"Heehee... Sunete, you are absolutely insatiable!" Brady giggled and squirmed in Sunete's grip, not making any real effort to leave the busty cowgirl's embrace. While her lust had already been sated by two women in the recent past, she was never one to turn down a quick feel or a cuddle, especially from a body as soft and welcoming as Sunete. Besides, she had to admit that being groped by the taller woman was a different experience at five feet tall. There was a power in the cowgirl's grip that she'd missed as a giantess; an undeniable firmness that suggested a friendly squeeze could turn into something more controlling if the urge happened to strike. Ventressa and Laebras had both been grabbed this way before they'd taken their short trips to Sunete's gullet, and she'd offered - no, practically assured Brady that one of them would be taking the same journey that evening once their bellies were empty. Would she be the predator, or the prey? Brady shivered in anticipation, nuzzling Sunete's belly as she imagined that gorgeous dome filled with tiefling and lizardgirl...<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~Ahem... Brady, the ritual?~</span>Crew's insistent voice chirped over the lizardgirl's reverie, bringing her back down to earth once again.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~Right. Sorry.~</span>With a soft sigh, Brady gave Sunete's belly one last affectionate stroke before reluctantly withdrawing from the cowgirl's embrace. "We'll continue this later," she said. "But in the meantime, you're welcome to bring up my rear whenever you like." She turned and gave her hips a teasing shake in Sunete's direction, then scampered down the hallways to catch up with her other companions.<br/><br/>Save for her outpouring on the ancient banners, Brady remained relatively quiet as the group continued downward, wary of the danger that could come from betraying their presence too soon. Hershel's warning of the mysterious catgirl remained fresh in her mind, and her eyes darted between the alcoves, half-expecting a feline shape to materialize at any moment. Her ears remained pricked for the sound of danger, but all that came was the sound of footfalls on stone and -<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Sunete wrote:</cite>*CRASH*</div></blockquote><br/>Brady tensed as the sound of splintering wood filled the air, followed shortly thereafter by the plaintive cry of an injured cowgirl. Reacting instinctively to the sudden noise, her hindbrain began funneling psychic energy from her reserve, ready to manifest one of her combat form's on a moment's notice. To her relief, the need never came; instead, Sunete's voice echoed down the corridor with a reassurance that all was well, and a proud declaration of... a book clasp? Brady shrugged to herself and continued on, joining Teran as he emerged from the second room with a circular object in hand.<br/><br/>"Nice find, Teran. Where'd you get it?" Brady peered over the naga's shoulder at his find, admiring the handiwork of the deep green stone. In the back of her mind, a small but insistent voice whispered:<span style="font-style: italic">~Jade...~</span><br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Teran wrote:</cite>"This was on one of the beds in there. Jade...why was someone here wearing a piece of jewelry that should belong over a thousand miles away?"</div></blockquote><br/>"Probably a tribute," Brady replied. "I saw an Agrion banner on the wall outside, and their kingdom was well-established in trading circles. It would make sense for their merchant houses to pay their tithes to the church in trade goods. As for why it was in the dormitories..." She glanced into the dusty room, and shrugged. "Maybe it was a gift for service to the temple - or maybe someone got greedy and snuck it out of the church's coffers. Who knows? I guess it's yours now, though."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~Mine?~</span>Crew asked hopefully. The psicrystal's body flashed excitedly inside his riding pocket, illuminating the left half of her chest with flickering red light. Brady coughed nervously and slipped a hand over the glowing pocket, hoping no one had noticed.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~Calm down, Crew.~</span>she chided.<span style="font-style: italic">~You know the rules - Teran has first claim on any petty treasure he finds. If he passes it up, then </span>maybe<span style="font-style: italic"> you can have it - if you're good.~</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~But Brady,~</span>Crew whined,<span style="font-style: italic">~It's not petty treasure. It's </span>jade<span style="font-style: italic">. The verdant stone of the West! A natural beauty forged by millenia of metamorphic activity, sculpted by mortal hands into the exquisite and delicate form that lies before us! Look at that marbling, that curvature. I think... I think it's a jadeite! Please can I have it, Brady, Pleeeeease? I just want to study it for awhile - I'll give it back when we divvy the treasure, I promise!~</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~Fine,~</span>Brady said with a sigh.<span style="font-style: italic">~I'll ask Teran if he'll let you borrow it - but only until we leave the temple, okay?~</span>Muffling Crew's connection momentarily, she turned back to her naga companion. "Teran, would it be alright if I held onto that anklet for awhile? My psicrystal kind of has a... thing for exotic stones. It would mean a lot to him if he could play with it for awhile."<br/><br/>With Crew's jade fascination addressed (one way or another), Brady joined the rest of her group in the third and final room - an old armory, from the look of things, repurposed into a sleeping quarters for the succubus's 'prisoners.' Although, from the wealth of armor and equipment littering the ground, it was hard to imagine they'd been prisoners for long. More likely, they'd been charmed and brought here in whatever they happened to be carrying, and stripped down just prior to the ritual.<br/><br/>While the rest of her group busied themselves with the discarded armor and the chest beyond, Brady took a quick rifle through the clothes, patting down shirts and emptying pockets in search of any knickknacks that might prove useful in identifying the ritual's victims. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to go by: some basic camping equipment, a few empty flasks, some writing supplies... all gear that could have belonged to pretty much anyone. She was almost ready to give up when her hand came to rest on an odd square-shaped bulge at the bottom of the final pack. Withdrawing her hand, she found herself holding a small leather bound notebook - maybe a travel journal of some sort? It certainly couldn't hurt to take a peek while Teran was working on that chest. Settling herself on a bedroll, Brady opened the journal and began to read... She didn't get far, though, as the<span style="font-style: italic">oohs</span>and<span style="font-style: italic">ahs</span>of her companions quickly drew her attention elsewhere.<br/><br/>"Guys, what's -<span style="font-style: italic">whoa.</span>" Brady lapsed into stunned silence as her eyes fell on the glittering pile of treasure filling the chest. Numbers spun through her head as she tried to process the incredible fortune sitting right in front of her. At least three hundred gold pieces - no, more like four or five - easily three times as many of silver and copper. Add in the value of the chest itself, and they were easily looking at at least seven hundred gold - enough to live very comfortably for awhile. Of course, that was assuming they were still around to enjoy it, after...<br/><br/>"Asulf's right," she admitted, dragging her eyes reluctantly from the treasure. "As much as I'd love to stay here and count our coin, we should probably lock up and get moving. We still have a ritual to stop, and if they're doing what I think... we<span style="font-style: italic">really</span>don't want to let them finish."