Kay sighed and looked down at Amadaine whose eyes had half-closed in sleep again. "Och, my preciosa", she told the bird softly, "If it were not that you were beyond my fixing, I'd not ask this. But our need is great, and waiting will only make everything worse". She sighed again, feeling very frustrated indeed. Amadaine needed help BEFORE she regained enough strength to try flapping that damaged wing again. But Kay couldn't even fix HERSELF right now. And Goddess only knew where Uncle was, or when he'd return. "Very well then", she decided, looking back up at Dani. "There is a message that I would see delivered, but I am in no shape to get it there". Kay sighed again, paused, and tucked the hood of her tunic back around Amadaine for better support.
When Kay spoke again, her words came out very tentatively, as if she still wasn't certain that it was a good idea for her to be asking this. "There is a young woman ... up at the Castle. She is a ... friend ... of my friend", she added, still feeling somewhat unwilling to provide what might be too much information on the full nature of THAT relationship.
In her tidiest cahuenga, Kay wrote quickly on a piece of paper, "Vai damisela, your presence is requested in the name of she who carries the knife of your sister under her skirts, and who shares both a breda and a bredu with you. This is a confidential matter related to what we discussed the other day in my home, when I introduced you to my Terranan friend from the base (the one with the odd accent from that place on Terra, who you were so curious to know more about), and asked your advice on how to get myself out of some trouble. If it pleases you to do so, I would have you seek me later today, in the home of our mutual bredu's friend (the one that he and I visited that day that I almost ran him over while leaving McBrides' shop). And, unless you have such knowledge yourself, please bring someone you trust who is experienced in the healing of winged animals --- Cassie of Skye". Lastly, beside the signature, Kay drew the symbol of her faith (a Brighid's Cross with a pentagram in the centere).
The words of the note had been written deliberately in vague terms. That was one habit that Kay had picked up from her years in the civil service --- always assume that confidential mail was being read by at least one set of eyes other than those of the intended recipient.
But hopefully the text of the message would be clear enough to Melissa. The only iffy thing was the reference to Mestru Merrick, but Gwenn could easily point Melissa in the correct direction if asked. However, if he insisted on accompanying her, then Kay was shortly going to be in ALOT more trouble.
Kay then folded the piece of paper in half, and neatly printed upon it 'Melissa Ridenow, Ridenow Suites, Comyn Castle'. "By all the names of She who is Maiden, Mother and Holy Crone, I charge thee to convey this to her hand as soon as possible. SHE will understand what I mean by it", she pronounced, handing it to Danette.
Dani nodded and said solemnly "It will be done." She tucked the note in her pocket and smiled.
"May your trip be both safe and pleasant then, vai damisela", replied Kay, bowing as low as she was curently able. "Meow", added Mairead, nodding as if she was trying to imitate Kay.
Dani smiled again as she reached down to stroak the cat. "My the Goddess smile on you and bless you." she said as she headed for the door.She looked back over her shoulder and smiled at Cassie as another wave of her donas hit her. She knew that THIS was the girl that she was looking for, and that they'd meet again. With a sigh she stepped out of the shop and headed back to the Castle.It didn't take her long to get there and she went off to the Ridenow suites in search of Melissa.
Meanwhile, after Dani had left, Kay turned to the small cat. "That was rather unusual, wasn't it, preciosa ?", she commented. Then she shrugged "Well, we shall see soon enough if she's of good faith.. Giving another shrug, Kay looked down at her clothes (and all the dirt on Ceroill's kitchen floor. She sighed at the mess, then continued "But for now, let's do something about some of this filth. I think we'll all be happier when we're clean".
Deciding to start with the hawk, Kay softly began to sing an old lullaby while half-filling the sink with warm water. She didn't know where the bathroom was -- and going up back up those stairs was rather more than she felt able to handle right now.
Amadaine made a small fuss initially, but then calmed down. Kay's gentle hands stirred the warm water into weak waves that slowly dissolved much of the dirt. When the water turned too murky for her tastes, Kay would let it run down the drain before refilling the sink. She didn't dare to wipe at any of it (especially not at the base of amadaine's sore wing) -- there might be other wounds hidden by the the filth and feathers. The most she dared to do, was to add a tiny amount of soap to the water.
And after she'd gotten her crew cleaned up, then she might dare to take inventory of her own injuries, Kay thought to herself. That one spot on her ribs still ached and burned as she washed the small bird. It would liekly be all bruised black-and-blue at best, and perhaps cracked as well.
Feeling curious, Oberon came wandering into the kitchen. He took up a post on one of the kitchen chairs, and watched the proceedings intently. After a few minutes, Mairead sprang up onto the counter to get a better view. She wondered as to the logic of what mommy-human was doing. EVERYBODY (or at least all CATS) knew that washing was best done with a tongue.
Finally the little bird was mostly-clean. Amadaine was then quite happily set down in the pile of blanket that Kay had discarded on the top of the table. This was more like it, she thought to herself. Her feathers felt like she'd been caught in a heavy rain -- but at least mommy-human had gotten rid of those nasty clumps dirt. She made soft bird-sounds of contentment as she kneaded the fabric with her claws.
Glad for a chance to rest, Kay sat down on the empty chair and rested her head on her crossed arms. "Oh Goddess, I'm tired", she exclaimed, knowing that she should at least wash her face. Well, perhaps a few minutes of rest would refresh her. But, a few seconds later, she was fast asleep.
From his vantage at the head of the stairs, Oberon had been able to watch what was going on below, but be close enough to help defend the hurt ones if need be. He was still somewhat confused, and this continued to make him more reluctant to show himself. This event didn't make any semse. He thought that the Kay-person was supposed to be hurt (though not as badly as the smaller bird), and in need of healing/nurturing, yet she had climbed out of her nest and gone downstairs to socialize with another human.
He wished that Brother/Uncle Ceroill would return. This was his den, and he SHOULD be here. He had been gone a long time too. Feeling more and more seriously worried, Oberon stayed in the shadows near the top of the stairs, uncertain what to do.
Feeling more confused than ever, Mairead looked over at Kay. She couldn't claim to know very much about humans. But what she DID know what that humans normally did NOT sleep like THIS -- not unless something bad had happenned to them. The wrongness of it disturbed her. Something was still not-right here. She meowed inquiringly.
But mommy-human and bird-sister kept sleeping. And all that big-bird-brother would do, was to stare at her with his big eyes until she felt silly for not knowing what to do next. Yowls of frustration broke loose from her throat in protest as she jumped down from the counter, and made her way over to the owl. Didn't it bother him that humans had come, and humans had left -- but mommy and bird-sister STILL weren't made RIGHT ?
Although he was already feeling burdened by his responsibilities, Oberon spread his wings just enough to stroke Mairead's recently-tongue-washed black fur. In response, she quieted suddenly, looked up at his big round eyes, then cuddled up under the shelter made by the spread wings. A few seconds later, a soft rumbling purr came rustling gently through her feathery blanket. It had been a long stressful night, and this morning hadn't been much better so far.
If an owl could have sighed, Oberon would have done so. He was torn in two directions. The silver thread of _CONNECTION_ was like a homing beacon sounding off in his head. It made him not like other owls, it made him SUPERIOR. Surely such a thing would make for an easy path to follow to HIS human -- it would be as simple as following his instincts.
But no, he had been asked to stay here. And more importantly, he'd been asked to guard. This small human-sister had done so much for him and the little ones. She had given him back what he valued more even than his own life -- a new bond with a he-human. And so, a soft (and somewhat) sad hoot of resigned acceptance was the only sign that he'd rather be elsewhere.