The next day was colder than the last. Eseth climbed down from the loft, shivering as she relit the fire, after which she clambered up to the second hollow to check on Junin. He sat uncomfortably on the makeshift bed, his broken wing not allowing him to lie down. He smiled faintly at her.

She yawned. "How's the wing?"

"It's okay. I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night, though."

Eseth nodded. "You can probably expect that. Oh, Kaza's going to see if she can move in with Redwing for a bit, so she won't be able to check up on your wing as much, but you'll be able to come downstairs without her snarling at you."

Junin scowled. "The red angel? Why does she want to-" it appeared almost too distasteful for words. "Move in with him?"

Eseth frowned. "Because she hates you and likes Redwing. That's why." she said bluntly. "I'm going to make some breakfast, okay? Kaza's probably going to come check on the wing in a bit." she added, and climbed down the ladder.

Junin sighed as she left. He somewhat enjoyed talking to her, even if he didn't know her very well.

A few minutes after Eseth left, Kaza came up, scowling. "Just here to check on the wing," she muttered, glaring at Junin. Lightly touching the cast, she frowned. "Anything wrong?" asked Junin tentatively. Kaza shook her head, and went downstairs.

After going downstairs, Kaza went to the sleeping loft and rolled up her bedroll.

"Packing?" asked Eseth, not looking at her.

"Yeah," said Kaza. "I'm sorry, I just can't stay here."

Eseth nodded. "Want sime breakfast?"

"Sure."

---

After breakfast, Kaza continued packing. All of her things amounted to two bags and a bedroll.

Opening the outside door, instead or just using the trap door, Kaza stepped out into the snow. Eseth followed close behind, shivering in the snow. Kaza turned to her and said "I really don't want to do this, you know."

Eseth nodded. "I know."

Kaza's lips trembled, and she suddenly threw herself on Eseth in a ferocious hug. "Augh!" cried Eseth. "Oh, Eseth, I'll miss you!" said Kaza.

"That's great, I'll miss you too." said Eseth, her voice slightly muffled. "See you."

Kaza grinned and stepped back. She closed the door, leaving Eseth inside, and set off into the forest.

Eseth sighed, turning away from the closed door. Now what was she going to do? Kaza was going to be gone for the next few weeks, and Eseth's only company would probably be a Swan angel she disliked.

She sighed, and went upstairs. What else did she have to do, after all?

---

Kaza plodded through the snow, carving out a path for herself and pulling her bags behind her. After about a half hour of doing this, she sighed and fashioned an ice sled for herself, which she found sped her progress immensely.

She sighed. She didn't really want to leave Eseth, so soon after they had settled into the tree. She scowled as she though of Junin.

At least she was staying with Redwing.

Eventually, she reached the bridge to Redwing's tower-island. She crossed over without much difficulty, but took a few minutes trying to find the door into the walls surrounding the island. When she did, she went over to the tower and knocked on the door. Not sure that the knock had been effective with the big door, she pounded it harder, right after which it opened.

Redwing, looking tired, said, startled "Oh--hi, Kaza. What are you doing here?"

"I'm moving in with you. That is, if you don't mind?"

"No, I don't mind at all!" said Redwing. "But why--?"

"I don't want to stay with that angel." she said.

Redwing nodded, understanding. "That's perfectly alright. I wouldn't want to, either. Do you need any help with your bags? I have an extra room, but it's near the top."

"Oh it's fine, thanks anyway." said Kaza cheerfully.

Redwing smiled. "Follow me, then." they went up the tower's stairs, going through the entrance hall, Redwing's room, a kitchen, and finally arriving at Kaza's room.

"Here you are. I started fixing it up right after I met you and Eseth, just in case you guys wanted to stay here the night, if something happened to your tree."

Kaza smiled at him. There was a single bed stand, which seemebed standd to be made out of pieces of twisted metal. "I found that on the other side of the island," said Redwing, referring to the metal bedstand. "There's a few more attached watchtowers and things over there. Hang on, I'll get you a mattress. I have one or two around here somewhere," he said, going downstairs and returning a few minutes later with a battered futon. He placed it on the bed, and said "I'll let you get settled. It's almost noon, so I should probably make some lunch."

Kaza beamed at his retreating back, and put her bags down on the bed. Out of one bag, she pulled out her clothes and some blankets, which she placed next to her bedroll. Out of another, she pulled a few jars of spices, a few books, some dried plants and an extra pair of sandals. Out of the last bag she pulled the map of the island, a necklace, a pair of slippers, and a journal. She considered writing an entry but decided against it.

She put her clothes and things away on the shelves that sat along the walls, and put her bedroll and blankets on the bed. Looking around the circular room, she found the walls were painted a faded, pale blue. There were two windows, shuttered for the winter. They still had glass in them, though it was cracked and dirty.

She glared at the window, resolving to help Redwing collect some sand to make new glass. It was lucky they had a Pyromancer on the island. Hopefully, Eseth could make some glass. It wouldn't be as clear as true glass, but it would be better than what was currently in the window.

Kaza sat back down on the bed. Her heavy coat lay discarded on the floor, and Kaza supposed she should pick it up. Doing so, she noticed a piece of the floor that looked...odd. Like a trapdoor, except there was no handle anywhere. She poked around the odd space, finding there was a trapdoor, but cleverly disguised so it looked like part of the floor. Wondering if she could somehow use her Hydromancy to pick up the door, she found a slight indentation in the floor that looked somewhat like a handle.

Yanking on it, she found that the door came up easily. Putting the door aside, she looked into the darkness below. Lumping down into it, she found a short passage, little more than a crawlspace, lit easily by the light from her room.

At the end of the passage was a rope ladder, leading up into darkness. Kaza furrowed her brow, and tugged on it. It seemed sturdy enough. She grabbed a hold of it and climbed up. As she climbed, she wondered if Redwing had ever found this place.

She soon arrived at a landing, and gasped. The landing was brightly-lit, not by windows or lamps, but by strange, glowing stones. A pair of maps was tacked up on one part of the wall, and several books were stacked on a shelf. Kaza shivered as she saw a pair of well-worn boots, and some old clothes, as well. Kaza looked at the maps.

Written in Lisili, they were a bit difficult to read, but not impossible. The title of one read "Under paths of Ocean's Flame." It looked like the map that she and Eseth had of the island, except different. Instead of the forests and beaches of their map, this one looked like a collection of intricate tunnels that included the secret passageway in this tower, as well as ones in several other towers that she hadn't known existed.

The other map merely said "Ocean's Flame." It seemed to be an updated version of Kaza and Eseth's own map, that included this tower-island, as well as several others on the other side of Ocean's Flame itself. It also listed a village, near Soul's End.

Kaza furrowed her brow, and went back down the ladder. She had to tell Redwing about this, assuming he hadn't already found it. On going back to the trapdoor, she found Redwing looking curiously over the edge. Kaza raised her eyebrows.

"I didn't know this was here," said he. "Anything interesting down there? I was going to get you for lunch, but found this instead."

Kaza nodded. "There's a secret room down there," she said, pointing down the passage. "Come on, I'll show you." Kaza ducked back into the crawlspace, not looking back to make sure Redwing actually followed her.

Redwing hovered in the trapdoor and then followed her, first through the crawlspace, then up the ladder. She heard Redwing gasp, and said "See, there's some Ocean's Flame maps, a whole lot more detailed than the one I have."

"They have my tower on them," Redwing observed. "And others.

"Yeah, they do, and look!" Kaza pointed to the Underpaths map. "All these tunnels are mapped." Kaza traced the tunnels with her fingernail. "There's a few more towers, on the other side of the island. And a library, and some other things. I don't think we could get to any of it now, but maybe we could, in spring."

Redwing nodded. "We should go eat lunch. It's going to get cold."

Kaza glanced at him. He'd picked up one of the clothes and was looking at it intently. She nodded. "I guess so."

They went back down the ladder and through the tunnel. Kaza shoved the trapdoor over the opening, but leaving a space open so she could find it again.

Then they both walked down the stairs to the kitchen, where a table held an array of food.

Kaza sat in one of the ramshackle chairs, taking a sandwich from one of the plates. "Thanks for lunch," she said. "Just don't expect me to cook, not unless you want food poisoning."

Redwing smiled. "I'll be sure to remember that."

Kaza looked at her sandwich. "How in the world did you make bread?" she asked. "Is there wheat and things on the island, or something?"

Redwing nodded. "It's really crude. Only unleavened flour and things, and not a whole lot, at that. Some wheat grows in a field in the summer, but I don't have any salt, or sugar, or yeast. It's pretty much flour and water. I could show you and Eseth, sometime."

Kaza absent-mindedly munched on her sandwich. "That's two things to do this summer," she said. "Look in those passages, and show Eseth and me how to make bread." she looked at him. "I wonder how she's doing right now?"

---

Eseth sighed. This was boring. Boring boring borrrrriiiingg. That's all she was doing, looking after an obnoxious Swan and cooking. Great. Lovely. She'd personally find him a place to stay after his wing was healed, and she would make sure it was underground. yes, underground and on the far side of the island.

That way they wouldn't have to listen to him. She ran a hand through her bright red hair, sighing again. It was going to be an excrutiatingly long couple of weeks.

In spite of the cold and the snow, Eseth walked outside. Maybe she could find something to do.

---
end