"How do you feel this morning?", Lyranda asked Marren as he awoke from his rest.  "Like I've been kicked in the chest by a horse... twice," the man responded with a slight grin.  "Considering the alternative, I think that's a good sign, my friend," the druid replied, "you will need a couple of days rest to regain your strength.  Unfortunately, I cannot help you with the pain, I'm sorry."

Entering the room with a bowl in her hand, Lilith interjected, "perhaps I can."  Handing the bowl to Marren, the mage said, "here good sir, a little something I concocted that may ease your suffering."  Looking up at the woman, Marren inquired, "what is it?  Some kind of magical potion or elixir?"  With a slight laugh, Lilith replied, "in a sense, it's chicken soup... my grandmother's recipe."  Taking the bowl from the woman, Marren slowly raised the spoon to his mouth and gingerly sipped the soup. "It's delicious,"  Marren told the mage with a smile,  "I'm beginning to feel better, already.  Leave it to grandmothers to always come up with the perfect cure for anything and everything. Thank you Lilith."

In the next room, Cailin awoke from her slumber to find Petra asleep, sitting on the floor beside the cot,  the dwarf's head resting on her arm perched on the cot's edge.  "Petra?", Cailin spoke, still weary from her sleep,  "why didn't you go to bed?"   Stiff from her position, Petra stretched and responded, "I be fine, lass.  Ye needed a friend close and that's what friends do for each other."  "Thank you," Cailin whispered to the dwarf, "thank you for everything."  Continuing, Cailin asked the woman, "how's Marren, is he alright?"  "I'm sure he is darlin', haven't heard anything yet to the contrary," Petra replied, "perhaps we'll get some news soon.  Meanwhile, let's get up and moving.  These bones of mine be a little stiff, mind helping an old woman get up?"  Rising from her cot, Cailin looked at her friend and with a grin responded, "of course, take my hand, 'old woman', we'll get you moving again."

As the pair were walking around the room, Lilith entered, "well, Lyranda stayed awake most of the night to take care of Marren, he's doing fine now."  "Can I see him?", Cailin asked the mage, anticipation filling her voice.  "Not yet, dear," Lilith replied, "he's eating right now... as you should be."  "I'm not hungry," Cailin protested.  "Tough," the mage responded, "I spent most of the morning making my grandmother's chicken soup and you're going to eat before you do anything else... right, Petra?"  "Aye," Petra said as she looked to her young friend, "ye heard the woman, sit... eat!"   "But... ," Cailin protested.  "No 'buts'," Lilith sternly addressed the young woman, then turning to Petra continued, "I'm going out to re-enforce the shield and check on the animals.  You be sure she eats every last bit."  With a laugh, Petra replied, "oh don't ye worry love, she's not going anywhere... even if I have to tie her down to the bench.  Go do yer thing, Lilith,"  then turning back to Cailin, "ye heard the woman, eat!"  With a sigh of resignation, Cailin picked up the spoon and began to eat the soup.

After dutifully eating her meal, Cailin looked over to Petra and said, "well, it's gone... every last drop.  Can we go see Marren, now ... ... ...please?"  "In a few moments, lass," Petra replied, "first though, ye need to clean up a bit and change clothes.  Ye need to get out of what ye be wearing now, it still be stained with yesterday's happenings.  It'll make ye feel better and Marren, I'm sure, would appreciate it."  "Then, can I... we, go see him?", Cailin inquired of her friend, with exasperation.

"Aye, love... then we'll go see him," Petra replied with a sly grin.

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Cailin's Journey - - An Adventure In The Making
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