Tamma opened the door to her room. The moment it was open enough, Lug came barreling through and stood on his legs while his front two paws landed on Tamma's chest. His long tongue came out and began licking the hunter's cheek.

"Calm down boy! It's only been a few hours!" With a few pats on the side, the brillick got back on the ground with all four legs. Tamma waved her hands, shooing the brillick back inside the room. Tamma let out a long sigh and sat herself on the edge of her mattress, making it tilt to her side from the sudden shift in weight. Miwah entered next, leaning against the opposite wall while Yalch travelled through the closed door and lingered in the center.

"I don't even want to take him outside right now." Tamma stared at Lug, watching him lick his hind leg. "Those Cutthroats are probably looking for us right now. And without being able to access our Purifier forms for the rest of the day, we're pretty much open targets."

"That means we will have to adjust or schedule to accommodate. Lug will have to make do on his own for a little while longer if you are so worried about Cutthroats getting to him."

The hunter slid off her bed and onto her knees. She reached forward and took the animal by his neck and pulled him close, resting her check against the thin fur of his head. With some patting, Lug opened his mouth wide and began to yawn. "Good thing he's so lazy. I guess staying inside all day has really drained him."

"Good. While he is resting, we can go meet this person you mentioned earlier."

"Fine. That works with me. I can already tell Lug is about to go down any minute. I think a little snack and some water should put him to sleep for a good while." Tamma reached under her bed and pulled out a small jar of the same jerky that she had given Miwah the first time they had met. "These are the emergency rations. Better to use them now than never I suppose," she said as she unscrewed the top. Lug's nostrils gravitated towards the savory scent. With one chomp, he snatched the piece of meat out of Tamma’s hand and downed it in one bite.

"You said that this person resides at the Governor's estate?" Miwah asked, still perched against the wall. She watched Lug open his mouth wide and let out a lengthy yawn. "Will it be difficult to meet with him if he works for the town's leader?"

The hunter wagged her head. "Not at all. I visit him all the time. The Governor's estate is enormous with a lot of wings and adjacent buildings for all manner of subordinates. Chaston is the designated Advisor of Environment. It may sound like a prestigious position, but it's nothing special. It's just a title for someone who knows a lot about the woods and life in the water. It's not like he makes any of the big decisions."

Once Lug put his head on the floor, Tamma rose to her feet. "Occasionally the Governor will ask him a question or two about the island's wildlife in regards to policies about expanding territory into the forest or what restrictions to put on hunting. But at the end of the day, his word doesn't mean much. Not like they listen to any of his suggestions anyway. Chaston is only there because Remcroft requires someone to fill his position."

"Ah. An advisor for the sake of being an advisor. We had a few people in similar positions back at my village. They were usually relatives of the leader and were given easy tasks while still living a relatively luxurious lifestyle."

"It's the same way here. Almost all the advisor positions in Farrowport can be traced back to having some kind of close tie with the governor. Chaston is the governor’s nephew. But he's one of the few people over there that is actually familiar with their assigned position. And he's one of the friendlier ones, too. The rest of them are all snoots that are more concerned with coming off as important rather than actually doing anything important."

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"Will we stand out there?" Miwah looked down at her dirtied robes. "They will be able to tell that I am a foreigner with a single glance. And I mean no offence, but I do not think you would pass for someone of high standing either."

Tamma looked at her outfit as well. "We'll get some odd looks, that's for sure. But Chaston doesn't usually dress like the rest of the people working for the Governor. He is a man of nature, after all. Fancy dress shirts don't do you much good when you're going up against the elements. Only time I’ve seen him dress nice is when he’s trying to get in a woman’s good graces."

"I see. As long as we do not get any more unwanted attention, I am happy. And is the distance to the Governor's estate far from here?"

"No. We could make it there in about forty-five minutes. That is if we take shortcuts through the alleys. But I'm thinking we should take the long route through the more crowded sections of town."

"What a surprise. I was going to suggest the same thing."

"I'm ready to head out whenever you are. Just let me get some water ready for Lug and we can be on our way." Tamma moved to the far corner of the room and picked up a stained metal dish. "I'm going to fill this up at the fountain. I'll be right back."

****

The metal tray landed with a light clang next to the dormant brillick's head. Despite the noise and the small splash of water that landed on his face, Lug remained asleep. Tamma clapped her hands and then looked at Miwah. "Let's just hope he doesn't drink too much. He's not good at holding his water. And getting that scent out of wooden floors isn't easy, lass."

Miwah stared at Lug with an expression that had an unpleasant blend of disgust and worry. "And it will be my turn to spend the night next to him..."

"Let's head out now, shall we?" Tamma nudged Miwah on the shoulder towards the door.

"Let's."

Tamma let Miwah and Yalch exit first. Once they were out, she stood in the doorway and checked to make sure Lug was asleep before stepping out herself. Seeing that the brillick was in a deep sleep, she gently closed the door behind her. "Hopefully Lug can hold it in for a while longer. Didn't give him too much."

"I would rather not think about that at the moment, seeing as how I will be the one sleeping on the floor tonight. I have enough things to worry about for now."

"Right. Let's just focus on getting to the Governor's estate for now. Since we'll be taking the long route, we'll have to keep up a brisk pace to make up for the lost time."

"Lead the way, Tamma." Miwah stepped to the side, angling her hand towards the stairs with an open palm and a courteous bow.

"You're so polite, Miwah," Tamma replied playfully. "Wouldn't expect anything less from someone of Xiwao."

"What can I say? Manners are a crucial part of culture. Separates us from the brutes that are always trying to invade."

"Brutes, huh?" Tamma replied with a raised eyebrow. "Aren't you the one that decapitated a giant snake not too long ago?" The hunter then hurried down the stairs. Miwah followed right behind, making a rapid series of clomps as they worked their way down the steps.

"Fine. You got me there. But I am being honest when I say that I was a much different person before I became a Purifier!"

Yalch made sure to stay close behind, lingering only a few feet away from Miwah. "I don't know, Tamma's got a point!" he said with a lively cadence. "She didn't see how you fought on that boat against that Ghenkan. You may look and act polite, but you certainly don't fight that way."

“Hey!” Miwah said while looking at the ghost that hovered behind her. Tamma was already out the front door, holding it wide open as she waited for the seamstress and Yalch to go through. “Whose side are you on anyway?”

“I’m with the Purifiers! And that means both of you! So I’ll just have to stick with the truth for now. No picking a side for me.” He pressed his hand against what would be his heart and lifted the opposite arm upwards as if he were making an oath. “You’ll hear nothing but honesty from a spirit!”

“We can chat on our way to the Governor’s estate,” Tamma interjected, rushing the other two by wagging her hand. “But we really need to get going now!”

“She makes a good point, Yalch. I do not want to be laying down on a soaked floor if it is avoidable.”