"Meria figured she had it all. She had a key that had opened all the empty rooms in the Inn until she'd chosen one for herself. She had her shinies and her pouch, she had a good friend suddenly that didn't chase her with brooms or yell at her.

Things were definitely looking up finally! And sure, so her new best friend was a million feet tall with horns and wings but why did that matter"

She was smiling to herself when she descended the steps from her room to pounce across the early afternoon quiet of a near empty Inn, yes indeed! Things were looking up! So up that she didn't even notice the lump of rag tag blue and gray on top of a table as she hummed past it.

She couldn't forget that voice. She would never forget that voice, frankly, as much as she had tried to over the years because the voice did nothing but make "Meria feel all tight. Like springs and coils over wound. In fact the very sound of it had the tiny thing raising shoulders.

"Furzzle!" It wasn't angry, the way she said that name. It was weary already with a touch of wary and a nice heaping side of surrendering to her own awful fate.

Finally, "Meria turned. "What in the Abyss are you doing here" How did you get here?" "Meria curled her small hands into loose fists, plunking them down atop her hips.

"Meria let one hand lift from its hip-curl to smack it briefly upon brow then rub. It was difficult picking apart most of what Furzzle had prattled, but the gist of it was grasped.

Good question, that last bit. So good in face it made the tip of "Merias nose turn pink for a split second.

"I didn't! I don't! I haven't! I just found this place!" And "Meria looked horrified for some reason, perhaps the turn of phrase.

"I just happened to be here!" Squeaked. Then "Meria eyed Furzzle suspiciously. "You haven't found anything while you've been here, right' You haven't?" Because it would just be awful having to explain things to the people that owned this Inn.

"Meria let go of a very soft breath. "I don't have many things in my pouch, Furzzle. I gave them to someone." There were times when she could forget many things and look upon Furzzle with fondness.

"You shouldn't be out and about. It's winter, Furzzle. It'll be really, reallllly cold soon and it'll be hard to sleep outside." "Meria let her other hand fall from her hip and flounced toward the smaller Kender seated on top of table, cherubic small hand splayed to touch the Kender's upper arm.

"Why don't you?" "Meria trailed off, she couldn't believe what she was going to say. Part of her warned her it was a foolish thing and would give her nothing from grief again. That she should just keep her mouth shut.

Luckily, that part of her was very small compared to the other parts.

"Why don't you stay with me this winter" I have a warm room with a very big bed and soft carpets! It's even got a balcony! I gave one of the women who works here'she's got really nice hair and she was nude except for sparkles!"one of my shinies. A red one. She said it was enough to stay for a very long time until I got some coins but I forgot to get coins." Prattle, "Meria squeezed the upper arm and then patted it affectionately.

"It'd be a nice change compared to garbage piles, don't you think?"

"Meria watched Furzzle babble, turning her eyes a little to watch her climb off the table and settle herself.

There were deep lines between these two that simply words did not express. There were things "Meria wanted to say but could never bring herself to do it, really. There was time still, wasn't there" She'd eventually work up the courage"If Furzzle could just..

"Very good food, depends on who is cooking through, and you need to watch that. Some of them don't wash their hands after poking about bloody people on the bar." Cluck of tongue, then "Meria patted the long brown braid absently.

"Witch, probably. Come on," reaching out to snag Furzzle's hand. "My rooms up the steps, it won't be a long climb."

"Meria smiled then, and tugged the smaller toward the stairs and up.