All right. Thank you.

Yeah, dead.

So Macalaure's regent for Maitimo, and he's sorry but can't do anything, not in charge at the moment, definitely isn't a manipulation I don't even know how anymore...

Yeah. We're hoping you might have an idea for something we can do. I'm almost tempted to go steal the things back but that'd definitely cause problems.

We weren't expecting the things back. A portal to a safe place to settle will do it.

Nod. 'Safe' isn't something I can aim for directly, but if you have scouts I can find places with whatever kind of terrain you like for them to check.

Almost anywhere would be safer than here. 

Can I talk to Maitimo?

I can ask. They might only be okay with talking to you through a portal, though, and osanwe doesn't work that way.

Speaking aloud is fine. It's just that if he's pretending to be bad at things I think I can tell and if he really is he needs me.

Nod. Okay, I'll go ask. ...I didn't catch your name?

Findekáno.

Thanks. Back soon.

She reappears in the cave.

Everything all right?

Mmhmm. No luck with ideas but maybe they'll come up with something given time.

Findekáno - image - would like to talk to you. They aren't upset, or not very, as far as I can tell.

Of course he does. I really can't. The Enemy really likes looking like him.

...all right. I can do a portal setup so that they can see you and you can hear each other but you can't see them, if you want, but if you don't want to that's okay too.

That would be better. Thank you.

All right. Light spell?

She gets everything set up on that end, and then returns to the ice with a skin with a portal in it.

The Enemy liked impersonating you; they're not ready to see you yet. But they can hear you and you can hear and see them with this.

The Enemy -

He shudders violently. Okay.

...yeah. She looks pained, and moves to sit next to him where she can lean comfortingly on him.

He could definitely use some comforting leaning. But by the time he talks to Maitimo he's calm. "Hi," he says. "We crossed the Ice. Want the names of the dead?"

"Yes."

And he starts listing them.

It's going to be a while. Ten thousand people.

She could use some comforting leaning, too. She's not going anywhere anytime soon. Might fall asleep, though, it's been a long day.

That's all right. He won't fall asleep. He'll speak until his voice is hoarse and then say to Maitimo, "what else do you want to know?"

"I don't remember any names," Maitimo says. "The Enemy took them from me. Tell me - tell me everyone, what they're like, what they care about -"

"I don't know that like you - like you used to."

"Tell me anyway."

The kobold sleeps on, a warm furry presence. She clings, just a little, when Findekáno shifts.

He talks to Maitimo all night. It wasn't how he'd planned to spend the day.

But.

This he will never forgive Maitimo for faking, if it's fake. And if it's not, it's going to be really hard not to forgive everything. 

The kobold wakes up before dawn. She doesn't interrupt, but gives Findekáno a brief hug before teleporting off, and returns a little while later with scrambled eggs for both of them.