<blockquote class="uncited"><div>“A floor plan isn’t needed. I’ve studied much about the Dwarven lands that existed long ago. The crypt is very shallow, extending no more then four hundred paces. Roughly two hundred feet inside of the crypt will be a fork. One path will lead to the old caretakers quarters and the other to the nobles burial.”</div></blockquote><br/><br/>As Vendra addressed his concern, the smile on the wolf’s face could only widen. He was increasingly glad that the young priestess could have the opportunity to prove her value to the group, her information on crypts and the undead filling in the gaps of even him and Xali’s considerable knowledge. For a moment, the leopardess’s heated reaction towards the human girl was forgotten, and Alexei felt the urge to show his appreciation for her data. Unfortunately, Brady beat him to the punch and pressed on their strategy discussion, allowing him only a warm little grin in her direction.<br/><br/>Still, it wasn’t like him to just let valuable information hang in the air without transcribing it himself, and thus he dipped beneath the table again to retrieve his small feather-quill pen and a small vial of ink. Again, he closed his eyes as he fingered the pages of his book, and with one turn he opened it up to the next empty page of his little journal. At once, his hand took to scribbling down Vendra’s schematics, unaware of the interest he had piqued from Kahmori. If the kitsune looked closely, he could see on the opposing page a small image (a surprisingly well-drawn one as well) that diagramed the travel of magical energies from an arm, down the length of a spear, and into a target. Numerous words, along with arrows pointing to various parts of the picture, dotted the page, although the wolf’s handwriting was a tad too sloppy for him to read from that distance.<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>"Must have taught you a whole lot back in your homelands, huh? Were you stationed at a church? Or were you more of a wandering priestess? Going to have to tell me about the Vanadiel lands one day - heck, maybe tomorrow! We have a long walk ahead of us! When all this is over, we'll go check the place out! It sounded so pretty...green hills and crystal waters..."</div></blockquote><br/><br/>The lupine’s ears lifted ever-so-slightly upon catching the kitsune’s words, causing him to turn his attention from his drawing to the priestess once again. “I agree. Although I’ve travelled a good bit, I’ve never had the fortune of being able to venture into those human territories. Vanadiel does sound marvelous, however, and I wouldn’t mind the chance to learn more about your homeland.”<br/><br/>It was then Xali’s previous reaction came back to mind, causing him to shift his glance suddenly to her. “Of course,” he added sheepishly. “I would also love to hear of your experiences there sometime, Miss Xali. Knowing you, I’m sure you’ll have quite a way of giving us a thrill… with words, I mean! …” Biting his lower lip, he downed a glass of wine before refilling it and burying his nose back into his notebook, the inside of his ears now a bright shade of red.<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>"Nevertheless, in the event that Brady's rather colorful hypothesis proves to be correct, we should be equipped to map out any unmarked areas. It would be wise to designate a cartographer ahead of time."</div></blockquote><br/><br/>Again, Alexei’s ears perked up brightly, this time at the voice of Brady’s curious companion. “Perhaps I can be of assistance in that regard,” he offered, laying his pen on his notebook. “I have a habit of writing down most things that interest me, and I have plenty of paper we can spare for that purpose. Still, if anyone is better suited to cartography work, I understand.”<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>“Forgive me for interrupting. I would just like to inform you that the attendants have finished preparing your baths and the heating stones will continue to keep your bath water heated for the next half an hour. I hope everything is to your liking and I hope you each have a wonderful evening.”</div></blockquote><br/><br/>By the time he had finished writing out Vendra’s description of the crypt, the others seemed ready to abandon the communal room for the night for a relaxing wash. Although the wolf certainly enjoyed the idea of a hot bath, he was willing to let his companions enjoy their time in the wash first. After all, unless they were meticulous cleaners, the water would still be warm when his turn came. “Thank you very much, Miss Chelsea. With how you and Veryn have treated us so far, I’m sure everything will be just right.”<br/><br/>As he reclined in his seat and dropped his writing materials back into his bag, he couldn’t help but turn his gaze to the kitsune and the two girls that tailed him eagerly. A smirk crossed his face as he thought about how easily Kahmori had snagged their attentions and at what consequences they now seemed to be leading to. Still, the thought of what they would do if they bathed together gave even the stoic wolf a bit of a kick. And to top it all off, they’d all get clean in the end too… presumably.<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>"Mmmm... ahh... Nothing like fine wine and better company to build up one's spirits. Ah, but since it'll be some days before we again have access to such luxury, I want to be sure and clean myself ~thoroughly~. You all have the right idea, though. Having help is important. Our foxy host and his cheerful helper have already been so generous to us, maybe we could follow our self-reliant friends' lead and help each other get nice and clean?"</div></blockquote><br/><br/>For a moment, it would almost seem as if Xali had struck a wrong chord as Alexei’s blank eyes alighted on her. His expression remained rather indescribable as they tracked the leopardess’s actions, rolling her suggestive words through his mind. Yet, with the touch of her tail against his leg, his look turned into a small grin, his eyes glimmering with the realizations that crossed his mind. The others had all gotten the idea: a cozy place, a chance to get together, and only one night to take advantage of it. Why shouldn’t he accept an invitation to capitalize on it? There was no way for him to say no, especially once he spotted the feline’s curvy form trot away. After a small pause, he finished his last glass of wine in one large gulp, picked up his satchel, and followed her lead.