"This pack is getting heavy," Waterspider paces as he talks. "Can we leave now? Perhaps we should get rooms at the Fortress of Chance? I do recommend however, that we make our way circumspectly. We should not take the direct route on the off chance that there are Masks watching the library."

 Mercy quickly scarfs down her lethal kebob, then head for the door. "Lets go," she says lightly, and begins to sing.

 Corvus gets to his feet as if relieved and follows the others, smiling and winking at Mouser on his way out. "It seems as if we’ve been in here for weeks," he smiles at Waterspider and Mercy outside. "I couldn’t tell the people from the ghosts in there. Or myself from a memory. Or the winds from the words. It’ll be good to feel the earth again, don’t you think?"

 Mercy stops singing and looks brightly at Corvus. "You’re a loony," she grins, and resumes her song.

 Waterspider looks uncomfortable, "I can’t say I disagree with Corvus though, I’ll be happier outside this building and into the hustle and bustle of the city." Waterspider walks purposefully off towards the exit assuming that the others will follow (If they don’t he’ll wait outside the entrance and try to spot anyone taking an undue interest in the people leaving the Library).

 "Mouser doesn’t appear to think much of our new friend," says Exiled, pointing to Stickytoes. "If nothing else, he thinks that Stickytoes should bathe a bit more often. Anyway, I’m sure his actions will bear out his true nature." Whereupon Exiled turns to Waterspider and says, "Where would you suggest we try to take residence?"

 "Come on, Mouser," says Exiled. "Stop licking your claws. Toe hygiene can wait. We have to go." Exiled gets his stuff together and begins to follow Waterspider, Corvus, and Mercy.

 Flamefeather shrugs once again, frowns at Stickytoes, then follows behind Waterspider, Mercy, Exiled, Mouser and Corvus in long smooth strides.

 "I assume we will not want to show up at the Fortress of Chance in one massive group", she says. "Shall we make up a cover story? We can slowly get out one by one, each going our way, and reconvene later for planning. How about meeting at waterclock in Opal Park? I often go there in the afternoon to practice, and a lot of people meet for friendly jousting, ball games and foot-races. I doubt it is of interest to The Masks, since no money changes hands there, and groups this size are not unusual. I will bring a ball, if you want."

 She glances back at Flux, Granite Mouse and Stickytoes. "Coming?" she asks.

 With a loud yowl Mouser launches himself out from under Flux’s feet, setting in motion a giant chain reaction. Flux plows into Flamefeather, who falls directly onto Exiled, who tumbles into Waterspider, who smacks into Mercy. Fighting a losing battle against gravity, Mercy flings her arms wide, losing control of the kebob in the process, then tumbles to the floor. The kebob travels with deadly accuracy towards Stickytoes’ throat, but Stickytoes dodges with amphibian grace at the last possible instant, colliding with Granite Mouse instead, and sending her sprawling onto the table in a shower of uncooked vegetables and sauces. Rebounding from the impact, Stickytoes windmills wildly as he notices that his new trajectory will take him out the open window whence he came. With inches to spare, he manages to catch himself on the lintel of the window just as the cord of the wind chimes (now damaged by an encounter with an errant kebob) gives way, sending the chimes crashing down onto Stickytoes head with a discordant clang.

There is a moment of silence as the members of the intrepid band look about, marveling at the fact that they yet live. Then Exiled looks down the corridor, and notices Mouser sitting calmly 20 feet away, concentrating on toe hygiene once again and sparing not a glance to the clumsy humans on the floor.

 Exiled chuckles at Mouser’s antics, helping Flamefeather and Flux up from the floor. "Please excuse Mouser," he says, while glaring at Mouser. "I’m sure he has a perfectly good explanation for this reprehensible behavior. Don’t you, Mouser?"

 Exiled glares with intense ferocity at Mouser for about two seconds, then his face melts as he bursts out laughing. "Perhaps he meant that we should be on our way, and this is his method of getting us moving. One never can tell, especially when dealing with a cat...."

 Exiled helps the other get up as well, retrieving Mercy’s particularly deadly kebob skewer. "I see what you meant by kebobs being deadly," he says, presenting the skewer to Mercy. "If Stickytoes hadn’t moved, he’d probably be dead."

 Again getting his stuff together, Exiled prepares to go. He turns to Mouser and says, "Come on, and this time, No Tricks."

 Mouser mews and hisses at Exiled, then tries to look hurt.

 "I realize that, Mouser," says Exiled, speaking directly to the cat. "But you didn’t have to jump like that." Exiled scratches Mouser between the ears. "Now, come along. We have important work to do."

 "I believe you were leading us to Strangerside?" he says, gesturing to Waterspider.

Stickytoes looks sad and sighs at Exiled’s pronouncements. He goes to the window, scanning quickly the area around to assure that it is relatively deserted. "I think that Opal Park would be a good meeting place," he says somberly, "as I know it well; I have spent many an enjoyable afternoon there. I will keep watch from the rooftops and warn the rest of you if I note anything of particular concern." He looks back for a moment, idly scratching the back of his left hand. He appears to really want to say something, but his eyes drop at the last second. Just as he turns to scuttle out the window, Mouser’s antics force him to dodge a remarkably well-aimed kebob, and he slips aside at the last second, frantically windmilling his arms in an attempt not to fall out the window. He catches himself, but not before dislodging the chimes, which fall on his head with a *clang*. Recovering his balance, he tries to be angry at Mouser, but realizing how silly the whole episode was, and knowing that he must look rather comical with chimes draped over his face, he snickers, then tries to look stern, then loses control and starts laughing. After a moment or two he subsides into quiet chuckling, then looks up and realizes everyone is staring at him.

 "Ah, er, as I said, I shall watch the rooftops. I’ll see you at the park." Absently scratching his right hand, he slips out the window at last.

 Even though everyone has already started picking themselves up, Corvus belatedly rushes back into the room with fervor in his eyes. "Ha-Ha! You want to start something with us, do you, you naughty incorporeals!" He grabs a bowl of fruit in one hand and, very expertly, leaps onto the table and does a one-handed cartwheel onto the fountain. "Well two can play at that game, you treacherous, bare bottomed bunch of half-existers. Ha-ha! Take that!" He starts hurling ripe pieces of fruit at nothing in particular. "I got you! Ha-ha! Take that!"

 Flamefeather’s eyes widened at Corvus’ outburst, and she ducks a piece of fruit heading for her general direction.

 "Right," she says. "Meet you all at the waterclock this afternoon!" With this, she plunges down the corridor, elbows her way past the crowd and walks away in a not quite dignified trot. She is heard down the corridor muttering what may be an ancient prayer in a forgotten language, going something like: "Grmmbl brrgm zitt’n bn’cha loony sunuva rmmbl drat..."