On a 10+, you and Pip save Asteria.

"You know if they make it over the next hill, we're on our own?" Pip says. "School won't come get us?"

"The treaty, right," you say. The Centaurs of the Weirding Wood had their own land. Boarbristle was sworn to defend that boundary. As students, you weren't oath-bound, but the Wardens and teachers are. So no one will help. "Guess we better hurry."

"Hurry, heh," Pip says. "Hold my hand. Who says witches need a broom?"

"Wait, what are we doing?" you say.

"Hold. My. Hand," Pip says.

You grasp Pip's hand and she raises her wand.

"Mind, this only lasts till we touch ground again," she says. "Morpho, morpho, metamorpho!" she incants.

There's a surge of magic and a swirling of the world around you. Claws sink into your shoulders and a beating of wings lifts you up into the night sky above the forest. Your paws scrabble at the empty air, and your tail swishes behind you.

You're a mouse. Pip is an owl. And you're on the track of the centaurs who have Asteria Hornbeam, charmed by their magic flute as Asteria lay prostrate in pleasure after Pip's intimate tongue lashing.

And you're still going to owe Pip a favor after all this.

With an owl's speed, silence, and vision, Pip skims over the treetops. With the centaur still playing upon his pipes, you have no trouble finding them. It's a party of three, the piper leading, one in the middle cradling Asteria in his arms, and one bringing up the rear. In your own ears, you're sure you'd find the music enchanting. But to you as a mouse, it stirs equal parts of indifference and fear.

Pip makes a little sound, which you understand as, "Get ready, Morgan." You're not sure what that would mean as you dangle from Pip's owl-claws, but you draw in your paws and await Pip's move.

Pip flies ahead of the centaurs, turns round, swoops low and opens her claws just in time to fling you at the chest of the piper.

You bounce off the broad chest of the piper, instantly resuming human form, and tumble down his chest to land in a heap. His pipes go rattling away, and the enchanting music stops.

Startled, the lead centaur rears up in surprise. The second centaur bumps into him, and Asteria falls from his arms, fortunately off to the side. The Assistant Warden lands with a startled exclamation and scrambles to her feet.

Pip swerves, swoops, and lands behind you, returning to human form, sparking a dazzling light from her wand.

The centaurs draw back, covering their eyes.

You're a little cross that Pip seems to have returned from her owl transformation with her robe. You're naked in the forest night, but at least you emerged from mouse form clutching your wand.

"On you now, Morgan," Pip hisses.

⚄⚅ + 1 = 12.

When you have to GET OUT OF DANGER, on a 10+, your cool-headed, decisive action (or mad act of desperation) saves the day for you and whoever's with you. Gain +1 XP. If the threat was a sentient ****, you may ENCOUNTER it at a +1 next.

You stand at your full height, putting a fierce and grim look on your face, for all it matters in the night, and raise your voice, speaking from your diaphragm in the voice you've practiced to command summoned creatures.

"Centaurs of the Wood, withdraw!" you call out. "Leave our sister and depart in peace, lest we show our anger!"

The centaurs cower back from your pronouncement. "Tol' you they were witches," one of them says.

"We were just looking for some fun," the former piper says. "No harm. No harm done."

Asteria Hornbeam tilts her head. "Ness, is that you?" she asks.

The lead centaur touches his forehead. "Bless you, miss, but it is," he says.

"You know better," Asteria says. "You're looking for fun, send a note."

"We can't write, miss," he says. The other centaurs grunt and nod.

"Just tell someone in Turnbuckle, or the Crone," Asteria says. "They'll pass it along." She sighs.

"But we heard all the carrying on, and it made us horny," says the middle one. "And here we finds these ladies all glowing and stinking with fucking each other and..."

"Shut it, Tepp," says Ness.

You clear your throat. "Asteria, introduce us to your...friends?"

Roll +BRAVERY(+1) to ENCOUNTER the Centaurs.

⚁⚀ + 1 = 4, Miss.

They stammer out their names. Ness was the piper, Tepp was carrying Asteria, and Nole was the one who said he'd warned them they were witches. Asteria gives Ness his pipes back, and the centaurs beat a hasty retreat.

You make your way back to Boarbristle, going by way of the clearing to collect your robes. Asteria bids you good night as you enter the grounds, leaving you and Pip together.

"Well enough," Pip says. "Now, about that favor?" Her bat familiar has caught up with her and cuddles in the collar of her robe.

Gain +1 XP. You have 3 XP.
You have +2 Ambition, +0 Bravery, +2 Cunning, +0 Diligence.
Your FRIENDs are Fay and the Warden of Leontes. The Warden owes you a FAVOR.
You owe Pipistrelle Clawson of Minerval a FAVOR (yet to be detailed).