Peter heads of to the kitchen, while Ravn and Callum head off to get some wood, and the rest of you continue to muse over the disk.
Suddenly Yuri gives a great shout, and as you rush out to see the cause of alarm, you see five magpies circling just inside the roof of the great hall. Suddenly without a sound they stream out of the roof and into the sky. Ravn on the way to the other building sees them stream away deeper into the island and, eventually, disappear from view.
Ravn is as startled as everyone else - and perhaps even more worried for the birds' omenous reputation - at the sight of the magpies. However, his startled worry quickly turns to one of curiosity instead - what are these birds and whence did they come?
"Uddhugg! Follow those cousins of your to their roost, then return to guide me! Scramble, bird, scramble!"
In his eager, he almost tosses the one-eyed crow into the air before turning to see if his companions will follow.
Udhugg loops into the sky from Ravn's wrist and flies off after the magpies. However the slower wing-stroke of the older bird means he returns a few moments later shaing its head and tapping its beak in disappointment.
Kerim looks at the old crow, then over to Edgar, a more virile version, but says nothing.
"Effendi Ravn, it is known that in my lands birds similar to these collect all manner of what catches their eye."
Kerim moves over to Yuri "Little friend, let us see what took their interest. If it is nothing that we find then perhaps Ravn's guess that they be spies could hold some truth"
Elsbeth's eyes widen as she watches the birds. "An omen?" she whispers. As she watches them fly away, she is seen to be whispering to herself... reciting a poem or rhyme, a faraway look on her face...
Rolf is a bit startled by the flight of magpies, but he shrugs it off. Omens of ill, harbringers of fate, spies of the unknown enemies. "Maybe they just roost here and don't like the uninvited." he says, remembering the wild Uddhugg chase from earlier.
Peter comes out of the kitchens at Yuri's shout, just in time to see the magpies leaving.
He stand wartching the flight for a while with a puzzled look on his face, before shaking his head once or twice and heading back into the kitchens. "Won't be too long now ...." he calls.
Back in the kitchens he cuts some venison (that he bought from the camp this morning) into strips and starts frying it, and then places a herb mixture into some water to boil. A little later he starts to fry up some mushrooms, and flavours both pans with some herbs from his pack. While the food is cooking - he takes out some flat breads that were left over from the feast and slices them.
When the food is ready he fills the bread with either venison or mushrooms and places them on a serving plate. The mint and apple tea is poured into smaller wooden cups, and he sets another pot to infuse. He then lays out some smaller plates, as well as the tea and sandwiches, on one of the tables he has cleaned.
Going to the kitchen door, he calls "Grub Up ...." before heading back in to take a mushroom sandwich for himself.
Ravn smiles at Uddhugg returning to his shoulder, comforting the bird's wounded pride with a gentle stroke along the beak and a drink from the horn as he answers Kerim.
"That is a good thought, Southerner. Meanwhile, I shall examine the temple for signs of the stones' purpose."
Yuri looks confused and spreads his hands wide, as he turns around the room, before answering Kerim. "I can see nothing here to atract the interest of the magpies." He says. "Indeed, they flew in - flew around a few times, as I shouted to you all, and then flew out again - just as you saw. So they didn't take anything, and I can't see anything here that might particularly take their fancy."
Elsbeth stands still, watching where the birds flew away, her lips moving silently. Then, in a little girl's sing-song voice, she begins to chant...
"One for sorry, two for joy,
three for a girl and four for a boy.
Five for silver, six for gold,
seven for a secret never to be told.
Eight's a wish and nine a kiss,
and ten is a bird you must not miss."
Mandrake considers the magpies briefly, but the though of impending food quickly wins his full attention.
"I'll aid you in preparing for the meal Peter" he offers and follows Peter back inside.
He then proceeds to help in clearing tables and whatever else is needed, though it is obvious that his full concentration is set upon the what is cooking rather than on what it will be eaten.
By the time the meal is ready to be dished up, Mandrakes stomach is calling louder than a mob of crows.
When Peter announces that the food is ready, Rolf looks to Madelyn and makes a slight bow. In a voice low enough that he hopes not to be overheard, he asks, "Shall we, my lady?"
Moving to where the food awaits, Rolf gives the rest time to help themselves before he steps forward. Opting for the venison, he manages three of the sandwiches before he decides to leave off. Taking small sips of the mint tea, he enjoys the sated feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Peter, you are a wizard my friend."
Elsbeth stays outside, staring at where the birds flew away. She sits, the great wolf resting his head on her lap and continues staring, contemplating, wondering...
Peter finds Mandrake a cloth, although he also feels the need to wipe the tabletop down again after Mandrake almost managed it, the first time. "Missed a bit in the middle," he grins as he leans over to wipe the whole table again. Better pleased with the dishes and bowls, he still makes sure that all but Mandrake's are wiped again, as they do in all the best restaurants, as the food and drink is served into them.
Peter grins and blushes slightly as Rolf calls him a wizard, but responds with a "Thanks. Glad you like it," as he takes a couple of sandwiches for himself, and moves across to check how the second pot of tea is coming along. "Almost done." he comments quietly.
A playful smile dances on Madelyn’s lips at Rolf’s gesture, and taking his arm in hers they walk inside to where the food awaits. Madelyn follows Rolf’s lead and holds back until the others have helped themselves, she steps forward to grab herself a couple of mushroom and venison sandwiches. She passes on the tea and instead takes small sips of the water in her flask.
Madelyn nods in agreement at Rolf’s comment to Peter, and swallowing quickly she adds with a smile, "I have never tasted Venison so good"
OOC: OK guys I am off to sunny Florida for a fortnight of fun and frivolity with my daughters .... don’t get up to anything too exciting without me, and I’ll catch you all when I get back
Kerim shakes his head at Peter's "It won't be long", mistaking it for some comment on the magpies rather than the meal. Though the poison apparently hasn't done anything to him, the stress of the possibility has.
Confused and fatigued he looks about as all around him people don't comment on Peter's words.
He is about to ask, though shuts his mouth with a snap before he can be made to look foolish through his lack of attention.
For a moment he debates if he should eat anything, it would after all be unwise for a condemned person to eat what food is available.
This is forgottern however for after not being able to figure if Elsbeth's riddle is in answer to his question or concerning the magpies he realises his hunger.
Taking a sandwich he retires to a corner, sandwich in one hand, golden disc plaque in the other.
The mansion lies much more quiet - or does it only seem like that now - when Ravn re-enters it, heading straight for the wing that houses the chieftain's quarters and the temple.
He stops for a moment in the doorway to the Gudahov, again admiring the strange but beautiful carvings, in fact, he is so moved that he raises his spear and makes a solemn vow.
"ODIN! KING OF GODS, GOD OF KINGS! Hear me now! This was once your throne and shall be so again - that I swear by my blood, with which I shall cleanse this holy place, with which I shall bathe your altar and write your name for all to see! ODIN! This is my vow!"
The words echo around him in the empty hall, strengthening his thoughts as well as his determination.
Then he starts searching every corner, crack and crevice of the building for some place to fit the moonstones, cleaning up as best he can all the while and completely forgetting his hunger.
Edgar spares the magpies almost as little thought as Mandrake (though his head does snap around when first he hears them - the automatic reaction of one to whom being prey is a way of life), as the lure of luncheon calls him too.
At the table, he does not wait to be proffered a titbit, but mucks in with the rest (though he is much aware of the rules of size and precedence, and does not push in), carefully snaring himself a strip of venison from one of the sandwiches and stalking back to sit on a chair back, transferring the meat to one claw that he can tear at it daintily with his beak. At least in this company, a Raven will never go hungry !
His mood towards Kerim mollified by the assuaging of his hunger, he considers the Trader's earlier words, and the rhyme that Elsbeth spoke.
"An omen ?" he muses, pausing in his feeding, "And from the rhyme ..." he falters, looking around for the Druid, but not seeing her in the crowded kitchen, "... they indicate that silver is to be found ?" His tone is one of curiosity, as if wanting to believe that the mere presence of the birds might signify something more meaningful than the whims of flight.
Finishing his meal, and showing no sign of wanting any more, he continues, almost apologetically, not wishing to dampen the jovial mood persisting about the dinner table, "or five times sorrow ..."
Kerim eyes Edgar taking a strip of venison, and then ever so casually takes a piece from his own mouth, under the pretence a morsel is stuck in his teeth, placing it in clear view of the talking crow.
(Still on the animal handling bit, he's darn perplexed as to what makes the Raven tick, besides it is a challenge now, one that he's keen to test. Is it his lack of skill or the crows resistance.)