"I'm gonna give her a batting, I am. What's the diff if she goes running off or one of us" I'll tell ya the diff. She gets to do what she bloomin' well likes, while the rest of us get spit on like she's the morality police." The curvaceous surfer flung herself onto the couch before the fireplace as she had used up her last few moments of hot air to publicly air her disapproval of the absence of one of their more recognizable members.

"Janie, Isuelt isn't here to be a mother to us, or even to dictate her exact whereabouts at all times," Sheryl tried to be the voice of reason, even when she herself was a bit agitated with Isuelt for being gone for so long without an explanation. "She's a grown woman and you yourself are ever so fond of saying how you don't want her around 'babysitting' you. Am I correct?" Sheryl's bright blue eyes were aimed at Janie who was by now curled up on the couch with a throw pillow in her lap.

"I ain't sayin' I want a babysitter, Sheryl. I'm sayin' it ain't right that she goes shackin' up with some bloke an' can't be bothered to let us know! We gotta hear it from his mouth!" The expression she tossed to Sheryl was a classic three-fold expression. First there was defiance, which was tempered with a lightning quick tinge of 'Eureka'!, which led to a settled and smug grin. "That f*ckin' List o'hers makes a sh*tload of sense now, though. Doesn't it?"

Sheryl shook her blonde curls in defense of Isuelt, "Mr. Batten only said that he knew where she was and that she was safe. Isn't that what you told us?"

"Yeh, but did you see The Post' Bane's got his ear to the ground and—"

"That is just about enough out of the two of you." Delphinea's booming voice and broad body took up the entire doorway to the lounge where Sheryl and Janie were chatting, causing both of them to nearly jump. "Illea has done nothing but serve us and serve this city, and I will not hear her talked so flippantly about." The hulking warrior looked over to Janie, "And least of all from the likes of you." She raised her chin as she looked disapprovingly down her nose at Janie.

The beach bunny, however, was used to these morality benders from her elders and smiled lightly to Delphinea with a wave of her hand, "Oh c'mon, Phin. Don't be such a mucker. We're only sporting a few rounds o'gossip. Come join!"

"I do not, nor will I ever, put any sort of stock in those rags of publication that the mush-mouthed, brainless and witless wonders of this town see fit to read. Gossip is nothing more than a tool of Bhaal to dull the minds and muddle the muscles of those he wishes to rule. And you would do well to remember this, Nimue." Delphinea's robust tone was only perfectly punctuated by her grand gesture of turning on her heel and walking out of the room in a huff.

Janie rolled her eyes as Delphinea did so, making a face at the empty doorway, which caused Sheryl to chuckle and finally settle herself onto the couch next to her Sister. "I think you're quite hard on Phin. And Issy too for that matter, Janie."

"Oh rot! They're murder on me, Sher. And you know it."

Sheryl shrugged lightly and put her head back against the couch. "Maybe..."

"Issy rides me like a horse and she thinks she's the ruler to be measured by." Janie slouched as well, to further match Sheryl's posture. Though there was something unsaid in her words that spoke volumes.

Sheryl, always the introspective one, caught the unspoken sentiment and turned her head to look at Janie. For a few quiet moments, she studied the surfer's profile. "You're worried about her, aren't you?" Sheryl's voice was soft and warm, this was one of the first times she'd seen Janie like that. Sheryl could read plainly on the sunkissed face of the beach bunny that she was holding in anxiety and apprehension. It was as plain to Sheryl as if it were written there in ink.

"What' Are you pullin' a wobbly?" Janie glanced to Sheryl, but was unable to hold her gaze before looking away to the flames.

"You're scared that she's really not okay. It's okay, Janie. I trust Mr. Batten. Issy does. So should the rest of us. If he says that she's safe, then she's safe." So trusting was this young one.

"Yeh. Big talk from one of the biggest fuc.....Eh, never mind." Janie shook her head and shut her eyes as she rested her head against the couch's back.

Sheryl quietly smiled at her Sister, knowing that her point had been heard, understood and taken to heart. This was the way one dealt with Janie. And perhaps, Sheryl wondered, Isuelt had never learned that. With the two of them it was always a battle of wills; two rams going at each other, head-on and at full speed. Sometimes the best way to get past the angry hard-headed ram was to simply walk the other way for a time. Sheryl placed a hand on Janie's and gave it a gentle squeeze. It was only a two second delay before she felt an even harder squeeze returned.