R U [ I ] N E D

Oink Oink, You Ass!

When the pair arrived at the local inn after a short but unnervingly conversationless walk, they were promptly informed by the couple that owned the place which rooms their friends had taken. That didn't offer any insight into how they'd split themselves up between the two, however, so they'd have to find out on their own. Knocking at the door to the first brought forth a groggy Soleil. She opened the door just a smudge, yawning into her hand. She squinted her eyes against the light in the hall, but upon realizing that it was Callan and Erzia, she opened the door wider. "It's just me here. We figured since you'd been together since the start, you wouldn't mind familiar company for your room. I offered for Brady to stay here too so things would be even, but he said something about being a very important floor ornament?" She laughed, the lingering sleepiness making her voice huskier than usual as she looked warmly at Cal. Her cheery expression turned to Erzia next. "That leaves you and me here. I hope that's not a problem.

"Not at all," Erzia insisted. Cal suspected, at least on some level, she was grateful that she'd didn't have to spend the night around him after her earlier outburst sent her somewhere dark. Slipping past the sorceress, Erzia glanced back over her shoulder, dipping her chin at Callan in goodbye before disappearing into the room. Sol stood in the doorway a moment longer before turning to go herself, but Callan caught her by the wrist.

"What's wrong?"

Cal lifted a finger to quiet, pressing it against his own lips with a shushing sound. Sol furrowed her brows but did as he asked. "Just keep an eye on her. Something's troubling her— she won't talk about it, but if we can be there for her, it might help," he whispered.

Sol's grin was as honeyed as ever when she nodded. "I'll take good care of her," she promised. "Sleep well, Callan."

"You too."

With those parting wishes, the shapeshifter headed across the hall to the second room they'd gotten for the night. Before he could even bring his hand to the door to the others of his presence, it was already creeping open.

Braedyn.

Lo and behold, it was the telepath, smiling sheepishly as he looked at Cal. "I heard you guys."

Callan tilted his head, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. "We were anything but loud."

Brady let out an awkward puff and leaned against the doorframe. "Well, yeah, I know." He tapped his temple and somehow managed a half-shrug in that slouched position. Posture that terrible really had to be quite a feat. "I was trying to see if I could push the limits of my powers, so I was picking up on anything in the near vicinity."

"Does Erzia really make you that conscious of your telepathy?" Callan mused. For once, Braedyn wasn't actually trying to be invasive; it was mere chance, and there was something rather amusing about that.

Brady straightened up, hugging his arms snuggly over his own chest. "Uh, yeah. She's... daunting to say the least. I might be able to hear more, but I get the feeling that the talents she does have, she's much more talent in than I am with mine. Innate skill or whatever."

Cal shook his head. "It's more than that. Natural ability isn't everything. You can tell she's practiced even beyond her limits to get to where she is."

"That doesn't make me feel any better!" Braedyn huffed.

"It wasn't supposed to. It's just the truth."

"I'm going to get past her mental warding, just you wait and see."

The shifter smirked at that. "Looking forward to it."

Brady sighed, grumbling to himself. Something about Callan and his "new best friend."

"You aren't feeling replaced, are you?" He teased, making Brady snap his head back to look at him.