[ Ambrose - missed the opportunity to do Aethon's character changes during the downtime due to being out of town, so I'll probably put it in after this encounter to avoid making the shift rather jarring at this point. ]<br/><br/>Although not nearly as glutted as Linda was (comparatively speaking), Aethon's start the next morning is similarly groggy and slow, as he doesn't typically partake of nearly that much food on a regular basis either.  The celebration with the Cold Sun lizardfolk was unexpected but both gratifying and very enjoyable, and he makes the most of it along with everyone else.  A nagging sense of fullness greets him the next morning, as if part of his earlier meals in the temple was still with him somehow, and he spends most of the journey silently contemplating the potential causes as he hauls what pieces of loot and gear the others could not due to size or weight.<br/><br/>His ruminations are interrupted when they encounter the group of women.  Initially willing enough to simply pass them by at first, Aethon's expression hardens when their patron organization is mentioned.  Glancing to the rest of the group, they all seem to share his unspoken opinions as well.  Sliding his axe free of it's loop, he sizes up the women surrounding them.  "Assuming that we even have this item, what makes you think we'll part with it?  You're not exactly inspiring much confidence in the notion that you'll simply let us pass once you have it."<br/><br/>[ Readied action to attack the first enemy to get within range. ]