<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Status</div><div class="spoiler_body">Profane Gift (Telepathic link to Ishtar, +2 Dex)<br/>Str damage: 9 (of 10)<br/><br/>Spells remaining: 7 of 7 1st, 6 of 6 2nd, 4 of 4 3rd, 1 of 1 from bonded object.  Uses of bow left: 3 of 3.<br/>Quiver: 10 common arrows, 10 silvered, 9 cold iron, 2 Tangleshot, 5 adamantine arrows, 2 greater hushing arrows, 11 +1 Dragon Bane, 1 Rayne's Resumption, 8 Holy<br/>     (pack: 25 common, 5 silvered, 9 cold iron, 1 tangleshot, 5 adamantine, 5 +1 Dragon Bane, 10 Holy arrows)<br/></div></div><br/>It felt good to give in to the pleasure, even if the circumstances of her need were less than ideal.  But for someone who had not really embrace the full opportunities of EHO before the Change, it felt a bit peculiar to surrender to such things now.  She was still trapped in this place... but, in a way, pleasuring herself could be seen as taking a step towards accepting that, to taking this as reality.  A very small step - she was only on this quest in the hope of finding a way out, after all.<br/><br/>And it was true that she had gained in strength since the Change - and that, more often than not, she had saved others from the sort of peril that came with this new form of EHO.  She really was a heroine - such were the idle, ego-boosting thoughts that helped keep her occupied and awake as she waited for dawn, huddled against her weakened griffon.<br/><br/>In the morning, after feeding herself and Dixon, she strapped her Haversack to his saddle.  That took away half her load - still leaving her encumbered, but not nearly so badly.  Five pounds - she needed rest, or other recovery.  But another night here was out of the question!  The lost night wasn't an issue for her spells - she had used none - but she was tired enough, however it was that lack of sleep in EHO managed to correspond to the perception of tiredness in its "players".  Perhaps it was deliberate, to ensure they didn't not overtax themselves in the outside world by not taking a break here.   Raelynne just didn't know, and her wondering was interrupted by a gentle voice in her head.<br/><br/><em>Ishtar... not yet.  I rested before crossing the Blighted Woods.  Hopefully later today.</em>There was no reason to worry the friends back home.<em>Tell Lizzie thanks for the great bow - it works.</em>That was true enough - she didn't know if Ishtar could pick up more through the connection than Rayne herself could, but, in fact, things were looking up.  It was daylight, Dixon was a bit better... there was just the matter of walking through the Blighted Woods to consider.<br/><br/>Another interruption - this time a louder-than-usual chirp.  A robin - Raelynne liked robins, although this one seemed to be paying her strange attention.  The size and something about its appearance kept her watching... and when it flew back and forth, repeating its pleasant call, she knew there was something out of the ordinary going on.  Rayne wanted to reach the town, find a place to stay until her strength returned... but was, admittedly, a bit daunted by what lay between here and there.  This apparent offer... surely it was less risky than the alternative?  It was the wrong direction, but... if this was, as she first guessed, someone's familiar... nobody evil would have a robin for a companion!  Or the animal friend of a druid, or ranger?  Either way... a good risk.<br/><br/>"C'mon, Dixon.  Let's see what this is about."  Rayne slung her bow back over her shoulder and walked - not with a brisk step, but well enough, with her lessened burden.<br/><br/>"I don't know if you can understand me, but... we're coming."  She smiled at the songbird.  She toyed with the idea of using a spell, trying to winkle out what magic might be at play here... but no, better not to scare off a possible benefactor.