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Of course after he's done this he remembers what the neko had said that half his tail had been scorched raw.

Ai opens one eye and sighs heavily. "Whacha do, put knock out drops in that tea? Whoa..." She sits up and looks hard at him, taking in his temper and chagrine.

"Kero, what's wrong? You look awful?"

A felinish yowl from the direction of the town square comes drifting their way and she frowns even more.

"That... that was Corby.... " She hisses jumping to her feet.

The lioness starts for the door, then staggers to a halt. "He does?" She stammers worriedly, then turning back to Kero she pins him with a look. "How did he find out that little tidbit of information?"

Ai gives him another hard look then begins to chuckle. "Ah... sorry about that. He's terribly curious, that one. So I trained him in the art of digging for information. He used to go out for me and dig up the backgrounds pertaining to the songs I wrote. Crystal used to say if he got the whiff of a mystery, he'd not sleep until he had it solved."

Still chuckling she walks over to where Kero is fuming and nuzzles him fondly. "Don't be angry with him, dulcha... he's rather good at it. But why on earth was he yowling like that?"

Suddenly he feels light headed and winded, as though something dark and suffacating has come down hard on him.

Ai blinks and gives him her shoulder to lean on, edging him to the platform. "Taro, what's wrong? You don't look good at all."

(oh oh... Ker's told an out and out lie... or rather so damn close to a lie, it is blatantly obvious. The truth is, he has a very good idea of what had happened and Ai is suspicious... She can converse with all the salamanders in the house and understands Firespeak... which means she heard him talking to the second one he sent out. Now that reaction might just be nerves bothering him... He knows what will happen if he lies, but then again, maybe not... your pick... How bound is he by that constraint at this point in time? I'd say it was a three way split... Nerves, the real deal but muted because of his rejuvenation, or the real deal and he's in serious trouble. What say you?")

Ai curls about him worriedly and tries to keep him warm. She has never seen him in this state before. He's turning a little gray about the edges and his eyes are shadowed, his face pinched. She calls for Thyrion and asks him if he knows what the problem is. Then tries to reach Hopian mentally, in hope that the white lion might be more knowledgeable about such things.

"Damn it, Kero... it's more like a curse than illness..." she hisses between her teeth and she fights to keep them both calm, physically and emotionally. She can sense the heaviness which seeks to crush him, the darkness which is trying to carve him up on the inside. She can tell it isn't fatal... yet. Nothing he is experiencing is enough to kill him... but if it got any worse, she knew he'd be in danger.

Nevertheless, Kerobian is in a great deal of pain and frightened half out of his wits, so she does her best to send him as much support emotionally and energy wise that she can, pouring herself into him to keep him strong. Letting him know how much she cares for him in no uncertain terms.

"But who'd curse you?" she mutters as she snuggles close and kisses his cheek.

Ai sighs and gives Kero's head a rough lick. "Didn't I warn you about that? I sense it won't kill you, this time... but like an allergy, each time you do lie, it's going to get worse... much worse." she warns in a no nonsense tone.

She looks at Hopian and sighs. "Ye going to be ok?"

Ai eyes him thoughtfully. "Fine... so ye lied. And telling me ye lied is all well and good, but now what is it ye were trying to keep from me?" She looks back at Hopian and smiles grimly. "He told me Corby guessed my... um... dual identity... by trickery, so half my money pouch says he was getting even. Kero has a nasty revenge streak... a carry over I fear from other lives..."

She noses him gently and sighs. "Self inflicted... all of it... When are ye going to learn, Dulcha? Tell me later, but don't wait too long, ok? He's not a bad cat... just inflicted with the disease all cats are... including you." She grins at him and nuzzles him fondly. "It's called curiosity."