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		[Shifters] 1.4: Nester's Inn
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[Admin - This is the last post, made sometime in late April....]

     Rathanael gazed at her reflection in the small mirror which adorned 
one wall of the tiny room she'd rented for the night.  Though the mirror 
was blurred and cracked, it didn't disguise the pale beauty of her face-- 
nor did it hide the dark circles under her violet eyes.  She rubbed her 
tired eyes with a sigh and softly cursed the disturbing dreams which had 
plagued her sleep the night before.  "Well, there's no help for it," 
Rathanael murmured softly to her own reflection.  "I brought all of this 
on myself, so I suppose I'd better just make the best of it."  She 
stared at her own image for a moment longer, allowing herself to briefly 
wallow in her loneliness and self-pity.  Finally she felt that she'd 
indulged herself for long enough.  She squared her shoulders and turned 
away.
     There was a soft, hesitant knock on the door.  Rathanael tensed and 
loosened her sword it its sheath before she opened the door a crack and 
peered out.  When she saw the young girl who waited anxiously in the 
hallway, Rathanael relaxed slightly and opened the door a little wider.  
"Did you want something, young one?" she asked.
     "Th' master wanted t' know if ye wanted yer noon meal up here," the 
girl said in a voice so soft that Rathanael had to strain to hear it.  
"He knowed ye was tired, and when ye didn't come down to break yer fast, 
he thought mebbe somebody ought to check on ye."
     "Oh!" Rathanael said in surprise.  "I didn't know it was so late!  
I--that's very kind, but I'm on my way down right now."  The girl nodded 
and scampered off in the direction of the common room.
     Rathanael followed at a more leisurely pace.  The smell of a 
roasting pig made Rathanael's mouth water as she suddenly realized just 
how hungry she was.  She paused at the entrance to the common room.  It was 
nearly full, and Rathanael scanned the room in vain for an empty table.  
The crowd was rowdier than Rathanael had expected--for a long moment, she 
entertained the idea of taking her meal in her room, after all.
     Suddenly Rathanael's eyes fell on a familiar face.  "Maurk!" she 
exclaimed in delight as she hurried towards the dwarf's table.  He was, 
after all, the only person she knew in the whole world at the moment-- 
even if they had met only briefly the night before.
     The dwarf had a pipe in one hand and a mug of ale in the other, and he 
seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.  Upon hearing his name, Maurk 
suddenly lost his balance in his leaning chair and fell backwards.  In 
doing so, he lost his drink all over a nearby customer - whose story 
was rudly interrupted by a drenching shower of ale and a flurry of 
laughter.  Maurk lay on the floor holding his stomach from the pain of 
his mirth.  Biting back a giggle, Maurk turned to Rathanael with 
glimmering yellow eyes.  "So, the sleeping beauty hast awaken!"  With 
surprising speed and agility - almost too quick for the eye to follow - the 
dwarf jumped up, righted his chair, and gracefully bowed to the beautiful 
warrior.
	"Do you mind if I join you?" Rathanael asked him over the noise of 
the crowd.  "I never did get that meal you promised me last night, you 
know!" 
	"By all means."  Maurk winked, bent down and grabbed his pipe and 
mug, and pointed to a chair next to him at the empty table.  He held up 
his mug to the bartender, who nodded in understanding, and turned to 
Rath.  "I see the sleep did wonders for ya'."  A toothy smile spread 
across his face.  "You don't look like the woman I had to carry up the 
stairs.  Ya' may not remember, but as soon as we entered Nesters here, 
ya' collapsed in that chair there like a sack o' tubers!"

[To Rath: And you say.....:)]

	"So, what would ya' like?  An ale to get the blood going?  Tubers 
maybe?" Maurk's eyes sparkled with energy.  Damn, I'm in a good mood 
today.  What could go better?!
	A voice grumbled behind him, "Hey, yellow-eye!  You gonna pay for 
'dis?"  A large hand gripped Maurks shoulder, digging into the thick 
leather armor with painful strength.

[Rath may notice that Maurks eyes are indeed different from the other 
dwarfs in the room, who predominantly have brown eyes.]

[Admin Note 10/1/96: This is where the thread was left off and will be 
where I reopen it two weeks from now.  I will write in an appropriate 
exit for Rathanael so Laura may use the character later on, if she ever 
comes backk.]

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[Shifters]  Volume 1, Post 4       Copyright (c) 1996.  All rights reserved.
 
Prytzouth & Maurkel -- Chad Walstrom   -- cwalstro@d.umn.edu
Rathanael	    -- Liana Elandrian -- overholt@mhc.mtholyoke.edu

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