Bartleby Domy still follows Arsul, as does Lucilla. "Brother, wait."

Arsul "No."

Bartleby "I made my choice, damnit. I had to. It was a matter of faith."

Arsul "Yes. That's fine. It was wrong, what he did."

Bartleby "What the Scalefather did? Why was it wrong?"

Arsul "He /ate/ you."

Bartleby "I asked him to."

Arsul "He ate a follower. You weren't an enemy or evil or doing wrong. You weren't prey. You were a member of his clutch." He pauses slightly. "It's wrong."

Bartleby "When I heard it would take fresh meat, I knew it was either one of the animals with us... or me. I gave my life for his, and now I have life eternal."

Bartleby "He did not eat /me/. He ate my shell."

Arsul "Fine. Good."

Bartleby "Quit being offended! You've no right to be! It was my decision!"

Bartleby He's angry.

• Arsul doesn't care

Arsul "I can be offended by his actions even if it's your decision." he snaps back

Bartleby "Would you be offended if he had eaten one of the animals?"

Arsul "I would be sad if it was Hunny, or if it made you sad with your own animals. It's-- different. He's just recaiming a part of himself, the natural way of things."

Bartleby "You don't understand, then. In the eyes of myself, and in His Eyes, and in the eyes of many who share the Faith of Claw and Fang, an animal and what we would call a person are on equal footing. We all have souls."

Arsul "I know. I understand what you did and why he did what he did. I just-- can't-- be near Him. He's not who I thought He was."

Arsul "I can't, I just can't."

Bartleby "It's not your place to judge my God. I don't judge yours, and he arguably has everything to answer for."

Arsul "He was my god!" the anger is back and he's crying behind his blindfold

Arsul "So I'll judge as I damn well please."

Arsul he turns from the voice and Lucilla and sits on the jungle floor

Bartleby Lucilla sits next to you, "I don't have a god."

Arsul "I didn't know." he says after a moment

Bartleby "I don't think much of any of them," she says.

• Arsul starts shaking with slight laughter and he puts his head in his hands as the shakes turn to sobs.

Arsul After a long couuple of moments he gets it under control. "I'm sorry. I didn't want you to see this from me."

Bartleby She pats you on the back, awkwardly, then says, "I don't think this will be any comfort, but I'd rip thr throat out of one of my own if it meant surviving."

• Arsul nods. "I would too. I just didn't think He would."

Arsul I would too probably.

Arsul rather

Arsul After another long moment. "I can't go back in there. Will you tell them I'll wait until they're ready to leave?"

Bartleby "Why not? He's the Animal of all Animals. Lions eat their own young. Hyenas eat carrion. Cuckoo birds leave their eggs in the nests of other birds. He's as much them as he is an indrik."

Bartleby She smiles, "You can tell them without going in."

Arsul "All the stories I remember he was a hero. Strong and fast, ruthless yes. But he was still Father to us all. Maybe I took the wrong messages away."

Arsul "i'll tell them then."

Bartleby She shrugs, "I wouldn't put it past the Mother of Hope to swallow her precious humans whole if she needed to. Aren't you too old to be hanging onto heroes?"

Arsul "I'm too old for a lot of things. Doesn't stop me." he smiles slightly

Bartleby "I think you should talk to Uncle Domy again. He's... He glows brighter when he's near you. So does Grandfather. I don't think anyone else notices."

Arsul "He's mad at me." his voice is strained, near crying again. He's very sad. "Dom-y." he raises his voice a little and it cracks slightly. "I'm sorry. I don't want to lose you. I just-- I can't follow him anymore."

Arsul Him

Bartleby He looks over, "I thought you left him ages ago."

Bartleby He walks over, "Let him give you a parting gift, Arsul. Let us not end it poorly."

• Arsul smiles slightly but it's weak and a bit shaky. "In many ways. But He was my background. Our childhood. I feel like something's been ripped away from me."

Bartleby Stalker comes up from behind, "Sons."

• Arsul stands and turns when he hears his father

Bartleby "I've lost another son, I see. I'm sorry, Domy."

Bartleby Domy just nods.

Bartleby Stalker says, "I think, then, it's time to do this right."

• Arsul frowns slightly but waits