I tried to soothe Thomson (Patreon)
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and assure her that my companions and I would be fine. I didn't say that Mr. Calaveras’s claims were likely to be complete hogwash, despite thinking it. Thomson, however, was inconsolable.
"I'm afraid," she bawled as she clutched at me. "Very afraid! Why are you so determined to explore the dead city? I beg you, don't leave me alone. Mr. Calaveras tries to be good company, but I have heard all of his jokes a thousand times. Why did you even come if you were just going to leave me right away? It's cruel! If you hadn't come I would have been fine, but now that you're here I don’t think I can stand being alone again."
"I'll stay behind and keep Thomson company," Meadow volunteered. "I'm not interested in exploring the city. This damn costume doesn't cover much, and I don’t want gross bits of decaying dead things getting all in my fur."
"That's a good point," Burnside interjected. "Yall mind if I strip down to ma undies afore we go?"
"Maybe wait til we see what's there," Rebecca suggested.
"Well I don't wanna mess up my clothes, is all," Burnside explained.
"While that thing is busy doing what it does best," Meadow continued, with a glare at Burnside, "perhaps the Seelie aura of the Mouse Queen might help Thomson recover her mind a little. At the very least it should keep her calm."
"All right, I'm rarin to go," Burnside chuckled as she spun her knives in her hands. "I really hope all them thangs the skull feller said are real. Carvin' up a genuine eldritch abomination has been on ma bucket list for a while."
"Bucket!" Rebecca exclaimed. "That reminds me: Should we take supplies? Maybe whip up another pumpkin casserole to go, in case we need nourishment during our adventure?"
"I'm not planning to camp up there," I blurted, anxious to cut off that train of thought before it could go any farther. "If we really need something, we can just come back and get it. I know my way around Albric Tor pretty well. I grew up here, after all. Even full of horrors, I don't think it will have changed enough for me to get lost. Even if we do somehow get stranded, I can magick up what we need. Don't forget, you are traveling with the king of Faerie and the most bloodthirsty killer in two worlds! Plus you yourself are a talented young acolyte! We'll be fine."