It is getting late, and the inn has begun to empty, as few want to be out too late. The sun is down, and well into twilight, with the full moon not yet risen. Larrikan knows he cannot stay much later, for he has a rade to attend tonight.
He is sitting by the fire, contentedly rubbing Sakura’s ears, when the door bursts open and Zildjian comes in at full speed, carrying the armored visitor. He is bloodied and quite hurt.
Sakura leaps up and runs to the hurt one. She asks Zildjian something, and they scurry off to another room. Larrikan follows, watching quietly, listening.
He is very impressed by how Sakura dives in and begins working on the hurt one. He overhears Zil’s half of the conversation, and winces when he hears it was redcaps. If the serious injuries alone wouldn’t have been enough to kill Sakura’s friend, the poison will.
Larrikan watches for a brief time wondering if there is anything he can do for Sakura, to make losing her friend any easier.
A slow grins spreads across his muzzle as a plan starts to form, but he’ll need help to do it in time. He slips out of the inn unnoticed, and hurries off.
A brief stop at Barrow Hall for his fiddle, a change of clothes and some ribbons and thread, then off at a brisk trot to see some friends.
When he arrives at the pixies’ tree, there are none in sight. He calls to them and plays cheerful music on his fiddle. They come out, gleefully talking to him.
He laughs, and tells them how glad he is to see them, and that he would like to do something for a friend, but needs help. Pixies are excited to be wanted, and happily zoom off to do the things he asks.
With exuberant pixie help, Larrikan stitches together a leaf dress for Sakura. He stitches all the things he knows and has time for into the dress while the pixies bring new materials and help as they can.
It is full dark, with the full moon just clearing the horizon when the dress is finishes.
Larrikan thanks the pixies and tells them, “I will see you at the rade!” before he runs off. The pixies follow him.
Larrikan runs right to Aykuh’s tree. The pixies have to detour a little to avoid the University’s wards. When they catch up, he is fiddling for a pretty vixen and a piglet.
The pixies swarm around Larrikan with a happy, “Ooo!” and “Pretty fox-girl!” and “Take her to rade?” Larrikan tells them yes, take her to the rade.
He didn’t mean literally, but the pixies take it that way, and swoop up to the window Sakura is watching from and fetch her – and her piglet friend, for they are often good luck – down to the serenading fox.
When she is star struck by the pixies and doesn’t listen to them, the Queen decides to hurry matters so they make the rade. The pixies put the leaf-dress on the vixen, and urge both foxes forwards.