"Can't hurt to make a good first impression," Tavi agreed. He shook his head slowly. "Can you imagine, Magnus, what would have happened if those hotheaded idiots in the Senate had gotten their way and funded a full-scale retaliation upon the Canim homeland?"

Magnus shook his head in silence.

"With numbers like this," Tavi continued, "they could have wiped us out. Furycrafting or no, they could have destroyed us at will."

Magnus' face turned grim. "So it would seem."

Tavi looked up at him. "So why didn't they?"

The old Cursor shook his head again. "I don't know."

Tavi studied the map for a time, examining the various territories. "Then Varg, I take it, is a member of only one of these territories?"

"Yes," Magnus said. "Narash. It's the only territory which has actually made contact with Alera."

The territory of Narash, Tavi noted, was also home to the port of Marshag. "Then I suppose the next question we need to ask ourselves is-"

Outside the cabin, the ship's bell began to ring frantically. Demos began bellowing orders. A few moments later, the captain himself knocked and then opened the cabin door.

"Magnus," he said, nodding to the old Cursor. "My lord," he said, nodding to Tavi. "The old sea dog was right. There's a storm coming up on us from the south."

Tavi winced, but nodded. "How can we help you, Captain?"

"Tie down anything that isn't bolted to the floor," Demos said, "including yourselves. It's going to be a bad one."

Tune in next Tuesday for a new installment!