorlon’s palm (both of which Seraph hands him), the meru-spawn cuts both Gorlon’s hand and his own. Pressing them together, he declares Gorlon to be his blood brother and packmate – he will now guard Gorlon for that reason rather than his life-debt…and Gorlon will need to help him raise his new pup. Eventually the group catches up to Morgaine and Abbadon.

Malak finds herself in Einac’s chambers, and it is a while before the young god is able to visit her. Einac asks Malak if she believes she is loyal. Malak, unsettled by the question, says that she believes so and that she is sorry if she has done anything to make him doubt it. Einac then warns Malak that her faith will be very sorely tested in the times to come, that she will need to show the love of the gods to those who would be their enemy, and that some will call her a heretic for this, but that while she will proverbially sail rough waters in so doing, Einac believes this to be the best navigable course. Einac says that he will need Malak to serve as a wet nurse, and Malak’s only question is answered almost immediately as she feels her breasts swell. Graciously accepting a kiss goodbye, Einac waves his hand and returns Malak to Seraph – for reasons neither explained nor questioned, this time he is able to do so hours in advance of sundown.

The sound of seagulls prompts the others to welcome Malak back to them. Both Red and Abbadon offer varying degrees of sympathy and disgust for how the Spirit Warrior was treated at her gods’ hands. Malak shakes her head and insists that it was an honor to die at their command, to give back to the gods what so many of them give on a regular basis to provide for the Zinyini. The meru-spawn snorts derisively, but the others apologize for the misunderstanding. Malak kisses Abbadon on the cheek and reassures everyone that she would never have expected them to understand. She then inquires after Azis, and Seraph once again maintains that “he’ll be around”.

The remainder of the trip to the castle is filled with plans for their next excursion, but is otherwise uneventful. Djeti proposes that the fastest route to the Tal-Madge oasis is about two days’ travel to the Flaming Pits, about a day to cross that, then about another twelve days’ travel across the Dune Sea. Seraph shakes his head, saying that the Zinyini never cross the Dune Sea because the reason it’s thusly named is there are no oases, and it would be impossible to carry enough water to sustain them that long, even if they are taking pack animals with them this time. Djeti smiles and assures Seraph that there are oases in the Dune Sea – it’s simply that they are all under the sands, but she could easily dive down into them and bring up water for the group. She also says that the Dune Sea is where one can occasionally find the Oasis of Inyanna. Morgaine crows at that revelation, as it potentially fulfills her wish to “do both” finding Prince Florin and warning the Zinyini. Seraph is still hesitant, but agrees as long as Djeti understands how critical it is that she keep out of danger if she is offering to be their only hope of finding sufficient water.

It is very late in the evening when the group returns to the castle. As they thread through the veritable maze of hallways, the meru-spawn tells Gorlon that they will need to acquire at least one camel that is currently milking, so the pup may feed. Malak, who is a few paces ahead, turns and asks if she may hold the pup. The meru-spawn sharply declines, and Malak says that he may call on her to feed the pup if needed – illustrating her point by ordering Seraph to look away and expressing a thin jet of breast milk in the meru-spawn’s direction. The meru-spawn then turns to his new brother and asks if Gorlon feels it wise to allow “the Zinyini whore” to suckle the pup. Whether it’s because he feels the need to smooth over the remark which completely failed to insult Malak, or because he saw Seraph looking very uncertain about the whole lactating camel thing, Gorlon immediately says that yes, it is a good idea. After a moment’s hesitation, the meru-spawn decides to trust Gorlon’s judgment and insists that Malak feed his child. Malak waves Seraph on ahead, and on the spot sits down and nurses the pup, trying not to wince too much at the pup’s milk teeth.

Gorlon, passing a particular hallway, remembers his obligation to inform Prince Lewis of their impending plans. He makes a sudden turn, and finds to his relief that the meru-spawn chooses to stay with the pup and Malak rather than guarding him. The half-azer is greeted warmly by both the Prince and his hosts (Princess Chance and Silas), and Gorlon tells them of their chosen direct route and the rumor of the Oasis of Inyanna. Princess Chance then warns Gorlon that the Oasis is known for driving people mad, and that Nilarem is rumored to be building something there. Gorlon is puzzled that Chance speaks like someone who has been there, and politely takes his leave.

Seraph backtracks a little, making his way to the quartermaster. He is told that Red has already submitted a list of supplies, and he reviews it, making several changes – mostly deletions. He returns to his room, his mind still racing with everything he has seen and heard in the City of the Gods. Seraph finds Malak already in the room, but can barely manage more than a few words to her, and decides one last bath at the Valites’ expense wouldn’t be a sin. Malak spends some time in prayer sitting on Azis’s empty bed.

Gorlon seeks out Djeti and asks her to accompany him to the castle’s library. He procures a parchment copy of a map of the Vale and its surroundings, and after explaining it to Djeti (whose people make a very different sort of map) asks for her help in marking where she remembers the underwater oases being. Djeti gladly helps, but is unable to actually mark the map because she is shivering too hard. She tells Gorlon that it is because of her withdrawal from the drow’s fungal root, and while her addiction will not kill her (as it would Rasko or Dog), she would appreciate if he held her to help stop the shivering. He does so, finding her VERY warm and radiating heat, and in addition to asking about oases asks Djeti about her people and her family to keep her mind off her misery.

The meru-spawn once again kicks Gorlon awake at dawn, and the tiny bird immediately begins peeping cheerfully, further assuring there is no chance of him sleeping any later. Blinking blearily, Gorlon asks the meru-spawn if, since they are brothers, Gorlon might finally be allowed to know the creature’s name. After a long pause, and after extracting a promise that Gorlon will not allow his unclean companions to speak its name, the meru-spawn finally reveals that its name is Tahko. Tahko then asks Gorlon to think of a common-use name for the new pup, so that the others may address it without defiling its eventual true name. Gorlon thanks Tahko for the honor, and says that the matter will require thought. He then finishes packing his personal effects. Abbadon walks in, munching a handful of sunflower seeds. The tiny bird peeps loudly and immediately soars to the Azer’s hand, wrangling for the better part of a minute to try and open a single seed. Gorlon and Abbadon look at each other and make a mental note to add sunflower seeds to the supply list. The tiny bird, whom Gorlon decides is named Woodstock, begins whistling an Azer child’s tune. Abbadon looks at the bird wonderingly, then gathers up his own things whistling the tune himself.

Seraph finishes breakfast early, and drags Gorlon to the quartermaster’s office to run a final check on the supplies. He also begins instructing Gorlon in how to wear traditional desert gear. The two are treated to the sight of Djeti emerging from a small broom closet, trying on a VERY skintight traveling outfit that she insists is commonly used among her people to travel through the sand. Abbadon has shown up by now, and quietly pulls Gorlon aside, exhorting him to remember his loyalty and not be swayed by the pretty lass he’s been spending a lot of time with lately. Gorlon is somewhat taken aback by the remark, but puts it aside and begins showing Abbadon how to dress for desert travel.

The going is painfully slow in Seraph’s eyes, and made no better by knowing that the entire day will only get them through the endless tunnel and into the tent city, and that another half-day will be lost so that they can begin traveling at night as is the wisest course of action. He finds himself that much more grateful that Azis went on ahead – the slow pace would probably have killed him. When they reach the tent city, Seraph tells the others to stay awake as long as they can – the better to adjust themselves to nocturnal travel – and he and Malak both go and pay their respects at Einac’s temple. Malak once again spends time in her former life, though she is conscientious enough to return when she suspects the meru-spawn pup will need to feed. Seraph begins trying to teach Morgaine the finer points of fighting with a dagger in conjunction with her astral projection abilities. Red checks in with the local herbalists and apothecaries, all of whom are still mystified by the drow fungal root.

At last the evening falls, and the party makes its way out into the desert. Seraph teaches the others how to walk carefully on the sand, and steels himself to travel in a direction no other Zinyini dare. The first evening and morning pass without incident, due in part to a cairn they encountered on their path warning of a raiding party in the area. Malak’s heart leaps when Seraph tells the party what the pile of stones means, hoping it also means Azis has passed this way ahead of them.

During the second night of travel, Woodstock suddenly stops its cheerful peeping and begins to make noises akin to desert animals. First it howls like a coyote, then it hisses like a snake, and finally it makes a deep chittering sound that sets Seraph on edge. He explains to the others that there are black scorpions easily twice the size of their camels, who burrow in the sand and emerge when prey is near.

Seraph’s sudden tensing up puts everyone on alert, so Abbadon is not taken by surprise when one of the giant black scorpions emerges from the sand about fifty meters away and charges at his camel. Swinging down, he slaps the beast on its rump and readies his axe to strike. Abbadon and Seraph both strike, and then a blast of wind from Malak sends the creature tumbling end-over-end. Its subsequent focus on keeping its feet on the sand means that the fighters have no problem dispatching it – and that Red has no trouble leaping on its back and both grasping and IMMOBILIZING its huge venomous tail. Once she is certain the creature is dead, she SINGLE-HANDEDLY holds the creature over her head to drain the venom out of the stinger. Seraph finally looks at Red and asks “What are you?”, and isn’t in the least bit convinced by her claim that she doesn’t know what he’s talking about, all henchmen are supposed to be strong like that. Stone-faced, Seraph hacks off the now-empty stinger and part of the creature’s carapace as trophies and leads them the rest of the way to a suitable campsite.

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