Silver Insanity

"No, it's not. But there's still another bookshelf to go through before I'd have to try to negotiate for access to the restricted sections. And I did manage to get permission to borrow a few 'less valuable' tomes - perhaps we can find something in them tonight."

"Fine good. This is Kerberos by the way, he's new to my pack. Kerberos this is Englesworth."

"Hello," says Englesworth.

Kerberos just looks at the bard. After a few moments, Sir Englesworth shrugs and turns back to Maya.

"Here are the books I was allowed to bring out; you can look through them while I go find dinner."

Maya: "Reading huh? Oh well." She sits and picks up a book. "I hate these things." Starts flipping through it.

Fierce: "Look upon it as a hunt. Within those pages may be knowledge that you seek, track it down and find it."

Maya: "Nice metaphor. I still hate reading though."

Fierce: "If you read more, you'd know that was an analogy."

Maya: "If you like reading so much, why don't you do the research?"

Fierce: "It is difficult to flip pages with paws, you should try it, you might learn to appreciate your ability to read at your leisure."

Maya tosses her a book: "Difficult is not the same as impossible, you're helping. You too." Tosses Kerberos a book and tells him what they're looking for.

Fang feigns sleeping.

Kerberos casually catches the book on the back of one paw, and then shifts to hybrid form, opens the book, and starts reading - though perked ears indicate he's still paying attention and listening to the description of what he's supposed to be looking for.

* * *

Come morning, Kerberos can be found finishing off the last of what Englesworth had probably intended as a full day's supply of reading material.

Two books lie open on the table, apparently left at specific pages.

Maya will go look at the specific pages.

One of the books is a history of Arthen, and includes a description of the location where the first king supposedly bargained with the Winterwyld to release the land from its freezing grip. It's not much to go on, but "A cave in the north-west corner of the valley, leading into a tiny frozen grotto," is still a better clue than nothing at all.

The other book describes an arcane ritual by which an ambitious mage summoned the Winterwyld, presumably in an attempt to strike down his enemies. The wizard's frozen corpse was recovered by his apprentice a few days later, along with his notes on the ritual.

"I'm not summoning anyone." Closes that book. "Well we have landmarks, that's something, and if anyone can find that, we can."

Kerberos nods, and turns another page.

Englesworth, by contrast, is apparently still asleep.

When Englesworth wakes up Maya says to him: "If you could, I'd like you to do some more research in town. The pack and I will be going to look for there. *points to the book with the information* We may be gone for a few days, if we don't return after a week, go about your business and it's been great knowing you. Thanks for everything. *turns to the rest* We're off."