<span style="font-style: italic">Wow, great stuff so far guys! I want to address it all more thoroughly, so expect another post sometime late tonight or in the wee hours of tomorrow - this is just a quick one cranked out before I leave for the evening</span><br/><br/>There was a bit of a commotion inside the train car as a rather exasparated-looking wolf wearing a blue, brass-buttoned uniform wheels a cute caged rodent girl out to the restroom at the end of the car. The woven rugs in the aisles are comfortable to walk on but not well designed for wheels, and ends up snagging it and banging his snout against the wheeled case several times. The container has two locks, one on each corner of the lid; he undoes one of them but just as he inserts a simple bronze key into the second, but then he is arrested by the sight of Celrie and Arcea greeting one another (though 'greeting' may be an understatement). He suppresses an instinctive growl. "Well - didn't think she'd be coming back to this section of the train while I was on shift. Aggravating as watching over this bite-sized menace has been, I at least deserve a closer look at her..." He glanced back at Quill. "Well, at least out here there's eyes on you. Hold it, I'm going to go make sure the elven entertainer and Lady Cal'Drua know this is just a temporary stop..." He walks off towards them with an excited wag of his tail, absentmindedly leaving the key still in the lock with a gap small enough for nimble lagomorph hands next to it.<br/><br/>However, the wolf guard turns out to be too timid to do more than politely inform Celrie and Arcea that they are only stopped for a short while and offering to guard them if they needed to step away from the safety of the train car. As unhelpful as he is, the conductor is moreso - he grouses loud enough to be heard through the door that he was at the best part of a good detective novel and doesn't intend to go "tromping about in the mud and snow like a savage" unless<span style="font-style: italic">his</span>train is at fault, and resolutely refuses to abandon his post at the controls.<br/><br/>In any case, just as Celrie and Arcea were heading outside, a still-slightly-intoxicated, sultry-looking she wolf whom they recognized as Alexis poked her head into the car and gave them a grin. "Ohhh, heading on outside, are you? Shame that most of the other kitties don't seem to be interested in doing more than lounging outside while drinking more of that... funny smelling drink of theirs. Are you heading up to meet with the locals? I'd love to come..." She is giggling and wagging her tail, any awkwardness between her and Arcea seemingly forgotten.<span style="font-style: italic">(Alexis picture coming later)</span><br/><br/>...<br/><br/>Outside the train, a nippy wind sweeps over Yasha and Sevana, bringing with it the smell of fall leaves and sawdust. The local coon-lady in the purple smiled politely in response to Yasha's hailing her. "Hiiiii, y'all!" she calls sweetly. "Glad you weren't hurt none by the sudden stop! We would have put up warning signs sooner but we just got here!! Come on over here, we'll explain what's wrong with the bridge! Don't worry none, we'll be able to get you on your way quick enough, heh heh!" She doesn't approach Yasha and Sevana, keeping her distance of about thirty paces. "Come on up into the trading post, we got refreshments to offer y'all while we explain! Probably some fine, distinguished lords and ladies in there, am I right? Tell 'em to come on in and warm their paws! We pride ourselves on our hospitality around here!"<br/><br/>The raccoon makes a sweep of her hand, indicating a narrow cobblestone path leading back to the doors of the trading post. Even over the back-and-forth shouted greetings, the sound of a herd of mega-elk suddenly getting spooked by something and knocking over a few trees in a small stampede can be heard - fortunately, the beasts aren't rampaging in the direction of the train, and their powerful strides carry them out of earshot within a few seconds.