Status: Skirt damaged, carrying a griffon egg<br/>HP<strong>53</strong>of 83     Spells remaining: 5 of 7 1st, 3 of 4 2nd, 1 of 1 from bonded object<br/>Ammunition remaining: 17 (+8 in pack) common arrows, 15 silvered, 20 cold iron, 2 Slow Burn, 3 Tangleshot<br/><hr/>More than a little surprised that her plan had worked out, after her unfortunate luck with the previous arrows, Rayne watched the jungle rushing closer and closer.  Her speed was such that she couldn't be too confident in timing her spell right, so she cast her Feather Fall a bit early just to be on the safe side.  It didn't last right to the ground, but as she resumed falling she didn't have time to fully accelerate again before casting it again, more precisely timed.  Safety after such a feat was well worth an extra spell....<br/><br/>She had some time to feel guilty for the poor griffon, but she would get over it - though how she'd explain herself to her mate, insomuch as griffons explained anything, could be tricky.  In any event, Rayne was quite pleased with herself... and it didn't even occur to her that she was sympathizing with a computer-generated creature... she was quite thoroughly immersed in the game; the richness, the inability to pause or escape, and perhaps the added peril, made it harder and harder to remember it wasn't real.  She<em>was</em>Rayne, trying to raise a griffon mount so she could look for her erstwhile travelling companions, on the way to finding her wiser friend.<br/><br/>She alighted softly, barely stirring the dirt, yet Deuxion was there, and apparently just waking.  "Oh!  Deuxion.  I did get it!  Thanks, they... well, I'm afraid the first two didn't quite work, but the 'forget' arrow seems to have saved the day" she responded truthfully.  She looked up with open pleasure and relief: "Horse!  Really, you're OK!  Good boy... you must have been fast."  Again, she didn't think of the incongruity as she flung an arm over her virtual steed's neck and patted it with the other.<br/><br/>"Also thanks to you, Deuxion, I'm now off to check on this moon radish spring.  Dip and feed... I can do that!  Thank you... and here..."  She leaned down to place a platinum coin on the ground before him.  "It's not gold, but people like me find platinum even more valuable.  More rare, I guess."  She began checking Horse's tack, made sure she still had the egg in her magical pack / inventory ... funny how the pop-up list seemed so natural ... and vaulted up into the saddle.  She had her map out, Deuxion's big "X" showing her the spring she needed.   "Have fun, Deuxion, and take care of yourself!"<br/>