Eriyenna had felt terrible that day. She thought she had totally been doing the right thing by bringing everyone some lunch; she had no idea that not everyone felt the same way about eating hingles. Calli's face had changed everything. The purple-haired witch had never felt so terrible, not in a long, long time. She had to do something, but everyone had been busy practicing and setting up and she'd hardly had a chance to spend more than a moment or two in passing with the girl.

Finally, she decided she needed to simply make up for a terrible lunch with a better one. Hopefully, it would go over better this time.

Basket in hand, full of all sorts of hand-picked and hand-made goodness – all without a hint of hingle – Eri made her way through the circus camp in search of Calli, humming nervously to herself one of the tunes she was trying to get right before opening day. Over her shoulder was her mandolin; in case the food wasn't enough of a sincere apology, she had a song or two prepared as back-up.

Calli had spent most of the morning practicing walking on her hands. It left her stomach muscles burning in a way she liked. She flipped upright, tapping her heels on the ground and twisting about as her circulation reasserted itself. She hadn't been seeking Eri out lately, still embarassed about her over-reaction to the hingle dumpling.

When was she going to stop feeling guilty about Mr Bingles?

Calli saw Eri walking across the camp towards her and immediately tensed up. Even though she was trying to hide it, it was obvious on a girl who was nothing but bone and muscle blocks. She didn't even have an ass!

"Um, hi, E-eri, how are you?" She said, trying to hide beneath her own arms and failing miserably.

Eriyenna smiled warmly, the little crescent moon tattoo under her eye shrinking a little with the movement of her mouth, "Hesta, Calli ... I'm benny." She wondered if she made the girl nervous, "How's practicing going? I thought you might be hungry after all that hard work ... and I thought I should ... you know ... well ... I, um, brought us lunch." Holding out the basket for emphasis, the witch managed a giggle; it was more out of awkwardness than humor, but still sounded like a wind chime in a summer breeze.

Calli smiled back, about as awkwardly as Eri had, though she did not recognise it. Her right leg arched up and back, contorting as she sometimes did when particularly nervous. She wondered if there was a polite way to ask if lunch involved small, domestic mammals and decided there wasn't one.

"Um, that sounds nice!" She said, head dipping forward as her leg continued it's upward rise. "I'm um, sorry about the other day. I'm sure the dumpling was nice it's just that I don't..."

Her head was now a foot from the ground but still watching Eriyenna. Her right leg was now pointed skywards, her arms bent back and presing lightly against the earth.

Eri grinned at the timid acceptance, "Ne, ne, Calli, you don't have to apologize. I should've asked first." She waved the basket with another musical giggle, "I made everything in here myself, an' I promise there's not a single hingle harmed in the making."

The purple-haired witch watched her with a bit of fascination, admiring that the girl had a lot of physical talent that she didn't, "Where'd you like to go eat? Surely it's about time you took a break."

Calli perked at that. All food was good food, especially when hingle-free.



Calli blinked up at Eri. "I am on a break!"

Calli allowed her leg to swing down again, torso rising at did so. She stretched back, head and neck arching far enough that she could see the bottom of the tree behind her.

"How about there, it's shady." She said pointing.

Eriyenna nodded, following Calli's gaze and realizing that like herself, the performance part of the girl really was more about expressing who she was than just practicing another talent. It was nice.

"Looks benny to me." The purple-haired witch wished she had brought a blanket to complete the picnic atmosphere, even if she didn't really mind the grass so much. Swinging the basket a little as she turned on her heel, Eri seemed to jingle musically as her skirt twirled with her, "A nice dry spot, too."

Humming without really thinking about it, she waited for Calli before ambling towards the tree. Propping her mandolin against the trunk and plopping down cross-legged in the shade, Eri began to unpack all sorts of random goodies from her basket. Some fresh early spring fruit, nice dark bread, and a bunch of wax-paper wrapped cheeses soon found their way out of the basket and onto the ground in some creative and appetizing arrangement.

"I think all of this should hit the spot ... without as much trouble as last time." She beamed at the younger witch with a hint of apology.

Calli followed Eri once she was upright again, strides loping and coltish. She plonked down in front of the basket, marvelling at the amount of food Eri had brought.

"Wow, this looks amazing!" Calli said exuberantly. "Where did you find all this great food?"

Calli reached over and delicately grasped one berry between her thumb and forefinger. She admired the colour a moment before eating it.

"Yum!" She said, not considering that she hadn't asked if it was ok to eat yet. "Definitely less problemy... I'm really sorry about that, I know you were just being nice."

Calli rubbed the back of her head, mussing her hair up even more than usual.

Eriyenna giggled, slicing some cheese for the both of them while Calli talked, "I actually managed to find all of this outside of town. After that riot, I've been too afraid to go back ... lucky for us, there's plenty of Wicks outside the city willing to share their wares." She grinned, "It was actually kind of nice to meet some more of our folk and tell them about the Circus."

The purple-haired witch sighed, placing some cheese on some bread, "I can't say I understand the fighting, though. I hope while we're here we can help folks forget about that and have a good time."

She realized she didn't know much about Calli or where she was from. After chewing thoughtfully, she asked, "Are you from one of the tribes? Or from around here?"

Calli blinked, momentarily devoid of feeling.

"Riot?"



"Riot?"



"I'm a Red Crow. There was a riot?" She said, eyes seeming to get bigger and more cow-like. "I think some of my family is in Vienda!"

No one had told her, she'd been too busy practicing for the big show.

Eriyenna frowned deeply, cheese sandwich still partially headed toward her face.

I did it again, didn't I? I am so ruining everything potentially friendly with this girl. I should really hide in my kint with my instruments from now on.

"Um. Yes. Well, I can't say I know much more than what I was able to pick up on while shopping ... but people were hurt. I don't know how it started. Most of the wicks outside the city didn't really want to talk about it, so I didn't ask. You ... might need to ask around for yourself." The musician put down her food and bit her lip, "I ... I didn't mean to upset you. Again. Gods, Calli, I just thought ... everyone ... yeah. I'm sorry."

The purple-haired witch stared at her food, feeling stupid.

Calli sniffled, her big brown eyes filling up with tears.

"Please, please, please go with me into town! I know it's so close to the show but I really want to check that everyone's alright." Calli looked like painfully earnest about this. "I'll be your best friend! I'll do your laundry for a week!"

Calli's hands were now clasped in front of her face. She looked a bit like deer that had learned to pray.

Eriyenna set down her sandwich and reached up for Calli's hands, tanned, tattooed face full of concern, "Oh, Calli, you don't have to do my laundry ... or ... or be my friend. Unless you want to. I'll go with you. I'm so sorry you had to find out something from me."

The purple-haired witch all but pouted, despite suddenly being reminded of a song or two she could sing.

She caught herself beginning to hum, taking the younger witch's hands gently, "We'll go together. It'll be fine."

Calli sniffled. "Can we go now?" She asked, looking pathetic.

She reached down, eyes still focused on Eri and picked up a piece of cheese. She munched on it while waiting for Eri's reply.

The purple-haired witch looked down at their food, then back up at Calli. She kept herself from pouting by nodding encouragingly.

Eriyenna was a little nervous about town and thought maybe she should bring a weapon in addition to her mandolin, just in case. She didn't really want to have to use it, though. She was better at singing her way out of a situation than fighting, but she didn't know what to expect from town.

Releasing the younger girl's hands to begin putting things away back in the basket, "Sure we can. Let me just put this away and grab something from my kint, okay?"

Calli nodded violently, hair flopping all over the place in her enthusiasm. She reached over again and picked a piece of fruit, eyes still watery.

"Oes." Calli stood, ready to follow Eriyenna like a particlarly sorry puppy.

She lifted her toes of the ground, tapping them alternately, stress making her fidget.

Eri handed Calli a bunch of grapes and the slices of cheese instead of packing them up with the rest, closing the basket and standing. Dusting off her skirt and reaching for her mandolin, she nodded at the younger witch and sauntered off toward her cart, humming already.

Brighteyes woke from his sleeping place under the kint as the pair approached, whining and stretching before loping over to sniff Calli with excitement. The black bander really wanted to lick her, but wet-nosing the girl was totally the next best thing for now.

The purple-haired musician smiled, "You keep Calli company, pup. I'll be right back." Stepping up into her home, she set the basket down somewhere safe and began rummaging around to prepare for heading into town.

Calli sniffled and looked down at the Bander. It wagged it's tail at her. Calli sat down and patted his head.

"Hi puppy." She said, putting her hand out for him to sniff before hugging him. "Mmmm, Bander hug."

By the time Eri came back they were playing and a very distressed looking cat was up a tree nearby.

"Well, I think I'm ready for town now. How about you –" Eriyenna stepped out of her cart, purple hair carefully wrapped up in a scarf, short sword on a belt at her hip. She blinked. Where did Calli and Brighteyes go?

Looking around, she saw the pair and the cat and the tree.

She giggled, "Oes. Which one of you started this one?" The musical witch whistled, sharp and short. Brighteyes whined, interested more in the cat than obedience, but complied, turning and trotting reluctantly back to his friend. He let her pet between his ears.

Re-shouldering her mandolin and placing a hand on the weapon at her hip, Eri grinned at Calli, "Do you need to stop and get anything before we go, chip? If not, you'll have to lead the way ... I'm afraid I ent too familiar with town."

Calli looked at the ground and scuffed it with her feet.

"Well, let's be honest, it was me." She said, looking repentant.



Calli grinned, excited and nervous. "No, I'm good to go."

She took Eri's hand and walked towards the city gates.

"Oes, I know all about Vienda. I got drunk here once." Calli said, no longer deeply embarassed by her previous behaviour. "I didn't know wine had alcohol in it so I ended up in the rafters yellin' at people. Then I danced on a table!"

"No need to be sorry, chip." The purple-haired musician grinned a little, "Brighteyes has a knack for trouble anyways." She winked, patting the black-furred bander on the head for emphasis.


Eriyenna giggled in her wind-chime sort of way, putting her free hand over her mouth. She'd heard about that one already from someone else, "I see ... I'll take your word for it that you know your way around." With a bit more laughter, she followed, "Dancing on a table, eh? How'd that go, anyway?"

Calli smiled in remembrance.

"It didn't end badly, really. I got to sing after a while, which was fun." Calli kept walking along, happily swinging Eri's hand between them. "Not as well as you mind but I was kinda singing backup, sort of."

As they walked up to the gates, Calli spied a caravan. Everyone looked friendly enough, she could see four hats all bent over cards. Calli walked closer to them.

"Hesta!" She said, "Could I bother you kovs and chips for a moment?"

The first wick looked up, startled out of his gambling mode.

"Hesta yourself," he said jovially, motioning for the two witches to join them; the other three wicks looked up as well, their foreheads marked with the traditional Tall Tree leaf imprints.

"What's the pair of fine roshes doin' on this fine day? Here, have a seat. Budge up, Rooky." The displaced wick grumbled as he slid in next to his friend.

Eriyenna grinned, looking over the players and their cards warmly. She actually loved cards, and was good at playing, too, when she remembered her gambling face. She slid into a seat when invited, nodding at the wick who gave up his seat in thanks, "Junta! Whatcha playin'?"

The purple-haired musician slid the mandolin off her shoulder and set it behind her, adding with a musical giggle, "We're just up from the Circus. That's all." She winked.

Calli plonked down, shifting from side to side to get comfortable.



Calli shuffled closer to Eri.

"I heard there was some fighting, I have some family in Vienda." Calli ruffled her already messy hair. "Have you heard anything?"

She clasped her hands together and twiddled her thumbs.