"But she'll know approximately, I suppose." Isabella sighs. "Why does Ranata know if Charlie doesn't - she see something?"

"Sue dropped in for two minutes."

"And ran into her?"

He nods.

"Can you give me any idea what to expect when I go see them, how are they doing?"

Kas shrugs.

Helen also shrugs.

"Neither of us really knew them before you were gone," says Kas. "I don't know what might've changed."

Petaal goes out to where Path and Kalavar are snuggling and flops down next to them as a tiger, nuzzling one of Kalavar's folded wings.

"Hi," says Path.

"Hi," says Petaal. She nuzzles him, too.

And lo, Path was nuzzled. "I missed you," he sighs at her.

"I missed you too," says Petaal. "I love you." Fuzzy nuzzles!

"Awwwwwwww," says Kalavar.

"Love you too, sweetie."

"Aww!" says Kalavar.

Petaal purrs.

After a silence, in which neither other daemon comes up with a conversation topic, Path says, "There will probably be a Bellparty in a couple of weeks."

"Ooh, party," says Kalavar. "Where? Will I fit?"

"The Belltower is big, and it can always be made bigger," says Path. "I'm usually tucked away regardless just because we're nervous about being in crowded places with me out, aura or no aura."

"Is it any better being tucked away than just being somewhere else and out?" she wonders.

Path fluffles. "Like staying behind here? That would be fine, I suppose, we just wouldn't rather it. I like to be with her or doing something specific."

"I'm off on my own a lot," says Kalavar. "I like to fly."

"Flying is lovely," agrees Path. "We've always liked it. Even when I had mixed feelings about being a bird I wanted to be able to fly."