"No!" Albali lifted a hand to shield her eyes from Eiyre as though the oracle were threatening to create light in this very room. "No spells to create Light unless our straits are dire. Light..." she continued to mutter as she used her body to shield her familiar from that of Xarithe. There was no enmity there, no hissing fear of the snake, but simply an instinctive reaction to place herself between a potential threat and Ain until she knew better. The raven flapped its wings and craned its neck to peer around Albali's hood.<br/><br/>"Does she speak?" the raven wondered.<br/><br/>"No. Not to you, chatterbox," the witch replied in Elven, before glancing back at Eiyre from across the table. "No light, at least not in my eyes. But so many of us see well in the dark - that may be an advantage we hold over them.  Who can know? It is worth a try. I do not propose for you to be a diversion, but the main bite of the jaw. I could hardly wish that one's strength wasted on a feint." Her hood tossed in the direction of the bull. "Master Xarithe and I are the surprise - the unknown reinforcements. Let you four then put on whatever show you will - insult the Mayor's generosity or spit upon the street of spendthrifts - but when you find yourselves on the logging road, know that there is a wooden cartbridge less than two miles outside of town beyond earshot of the old farm - Ollian's or whatever upstart family holds it now - and we will group up there. I will take Xarithe with me - there are some odds and ends I would buy before we leave, and it is not so outlandish to believe that I might invite him back to my cottage to discuss what things we may have in common, and we will take the wooded paths to meet you there. Wait beneath if it is raining and no trolls have taken up residence." If there is supposed to be humor in her voice, she hides it well.<br/><br/>"Unless another plan has been devised in that time, we proceed from there - Ain by wing ahead of us, circling back when he has spied those who wait by the road. Xarithe and I break off into the forest, sending Ain back to you again when we are in place. Attack as you judge best among you, and we shall prevent a runner and lend our sharps in their backs. If it seems expedient to me, I'll put a shroud of dark over you and see what aid it lends you. You, fairy, if you cannot, pray don't make a beacon of yourself. Are there any objections to this plan? If not, let us break this conference and make haste, while the threat of storm is in our favor and the children yet breathe."