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Writers: Avery, Paula
Date Posted: 1st August 2015

Characters: Corran, Zelanka
Description: Corran drops by Zelanka's office to provide a report.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 13, day 18 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Wirnan (not by name)

Corran shifted the pouch that was around his waist, causing the
occupant to make a little mutter. He gently patted Warden's head until
the brown fire lizard quieted. Then he kept walking down the corridors
as though nothing was wrong. Everything seemed quiet right now, so a
few people were relaxing their watch. But he didn't intend to.

The guard reached his destination and knocked on the Headwoman's door,
ready to give a report.

"Please, come in," Zelanka called. She sat behind her desk that was
filled with hides. Pen in her hands, she was trying to make some sense
from her staff's sometimes eccentric notes.

Corran entered. "Good morning, Zelenka, how are you?" he asked.

"I'm fine, unlike these records," Zelanka replied with a smile. Some
of her staff members weren't the brightest glows in the basket and
their notes needed to be interpreted. After she had become aware of
the thefts, she had demanded more strick record keeping from her
staff. It meant more hidework to her.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, I've got a little more news to
add to your pile," the guard told her.

"Oh, please, no," Zelanka sighed and looked tired. She wasn't young
woman any longer.

He winced, not meaning to be the bearer of bad news. "I was flagged
down by a kitchen worker earlier saying that a few of the meat carving
knives are gone. A storeroom door was left unsealed and some bugs got
in. It's possible that some of your staff have just misplaced some
things in the rush leading up to Turnover preparations - it's a busy
time after all."

"Well, after the instructions I gave them after the last time, they're
very unlikely to be that sloppy," Zelanka said. She winced when she
thought the damages a few misplaced bugs could cause.

"Your staff is very well-trained. Though that brings me another
question. Has anyone else been added to the domestic staff recently?
I'll have to ask the same of the Steward."

"No, not actually any new additions. Few girls have come back from
maternity leave, while others have left to be married or to have a
baby," Zelanka replied. "The staff's been pretty constant over last
Turn."

Corran nodded. "So it probably isn't a new hire. Unless someone has
just now started acting out..."

"That isn't entirely out of questions. Some of the drudges are,"
Zelanka seached for politically correct expression, "have less than a
full basket of glows. One of them might have snapped. They are also
easily persuaded to do things."

"Would you mind keeping an eye on them? I'm just trying to isolate the
possibilities of who it could be if it was someone internal. Which I
hate the thought of."

"I'll try. Do you have any idea how many people there are in my
staff?" Zelanka replied.

"Too many to watch easily, I imagine," he said with a sigh. "If anyone
acts very strange just let us know. I've seen a few kids messing
around too. Maybe it's them."

"Exactly. By the way, Petriv mentioned seeing new faces among the kids
who usually hang around the beast hold. He knows all the regular ones
and often gives them small jobs to do," Zelanka replied.

"New kids? Interesting. Showing up for work now that it's warmer, or
potentially more trouble? Thanks for letting me know." Corran pondered
that information.

"I do listen my husband's ramblings, unlike some other wives I know,"
Zelanka smiled. "How are you doing, this keeping your busy?"

"Very busy, especially with Turnover coming up," Corran said. "And
there's the little guy." He patted the pouch the fire lizard was in.

"Ah, yes, I've heard of your new pet. Can I see him?" Zelanka askes.
She was facinated by the creatures, although she never thought about
having one for herself.

"Sure. He should wake up pretty easily." Corran unbuckled the pouch,
set it down, and lifted the flap off. Light shined in on the little
occupant, who cheeped sleepily and poked up his mahogany head. He
looked over at Zelanka and cheeped.

"Hello, little fella," Zelanka smiled at the tiny draconic creature
and reached out with her finger.

Warden rolled over and presented his belly. "I swear he only nips me,"
Corran said helpfully.

Zelanka chuckled and rubbed his belly.

The firelizard cheeped again and waved his legs in the air. "Oh there
you go, he likes you," the guard said.

"I'm easy to like," Zelanka said.

He gave her a smile. "You don't happen to have any tiny scraps of
fabric or leather in the stores that are too small for reusing well?
I'd like to make some soft lining for a little nest for him."

"We should have, the seamstress would know better," Zelanka replied.
She took a scrap hide and wrote a name on it. "Ask her, she'll have
those kind of things."

"I'll reach out to her. Thank you," the guard said.

"Anytime," Zelanka replied.

Last updated on the August 5th 2015

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