Wren+and+Dominic+in+the+alchemy+lab+and+the+return+of+Inali,+the+fox-girl

Wren slid about the deck of the ship as it rose and started tumbling… she grabbed Inali and held her in her arms and braced herself in a corner against the railing… this time she looked around to find everyone she knew… there she was! … but she could never reach her… Loch fell over the edge of the rails on the opposite side of the deck as Wren, her white hair blowing behind her as she fell.

“LOCH!!” Wren woke herself up with her scream, trembling from the adrenaline stirred into her body from the dream. She hugged the sheer white silk pajamas around her. She needed to feel close to her. She had to keep reaching out for her… she got up and hung Eland’s whistle around her neck. She put on a long sleeved, hooded cloak and stepped quietly out into the hall in her bare feet. No one else in the house seemed to be stirring… good, she didn’t wake them.

Inali followed her out of the house as she walked in her bare feet across the roads toward the home they had designated for the alchemy lab and magic working… it was very quiet under the strange starry sky. As she approached, she saw a magical light in the window of the alchemy lab. Dominic must be up late too… she went in quietly to find him working at the tables. She smiled and watched him work for a few minutes, until she felt it was safe to break his concentration without catastrophe. She stepped closer and handed him the vial she was sure he was reaching for… “Want some company?” she smiled, and brushed a stray strand of hair back behind her ear.

"Any time...Lady Dreamspinner...with such a beautiful woman it’s impossible to say no..." He took the vial, his hand just lingering for a moment on hers, and delicately added its contents to the mixture that he was working on, held in a flask over a low flame. It was...bubbling slowly. It really was...interesting to see the materials that he worked with. Different from hers...while she used many natural herbs and plants, he obviously used more salts...and powders she was unfamiliar with.

"Why Mr. Dominic, shouldn't you save your flirting with Miss Amynta, really aren't you two practically married now?" But she couldn't help but blush a little, he really was quite handsome...and his voice...she couldn't help but wonder if he used that voice on the young priestess of Sune as well. She bet he was quite the sweet talker. Just the kind of man mother warned her about.

"Bite your tongue...it's just been a few dates...and a kiss or two. I'm still a free man. Who knows how long we'll be in Lyrabar right?" Dominic flashed her a grin.

Wren returned his grin, “Nothing wrong with keeping your options open.” She winked at him and smiled flirtatiously.

"So you go wherever Erevin does then hmm?" Wren wondered why exactly did the young man follow the elven ranger around. A bond between a human and elf was quite...rare she'd heard.

"Probably...but...what about you? You seem a little disheveled...shouldn't you be asleep, it's very late. Is everything...ok?" Dominic looked at her closely...

She smiled and looked down for a moment, “Do I? Is it that obvious?” She laughed softly and brought her gaze back up to his eyes. “Nothing like a bad dream that lingers in reality to wake a girl up bright and perky… but I’m fine. Nothing to worry about. I just miss Loch… and I’m having a particularly bad night without her tonight…”  “So… I came to do some work… and found you,” She smiled more brightly,

“I’d like to make up a few potions to have on hand for when they’re necessary… and I’d love to help you with your work and learn new things… maybe help you with that weird little… brass… was it?... vial that you were going to work on for Erevin… if you wanted the help, of course,” she stepped close beside him and looked over the table he was working on trying to recognize enough of what he was working on to guess where she could help.

“You work with such strange things to me… I’ll tell you what…” she leaned softly against him and let her head rest gently on his shoulder for just a moment, “How about you consider yourself having four hands… two that can reach a little longer, but you might have to occasionally vocally direct them… or physically if you prefer.” She winked at him and grinned.

"Oh you are such a flirt, Miss Dreamspinner! What is a poor humble man such as myself to do. I simply have no chance, do I? I really don't want to be bisected by Mr. Kale's rather sharp sword so I'll leave it to the verbal direction."

Wren laughed softly, "As you wish then." He really was so charming. His docile, passive ways intrigued her... How many masks did the young alchemist wear, she wondered.

He carefully explained each ingredient to the young witch, and how it was made. It was a fascinating thing really...the way he described the compounds and elixirs...almost sensual in the way he talked about the 'joining' of different elements. He really was too modest, he was quite skilled in flirting too… and the memories of the nightmare faded with the warm blush he kept bringing to her cheeks with his words.

Wren giggled and continued to subtly flirt with him, never being too forward... letting him take the lead, and following. She paid attention and kept up, trying to anticipate the next move as he talked. She was fascinated with the way that he worked and asked occasional questions, filling him in on some of their differences. She giggled as she wove around him, from time to time, her arms bringing him supplies and pouring mixtures around his. Multiple things going at once. Something fun and experimental on the side, brewing with a combination of their different alchemy ways. "Oh! we should add this!" throwing in an herbal powder and laughing as it almost foamed up out of the vial.

"So... if you don't mind my asking... what's your connection to Erevin? Did you grow up together in Myth Coramanth?" she smiled.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Not...precisely..." Dominic said carefully...he was a little cautions about revealing too much of his past, even with the beautiful witch. "I was taken in by the elves of Myth Coramanth when my mother passed away. She'd...well...been hiding in Myth Coramanth because of some family problems where she came from and brought me with her. The elves kindly adopted me...my mother had set up an alchemy shop and I sort of… inherited it...much younger than I should have. I did some work for the rangers...the crew that Shri and Erevin were a part of...making salves and healing potions...smoke and flares, and other such things. That's how I met the two of them initially."

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren nodded. "I'm so sorry about your mother. That had to be hard to lose her, especially so young." She laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. <span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"I understand something happened here in Lyrabar regarding your family name... I'm very careful not to use it here in the city… because of that," she nodded to Dominic, "I know what it can be like to deal with distrust... harassment... even... hunters... simply from a name. While it’s not my family name... to simply hear the word ... witch... well, you know." She smiled at him.

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"While my mother has tried to make a good home for us, and keep a very good standing with Lady Lionspaw and the city... my family isn't without its share of secrets," she paused looking at his eyes to see how much she could trust him.

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"I have an older sister... not just a witch "sister"... but a blood sister..."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren smiled, glancing over to the table where Inali had leapt up on. She'd been lazily curled in a ball for a while listening, but now stood and stretched, sniffing various bags of dried herbs Dominic had laid out in tiny bins on the table. She didn't notice that one of the bags had a small tear in it and breathed in a little too much. Inali lifted her head up, shaking, and then...sneezed. With a loud pop there was suddenly a fox girl sitting on the table rubbing her nose. This time, however...she was completely naked.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Dominic raised an eyebrow, looking at Wren...

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Ohhh! Inali!" Wren glanced at Dominic and laughed softly. She helped Inali down from the table before she knocked anything important over. Wren removed her long sleeved hooded cloak and put it on Inali, leaving herself in Loch's white sheer pajamas. Wren blushed at Dominic.

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"I'm sorry... umm... Well... Inali, come say hello to Dominic," Wren put an arm around Inali's shoulders and guided her up to the young alchemist, "You see... when we went to go visit the wizard... Rosche... he turned Inali into .. well... this... and when we left... she was her normal fox self again... I didn't think she would look like this anymore." Wren looked over the table to see what she could have gotten into.

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Inali looked herself over in the elven robe, far too big for her... she smiled a sweet, little impish smile up at the alchemist, "Did you do this? Did you bring it back?" She seemed happy and tilted her head at Dom.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Dominic tried to avert his eyes...the young...woman...fox...whatever still hadn't gotten used the concept of...clothing and wasn't particularly holding the cloak tightly against her, giving him quite a view of her young...pert body. He turned to look at the bag that she had disturbed, holding it up. Suddenly...he laughed.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"I'd like to take credit...but I'm afraid...this is just...pepper. Nothing magical at all I'm afraid. Used in a few recipes, but not many. Good to put on... well...lunch sometimes." He grins.

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren laughed with Dominic as she looked at the bag he held up.

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren looked around the room and felt out for that very powerful magical presence that might be lurking in the shadows. She looked back at Inali, "Inali... YOU must have done this... he must have done something so... you could keep it?" Wren blinked at her. She thought back. "But why would he ...? He was generous enough to give us back all of our paid with items... why would he have left you with this form?" As much as Wren and the girls seemed to think Inali was adorable this way... Inali sure seemed cranky over losing her precious fur... so why... suddenly it clicked... the item she paid with... the secret... She looked down at the little fox girl and smiled. She noticed Dominic's averted gaze and the cloak around Inali and giggled. She reached over and buttoned up a couple of the middle buttons on the front of the cloak on the little fox girl to give her a little modesty.

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Inali didn't really think about any consequences or about revealing too much of her precious secret, she just went over and hugged Dominic and whispered in his ear, "Thank you for helping me find it anyway." She smiled at him sweetly.

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren smiled at Inali, "Well... I think you look great! We'll have to figure out how to help you change whenever you want to... he let you have both forms! What a gift! He must have liked you." <span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">She glanced back to Dominic, "Isn't she adorable?"

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Inali folded her arms and stood up a little proudly, "Stop calling me adorable! I'm... pretty."

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren worked hard to suppress a giggle and just smiled broadly, "Of course you are... My mistake." She glanced at Dominic.

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren looked at Dominic... she tapped a little of the pepper out of the bag he was holding. <span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Well... we should probably figure out how you change back and forth..." She took a little of the pepper and put it under Inali's nose.

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"H-Hey! Cut that ou... Ah Ah Achoo!" Inali chastised her and pushed her back with her hands, but let loose with a loud sneeze.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">And just as suddenly, Inali was a small fox again in a shimmer of sparkles, she rubbed her nose with her paws, glaring at Wren. "That wasn't very nice at all. Bleck!"

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Dominic leaned in curiously...to examine the fox "So she...changes forms...when she sneezes? Is that normal?"

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Fascinating..." Wren looked her over and glanced over to Dominic, "Oh, not at all... this is the first. She never had any other forms before Rosche... just her normal, cute furry self."

<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Inali looked from one to the other, staring at her. She blinked at Wren, "Hey! I'm not one of your alchemy experiments... so don't go getting any ideas!"